They only look at the external component. I will go to the training and what the Rangers are and are not able to do, and what the expectation is of them.
First of all, just to go back to what a ranger does, a ranger comes in as a member of his or her community, and as a very experienced individual. We consider them trained upon coming into the ranger program. They are trained because they are able to exist and operate within the environment, the local environment, that they're from. Probably a good distinction is that they're local to their patrol area, not necessarily able to operate anywhere within North America, or certainly within Canada. It's a very important component. They're equipped, and lightly equipped, with the equipment that they have personally equipped themselves with because they bring that expertise, that knowledge to repair and maintain the equipment that they do have, whether it's boats, snow machines, or ATVs, again having that skill set that is not resident in many cases within the Canadian Forces to the same extent.
They're outstanding members within their communities, whether it's northern communities or across the rest of the country, the northern part of the country. What they are able to do most succinctly is bring those skill sets to be able to operate and endure, exist, within the regions in which they are. They help enable the Canadian Armed Forces when we deploy. Whether it's an Arctic response company group or an immediate response unit from the regular units that go out and conduct training in the north, they help facilitate that training, and more importantly, as well, help us to reduce the environmental and social impact of coming into some of the communities.
The last point, if you will, sir, is on the training. They are already trained. We consider them qualified and experienced to be able to do their primary mission, which is to observe and conduct normal patrols and sovereignty activities. We do conduct what we call the development period one and development period two training as a function of their ongoing training 12 days a year, which we pay them for. It's not a lot, but in many cases just to be able to get up to some of the regions is about all we're able to do in those communities because of the expanse of the AOR, area of responsibility. That DP one training is primarily just to show them how to wear their uniform, be able to conduct an interface with the military agencies that they're working for and other government organizations.
The last piece, development period two, is for their leaders, who have been elected within their groups to become patrol commanders and then do a little bit of planning and activity. Probably one of the key things to remember is that every Canadian ranger patrol group has a full-time component out at the Canadian ranger patrol group headquarters that goes out and conducts the training and supervises the training, and conducts that activity for the most part in the operations as well.
That's it in a nutshell. Basically, they come already trained, and we then utilize them and give them some additional training in order to be able to facilitate and interact with the other agencies.