Have you ever wanted to experience the Armed Forces without actually having to sign up?
That鈥檚 how Goldstream Gazette reporter Kendra Wong felt when she learned of the chance to participate in a special hands-on, fully interactive practice run of Victoria鈥檚 鈥淓xperience the Canadian Armed Forces鈥� at the Bay St Armoury in Victoria.
Donning her runners and workout gear, the diminutive reporter who stands roughly five feet tall but has the internal fortitude of a large linebacker on your favourite football team, demonstrated her athletic abilities and resiliency on Thursday.
.@BlackPressMedia reporter @Kendraewong is taking part in military training at the Bay St Armoury in #yyj #ArmedForces 馃嚚馃嚘 pic.twitter.com/Jjluabm7JA
鈥� Victoria News (@VictoriaNews) November 16, 2017
This dry-run was organized in preparation for a full event on Saturday at the Armoury, which will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Officials chose this interactive experience to provide the public with an inside look at what it鈥檚 like to begin a career as a soldier, sailor or aviator.
These are called sandbag lifts and Kendra needs to do 30 of them 馃槷 Help us cheer her on!! #gokendra 馃弸馃徎鈥嶁檧锔� #canadianarmedforces #military pic.twitter.com/gb8FXQ2PYg
鈥� Goldstream Gazette (@GoldstreamNews) November 16, 2017
Members of the media were given the opportunity to take part in dry land training, attempt the Forces鈥� physical fitness test, sample military rations, try on full combat gear, and practice on a fully electronic shooting range.
鈥淚t was a pretty eye-opening experience,鈥� said Wong after finishing the two-hour training experience. 鈥淪ome of the exercises were quite challenging, especially the physical fitness test 鈥� a lot of them were carrying sandbags. But overall it was very rewarding.鈥�
It鈥檚 break time for our intrepid undercover journalist. Time for some strawberry flavoured 馃崜 rations #canadianmilitary #yyj #blackpressmedia #victoria pic.twitter.com/9faxhjh6ze
鈥� Victoria News (@VictoriaNews) November 16, 2017
When approached with the opportunity to put on her camouflage and test her limits, Wong jumped at a chance that doesn鈥檛 come around all the time.
鈥淚t sounded like a an extremely interesting opportunity,鈥� she added.
鈥淭o sit in someone else鈥檚 shoes, especially as a report where you鈥檙e usually telling someone else鈥檚 story, but this was the opposite of that. I have a lot of respect for armed forces personnel who can do all this.鈥�
@Kendraewong experiencing the @CanadianForces for the @VictoriaNews & @GoldstreamNews #Sharpshooter pic.twitter.com/bnoZ7eM2QA
鈥� Victoria News (@VictoriaNews) November 16, 2017
ragnar.haagen@bpdigital.ca
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