Soldiers Conduct Training In Woodstock

Friday, 26 April 2019 07:25

The Canadian Armed Forces will be stationed in Woodstock this weekend for a training mission.

WOODSTOCK - Expect to see a strong military presence in Woodstock this weekend.

The Canadian Armed Forces are doing a Domestic Response training exercise in the Friendly City starting today. CAF spokesman Sub-Lieutenant Andrew McLaughlin says the public will have a chance to interact with the soldiers.

"So we encourage the public to speak to the soldier's if they see them on the street and also at the arena, by all means ask them what they are up to and say hi. These soldiers are there to serve the community and be there for Canadian communities like Woodstock in a time of need. They're also able to speak to some of things that we are up to and why we conduct such an exercise. It actually opens up lines of communication that are operationally important for us, it allows us to be informed by the public about their needs."

McLaughlin explains some of the things they will be doing in our region for the next three days.

"We are conducting an exercise called Arrowhead Response and that exercise is based upon domestic emergency response exercise, where we will send up to 600 soldiers from across South Western Ontario to three different locations, one of them in Woodstock, Chatham Kent and Hanover. Doing so will reinforce the soldiers training and readiness, in order to respond to real emergencies in Canadian cities across the Country."

The army will set up base at the arena on Nellis Street and they will have some of their big trucks and army equipment in the City as well. McLaughlin says this training is something they take very seriously.

"This is one of the most important and critical missions that the Canadian Army reservists takes part in. Responding to Canadians in there time of need, whether it is a flood, a tornado or an industrial accident, it is something these soldiers take a great deal of pride in. They are proud to serve Canadians and communities in which they live and our very happy to speak to Canadians about what they are doing."