Canada joins U.S. and Mexican forces in high‑intensity disaster training during Ex FUERZAS AMIGAS

Canada joins U.S. and Mexican forces in high-intensity disaster training during Ex FUERZAS AMIGAS

March 17, 2026 - Defence Stories

Estimated read time - 1:50

On December 7, 2025, 13 members of Valcartier's 5 Field Ambulance Decontamination platoon travelled to the sunny sands of Fort Hood, Texas to participate alongside the United States Department of War and the Mexican Army for the first time in the 2025 edition of Exercise (Ex) FUERZAS AMIGAS. A tri-national response exercise, Ex FUERZAS AMIGAS is designed to test the Canadian Armed Forces' (CAF) ability to support our southern neighbors in the case of a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) disaster.

Over 500 United States Department of War personnel and 50 Mexican Army personnel participated in the fast-paced and realistic training which featured a full-sized town model and several dozen civilian actors. As this exercise also corresponded with the final evaluation of the Department of War's 22nd Chemical Battalion, it provided the members of 5 Field Ambulance Decontamination platoon a rare chance to see how their training compares, while also allowing them to further develop their own plans to respond to a CBRN disaster.

The training scenario started with a hypothetical small nuclear explosion near a medium sized city, with the decontamination lines established in the Military Operations on Urban Terrain (MOUT) training area of Fort Hood. Simulating a ruined city, the MOUT training area contains dozens of buildings, cross streets, a rubble pile to simulate fallen structures, and an active helipad for patient extraction. These details created a level of realism that added to the overall intensity of the exercise.

In response to evolving global threats, the CAF has reinvigorated the CBRN mandate and prioritized participation in exercises like Ex FUERZAS AMIGAS to ensure we are prepared to provide an effective response whenever called upon. Building upon their recent success in Norway for NATO's exercise Toxic Trip, 5 Field Ambulance demonstrated once again that they are exceptionally well-prepared. From their ability to quickly integrate within the 22nd Chemical Battalion lines to their excellence in providing emergency healthcare in a simulated contaminated environment, they were world-class decontamination ambassadors.

Capturing the spirit of this landmark collaboration, Colonel Franz Kirk, Group Commander, stated: "Preparation builds confidence, interoperability unites expertise, and alliance multiplies our strength: together, we turn training into real capability-ready to act swiftly and effectively so that we may relentlessly pursue our mission."

Ex FUERZAS AMIGAS enhanced 5 Field Ambulance's ability to support CAF operations in a CBRN threat environment. By working through a fast-paced, highly realistic scenario, the team strengthened the communication, coordination, and clinical skills relied upon in real health care emergencies, contributing to Canada's evolving CBRN readiness.