County residents might hear shots and explosions this weekend as local troops hunt hostiles in a private little (fake) war.
About 30 to 50 new recruits will get a taste of battle this week as they start a week-long field training exercise at the Edmonton Garrison, said base spokesman Capt. Derrick Forsythe.
“It’s like a basic-training course,” he said, and is meant to test how soldiers react to combat.
The troops will be sent on mock patrols, Forsythe said, during which another group will attack them. They won’t be shooting live rounds, but they will fire blanks and pyrotechnic grenades to simulate battle conditions. People south of the base in the Lago Lindo and Klarvatten regions might hear shots and explosions during the exercise. There will be no explosions after 11 p.m.
The exercise is now under way and should be complete by Aug. 27. Any questions should go to Forsythe at 780-973-4011 ext. 4149.
