Exercise SUPER SLAM – Capture the Flag with Pain

By Cpl Sean Coughlan

On Friday, 13 March 2015, B Squadron, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) took part in Exercise SUPER SLAM, which was a Fighting in Built Up Area exercise using Simulations (plastic paint filled Bullets). Exercise SUPER SLAM was planned by Lt TJ Casey and executed by Sgt Conway Eady with the intent of further reinforcing team cohesion and the fighting spirit within B Squadron.

The exercise consisted of five eight-person teams competing in a tournament against one opposing team at a time. Teamwork and communication were essential as the goal was to capture the other team’s flag while still managing to protect your own in a scenario that was unforgiving. The two-way Simulation range consisted of a series of rooms and hallways connected by doorways with no guarantee of what or who may be on the other side. Each team started on opposite sides of the structure and had to push through the other team and gain possession of their flag with as few of their own team members being eliminated as possible.

When all was said and done, everyone who participated had enjoyed themselves and it was apparent that the goal of reinforcing team cohesion and the fighting spirit had been met and surpassed. Hopefully there will be more opportunities in the future for Strathconas to train with Simulation as it proved to be an invaluable training tool.