Waiting Out

By Cpl Gowans
April 2006

As March rolls in E Coy anxiously awaits the arrival of our new LAV TUA's and the new top of the line sight system, ITAS (Improved Target and Acquisition System), both due to come on-line in April.

On 6 Feb, four members of 1 Pl, Sgt Vollick, Cpl Worthy, Pte Finkbeiner, and Pte Christmas spent a week at General Dynamics in London, Ontario, with the new LAV TUA's, ensuring that the storage bins and cargo compartment were sufficient for use with Infantry soldiers deployed in the field or on operations. At the same time two members of 2 Pl, MCpl Sterner and Pte Rees traveled to General Dynamics in Calgary to act as consultants on the positions for placement of the SAT equipment in the new upgraded LAV III's. When asked about it, Pte Rees stated, "As space was restricted, it was nice to be asked where the best spots to place certain equipment might be."

From Feb 14-16, 26 Army and Navy cadets arrived in Edmonton from Muskeg Lake, Saskatchewan. Under the watchful eyes of E Coy Sgt Maj, MWO Greyeyes, and Cpls Blowers, Worthy, Bedard, and Gowans, the eager young cadets received a first hand view of military life. On the first day, they took a trip over to 408 Squadron to get a hands on look at the Griffon helicopter. Members of 408 allowed the cadets to sit in the pilot seat and use the controls on a grounded helicopter. After this, the cadets headed over to the LdSH (RC) mounted troops stables to have a look at the horses. The following morning E Coy set up a "dog and pony" show for the cadets, allowing them to handle unloaded C-7 assault rifles, C-6 MGs, 84mm Carl Gustov rocket launchers, radio's, and NVG's. Additionally they were allowed inside an M113 TUA turret and tried their hand with a TVIGS TOW missile simulator. The cadets spent that afternoon scaling a rock climbing wall at the gym, followed by a few hours in the Small Arms Training room with C-7 rifles that evening.

Meanwhile the rest of E Coy continues to soldier on. Most members are busy with courses being run in places such as Shilo, Manitoba and Wainwright, Alberta. With the arrival of the LAV TUA's approaching very soon, E Coy prepares for a full spring and summer of training and will be ready to deploy when called upon.