Training
The Regimental Band has a reputation for making the most of opportunities as they are presented. When it involves a conflict between completing the annual Individual Battle Task Standards (IBTS) and an awesome gig, what can you do? After all, the qualified assessment team is in Vancouver and the gig is in Hawaii. Best solution – bring the assessment team to Hawaii with the Band and take care of both requirements at once!
​The Assessment Team! Lieutenant Doug Gayton, Captain Kent Wickens, 3, Sergeant Drew Bartlett, 5,6, Lieutenant Nick Watts, 8, 9, Bombardier Art Gee. ​Of course we are talking Hawaii. The Band has to take care of the second commitment. What’s an assessment team supposed to do when the Band is playing?
Whenever there's free time on the music side, it must mean that it's time for more IBTS training. C7 rifle weapons handling skills are practiced until they become second nature. Intermediate Actions and Stoppages. 
After the C7 assessment, there's time to be reacquianted with the C6 machine gun, or in the case the American version the Section Automatic Weapon. Similarity in the weapons system allows the instructors to master the weapon before engaging the members of the Band.
Mind you, it's always nice to have an American handy for some of the tougher questions. They may be similar but they're not identical.
There's also a need for a refresher on the M72 66mm Light Anti-Tank Weapon before getting down to the ins and outs of the hand grenade.​
The downside of doing the assessment in Hawaii? the heat and the humidity! It's a lot cooler in Vancouver.
Even the boss, Captain Richard Van Slyke is feeling the heat.