CFB Wainwright facts for kids

Quick facts for kids CFB Wainwright Wainwright/Camp Wainwright Field Heliport
IATA: none ICAO: none TC LID: CFF7 WMO: 71118
Summary
Airport type	Military
Operator	DND
Serves	Wainwright, Alberta
Location	Denwood, Alberta
Time zone	MST (UTC−07:00)
• Summer (DST)	MDT (UTC−06:00)
Elevation AMSL	2,170 ft / 661 m
Coordinates	52°49′41″N 110°54′16″W / 52.82806°N 110.90444°W / 52.82806; -110.90444
Map
CFF7 Location in Alberta Show map of Alberta CFF7 Location in Canada Show map of Canada
[[Helipad|]]
Number Length Surface ft m FATO 4,000 1,219 Turf/snow PAD 132 40 Concrete
Source: Canada Flight Supplement Environment Canada

3rd Canadian Division Support Base Detachment Wainwright, often called Canadian Forces Base Wainwright or CFB Wainwright, is a big military base in Alberta, Canada. It's right next to the town of Wainwright. This base is a very important place for training Canadian soldiers.

History of Camp Wainwright

From Park to Training Ground

In 1940, a large area called Buffalo National Park was closed. The land was then used by the Canadian military. It became a place to store ammunition and train soldiers. This area was used for practicing with artillery, tanks, and infantry (foot soldiers).

Wainwright's Role in World War II

The military camp was named Wainwright after the nearby railway point. From 1945 to 1946, it was used as a prisoner of war (POW) camp. At its busiest, it held about 1,100 captured German soldiers and civilians. Only two prisoners ever managed to escape, but they were caught again a little over a month later.

Growing as a Training Base

After the POW camp closed in 1946, Camp Wainwright went back to being a training facility for the Canadian Army. During the Korean War, the camp grew a lot. Many new buildings were put up to house and train soldiers. These soldiers would later serve in Korea.

In 1968, Canada's military branches (Army, Navy, Air Force) joined together to form the Canadian Forces. Before this, Camp Wainwright became a separate base called Canadian Forces Base Wainwright (CFB Wainwright) in 1967.

An airfield was opened at CFB Wainwright in October 1967. This meant planes could land and take off from the base. CFB Wainwright became a key training area. It offered courses for officers and basic training for new recruits. It also hosted training for soldiers from other countries.

Bison on the Base

In 1980, something special happened. To celebrate Alberta's 75th birthday, some bison were brought to the base. These bison came from Elk Island National Park. A herd of bison still lives on the base today!

Wainwright Today: A Major Training Hub

After the Cold War ended in the 1990s, some military bases closed or changed. CFB Wainwright became an Area Support Unit (ASU). It's now called ASU Wainwright. It has about 690 military personnel and 300 civilian workers.

CFB Wainwright is a big part of the 3rd Canadian Division Support Group. It hosts two important training centers:

• The 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre (3 CDTC)
• The Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre (CMTC)

Many soldiers are always training at the base. In the summer, hundreds of part-time soldiers (reservists) come for their yearly training. The base covers a huge area of 609 km² (235 sq mi). It has 25 different areas for practicing with weapons.

While it's mainly for the Canadian Army, the Royal Canadian Air Force also uses it. They train their fighter jets and practice search and rescue missions here. The base also has an airport called Wainwright/Wainwright (Field 21) Airport. It has a long asphalt runway.

The Wainwright Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) is also on the base. It helps military families with different resources and support.

Since 1942, a group called 140 Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps Cayuga has been active at CFB Wainwright. Also, since 2015, 3003 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps Battle River has been located here.