Are we having fun yet Ward?


Jun 04 08:47 04, Ward Dossche wrote to Paul Westell:

 WD> What would a Canadian military person be doing in the US State of
Alaska anyway?

It never occurred to me that this would seem an odd thing, but I see now
how it might be suspect.

There are many overtly "legitimate" reasons - training exchanges,
NATO, or some other joint operational staffing, the sort of thing that
continues regardless of conflicts worldwide. I believe the old DEW line,
most of which was spread across the Canadian north was jointly staffed.
There may have been some sort of resource sharing for the (first) Gulf War
that did not involve the theatre itself, or we may have required observers
be present at a project or exercise involving Canadian territory. Cruise
missiles were tested extensively in our north, and may still be, because it
most resembles Russian terrain.

There is a base some 30 miles north of here which is one of the principle
torpedo test ranges for the USN despite being Canadian. It has been shared
this way for at least the 25 or so years I am aware of, and the arrangement
probably dates back to the 50's. All in all, I think our military services
have a pretty relaxed relationship despite the rhetoric of politicians and
vagaries of public opinion on both sides. 

Besides, they never really tell us what the're up to anyway.


... It could be worse ...
Paul

--- Msged/LNX 6.1.1