Ex APPRENTICE WARRIOR 2018: RMR Call to Arms Weekend

Article written by Master-Corporal Grégory Fils-Aimé, B-Coy, 5 PL, 3 Sect Comd

Westmount, Quebec – 09 September 2018: On the weekend of 24-26 August, The Royal Montreal Regiment undertook its annual call to arms weekend. This year’s edition, Ex Apprentice Warrior, consisted of the Rundown with the C7 rifle and a 12km load bearing march that took place near Owl’s head in the Eastern Townships. The exercise finished with the badging of troops that just recently completed their DP1 Infantry in Valcartier and was complemented with a barbecue hosted by David Bensadoun at his home on the border of Memphremagog Lake. The rundown and the march together embodies the infantry, marching and shooting. The rundown is what is commonly used to designate the level 3 for the personal weapon test (PWT3) with the C7 rifle. The training standard for the infantry is that the unit qualifies its members at least once a year on the PWT3. The test consists of shooting at different distances in different positions.

There are different exposures, with time limit, when the shooter needs to run 100m bounds, adopt the proper firing position and hit the appropriate target. Shooters start from the 400m mark (400 metres away from the targets), and eventually end up to 25m away from the targets through a series of 100 metre sprints. The aim of the test is to confirm that the shooter is effective in daylight battle conditions.

The load bearing march is a 13km march with the troop carrying a minimum total load of 50lbs. The march should be completed within 2 hours and a half. This portion of the weekend embodies the capacity for the members of the unit to be employed in a dismounted role. The march ended at the home of David Bensadoun where he hosted to members of the regiment to a barbecue. The barbecue followed the parade where new soldiers that passed their infantry course during the individual instruction season for the 2018 summer were badged with the RMR insignia.

With all being said, the weekend was a good chance for members to congregate and practice the basics of an infanteer and have good food in good company.