Active Edge '04

[PTE Gruending]

Well I just got back from Active Edge 04 and Wainright last nite, and it was an interesting exercise to say the least. Working with 1PPCLI LAV III's and LDSH(RC) Leo's, in addition to live-fire platoon attacks and company attacks. Anyone else attend this ex? What were your thoughts on it?

 

[spacelord]

I was in the non-live fire company and there was  absolutley no enemy force for the final attack. What is up with that?  What do you know about the people who were left behind in the impact area?  I heard it was 3 people who were forgotten, and  also that is was a platoon that had not been picked up yet.

 

[D-n-A]

I worked wtih Western Service Battalion during the ex, working as a storesman. It was a pretty good ex, the weather sucked for most of the week though. I liked working with people from different units and from the reg force, I learned a lot.  I'll post some pictures that I took later on today.

 

[stukirkpatrick]

I just got in the door a 1/2 hour ago, and I thought the exercise was really good training, albeit a few letdowns (mainly, the lack of repeatedly promiesd helo ops, and the aforementioned lack of enemy for non-live A Coy during their attack.  The rain during the first few days was definitely uncomfortable, but once the weather cleared up, the tank/LAV/combined Arms training was extremely fun.  :warstory:  Getting bushwacked on all sides by Leopards and LAVs and dismounted infantry, while being enemy force, was quite fun to watch  :skull:

Partly because of the unfortunate course cancellations this summer, there was an entire platoon of SQ qualified soldiers, but we were able to participate in most of the training, thankfully  8)

Who else was in the non-live fire Coy?

I also find it quite sad that the Leopard Tanks (and Cougars) are being phased out - but the reasons given (being unable to deploy elsewhere in the world, and the current trend of operations) makes sense.  If only Canada was able to carry its own weight, at least for the equipment it does have. 

 

[PTE Gruending]

The weather on Sunday definetly was challenging, rain and wind knocked out a couple troops from our Coy due to hypothermia... seems like everyone's kit was soaked to the bone, no respite from the rain!

Working with LAV's and Leo's was very cool and usefull, I found the 1PPCLI and LDSH(RC) troops to be quite knowledgeable and professional. The LAVIII's were generally thought to be the coolest by the guys in my platoon, although it may have something to do with not having to hump a few KM's to get to an objective ;-). Seeing how the whole combined arms/modern army concept works is very interesting. Leo's and LAV's in front, with Infantry ready to dismount, and the support column behind makes you think of the whole picture. The PL CMD and PL WO from a platoon in my company were injured when their LAV hit a large bump at speed, as they were standing up in the rear hatches. It stopped the action for the day, and I hope them a speedy recovery.

For me the best part was the live fire platoon attack, as I was a C6 gunner with a lot of ammo  :threat:  :gunner:

Blasting those dismounted inf and BMP targets was very cool...

 

[D-n-A]

Heres some of the pictures I took

http://www.pbase.com/activeedge04

 

[PTE Gruending]

Ahhh yes, the red rover game waiting for the bus at end-ex, did you see us NSASKr's playing football?

Heres some of the pictures I took

http://www.pbase.com/activeedge04

 

[D-n-A]

Yea, I saw a few of you guys playing.

 

[stukirkpatrick]

Ahhh yes, the red rover game waiting for the bus at end-ex, did you see us NSASKr's playing football?

:threat:  At end ex, they had the LSSR guys counting and linking ammo, because our companies did not return it the proper way, and they chose us because we didn't leave until the next day  

but I as well have a few active edge photos, including several vehicles - http://www.pbase.com/sjkirkpa/activeedge

I tried to take a band-of-brothers style one for the first picture, of A Coy relaxing in the mist, waiting for our HL-icoptors  ;D

 

[Michael Dorosh]

but I as well have a few active edge photos, including several vehicles - http://www.pbase.com/sjkirkpa/activeedge

I tried to take a band-of-brothers style one for the first picture, of A Coy relaxing in the mist, waiting for our HL-icoptors  ;D

Good pictures!!

 

[spacelord]

Nice pictures. I'm one of those guys playing Red Rover.  before we played that, we also had a game of tag.

 

[GDawg]

Ah, my first post...

AE04 really was something else wasn't it? I was a SigOp at HICON and I tell you what, I was pretty damned busy the whole time.Stressful, yet invaluable experience for a guy straight off his 3's. For all the hard work the often forgotten advance party troops did, I hope everybody involved took home some positive memories and learned new things.

As far as the troops left in behind in a live trace, that was pretty stupid, I was on shift at the time and needless to say,my log book was confiscated for the investigation. I hope to see someone fired or demoted over this!

