US and Canadian sappers train together

Photo By Staff Sgt. Justyn Freeman | A Canadian army soldier attached to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, looks out the window for potential enemies at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., March 17, 2012. The NTC Rotation 12-05 tested operability between the Sledgehammer Brigade and Canadian soldiers from the 2 Combat Engineer Regiment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Justyn M. Freeman)  

FORT IRWIN, CA, UNITED STATES

03.30.2012

Story by Spc. Erik Anderson 

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

FORT IRWIN, Calif.- The National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., provides one of the most realistic training environments available anywhere across the globe, but the vast resources at NTC aren’t exclusively for U.S. forces.

A contingent of Canadian soldiers from the 2 Combat Engineer Regiment joined the Soldiers of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., during NTC Rotation 12-05.

“Because we only have one company of engineers organically, we are a stronger formation with them,” said Maj. Jonathan W. Hester, brigade engineer coordinator, 3rd HBCT.

While Canadian soldiers are a common sight at the National Training Center as role-players on the opposing force against training units, approximately 150 Canadian sappers from Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, Ontario, Canada, joined the Sledgehammer Brigade during training.

“The same sappers were originally planning on conducting jungle warfare training at Eglin Air Force Base,” explained Canadian Maj. Mike Dunning, commander, 28 Combat Service Support Squadron, 2 CER.

After plans for training at the base in Florida didn’t materialize, Canadian-US liaison at the Command level seized the opportunity to organize a combined training environment at the National Training Center.

“We were able to change direction at the last minute and come to California to participate in this mechanized joint force training,” said Dunning.

While multiple country combined task forces are common overseas, it isn’t often that partner nations have an opportunity to train together at the National Training Center.

“It helps to identify interoperability challenges,” said Dunning. “From tactics, techniques and procedures at the lowest levels, to supply systems and command and control structures, it’s good to see how other units conduct warfighting operations. We gain flexibility by working through these issues, and it helps us to prepare for when existing systems break down.”

Hester, a Rockingham, N.C. native, said the engineers have been working together to accomplish common goals.

“The Canadian engineers operate in a similar fashion to our engineers,” he explained. “Although their equipment is different, we conduct the same mission.”

Despite difficulties encountered during the rotation, sappers from both forces have continued to lead the way.

“Our combat power is increased,” said Hester. “The Canadians bring additional engineers capable of obstacle breaching, urban operations and general engineering, along with enhanced planning at the battalion and brigade levels.”

This rotation has presented many obstacles to overcome as the first rotation of force-on-force combat at the National Training Center in approximately 10 years.

“You find a way,” said Dunning. “It’s not always pretty, but you find a way.”

As the end of training neared and both units prepared to return to their respective home bases, sappers from both countries went away with a better understanding of the combined forces environment.

“We can do similar training at home station,” said Dunning. “However there is a huge benefit to training like this in a joint scenario.”

• Date Taken: 03.30.2012
• Date Posted: 03.30.2012 11:25
• Story ID: 86013
• Location: FORT IRWIN, CA, US