1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) soldiers on Joint Base Lewis-McChord and their Canadian counterparts gathered on Tuesday to celebrate the beginning of Menton Week, a yearly tradition spanning 26 years that honors the units' legacy and lineage.

The opening ceremony, held at the Group's Memorial Wall just outside its headquarters, officially welcomed 22 members of the Canadian Special Operations Regiment from Petawawa, Ontario, who will stay through the week and participate in a variety of events alongside 1st SFG (A) Soldiers.

Scheduled Menton Week events included combined airborne operations (featuring both static line and HALO jumps), an obstacle course and endurance event. The first event, Special Operations Forces Weapons Familiarization  (also known as Jane Wayne) was held Tuesday after the opening ceremony for spouses , friends and family. Participants tried their hand at a variety of large and small weapons, including  an M9 Beretta, MP5 submachine gun, M4 rifle and more. "It was everything you've ever heard about," said Sylvia Ernst, 14, who shot the M9 Beretta pistol and other weapons.

The group will cap off the week of celebration and camaraderie with a formal gala Friday evening in Tacoma, which Canadian Spc. Brendan Cavanagh, who is attending Menton Week for the third year, is most looking forward to. "The ball's the best part," he said.

Menton Week celebrates the First Special Service Force, known as the Devil's Brigade, which was a joint Canadian/U.S. special operations unit established in 1942 that served with distinction in World War II. It disbanded on Dec. 5, 1944 in Menton, France, and both 1st SFG (A) and CSOR trace their roots to the unit.

The opening ceremony honored "the sacrifices made by the soldiers of the Devils Brigade, who paid a heavy price in casualties over 66 years ago but whose legacy endures in our special operators, both Canadian and American, who continue today to fight on for a noble cause," said 2nd Battalion, 1st SFG (A) Commander Lt. Col. Dennis Heaney.

"Though the forces parted ways many years ago, the legacy they established and the bonds that  they forged in combat have endured," said Canadian Capt. Declan Ward. "The current conflict has again seen U.S. and Canadian Special Operations warriors come together to take the fight to the enemy. ... This is a relationship that has stood the test of both time and combat. We are proud to be a part of it and hope that it continues long into the future."