Regimental Shooting Returns to the West – Virtually
EXERCISE VIRTUAL GUNNER (EX VG) was held between February and April 2009 within the Artillery Regiments of Land Forces Western Area (LFWA). This was a combination Voice Procedures Exercise (VPX) and Command Post Exercise (CPX). The exercise covered Regimental fire missions and basic fire planning.
The brain-child of Lieutenant Colonel Craig Cotter, CO of 5th (British Columbia) Field Regiment, EX VG allowed artillery members from across five provinces to link up as if they were connected by radio. This was accomplished by use of telephone conference calling. One conference call was used as the Regimental Command Net, while a second conference call was the Regimental “Ring” net.
Each Battery Command Post (CPs) as well as the Regimental Command Post each had two telephones going, each simulating one net. The Forward Observation Officer used a single net (Command). CPs were formed from various units across Western Canada and had the opportunity of conducting just a VPX or to practice their CP drills, producing gun data, effectively providing an opportunity to conduct a full CPX. The opportunity was also provided for other callers to simply listen in on the nets to hear how missions should be run.
“My Regiment has its two Batteries separated by almost a 2 hour drive. One Battery has the majority of the CP crew and gun-line officers while the other is stronger on the OP area. It was apparent to me that in order for them to practice effectively and inexpensively on a regular parade night, we needed to find a way to bring them together.” explained LCol Cotter. “Shortly after taking command in 2007 I instructed my Second-In-Command (2i/c) to organize a telephone conference call to simulate the Battery Command Net”.
Major Scott Wisdahl, 2i/c of the Regiment continues, “Our first Battery CPXs were a success. Within five minutes we had been able to bring together both Batteries and conduct a number of fire missions. No one had to travel, so no time was lost in transit and the Unit’s only cost was the conference fees, which were much less than fuel for our vehicles. It also allowed me, living in Northern BC, to control the exercise from home.”
In May 2009 the reserve units from LFWA will be conducting EXERCISE WESTERN DEFENDER (EX WD). As part of that, all reserve artillery units will contribute to a composite Battery under command of Maj Wisdahl. Running as part of the end of EX WD, the LFWA reserve units will merge with EXERCISE TOTAL RAM as part of 1 Canadian Brigade Group. The composite Battery will join with 1RCHA and conduct Regimental missions.
“Our [CO] saw that one of the first difficulties we would have is lack of recent experience in the voice procedure and conduct of regimental missions. Many of the younger officers and signalers have never heard a Regimental mission, let alone been part of one”, remarked Maj Wisdahl “Using the experienced gained from running our own Battery missions via teleconferencing, we decided to use the same approach to simulate the radio networks of an Artillery Regiment. LCol Cotter agreed to host the teleconferences and to provide his HQ staff to produce the exercise materials. LCol Cotter then invited other artillery Units to participate”.
The LFWA artillery units cross five provinces and have three time zones. In order to conduct the training on a weeknight, the length of time that could be used was shortened to no more than 2 hours, and having some Unit’s starting very early in the evening, while others were on until fairly late. To allow for enough missions to be run preparing for EX WD and because of time zones, this exercise was run over a series of nights. Each night concentrated on specific areas for Regimental missions.
Very early in the process the Regimental Command Post Officer (RCPO) of 1RCHA, Captain Trevor Pellerine, became involved. After the first evening session, the RCPO took control of the nets as he will during EX WD. This allowed all participants to work to one command standard and become familiar with how Capt Pellerine will run regimental missions.
The Chief of Land Staff, Lieutenant General Leslie (CLS) had made it very clear that he expected that during this year the artillery units in Canada would fire at a regimental level and that the Reserves would work with their Regular Force counterparts. EX Virtual Gunner was the beginning of this process.
