A Glimpse of What’s to Come By Capt Derek Reid

Photos by Corporal Mario Massarotto-Hinojosa

Peace Support Training Centre Resumes Critical Training After Temporary COVID-19 Cessation

Following an order by the Chief of Defence Staff in late March to cease training, plans to resume training are starting to be put into action across the Canadian Army.

The Peace Support Training Centre (PSTC) in Kingston welcomed 27 trainees from Ontario and the National Capital Region on June 1 with stringent COVID-19 infection mitigation measures in place. The members of this first group are undergoing an important one-week individual training course to prepare them for various small international operations, including UN missions, on which they will deploy shortly.

An additional 14 Canadian Armed Forces personnel participated in portions of the training online or via teleconference.

“Like other units in the Canadian Army, we at PSTC have been eager to get back to business and prepare soldiers for operations. But, in order to do so in a safe and responsible way given the COVID-19 environment, we had to thoroughly review and amend the way we deliver training to minimize any spread of the virus by our students and staff,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Jacques Allain, Commandant of PSTC.

Some of the measures at PSTC include:

• Trainees confirmed themselves asymptomatic before travelling in their own vehicles to Kingston, where they were screened for COVID-19 before entering PSTC.

• Each trainee was issued non-medical masks and personal hand sanitizer upon arrival.

• Hand hygiene has been reinforced throughout the course. • Physical distancing measures have been exercised during classroom and practical

portions of training. • The candidates have been confined to base to minimize any risk to the greater Kingston

community

Should a trainee display COVID-19 symptoms or have concerns they’ve been in contact with someone with COVID-19, they will be immediately isolated and Canadian Forces Health Services procedures will be followed.

Following a successful first course completed in an active COVID-19 environment - with mitigation measures established and continuously being refined - PSTC expects roughly 20 new students next week to complete pre-deployment training for Operation PROTEUS.

While each training establishment will need to tailor measures specific to their situation, the course at PSTC serves as an example how the Canadian Army may conduct individual training going forward.