Bryan Brulotte: Wainwright tragedy a reminder of the dangers our soldiers face

A bouquet of flowers is visible at the main entrance to CFB Wainwright on Sunday, after a mass casualty event occurred at the base on Saturday. Photo by David Bloom/Postmedia Network

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Canada is mourning a terrible tragedy at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, in Alberta, where a devastating fire that broke out during training exercises claimed the lives of four Canadian military personnel and left others seriously injured. Behind these heartbreaking losses are sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, whose lives and families have been forever changed. It is a painful reminder that military service carries risks, even when Canada is at peace.

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For most Canadians, military service is something witnessed through television coverage, Remembrance Day ceremonies or the occasional sight of soldiers in uniform. For those who serve, however, military life carries risks that extend far beyond the battlefield. The tragedy at Wainwright reminds us that the profession of arms demands courage, sacrifice and an acceptance of dangers that most Canadians will never face.

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Those who have served for decades in the Canadian Armed Forces understand the extraordinary bonds that develop between the men and women who wear the uniform. They have witnessed the consequences of tragedy and the profound effect that injury and loss can have on soldiers, their comrades and their families.

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Such experiences never leave those who have served, because the military is not simply an occupation but a brotherhood forged through shared hardship, loyalty and service.

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There is something particularly heartbreaking about losing soldiers during peacetime training. These Canadians were not fighting on foreign soil, confronting an enemy or defending a distant position under fire. They were preparing themselves to answer their country’s call, undertaking the demanding and sometimes dangerous training necessary to ensure they would be ready when Canada needs them.

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Military training cannot be entirely separated from danger, because preparing for combat requires realism, discipline and exposure to difficult conditions. Soldiers train with weapons, explosives, heavy equipment and vehicles, often operating in unforgiving terrain and extreme weather. Sailors confront the hazards of the sea, aviators accept the risks of flight and special operations personnel routinely undertake demanding exercises that test the limits of human endurance.

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None of this diminishes the Forces’ responsibility to make training as safe as reasonably possible. Every military tragedy deserves a thorough, transparent investigation, with lessons identified and corrective measures implemented wherever necessary. Accepting that military service involves risk must never mean accepting preventable deaths or injuries as inevitable.

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Yet what distinguishes those who serve is their willingness to accept personal risk for something greater than themselves. They do not enlist because military life promises comfort, wealth or an easy existence. They volunteer because they believe that Canada, its people, its freedoms and its future are worth defending.