Soldier from Kitchener killed in training accident
Armoured vehicle crashed at Alberta military base
WAINWRIGHT, ALTA. — A Kitchener-raised soldier who died while training at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright was in a type of armoured vehicle that has been involved in other fatal accidents.
The military says Sgt. Robert Dynerowicz, 34, died in hospital Tuesday and three other soldiers were hurt after their LAV III vehicle was in a single-vehicle crash on the base in east-central Alberta.
Dynerowicz was a member of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, a regiment based at CFB Petawawa in Ontario. He grew up in Kitchener and went to high school at Grand River Collegiate.
The military says his fellow troops held a memorial in the field to honour his memory and service, which included two tours of duty in Afghanistan.
Col. Conrad Mialkowski, the commander of 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, says the LAV III — a wheeled light-armoured vehicle — has been the workhorse of the army for years and is safe.
In 2014, Lt.-Col. Dan Bobbitt died when his LAV III rolled during training at CFB Wainwright and four other soldiers were injured.
On Tuesday morning, Dynerowicz and three others were participating in an exercise called Rugged Bear, a live-fire event for the Canadian Army’s Road to High Readiness training program.
The three injured soldiers were taken to hospital for medical treatment.
A military police investigation has been initiated.
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of Sgt. Dynerowicz,” Lt.-Gen. Paul Wynnyk, commander of the Canadian Army, said in a statement.
“Not only is his death a painful loss
to his family and friends, but we feel this loss across the Canadian Army and the entire military community. Chief Warrant Officer Alain Guimond and I extend our sincere condolences, on behalf of all ranks of the Canadian Army, to the family and friends of Sgt. Dynerowicz.”
It was the latest training accident to hit the Canadian military.
In March, Master Cpl. Alfred Barr, 31, died when his parachute failed to deploy during a training exercise near Yorkton, Sask.
Last November, Capt. Thomas McQueen, 29, died on impact when his single-seater plane crashed during a training mission near the Alberta-Saskatchewan boundary.
And in early 2015, search-andrescue technician Sgt. Mark Salesse was buried in an avalanche while training in Banff National Park. His body was recovered a week later.
Through a spokesperson on Wednesday, the family of Dynerowicz declined to speak to any media.
“Right now, they’re really not willing to talk,” said Lt. Andrew Scott, a member of the Dragoons assigned to assist the Dynerowicz family in the wake of the tragedy.
“They’re pretty rough.”