 

[AlphaCharlie]

I just got back from ARCON04.... pretty big letdown... but we got to ride in Blackhawks/Griffons... it was sweet. Frickin 2RCR ruined the final defensive battle because they don't play by the rules... grrrrr  :rage:

 

[CanadianSIG]

Rules??

here is an interesting post I suggest you take a look at

http://army.ca/forums/threads/18270.0.html

perhaps you witnessed more of lesson learned scenario than you thought...

 

[D-n-A]

Nice pictures. I'm one of those guys playing Red Rover.   before we played that, we also had a game of tag.

You guys played tag also...

Seeing a bunch of infanteers playing red rover is one thing, but to know you guys play tag too.. I dunno about you westies now.

 

[Highland Laddie]

Some points / updates from someone who was working up with the TSG in HICON for this ex:

1. OPFOR - Not enough by far. There were only ten of us to cover a MEL in a 20KM x 10 KM trace, and we largely only had C-7s. The original ORBAT called for a Pl sized OPFOR, complete with support wpns. Not enough troops turned up, so OPFOR became whom ever we could scrape up from HICON. Most days it was a couple Capts, MWO / WOs, and a few BMQ privates. We also had to drive civie pattern rental vehicles (due to shortages), which cut down on the realism.... Ambushing the MPs while they stood inside their own POW cage was interesting though..... :

2. The injured LT / WO -  The LT from the RWR was evacuated to the U of A hospital in Edmonton, and had three screws placed in the ankle and leg bones, along with over 40 staples. Luckily he made the flight back to Winnipeg, and is in good spirits (I know the guy). The SI is already well under way. Kudos to WATC, as the MPs and WATC Safety were out investigating the scene within a 1/2 hour of the accident, and the boys were well looked after. For those with concerns over Command & Control and Communications for this ex (myself included), you'll be happy to hear they worked quickly in an emergency (as they should). I got back to HICON 1 hour after the accident, and the Commander, RSM, and padre were already at the base hospital with the injured.

3. The 'live' trace issue - Some of my unit's troops were involved in this. Basically, the Gurkha's went 'live' before a) someone certified that the impact area was clear; or b) someone certified the impact area was clear when it was not. The AE 04 live fire shoot ran late (the first attack was right out of er), and burned all of the fudge factor time in the MEL before the Gurhkas were to take over the range. Rest assured the investigation was already well underway before I left WATC on Saturday afternoon. As it involves two national armies (ours and the Brits), the investigation should be interesting to say the least. The 'bright spot' in this (if there is one), is that the troops were just outside of the danger trace for the MGs and mortars. They heard some 'splash' and ricochets, but everyone remained calm and professional.

If anyone else has any observations / comments on the ex, please fire away. I'm still working on the unit's PXR for the ex. Cheers!

 

[spacelord]

You guys played tag also...

Seeing a bunch of infanteers playing red rover is one thing, but to know you guys play tag too.. I dunno about you westies now.

playing tag was a fun way to get some PT.  We had enough people to have a good game going.

 

[GDawg]

Yeah, someone certified the trace was clear when it was not. HICON asked, and were told all was clear, and that message was passed to range control, and thus to the British. I hope the investigation goes smoothly, they have the log books and things were neat and tidy from a signals stand point...

 

[Rfn]

I don't know much beyond hearsay about the live fire trace. I hope THAT sucker gets investigated and resolved...

But I can say that the logistic side of the ex utterly sucked. It was very disorganized from the beginning Somebody at battle group HQ and/or the composite Western Svc Bn (WSB) dropped the ball in a big way. Sometimes DPs didn't even show up, and troops went hungry when IMPs were not delivered...not that the troops had anything to heat them with, naptha was in short supply for most of the ex. And no hot rats were a problem, because it rained for most of the exercise

There were a lot of excuses flying around. One of my favorite was that the supply trucks that travelled in the exercise area needed an escort (a cougar or an infantry section in another vehicle) to get through hostile areas. The MPs wouldn't let unescorted vehicles through. So when the escort and the trucks failed to marry up, the supply guys simply turned around and when back to their comfy mod tents in their bivvy, content with letting the troops go without.   And the higher ups never intervened to get the DPs out to the troops, until the ex was half over.

The saving grace was the troops, didn't hear much complaining about the situation at all  

I think some key people on that ex needed to be fired/kicked in the ass.

There were a lot of problems. Admittedly however most of the training was good. The big problem with the training was the powers that be forgot to set aside time to zero weapons prior to the platoon live fire shoot.

Anyway, see you all at Active Edge 05!   :dontpanic:

 

[Herby]

Gruending, i dint know you posted on here ;D
awesome man
i had a awesome time on active edge as well. Our last 25 round FFE when we were firing support for you guys was awesome.
i definatley will be going on this again next year.
the $650 pay check was pretty nice too ;D