CFB Gagetown hosts 1,000 soldiers for military exercises

Over 1,000 Canadian Armed Forces personnel are in New Brunswick over the next two weeks to train in military exercises.

Common Ground II is being held at CFB Gagetown and includes training for nine different careers in the military.

Captain Ian McIntyre, public affairs officer for the combat training centre at CFB Gagetown, likens the exercise to a soldier's final exam.

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"We have individual training, we have collective training. What it does is it brings together a number of individual and collective training sort of events under one exercise," said McIntyre.

The training combines classroom, computer simulation and combat-like instruction.

"It gives the students a really thorough first taste of how the different combat arms integrate, and who takes the lead in different situations. And it really helps promote them to the next stage in their careers."

CFB Gagetown 'home of the Canadian Army'

McIntyre said the base is a great place to hold the exercise.

The combat training centre has very technologically advanced equipment and as well, the sheer size of CFB Gagetown is ideal for  large-scale training exercises.

"We are the home of the Canadian Army. If you are in the army, there's a pretty good chance you [are] going to do your training in Gagetown,"

While some of the soldiers are already stationed at CFB Gagetown, the majority of them have just arrived. The first thing the soldiers witnessed was a demonstration including tanks and aircraft.

Even though it's early days for the exercise, McIntyre is pleased so far with the response.

"It was an excellent demonstration and I think it's really poising them well for the training they're going to do over the next two weeks."

Common Ground II is scheduled to last until Nov. 26.