Op IMPACT CTAT-Lebanon

Sergeant Steven Gross

The Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) mission in Lebanon involves working to help build the capacities of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). The Strathcona’s on rotation 7 worked within the CTAT-L HQ (Canadian Training Assistance Team – Lebanon Headquarters) and provided support for the Mobile Training Teams that are deployed to various locations in Lebanon to instruct the LAF. We had the opportunity to visit a LAF Armoured Regiment and although we don’t speak Arabic, there is a universal Tanker language understood by all when you’re trying to explain how you need more parts. Despite the economic and political situation in the country, all of us agreed that the Lebanese people are some of the most kind and resilient people we’ve ever encountered. We leave confident knowing that we made a positive impact during our time in Lebanon and know that the country has left a positive impact on us that we will never forget.