More than 80 officers of the Canadian Armed Forces this week completed Exercise FINAL DRIVE, a 10-day exercise at Canadian Forces Base Kingston that is the culmination of the six-month Army Operations Course.

Exercise FINAL DRIVE, conducted between June 8-17, 2015, used state-of-the-art computer simulations to mimic real-life battlefield situations to test soldier’s knowledge and skills in preparation for missions at home and abroad. Candidates this year benefited from instructors from not only the Canadian Army, but also the U.S. and British armies.

Simulation increases the effectiveness of Canadian Army training by allowing an officer to develop basic to advanced skills within individual and collective training in a controlled environment under all conditions in either day or night. Simulation also allows soldiers the freedom to learn in complex, challenging environments and hone skills without loss of life or equipment. It also reduces the number of hours, miles, rounds of ammunition, and equipment usage across the Army.

The Army Operations Course is conducted by the Canadian Army Command and Staff College (CACSC), the army’s doctrinal and intellectual centre of excellence. The CACSC conducts three such courses annually: two Regular Force courses and one Primary Reserve. The Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Centre Headquarters Kingston installation is home to the Centre of Excellence for Pan-Canadian Army Simulation and the CACSC, specifically, is the Centre of Excellence for Constructive Simulation.

The Army Operations Course incorporates professional development, lessons learned and state-of-the-art simulation technology to prepare candidates for command and staff positions at the Formation level. All serials undergo extensive scrutiny as part of CACSC’s commitment to continual improvement in the delivery of training support to the Canadian Forces. Successful completion of course is the final step for Canadian Army Captains to be considered for promotion to the rank of Major.