The Arctic

[Furniture]

How much winter and Arctic warfare training is really going on in Pet?

Not sure, I'm not posted there and my experience with the army was nearly two decades ago... I do know that Ottawa and Pet get colder winters on average than Anchorage. That means the people there are more acclimatized to colder weather than people in warmer climates.

As I said, there is likely some truth to the notion that on average Canadians are more accustomed to/better at cold weather operations than the average American.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Fair. I am just deeply suspicious of the assumptions that we're automatically good at Winter and Arctic Warfare just because we exist in a cold country. That's a specific skillset and doctrine that needs to be regularly trained and exercised.

Amen!

Especially with our winter... 60 below above the treeline is a whole different kettle of fish...

 

[ytz]

Not sure, I'm not posted there and my experience with the army was nearly two decades ago... I do know that Ottawa and Pet get colder winters on average than Anchorage. That means the people there are more acclimatized to colder weather than people in warmer climates.

As I said, there is likely some truth to the notion that on average Canadians are more accustomed to/better at cold weather operations than the average American.

Sure. But being acclimatized to cold and fighting in the cold are two different things.

 

[PrairieFella]

How much winter and Arctic warfare training is really going on in Pet?

Quite a bit from what I gather. Army reservists in Canada regularly ride sleds and conduct patrols 100s of km North. 5 CMBG exercises in Nord-du-Québec from time to time from what I hear. Winter warfare is something we do well, lets take the Ws when we find the rare one haha.

This straight up sounds like national mythmaking. The Americans have more forces in Alaska alone than the CAF in total. I find this a real stretch.

Ive been on some of those exercises. We had to loan them sleeping kit...werent exactly prepared.