Operation Hilltop 13 - Part 2

The original plan was to have the senior cadets put up the tents alone but after noticing the fast approaching juniors, I decided to let the seniors wait until everyone was at the campsite.  That way, the seniors could show the junior cadets how to pitch the military and Inuit made tents.  The military tents we used were the Arctic 5-man, circular green tents with metal posts in the middle.  To me, they resemble pine trees.  I have slept in these tents plenty of times when I was an army cadet down south in Ottawa.  Our FTXs were staged at CFB Connaught in Kanata, and it was fun sleeping in the Arctic tents, especially in February when temperatures reached -22ºC.  The Inuit tents are white, square shaped, and held up by three wooden beams each.  I only slept in one back in May during Inuujaq School's Spring Camp.

            

Once all the juniors arrived, we got to work on pitching the tents in five designated spots.  The tents were tied to large heavy rocks with tethered ropes.  Rocks can be found anywhere and everywhere in the Arctic; there's an endless supply.  It is possible to use tent pegs but they would have to be hammered into the ground.  Once all the tents were up, the seniors and adults moved into their assigned tents.  The male and female cadets were given a white tent each, and the adult male staff would sleep in one of the Arctic 5-man tents.  Adult female staff would sleep in the female cadet tent.  Large pieces of cardboard boxes were used as flooring and everyone would sleep in army-issued sleeping bags on top of air mattresses.  As for toilet facilities . . . find a secluded area away from the camp.  Bring toilet paper if you need it.

            

After the tents were pitched, a 15-minute hot chocolate break was held.  The Coleman stove in the cadet male tent was also fired up to provide heat and to prepare boiling water to cook MREs for lunch.  MRE stands for Meal(s) Ready to Eat and is "a self-contained, individual field ration...bought by the United States military for its service members in combat[.]"  Inside an MRE pack, one can find: a main course, side dish, dessert, crackers, bread, a spread of some kind, powdered beverage, a plastic spoon, beverage mixing bag, and an accessory pack.  Despite being introduced in 1981 and in continuous development since 1993, the reputation of American MREs has been spotty at best, earning many negative nicknames, and criticisms towards their poor taste, menu selection, and dietary contents.  It may sound odd to hear Canadian cadets consuming American MREs, but it's possible because the Canadian Armed Forces get priority when it comes to receiving and consuming Canadian "MREs".           

            

Individual Meal Packs, aka IMPs, are a "type of field ration used by the Canadian Armed Forces."  Introduced in the 1980s, a single pack contains around 3,600 calories, "enough to nourish a soldier undergoing strenuous physical activity."  The contents of IMPs are pretty close to MREs, but they are organized into six different breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, and are precooked.  This enables you to safely consume them either heated or unheated.  I have consumed IMPs on many occasions and personally speaking, the quality and taste is much better than MREs.  Sure, IMPs have received criticisms over the years, and military personnel & cadets can tell you a funny story or two about them, but I'm willing to bet that given the choice, the majority of people would prefer an IMP over an MRE. 

            

For lunch, every cadet was given an MRE pack and instructed to put their main meal bag into the pot of boiling water.  The bags were cooked for about 15 minutes.  I forget what the selections were but from what I remember, the meals were okay.  They weren't as good as IMPs but at least everyone got something to eat.       

            

The junior cadets climb into the red pickup
and get ready for the ride back home.

The Commanding Officer (CO) of 3045 Army, Lt. May, arrived at the campsite several minutes after the conclusion of lunch.  The cadets formed up to for a debriefing.  He congratulated the cadets, especially the juniors, for completing the 7km hike.  Upcoming events were also announced before the cadets were dismissed.  The juniors hopped into the back of a red pickup truck and were driven back to Arctic Bay by Lt. May.

            

After the juniors had left, several adult staff and senior cadets went hiking up a nearby hill and explored the land beyond.  I would have joined them, but an adult was needed to watch over the campsite.  To pass the time, I explored the area around the camp, photographing the rocky and frozen landscape.  The hikers returned some two hours later.

            

By this time it was 1730 (5:30pm) and the weather was starting to get cold.   When the CO arrived after lunch, he had brought a pile of wood to burn.  The adult staff put several pieces of wood together and started a fire.  Everyone stood around the fire to warm up.  Many put their shoes close to the fire to warm their feet.  Some even warmed their socks.  They were reminded not to keep their shoes there for too long or else the rubber would melt.  Once everyone was warm, dinner MREs were cooked, distributed, and consumed.    

            

Sean warming his sock.

The Road to Nanisivik (facing Arctic Bay).

The sun began to set at 1930 (7:30pm).  To get a better view of the sunset, several cadets and adult staff hopped into a red pickup truck and were driven up a hill next to the campsite, following the Road to Nanisivik.  The truck was driven by Sean, the Grade 5 & 6 teacher at Inuujaq School.  Those with cameras took pictures of the striking scenery.  After enjoying the  360-degree views for several minutes we headed back to camp.

            

For the remainder of the evening, we stood around the fire, feeding it large pieces of wood, and watched dusk slowly turn to night.  After some time, the marshmallows were brought out.  Roasting a marshmallow perfectly over an open fire is a skill I still need to master.  Nevertheless, the ones I roasted were still tasty.  Everyone retired to their tents for the night at 2215 (10:15pm).  Unlike the cadet tents, the Arctic 5-man tent I was sleeping in was not heated.  That didn't bother me because I was cozy inside an army sleeping bag, designed for extreme cold.  For added warmth, I wore a hat and gloves.

            

Reveille the next morning was around 0730 and everyone slowly climbed out of their tents.  The student doctor was picked up by a nurse sometime in the early morning because she had a flight to catch.  The fire had burned itself out during the night but was started up again by the senior cadets.  Breakfast consisted of more MREs but I barely ate mine because I wasn't feeling well.  I'm not sure what it was but my head was hurting.  It may have been from the cold or the food.  I stood off to the side and watched the cadets dismantle the tents and the campsite.  Lt. May came by at 1000 to see how things were going.  The original plan called for everyone to hike back to First Bridge but instead we would be driven back to Arctic Bay.  The cadets loaded everything into two red pickup trucks before climbing in.  I sat in the passenger seat and tried not to think about my headache.  (It turned out to be a migraine).  The garbage bags that had been filled were dumped at the town's landfill. 

            

Everyone was dropped off at their own house.  Once inside my residence, I took some pain killers and went straight to bed.  I later woke up and had some chicken soup but it wasn't enough.  I took the following day off work to rest and recover. 

            

Despite falling ill on Sunday, Operation Hilltop 13, (September 21-22), was a success.  Everyone had fun hiking the Road to Nanisivik, camping out on the land, and exploring the surrounding area.  As for me, I'll wear my Canada Goose parka next time because it seems my thick ski jacket wasn't thick enough to combat the cold.

End of Operation Hilltop 13 Mini-series.