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31 Canadian Brigade Group

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Exercise Stalwart Guardian
Photo Credit: Cpl Phil Cheung

31 Canadian Brigade Group (31CBG) is an Army Reserve formation with units across Southwestern Ontario. The Brigade's area of responsibility stretches from St. Catharines to Windsor. The Brigade has nearly 2000 members, the vast majority of whom are part-time "citizen soldiers". In recent years, the Brigade has deployed hundreds of soldiers on overseas operations in Afghanistan and to other theatres such as Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Golan Heights. 31 CBG has also deployed a large number of soldiers on domestic operations, providing security and support to events such as the 2010 Winter Olympics and the 2010 G8 Summit in Huntsville, Ontario.

Canada's Reserve Force is an enduring part of the country's national heritage. It officially came into being with the passage of the Militia Act of 1855.

The primary mission of the Canadian Army is to generate and maintain combat effective, multi-purpose land forces to meet Canada's defence objectives.

The Army Reserve is the part-time component to the Canadian Army and it has three roles:

  • Existing Reserve units are the framework or structure the Army would use to mobilize or expand the Army should the nation ever need to respond to a large crisis as in the World Wars.
  • Located in hundreds of communities across Canada, Canadians connect with their Army through the Army Reserve.
  • The Army Reserve augments the professional Army by providing soldiers, units or specialists to the Canadian Forces.

Reservists make substantial contributions to international operations and domestic relief efforts. In recent years, hundreds of 31 CBG soldiers have deployed on international missions, primarily to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Afghanistan, but also to the Sudan, Cyprus, Haiti, the Golan Heights, and other theatres.

At home, reservists contribute in many other ways to the safety and security of Canadians. Over the years, they have assisted search-and-rescue operations; provided aid following floods, hurricanes, ice storms, and forest fires; supported the Swissair Flight 111 crash recovery operation; and, participated in numerous national security exercises. In addition, reservists play a supporting role in numerous cultural events, parades, festivals, and other public activities in communities across the country.

Most reservists serve part-time and have full-time civilian jobs or academic pursuits. Because of this, they are often called "citizen soldiers" or "twice the citizen".

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Date Modified:
2011-11-03