Troops still come and go at CFB Shilo

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This article was published 06/04/2020 (2217 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Although COVID-19 has all but shut down Canadian Forces Base Shilo, troops continue to be deployed overseas while others have now returned home, the base commander said Saturday.

A group deployed to Latvia in August last year as part of a major NATO military mission returned recently to the base east of Brandon and are going through the self-isolation process, Lt.-Col. Jeff Lyttle said in a telephone interview with the Sun.

As well, a small rotation of soldiers, primarily from the First Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, left this past weekend for a deployment to Ukraine as part Operation Unifier, the Canadian Armed Forces’ mission to support security forces there.

Canada had an estimated 200 Forces members scheduled to deploy, but with COVID-19, approximately 60 members will relieve the current rotation, according to a Government of Canada website. The members involved in the six-month rotation will maintain essential and mission-critical activities with allied, partner and host nations, the website noted, and maintain co-ordination and planning activities for future training and exercises.

The base is also home to Second Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (2PPCLI). 

Meanwhile, all training exercises on the base have been halted, Lyttle said.  

“There was a cessation order for training that was sent out about a week ago now, and we’ve stopped all training,” he said.

That includes Exercise Maple Resolve, an annual international exercise held at Wainwright, Alta., which is designed to prepare a brigade and its soldiers for deployment.

“It’s definitely something that’s got our attention,” Lyttle said when asked if there were concerns about a possibly lengthy disruption in training.

“It’s definitely on the mind of the army commander and the chief of the defence staff as to how we go about restarting both the individual and the collective training elements,” he said, adding they will still be ready for domestic operations.

The base has instituted its business continuity plans, which include retaining essential services on the base such as the fire hall, military police and health services, while the community centre and recreational facilities have been closed, he said. 

While the CANEX mall on the base is operating on reduced hours, the Garrison Grill and Forbidden Flavours coffee outlet have both been closed during the pandemic.

“The majority of our military and civilian folks … are working from home primarily,” Lyttle said, including himself as much as possible.

“We’re telling people to practise social distancing, not to gather in large groups.”

The base is also limiting access to all but essential services.

“I think everyone’s under a bit of stress when it comes to having access to stores and services, right now,” Lyttle said. “It’s challenging across the country, not just here in Manitoba or Shilo specifically.”

He added the base is making efforts to join the virtual world, offering online services such as social counselling or assistance for various programs, as well as provisions for emergency child care, during this difficult time.

The current essential services orders is in effect until April 30, at which point the base will either continue with what it’s doing now or “return to business as normal, or somewhere in between,” Lyttle said.

» brobertson@brandonsun.com