Comox and Courtenay residents will see hundreds of Canadian Armed Forces personnel and dozens of water vessels training on local beaches from May 6-13.
Approximately 350 Canadian Army Reserve, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force personnel will be participating in the 39 Canadian Brigade Group training event named Exercise Cougar Gauntlet taking place at HMCS Quadra (Goose Spit), 19 Wing Comox, Seal Bay Armoury and Training Area, and Canadian Forces Measuring and Experimental Test Ranges, near Comox, Courtenay and Nanoose Bay.
Activities will happen throughout the day and night culminating in beach assaults on the mornings of May 11 and 12 on Air Force Beach. Most of the training exercise will occur in and around Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Comox including public and private lands.
Exercise Cougar Gauntlet will bring together land, maritime, and air personnel and equipment from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to execute naval transport, beach landings, platoon raids and withdrawal by small boats. The activities are intended to practise littoral operations and to familiarize army personnel with select navy and air force capabilities to improve future co-operation.
Canadian Army Reserve participants will consist primarily of infantry, combat engineer and reconnaissance detachments from British Columbia, and be enabled by Royal Canadian Navy warships and Royal Canadian Air Force aviation assets.
As members of the Army Reserve in British Columbia, soldiers train during evenings and weekends while serving as a part-time component of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Health Protection Measures will be enforced at all times. This training will adhere to COVID-19 Force Protection Health Measures, guidelines from the Public Health Agency of Canada, and guidelines from municipal and provincial health authorities.
All measures are being taken to ensure minimum inconvenience to those in the area. Residents are asked to take extra caution when approaching military personnel training in the area and are thanked in advance for their understanding and co-operation.