CAPT LANCE WADE
Atlantic Army Reservists prepare to deploy for Canadian-led Multinational Brigade in Latvia
By Capt Lance Wade,
36 Canadian Brigade Group Public Affairs
CAPT LANCE WADE
Approximately 40 soldiers from 36 Canadian Brigade Group have completed their validation training on Exercise Steady Robur 24 at 5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown from June 16 – 26, 2024. These reservists are part of the Force Protection Platoon, which has been given the green light to deploy on Operation Reassurance as part of the Canadian-led multinational brigade in Latvia.
Given the complex and multidimensional nature of the current security environment, the tactics and training are based on lessons learned from Ukraine and will help them understand the asymmetrical battlespace which is currently unfolding in Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“The tasks we’re getting on exercise are set to simulate what we will be doing in Latvia,” said Captain (Capt) Cole MacEachern, from the Prince Edward Island Regiment. “We are going through and conducting tasks such as; convoy escorts, vital point security, vehicle checkpoints, and different security tasks to protect Brigade assets such as; drones, electronic warfare vehicles, and other intelligence collection groups.”
Op Reassurance is currently the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) largest overseas mission, through which the CAF contributes to NATO assurance, deterrence and defence measures in Central and Eastern Europe. It is the biggest reinforcement of the Alliance’s collective defence since the mission in Afghanistan.
“I’m excited to go to Latvia,” said Corporal Aidan Hicks, from the Nova Scotia Highlanders. “It’s my first deployment, first time leaving the county – we get to lead the Brigade and also work with our NATO Allies and partners. This will give me experience to bring back to my home unit and share with others who didn’t have the opportunity to deploy.”
Capt MacEachern added: “I feel highly privileged to be a platoon Commander going on Op Reassurance. It has always been a goal of mine to lead an organization on a deployment and I have a fantastic group of individuals going over with me and we are very excited to conduct the operation.”
Canada will complete the full implementation of persistently deployed Brigade capabilities to Latvia by 2026, at which point the Brigade will have up to 2,200 CAF members as part of the enhanced Forward Presence and supporting elements in Latvia.
