Photo By Sgt. Steven Peterson | Soldiers from the 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, Canadian Army, conduct a medical...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – Explosions rocked the Yakima Training Center, Washington, the last week of February as sappers from the Canadian military and U.S. Army conducted joint training.
The 571st Sapper Company, 864th Engineer Battalion, 555th Engineer Brigade, 7th Infantry Division and the 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, Canadian Army worked together setting up different training events to learn each other’s tricks of the trade, so that they would know how each other would function in a joint environment.
“The Canadians sent 40 of their best sappers down to train with us during this exercise,” said 1st Lt. Bryan Sekita, operations officer, 571st Sapper Company. “They will be going through our training alongside our Soldiers to see how we conduct training.”
The sappers, or elite engineers, tested an M58 Mine Clearing Line Charge, a rocket projected explosive line charge, which provides a breaching capability for maneuver forces. It is effective against conventionally fused mines and, when detonated, it provides a lane eight meters wide by 100 meters long.
“We love training with American Soldiers and learning how they operate,” said Master Corporal Nicolas Pruneau, sapper, 1 Combat Engineer Regiment. “We had a great chance to brush up on demolition which we don’t get to use as often.”
During the exercise, Soldiers also trained on medical evacuation procedures, rifle marksmanship, urban breaching, obstacle maneuvering, and vehicle familiarization.
“The purpose of this training is to build the (tactics, techniques and procedures) and (standard operating procedures) between the two forces,” added Sekita. “We learn from them and they learn from us before we would deploy to a NATO mission. This training is very important in providing how the two units work with one another.”
The units formed a strong bond during the training and hope to keep the relationships gained.
“We will keep in touch with this unit and show them some of our future training so they can see what we are doing in Canada,” said Pruneau. “I made some great friends here that I gave them my Facebook and phone number to talk to me whenever.”
| Date Taken: | 02.26.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 02.26.2015 19:01 |
| Story ID: | 155509 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, US |
| Web Views: | 260 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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