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www.torontostar.com. I found this a really good read. You have to register an account, it does not cost anything. You just have to give them your address. Here it is if you don't want to register.
Aug. 29, 2005. 08:30 AM
>ADVERTISEMENT<
STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR
Lieut. Kris Karpinski shouts at troops as they rehearse boarding and disembarking from helicopters last week at CFB Petawawa.
STAR COLUMNISTS
> Graham Fraser
> Richard Gwyn
> Stephen Handelman
> Chantal Hebert
> James Travers
> Ian Urquhart
> Thomas Walkom
Reservists love their double lives
BRUCE CAMPION-SMITH
OTTAWA BUREAU
CFB PETAWAWAâ â€Most work days, you can find John Hill on the 36th floor of BCE Place, overlooking Toronto's harbour, where he toils as a recruiter for Barrick Gold.
Jason Morische is at home in Toronto's courts, where he defends people accused of everything from fraud to impaired driving.
Adam Harmes is a self-described "left-wing economist" who lectures on international political economies.
Waheed Obaidi, Jammie To and Thanuja Rukman are all getting ready to hit the books.
But last week they smeared on the camouflage paint, picked up a rifle and went to war â †in the wilds of central Ontario.
They all lead double lives, pursuing full-time careers or studies while also doing duty in Canada's army reserves.
"This is so much different from what I do during the day," Morische said.
Photo gallery by Steve Russell
Sipping coffee from a tin cup, dressed in green combat clothing with a C7 rifle slung over his shoulder, this 32-year-old army captain couldn't be farther from the downtown courts where he makes his living.
He joined the reserves in 1997, drawn by the physical and mental demands of army life. "I wanted to see if I could hack it," he said.
He was among 3,200 reservists from Ontario, including more than 400 from Greater Toronto, who gathered at this military base northwest of Ottawa for the biggest exercise of the year, dubbed Stalwart Guardian.
The exercise, which wrapped up yesterday, comes at a time when Canadian defence policy is putting greater emphasis on the reserves, with military brass looking to these part-time troops to take on a bigger role in overseas missions.
For reservists, this nine-day drill, which is costing $5 million, is a chance to put all those nights and weekends of training to the test.
"Some people join because they need a job. The outdoorsy types are here.
"Some people want to serve ... their country," said Hill, who's the major in charge of Foxtrot company, about 126 soldiers.
The big appeal of the reserves, he said, is that the soldiers can maintain their involvement while pursuing a career.
"When you're younger, it's money, a part-time job.
"When you're older, you get more responsibility and it's good leadership training," Hill said.
Unlike reservists in the United States, Canada's part-time soldiers are not obligated to serve on missions. Going to places like Bosnia or Afghanistan is completely voluntary.
That has prompted some grumbling from troops in the regular forces, who can be dispatched at any time to a global hot spot.
Still, there is fierce competition for the overseas duties open to reserves, even though it typically involves a nine-month commitment â †three months of training plus the six-month tour.
The Toronto Star spent two days in the bush with Hill's company, a unit comprising two Toronto-area regiments, the 48th Highlanders and Queen's Own Rifles, both based at the Moss Park armoury.
This is no easygoing summer camp. It's a gruelling slice of army life, with long days spent marching and drilling and short nights spent sleeping in the forest, sheltered by only a bivouac â †along with tough discipline imposed by senior soldiers.
The soldiers dine on military rations, and while the food has gotten better in recent years, it's still a far cry from a home-cooked meal.
"When you've been in the army a while, you get a better appreciation for the little things in life â †a hot meal, warm coffee, tea, a bed and sleep," chuckled Lt. Ben Lee, 21, who is studying history and political science at the University of Toronto.
One day last week, Hill's troops were given the tough task of capturing a bridge from enemy forces. It wasn't quite like A Bridge Too Far. But for these weekend warriors, it was real enough.
With the attack in full flight, the forest's serenity was shattered by staccato bursts of blanks fired from machine guns, the barked orders of commanders and loud bangs of explosives simulating artillery fire.
It was enough smoke and noise to do a Canada Day celebration proud.
Pte. Andrew Kyron, a 22-year-old studying business administration at Humber College, got a harsh lesson in the military meaning of "strategy" and "objectives."
An umpire â †who decides which soldiers are "dead" and "injured" â †took him out of action during the initial assault.
"He said I was standing up too long," Kyron said, clutching a red card that read: "Gun shot, left arm."
Cpl. Tony Scotta wasn't so lucky. The 14-year reserve veteran, who works as a civil engineer in Toronto designing commercial and industrial buildings, was nailed by an enemy sniper.
But Scotta was still able to boast that he took out an armoured vehicle with his Carl Kustav, a heavy anti-tank weapon.
And though his "life" had ended, Scotta was beaming as the machine guns fired all around him.
"Love it," he said, grinning. "The adventure, the camaraderie, learning about warfare."
Cpl. Thanuja Rukman, of Markham, made it across the bridge, blazing away with her C7 rifle, only to buy the farm on the other side.
