Soldiers on exercise will be carrying unloaded weapons – County residents are invited to engage

A soldier from the 4th Canadian Division Reserve Shooting Team hurdles a wall obstacle. Photo: Cpl Jax Kennedy, Canadian Forces Joint Imagery Centre

About 40 soldiers from 4th Canadian Division Reserve units in Ontario will be conducting a military training exercise in Prince Edward County this weekend and next.

Members of the public may notice small teams of soldiers in uniform carrying unloaded weapons in the town of Picton (including the airport and the fairgrounds) and the village of Bloomfield from Nov. 24-26 and Dec. 1-3.

The soldiers will be taking part in a humanitarian assistance scenario that will involve role-players. One of their tasks will be to gather information about the area (infrastructure, demographics, etc.) in order to advise the notional international organizations on the best course of action.

Of note, the soldiers will also be interacting with the general population on a voluntary basis, therefore members of the public who are interested in learning more about the exercise are invited and encouraged to engage with the soldiers.

Canadian soldiers develop their skills during exercises, which are simulated operations. Throughout the year, the Canadian Army conducts numerous exercises to ensure soldiers are always ready for future operations.