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CFB WAINWRIGHT, Alberta – Wainwright is the home of a few soldiers who at first glance look nothing like soldiers. They are the experts in enemy tactics, techniques and procedures. They provide the soldiers who come here to train with a very realistic look and feel of what they can expect once they have left our country and deploy to places like Afghanistan. They are OPFOR. OPFOR or Opposing Force is one of the specialized training resources the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre (CMTC) in Wainwright has to ensure that our soldiers receive the best possible collective training they can get prior to deploying overseas. The Unit is organized similarly to that of other Army units with a command structure, fighting troops, equipment and support elements. It is a thinking enemy that the units and soldiers coming here to train will have to deal with. “OPFOR is comprised of soldiers from all across Canada,” explains Captain Tony Poulin, second in command. “A percentage of them are full time staff and residents of the area, while others are attached to the Unit for up to six months. We can offer soldiers a two-year posting in OPFOR to help retain the knowledge and skills learned here in the Unit.” “There are both Regular force and Reserve soldiers in OPFOR and anyone who wants to help prepare the troops for deployments are welcome to join”. They are particularly welcome and encouraged to join if they have any kind of deployment experience they can share. OPFOR is constantly evolving to meet the changing requirements of the Army. The Unit takes situations our soldiers are encountering overseas, studies them and develops training scenarios and events to better prepare soldiers here, prior to deploying to places like Afghanistan. Although the training may look fun and different, every one of OPFOR’s soldiers takes their job very seriously. “We are trying to get soldiers who train here away from the ‘exercise’ frame of mind when we conduct our scenarios” said Master Bombardier Darcy Hansen. “We try to make the training events as real as possible, including the way we respond or act when confronting them with events they will be dealing with when they are deployed”. MBdr Hansen is from 56 Field Regiment RCA and has been working in OPFOR since February 06. He is signing up for a two year contract with the Unit as he believes “this is one of the best jobs in the military” helping to prepare the soldiers here for future deployments. Article and photos by Sgt Steve Hofman
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