CFB WAINWRIGHT — The Family Day weekend is a time for joining friends and family in fun.

The military is no different.

“We’re definitely a family and this is definitely fun,” said Bombardier Matt Pylychaty of a day here firing machine guns and throwing grenades.

He was one of 16 members from 78 Field Battery, one of two militia units who call Red Deer’s Cormack Armoury home, who drove more than three hours through dense ice fog for the exercise. They were joined by the 61 Field battery, the Edmonton unit they combine with to form the 20 Field Regiment.

The small arms training is vital, although both are artillery units who usually work with 105-mm howitzers.

“We provide our own local defence. If we’re attacked, we have to repel the attackers,” said master warrant officer Dave Huedepohl, a 20-year volunteer veteran of the part-time soldiers’ ranks.

Each soldier fired the C6 7.62-mm and C9 5.56-mm machine-guns using 200-round belts at man-sized targets about 300 metres away from prone, kneeling and standing positions. Although both have firing rates of up to 1,000 rounds per minute, some prefer the heavier model for its longer range.

Capt. Jason Snider, a Red Deer Crown prosecutor, explained the mandatory training benefitted from the -15C cold because the problems of overheated machine-gun barrels are avoided.

“In this weather, we can fire with the same barrel all day. In Afghanistan, where it’s 50C, you’d change the barrel every belt.”

Soldiers also shuttled to another range to throw C13 fragmentation grenades. The 63-mm-diameter orb’s 184 grams of high explosive will propel high velocity fragments to produce casualties within 15 metres of its detonation site.

Safety was vital on both ranges. Grenades were thrown from behind a concrete wall under the close supervision of a Canadian Forces regular member. Machine gunners were also closely supervised by range officers.

The military’s emphasis on safety is only one factor that employers should consider if they have a part-time soldier working for them or are considering to hire, said MWO Dave Huedepohl.

“Employers end up benefitting by having a member of the militia working for them. They have self-confidence, self-discipline, they know how to work and they know all about leadership.”