Members of the Sudbury Irish Regiment took part in an overnight training exercise that saw them take a massive CH-147F Chinook helicopter from the Sudbury Airport late Friday night.
The training was an escape and evasion exercise, where the army reserves were taken in the helicopter from Sudbury to Burwash where they were dropped off in the dead of night in sub-zero temperatures.
"We're basically pretending like we're prisoners who have escaped and we're going to be off and running through the woods and there's people who have to try to catch us," said Lt. Col. Alex Haynes. "Tonight, the soldiers and I are going to have to walk all night and get to a certain point. In total it's about 11 or 12 km walking."
By morning, the soldiers were tracked by OPP K9 units as they made the final stretch for their pick up. Around 20 members of the Sudbury Irish Regiment were joined by reservists from the Algonquin regiment in North Bay for the exercise and the troops piled into two Chinook helicopters shortly after 9 p.m. on Friday night.
Approximately, 70 people took part in the training.
"It's a good opportunity for a lot of our soldiers. We're going to practice loading and unloading the helicopters, which is a good skill to have," said Haynes. "Once that training is done we'll hop on and we're gone."
Irish Regiment Honourary Colonel Kevin McCormick was unable to make the trip on the helicopter on Oct. 30, but commended those taking part in the training exercise.
“The exercise this weekend clearly illustrates the high level of preparedness and professionalism of the women and men of the Irish Regiment of Canada and the Canadian Reserves," said McCormick.
“As members of the Reserves the women and men of the Irish Regiment are citizens in our community who are highly trained to serve the needs of Canadians domestically and internationally. When called upon they leave their homes and families to serve the needs our our country through a myriad of operations including the most recent pandemic in long-term care homes.”
