You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Great White North
Canadian soldiers suffer frostbite during training: equipment/leadership blamed
2019-01-31
On Jan. 17-18, nearly 120 soldiers with the Royal Canadian Dragoons participated in basic winter survival training while the temperature dropped to ‐31 C.

The soldiers, part of the immediate response unit (IRU) vanguard, left in the morning on a 12-kilometre march and returned the next day after spending the night outside.

Approximately 20 soldiers reported frostbite or minor hypothermia, and "a very small number" had to be hospitalized for more serious cold-related injuries, said public affairs officer Capt. Daniel Mazurek...Richard Blanchette, a retired major-general and the chair of the Royal Canadian Legion's defence and security committee, said that the injuries sustained by the soldiers during the training were not "normal."

Blanchette said those types of injuries can occur when training conditions are extremely difficult ‐ but also if the equipment wasn't suitable for the situation.
Posted by:Anguper Hupomosing9418

#5  However, white bunny boots are great at -65F

You probably called it AP - wanna bet a PC Canadian army doesn't use furs.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2019-01-31 15:24  

#4  AP ~ Years ago (many years ago), the commandant of the NWTC was an Aleut speaker. He was one of the only native level speakers on active duty. Are there any left ?
Posted by: Besoeker   2019-01-31 15:23  

#3  We did not have these problems with the Alaska National Guard units in NW Alaska. Even at 45 to 55 below zero they were fine because they lived and subsisted in that environment all their lives. However, white bunny boots are great at -65F.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2019-01-31 15:19  

#2  No different than Ranger trainees drowning in bad weather. The flag pole demands keeping to the scheduled training plan regardless. Time, time, time. You exist to serve the schedule.

Lost a fellow cadet at summer training. The wet bulb says 'no go'. Schedule said 'go'. Command says 'go'. Family says 'goodbye'.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2019-01-31 07:31  

#1  Since I submitted this I got an email from the guy I buy my winter weight parkas from:
I received some feedback about the Canadian military problem from guys who think as I do the people responsible for purchasing these bags should have to use them themselves before being issued. Things might be different.

My representative in Canada told me the article was incomplete because the report also included cold feet, hands and body. So the problem gets worse once you have all of the facts. Poor quality boots and poor quality hand wear.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2019-01-31 01:45  

00:00