CFB GAGETOWN, N.B. — Canadian soldiers training Saturday at a New Brunswick military base showed they still have a lot to learn before leaving Canadian soil to serve in Afghanistan in February.

Officials complained it took too long to co-ordinate the soldiers and get them into place during a training exercise at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, but Maj. Chris Barr of Wainwright, Alta., said he expected as much.

"We gotta walk before we run, and that's what this exercise is all about," he said as more than 900 Canadian soldiers completed a battle scenario on the base's sprawling training grounds in central New Brunswick.

Barr said the group will soon fly to the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre in Wainwright, which aims to replicate what the soldiers will face in Afghanistan.

"And they have to run when they're there, because it's a very realistic environment," he said.

During Saturday's exercise, the soldiers were tasked to rescue members of the Afghan National Army who had been ambushed by the Taliban.

The exercise included gunfire, explosions, LAV-3 vehicles, a jet and helicopters.

"It went pretty well," said Capt. Andrew Gimby, a 32-year-old soldier from Oakville, Ont.

"It was the first time we actually brought all the pieces together to actually send out the door to have a quick reaction to a scenario like that. We would like to able to have the quick reaction force out the door and on the ground faster, but for the first time doing it, it went pretty well."

Gimby - who is heading to Afghanistan for the second time - admitted that he's afraid. But he said Canada is doing the right thing and he's confident this type of training makes him and his fellow soldiers better prepared.

The exercises fell on the same day the military released the name of the Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan on Friday.

Pte. Josh Klukie of Thunder Bay, Ont., was on foot patrol when he stepped on an explosive booby trap in the Panjwaii district west of Kandahar City. He was the 10th Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan in September, and the 37th since 2002.

Master Cpl. Caroline Prevost, 36, said she takes comfort in the fact that many of the training scenarios have been set up by officers who have recently returned from Afghanistan.

"I did volunteer to go, because I believe in the mission and I want to help," she said. "I have two kids and I think it's important for me that other kids feel safe."

Prevost, who is based at CFB Val Cartier, said she was impressed with the Gagetown training.

Lt. Michael Bennett of St. John's, N.L., agreed.

"I'm feeling very positive about the mission . . . but it's not with rose-coloured glasses." said Bennett.

"Everyone's aware of the dangers. We're training for them, and we're becoming very well trained, and we'll be very well prepared by the time we leave."

The exercises included ambush simulations and training on how to deal with Afghan locals during reconstruction work.

Bennett will be helping to direct the reconstruction work, and said the training includes role-playing with people in the towns.

Aside from the slow response time, all sides suffered mock casualties during Saturday's exercise.

"When we make these scenarios complex, we're putting pressure on our individuals because our junior soldiers have to make split-second decisions on the ground," said Lt.-Col. Robert Walker, the commanding officer of 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment.

"We'll always create scenarios where there's a lot going wrong, and we're always trying to make it become right," he said.

The 44-year-old native of North Battleford, Sask., first joined the battalion almost 20 years ago, and he's now getting a chance to command it in a mission.

"I want the soldiers to be confident in their drills and that the soldiers have confidence in their buddies, so that when they go in they know that they've got the best equipment we can give them, and we've given them the best training, and have the best leadership," said Walker.