Gagetown: Training Combined Arms in Canada

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Currently, the Tactics School staff consists of 19 regulars, three reservists, and two civilians. The Directing Staff (DS) at Tactics School is comprised of at least one major from each branch of the Army. Two members of the DS are exchange positions, one being a British Army major, the other a U. S. Army sergeant major, who also acts as the school’s regimental sergeant major. Also filling in two roles is a major in the Intelligence branch, who serves both as an instructor and as the CTC commander’s G2.

The following is a summary of the nine major courses taught by Tactics School staff:

• Intermediate Tactics Course Part 1 (ITC 1)

• Intermediate Tactics Course Part 2 (ITC 2)

• Intermediate Tactics Course Militia (ITC M)

• Combat Team Commander’s Course (CTCC)

• Advanced Classification Training Infantry (ACT Inf)

• Advanced Classification Training Cougar (ACT Cougar)

• Advanced Classification Training Recce (reconnaissance) (ACT Recce)

• Battery Commander’s Fire Planning Course (BCFPC)

• Jamaican Junior Command and Staff College Course (JJCSCS) In addition to these, the staff also supports courses and training for other base/area schools and units. The principal course of instruction within Tactics School is the Intermediate Tactics Course Part 2 (ITC 2) of which five to six classes are conducted each year. The aim of this course is to teach senior lieutenants and junior captains combined arms tactics, administration, and training at the combat team level. It is a 20-day course with an average course load of 40 students per class.

The course is described as intermediate because each officer arrives with some knowledge and background in at least one combat arm, combat support arm, or combat service support branch. The course material focuses on the operations and command of company group-size military forces in actual contact with the enemy. The course isn’t intended to produce combat team commanders, but to ensure that all army officers have an understanding of the conduct of tactical combined arms operations and can plan training and administration for these operations. Aside from lectures, ten separate exercises are used on the ITC 2 to teach officers how to plan and execute combat team operations. One noteworthy exercise is Exercise Fort York (a Battle Group defense focused at the Combat Team level). During this exercise, students produce defense plans which are then programmed into JANUS. The 36 ARMOR — GAGETOWN

Training Combined Arms in Canada by Sergeant Major Charles C. Hayhurst Canada’s combined arms share this impressive building at the Gagetown Combat Training Center. system wargames their plans against a Fantasian attack. JANUS provides excellent AAR capabilities, not only for the student, but for the training cadre as well.

The Militia (Canada’s Reserve Army force) conducts a 14-day version of ITC 2 once each year. Known as the ITC(M), this course is based on the regular force version.

Before any officer, regular or reserve, can take the ITC 2 course, he must first pass ITC 1, a self-study package completed at home units on their own time, then pass a 100-question, multiple choice exam, which is administered twice annually.

The most high profile course at Tactics School is the Combat Team Commander’s Course (CTCC). This course aims to prepare selected combat arms captains and majors in combat team operations prior to assuming command of a company or squadron. Prerequisites include completion of ITC 2 or equivalent training, selection for command, and successful completion of the LFC physical fitness test for combat arms within the previous year. The CTCC admits a maximum of 20 students and is 14 days long. Most of it takes place at Camp Petersville, a semi-permanent camp 20 km south of CFB Gagetown. The CTCC is anon-graded course.

Each year, 20 militia captains or majors slated for company command arrive at Camp Blue Mountain in the Gagetown training area for the 14-day Advanced Classification Training Infantry (ACT INF) course (also referred to as the Dismounted Company Commanders Course), designed to provide light infantry battalions with commanders who can conduct dismounted company group operations. The course is performance-oriented. Instruction is a combination of home study, demonstration, TEWT, and FTX. The main subject areas include offensive, defensive, and common operations by a dismounted company group. Students spend only a few days in the classroom, mainly working through TEWTS. Ninety percent of their time is spent in the training area commanding alight infantry rifle company under operational conditions. Students must hold the minimum rank of captain, have completed ITC(M), have recent experience as a rifle company 2IC (XO) and be selected for command of a company.

Similar to the ACT (Inf) course are the ACT (Cougar) and ACT (Recce) courses, 14-day courses conducted in alternate years. They prepare senior Militia captains and majors for command of a Cougar Squadron (Company) or Reconnaissance Squadron (Troop). Students must have completed ITC, hold a minimum rank of captain and have at least a year of experience as a battle captain (squadron 3IC). Militia armored units are equipped with the Cougar armored car as their primary AFV. The Cougar Armoured Vehicle General Purpose (AVGP) 6x6, which started life as a tank trainer, has now come to operate as an armored car in armored/reconnaissance units in Canada and on UN peacekeeping missions. As with all other courses, students must develop their plans and orders, back brief them to instructors, and then execute those plans. The Battery Commander’s Fire Planning Course (BCFPC) is a year-long course conducted by the Royal Canadian Artillery School, and is aimed at training future artillery battery commanders and instructors of gunnery (IGs). Tactics School teaches the tactics portion of this course, stressing combined arms tactics at the brigade (battle group) level. Students prepare operations orders and brief them to the instructor during TEWTs. While the tactics portion of this course is not formally graded, letters of assessment are sent to the Commandant, Royal Canadian Artillery School on each student’s performance.

The final course listed, the Jamaican Junior Command and Staff College (JJCSC) is conducted once each year, from mid-August to mid-December, and is divided into two parts. Part One is seven weeks and is based on the curriculum of the Canadian Forces Staff School. Part Two is eight weeks long and is based on the ITC 2 taught at Tactics School. The aim of the course is to produce a level 3 staff officer in a formation HQ or a unit Ops/Tng Officer. Because the curriculum is based on Canadian courses, two instructors from Tactics School are sent to Jamaica TDY from end-September to mid-December to instruct on JJCSC Part Two. ARMOR — 37 Sergeant Major Charles Hayhurst is an American exchange NCO with the Canadian Army’s Tactics School. He is a graduate of the Sergeants Major Academy and Battle Staff NCO Course. He has served with the 3rd Infantry Division, Berlin Brigade, 1st Armored Division, and “Cobra” Armor Team at the National Training Center.