A pair of 105-mm howitzers bark constantly as they turn plywood tank targets into kindling kilometres away on the windswept landscape of one of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 largest military bases.
It香蕉视频直播檚 a once-a-month weekend training session at Canadian Forces Base Suffield, 260 kilometres southeast of Calgary, for 158 members of 41 Canadian Brigade Group, composed of Army Reserve units in Alberta and the Northwest Territories.
They range in ages and include a high school teacher, the owner of a sewing company, a private investigator and a mountain guide.
Many have hopes of being deployed to the NATO Multinational Battlegroup in Latvia and helping fend off Russian threats.
Col. Chris Hunt, commander of the brigade group, delivers a pep talk to reservists practising with C6 machine-guns.
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CFB Suffield has been the site of military training in the region since 1972 and, at 2,700 square kilometres, is the largest military training area in Canada. There are rolling hills and knee-high native Prairie grasses as far at the eye can see and, for safety reasons, the artillery range sits 20 kilometres from other training areas on the base.
Capt. Peter Rosendal, 55, is being deployed to Latvia and promoted to the rank of major for a six-month tour beginning in December.
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Rosendal belongs to Southern Alberta Light Horse, an armoured reconnaissance unit, and was in the reserves from 1986 to 2000. He then worked as a high school teacher in Lethbridge, Alta., for 17 years before rejoining the military.
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He says conflict around the world, including Ukraine, makes the training more urgent.
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Maj. Brent Peters joined the Canadian Forces when he was 17. He continues to serve part time with the King香蕉视频直播檚 Own Calgary Regiment and has been deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Afghanistan.
香蕉视频直播淭he new soldiers are really, really keen to get out and be on the armoured vehicles,香蕉视频直播� says Peters, who in his civilian life works as a mountain guide.
Pte. Rhys Dunnill Jones, 23, says he comes from a military family and wanted to enhance his mental and physical strength.
He owns a company that sews and designs tactical gear.
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At 18, Pte. Zachary Fowler is the baby of the group. Also coming from a military family, he is eager to serve overseas.
香蕉视频直播淚 am trying to get all the steps I can done so I can,香蕉视频直播� he says.
Bombardier Raymond Chow owns a paintball field in the Edmonton area, works at the airport and is also a process server and private investigator.
Chow, 31, says he joined the reserves after university and would like to deploy one day.
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Hunt, the brigade group commander, says reserve recruitment has been ramping up to turn out as many part-time professional soldiers as quickly as possible.
香蕉视频直播淐anada has a long-term commitment to Latvia,香蕉视频直播� he says.
香蕉视频直播淭he army is going to be in Latvia for the long term. So in order to sustain that commitment, it香蕉视频直播檚 going to take reservists working alongside our regular force colleagues.
Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