The use of simple telephone conferencing systems has enabled western Canadian artillery units, Regular and Reserve, to conduct necessary training and coordinate standards without having to deal with the large distances involved between Units. It will be a technique that can be used into the future. Further details can be obtained by contacting Capt Rob Leblanc the Regt Adjt at Leblanc.RBG@forces. gc.ca
The Quadrant, Volume 26 Issue 1, Summer 2010
The brain-child of Lieutenant Colonel Craig Cotter, CO of 5th (British Columbia) Field Regiment, EX VG allowed artillery members from across five provinces to link up as if they were connected by radio. This was accomplished by use of telephone conference calling. One conference call was used as the Regimental Command Net, while a second conference call was the Regimental “Ring” net.
Each Battery Command Post (CPs) as well as the Regimental Command Post each had two telephones going, each simulating one net. The Forward Observation Officer used a single net (Command). CPs were formed from various units across Western Canada and had the opportunity of conducting just a VPX or to practice their CP drills, producing gun data, effectively providing an opportunity to conduct a full CPX. The opportunity was also provided for other callers to simply listen in on the nets to hear how missions should be run.
“My Regiment has its two Batteries separated by almost a 2 hour drive. One Battery has the majority of the CP crew and gun-line officers while the other is stronger on the OP area. It was apparent to me that in order for them to practice effectively and inexpensively on a regular parade night, we needed to find a way to bring them together.” explained LCol Cotter. “Shortly after taking command in 2007 I instructed my Second-In-Command (2i/c) to organize a telephone conference call to simulate the Battery Command Net”.
Major Scott Wisdahl, 2i/c of the Regiment continues, “Our first Battery CPXs were a success. Within five minutes we had been able to bring together both Batteries and conduct a number of fire missions. No one had to travel, so no time was lost in transit and the Unit’s only cost was the conference fees, which were much less than fuel for our vehicles. It also allowed me, living in Northern BC, to control the exercise from home.”
In May 2009 the reserve units from LFWA will be conducting EXERCISE WESTERN DEFENDER (EX WD). As part of that, all reserve artillery units will contribute to a composite Battery under command of Maj Wisdahl. Running as part of the end of EX WD, the LFWA reserve units will merge with EXERCISE TOTAL RAM as part of 1 Canadian Brigade Group. The composite Battery will join with 1RCHA and conduct Regimental missions.
“Our [CO] saw that one of the first difficulties we would have is lack of recent experience in the voice procedure and conduct of regimental missions. Many of the younger officers and signalers have never heard a Regimental mission, let alone been part of one”, remarked Maj Wisdahl “Using the experienced gained from running our own Battery missions via teleconferencing, we decided to use the same approach to simulate the radio networks of an Artillery Regiment. LCol Cotter agreed to host the teleconferences and to provide his HQ staff to produce the exercise materials. LCol Cotter then invited other artillery Units to participate”.
The LFWA artillery units cross five provinces and have three time zones. In order to conduct the training on a weeknight, the length of time that could be used was shortened to no more than 2 hours, and having some Unit’s starting very early in the evening, while others were on until fairly late. To allow for enough missions to be run preparing for EX WD and because of time zones, this exercise was run over a series of nights. Each night concentrated on specific areas for Regimental missions.
Very early in the process the Regimental Command Post Officer (RCPO) of 1RCHA, Captain Trevor Pellerine, became involved. After the first evening session, the RCPO took control of the nets as he will during EX WD. This allowed all participants to work to one command standard and become familiar with how Capt Pellerine will run regimental missions.
The Chief of Land Staff, Lieutenant General Leslie (CLS) had made it very clear that he expected that during this year the artillery units in Canada would fire at a regimental level and that the Reserves would work with their Regular Force counterparts. EX Virtual Gunner was the beginning of this process.
The use of simple telephone conferencing systems has enabled western Canadian artillery units, Regular and Reserve, to conduct necessary training and coordinate standards without having to deal with the large distances involved between Units. It will be a technique that can be used into the future. Further details can be obtained by contacting Capt Rob Leblanc the Regt Adjt at Leblanc.RBG@forces. gc.ca
The Quadrant, Volume 26 Issue 1, Summer 2010