It’s time for extreme environmental training with EXERCISE Royal Stag. More than 37 allied troops and CAF members participated in cold weather maneuvers to master operations and learn new extreme weather environment skills from Jan. 20 to 25 at CFB Shilo. (Photo: K-J Millar/Shilo Stag Media)
More than 37 allied troops and CAF members participated in EXERCISE Royal Stag to master cold wether operations and learn new extreme weather environment skills from Jan. 20 to 25 at CFB Shilo. (Photo: K-J Millar/Shilo Stag Media)
K-J Millar
Shilo Stag Media
International Allied troops, VIP stakeholders, and CAF members participated in the 2025 Cold Weather Operations Leadership Course (CWOL), known as EXERCISE Royal Stag, at CFB Shilo from Jan. 20 to 25.
The Stakeholder Engagement Office Pacific (SEO-P) and Central (SEO-C) conducted a familiarization visit to CFB Shilo with eight academic and business industry collaborators for the first time in several years.
On a day trip to the Base, participants attended briefs and a foyer museum tour at 1 Canadian Division Headquarters (1 CAD HQ). They also took part in and observed a live fire penetration demonstration on the CFB Shilo training range.
More than 37 allied staff and CAF soldiers from the training school gathered in weeklong activities, learning how to navigate survival in extreme winter outdoor environments. Participants built their own shelters, caught and prepared food, and cooled off in a polar plunge.
“[The exercise] involves doing a firing range to test the penetration of the snow defences built yesterday,” Master Corporal Petiquay-Paul told the Shilo Stag News on Jan. 22.
“After the four days of activities, they will complete the assessment as a section leader to ensure they know what to do in winter conditions.”
Lt (N) Alicia Morris, public affairs officer with the Stakeholder Engagement Office, said they take a focused approach to engaging stakeholders who have influence, which can be found in diversity partners such as women, multicultural communities, Indigenous groups, and LGBTQIA2S+.
Stakeholders focus on research development, understanding defence studies, developing familiarization and creating a greater understanding of the civilian and DND/CAF relationships.
“We take our stakeholders on familiarization, like at CFB Shilo, to give our academics and our researchers a chance to meet each other to continue those conversations on research and development,” Morris said.
“[The stakeholder team] had the opportunity to talk with the course officer and instructors who provided a greater understanding of the environmental conditions the candidate is living and working in, also an understanding of the survival equipment they are provided with and expected to live with,” Morris said.
CFB Shilo Base personnel also honed their winter operational skills by training alongside the course. EXERCISE Royal Stag saw Base personnel improving and refreshing their winter survival skills and military knowledge.
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