Like many students, she initially joined the reserves for the money. It helped pay her tuition.
"Here I am, four years later," said Rukman, a political science major at York University.
And while there are other ways to make money, "none are as much fun," she said, resting on the forest floor, propped up against a tree stump.
Pte. Jammie To, a health sciences student at the University of Waterloo, had the heavy task of slogging a bulky C6 machine gun.
But To's efforts paid off. The weapon, capable of spitting out 1,000 rounds a minute, kept enemy heads down during the attack.
"It's a completely different experience. Being a student, you sit around on your ass a lot," she said.
"My dad was surprised when I joined. He's proud that I've managed to stay in for so long."
Many of the young recruits acknowledged that they joined for the money â †a private's pay starts at $77.90 a day â †and the adventure. But many said a sense of duty and patriotism contributed to their decision as well.
"When I first joined, I was just in it for the pay. But now it means so much more, when it comes to brotherhood, serving your country, making friends," said Obaidi, 19.
Born in Afghanistan and a speaker of Farsi, the young private says he was partly inspired to join this past spring by Canada's military commitment to his war-torn homeland. It's his dream to do a tour with Canadian troops now serving in Afghanistan.
He admits to having been a "goofball" in the past, but says a summer in the army has changed all that.
"You learn discipline; you become more mature," said Obaidi, who will be studying criminology at the University of Guelph in September.
The reserves, explained Brig. Gen. Gary O'Brien, are the "people's army."
"These soldiers are everything from lawyers to students to factory workers to white-collar workers ... You'll find almost every occupation is represented," said O'Brien, who is a reservist himself. Out of uniform, he's a manager with General Dynamics Land Systems Canada.
"These are great Canadians. These are people who are willing to contribute a significant amount of time learning something very unpleasant like war fighting in order to protect their fellow citizens," O'Brien said.
The reserves may once have been considered "amateur" soldiers and poor cousins of the regular forces, he said, but they're taken seriously now.
"We've seen great improvements in our equipment; we've seen a new focus on our training and a new focus from senior leadership," said O'Brien, the officer conducting this week's drill.
And he said the reservists take the role seriously too â †and the potential risks that go with it.
"They are not playing at this. The soldiers that are here are focused on developing a real capability," O'Brien said.
"They're focused on making sure their training is relevant to protecting Canadians and to protect people around the world," he said.
It's perhaps a testament to their skills that 250 of the reservists taking part in this week's exercise are expected to volunteer to join Canada's dangerous duties in Afghanistan over the coming year.
Aug. 29, 2005. 08:30 AM
>ADVERTISEMENT<
STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR
Lieut. Kris Karpinski shouts at troops as they rehearse boarding and disembarking from helicopters last week at CFB Petawawa.
STAR COLUMNISTS
> Graham Fraser
> Richard Gwyn
> Stephen Handelman
> Chantal Hebert
> James Travers
> Ian Urquhart
> Thomas Walkom
Reservists love their double lives
BRUCE CAMPION-SMITH
OTTAWA BUREAU
CFB PETAWAWAâ â€Most work days, you can find John Hill on the 36th floor of BCE Place, overlooking Toronto's harbour, where he toils as a recruiter for Barrick Gold.
Jason Morische is at home in Toronto's courts, where he defends people accused of everything from fraud to impaired driving.
Adam Harmes is a self-described "left-wing economist" who lectures on international political economies.
Waheed Obaidi, Jammie To and Thanuja Rukman are all getting ready to hit the books.
But last week they smeared on the camouflage paint, picked up a rifle and went to war â †in the wilds of central Ontario.
They all lead double lives, pursuing full-time careers or studies while also doing duty in Canada's army reserves.
"This is so much different from what I do during the day," Morische said.
Photo gallery by Steve Russell
Sipping coffee from a tin cup, dressed in green combat clothing with a C7 rifle slung over his shoulder, this 32-year-old army captain couldn't be farther from the downtown courts where he makes his living.
He joined the reserves in 1997, drawn by the physical and mental demands of army life. "I wanted to see if I could hack it," he said.
He was among 3,200 reservists from Ontario, including more than 400 from Greater Toronto, who gathered at this military base northwest of Ottawa for the biggest exercise of the year, dubbed Stalwart Guardian.
The exercise, which wrapped up yesterday, comes at a time when Canadian defence policy is putting greater emphasis on the reserves, with military brass looking to these part-time troops to take on a bigger role in overseas missions.
For reservists, this nine-day drill, which is costing $5 million, is a chance to put all those nights and weekends of training to the test.
"Some people join because they need a job. The outdoorsy types are here.
"Some people want to serve ... their country," said Hill, who's the major in charge of Foxtrot company, about 126 soldiers.
The big appeal of the reserves, he said, is that the soldiers can maintain their involvement while pursuing a career.
"When you're younger, it's money, a part-time job.
"When you're older, you get more responsibility and it's good leadership training," Hill said.
