The 41 Signal Regiment and the 41 Service Regiment joined in the Drumheller area over the weekend to complete joint exercise HOODOO FOX.
There were about 72 reserves from regiments coming from Calgary, Edmonton, and Red Deer.
For Exercise HOODOO FOX, the 41 Signal Regiment set up headquarters at the Drumheller Ag Society site and established Radio Detachments in various areas to practice communications skills. While this was going on 41 Svc Bn provided support to deployed units by providing support to 41 Sig Regt. 6. The exercise is designed to simulate tasks the communications and logistic soldiers would be required to perform in peace support operations.
“The training is really important to us, we try to make it as realistic as possible. This is our biggest training event of the year,” said Major Babish. “We practice our communication skills for our soldiers, we are also practicing getting service support from the service battalion with us.”
The exercise spanned the entire weekend, going from Friday night to Sunday, around the clock. The reservists worked through various scenarios, with the training officers adding twists and details to work through.
They were active not only at the Ag Society grounds, but in Verdant Valley, the airport, and the Newcastle Beach area.
Babish said they have been planning this exercise for about 6 months and purposefully selected Drumheller for the operation.
“We like to challenge ourselves and we don’t like to go to the same area all the time. This is really challenging for us. The way the topography is for us, working around the hills and the valleys and making sure we can communicate. That's what we are all about and to practice that in a place like Drumheller is extremely important to us,” said Major Babish.
He adds it is also helpful to carry out exercises not just in a desolate area, but in the urban setting where day-to-day life is happening.
He also notes the importance of the Singal and Service Regiments. They are often the first to arrive and last to leave from an operation. Their work is critical in setting up transportation, support and communication lines.
He explains the role of the reserves.
“We call ourselves citizen soldiers, we have full-time jobs. We could be working for places like EnMax. We have teachers, we have lawyers… all kinds of different people,” he said. “What happens is we augment the regular force. When the regular force goes out and has deployment and operation, they use us to supplement them to help fill in the need for personnel. We also take a role in domestic operations. Where there are floods in various areas, the reserve force usually comes in first in our local area.”

An investigation into drug trafficking activities in Drumheller between multiple agencies between September and November 2022 has resulted in the arrest of four suspects.
On Thursday, November 3, Drumheller RCMP executed a search warrant at two residences in the Town of Drumheller, as well as search warrants on two vehicles following an investigation by Drumheller RCMP General Investigation Section (GIS) assisted by Lethbridge Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT), Southern Alberta Crime Reduction Unit (SACRU), and Drumheller RCMP general duty.
As a result of the search warrants, RCMP seized a quantity of suspected methamphetamine, a quantity of Canadian currency, prohibited weapons, shotgun ammunition, and stolen property from nine victims.
Steven Dixon, 43, a resident of Drumheller, has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of a prohibited weapon, two counts of breach of an undertaking, and possession of stolen property.
Dixon will appear in provincial court in Drumheller on Friday, December 9.
Justin Lenfesty, 32, a resident of Drumheller, has been charged with eight counts of possession of stolen property, and three counts of breach of probation order.
Lenfesty will appear in provincial court in Drumheller on Friday, November 25.
Justine Carruthers, 33, a resident of Drumheller, has been charged with eight counts of possession of stolen property.
Carruthers will appear in provincial court in Drumheller on Friday, December 9.
A fourth individual was arrested but later released with no charges pending further investigation.