Unlike reservists in the United States, Canada's part-time soldiers are not obligated to serve on missions. Going to places like Bosnia or Afghanistan is completely voluntary.
That has prompted some grumbling from troops in the regular forces, who can be dispatched at any time to a global hot spot.
Still, there is fierce competition for the overseas duties open to reserves, even though it typically involves a nine-month commitment â †three months of training plus the six-month tour.
The Toronto Star spent two days in the bush with Hill's company, a unit comprising two Toronto-area regiments, the 48th Highlanders and Queen's Own Rifles, both based at the Moss Park armoury.
This is no easygoing summer camp. It's a gruelling slice of army life, with long days spent marching and drilling and short nights spent sleeping in the forest, sheltered by only a bivouac â †along with tough discipline imposed by senior soldiers.
The soldiers dine on military rations, and while the food has gotten better in recent years, it's still a far cry from a home-cooked meal.
"When you've been in the army a while, you get a better appreciation for the little things in life â †a hot meal, warm coffee, tea, a bed and sleep," chuckled Lt. Ben Lee, 21, who is studying history and political science at the University of Toronto.
One day last week, Hill's troops were given the tough task of capturing a bridge from enemy forces. It wasn't quite like A Bridge Too Far. But for these weekend warriors, it was real enough.
With the attack in full flight, the forest's serenity was shattered by staccato bursts of blanks fired from machine guns, the barked orders of commanders and loud bangs of explosives simulating artillery fire.
It was enough smoke and noise to do a Canada Day celebration proud.
Pte. Andrew Kyron, a 22-year-old studying business administration at Humber College, got a harsh lesson in the military meaning of "strategy" and "objectives."
An umpire â †who decides which soldiers are "dead" and "injured" â †took him out of action during the initial assault.
"He said I was standing up too long," Kyron said, clutching a red card that read: "Gun shot, left arm."
Cpl. Tony Scotta wasn't so lucky. The 14-year reserve veteran, who works as a civil engineer in Toronto designing commercial and industrial buildings, was nailed by an enemy sniper.
But Scotta was still able to boast that he took out an armoured vehicle with his Carl Kustav, a heavy anti-tank weapon.
And though his "life" had ended, Scotta was beaming as the machine guns fired all around him.
"Love it," he said, grinning. "The adventure, the camaraderie, learning about warfare."
Cpl. Thanuja Rukman, of Markham, made it across the bridge, blazing away with her C7 rifle, only to buy the farm on the other side.
Like many students, she initially joined the reserves for the money. It helped pay her tuition.
"Here I am, four years later," said Rukman, a political science major at York University.
And while there are other ways to make money, "none are as much fun," she said, resting on the forest floor, propped up against a tree stump.
Pte. Jammie To, a health sciences student at the University of Waterloo, had the heavy task of slogging a bulky C6 machine gun.
But To's efforts paid off. The weapon, capable of spitting out 1,000 rounds a minute, kept enemy heads down during the attack.
"It's a completely different experience. Being a student, you sit around on your ass a lot," she said.
"My dad was surprised when I joined. He's proud that I've managed to stay in for so long."
Many of the young recruits acknowledged that they joined for the money â †a private's pay starts at $77.90 a day â †and the adventure. But many said a sense of duty and patriotism contributed to their decision as well.
"When I first joined, I was just in it for the pay. But now it means so much more, when it comes to brotherhood, serving your country, making friends," said Obaidi, 19.
Born in Afghanistan and a speaker of Farsi, the young private says he was partly inspired to join this past spring by Canada's military commitment to his war-torn homeland. It's his dream to do a tour with Canadian troops now serving in Afghanistan.
He admits to having been a "goofball" in the past, but says a summer in the army has changed all that.
"You learn discipline; you become more mature," said Obaidi, who will be studying criminology at the University of Guelph in September.
The reserves, explained Brig. Gen. Gary O'Brien, are the "people's army."
"These soldiers are everything from lawyers to students to factory workers to white-collar workers ... You'll find almost every occupation is represented," said O'Brien, who is a reservist himself. Out of uniform, he's a manager with General Dynamics Land Systems Canada.
"These are great Canadians. These are people who are willing to contribute a significant amount of time learning something very unpleasant like war fighting in order to protect their fellow citizens," O'Brien said.
The reserves may once have been considered "amateur" soldiers and poor cousins of the regular forces, he said, but they're taken seriously now.
"We've seen great improvements in our equipment; we've seen a new focus on our training and a new focus from senior leadership," said O'Brien, the officer conducting this week's drill.
And he said the reservists take the role seriously too â †and the potential risks that go with it.
"They are not playing at this. The soldiers that are here are focused on developing a real capability," O'Brien said.
"They're focused on making sure their training is relevant to protecting Canadians and to protect people around the world," he said.
It's perhaps a testament to their skills that 250 of the reservists taking part in this week's exercise are expected to volunteer to join Canada's dangerous duties in Afghanistan over the coming year.
