A group of 500 Canadian Armed Forces personnel from 4 Engineering Support Regiment and 37 Canadian Brigade Group will conduct Exercise Nihilo Sapper 2016, a large-scale construction engineering exercise taking place in Bathurst, NB, from November 1 to 22.
Canadian Military Engineers provide the tactical and technical expertise and skills to prepare camps, airfields, ports, utilities, and other facilities to receive and sustain operations that the Government of Canada chooses to employ domestically and internationally.
Participants in this year’s exercise will build a temporary 500-person camp south of Bathurst and participate in several construction and infrastructure upgrade projects within the community.
The building projects including constructing a bridge that will be used by all-terrain vehicles. upgrading a trail, inspecting port facilities in the area, and conducting water purification operations and military training at a local mine site.
Participants will also upgrade a trail, inspect port facilities in the area, and conduct water purification operations and military training at a local mine site.
Training activities related to construction and engineering will take place in and around the Bathurst area, providing an opportunity for soldiers to be out in the community and show Canadians that they are Strong, Proud and Ready.
“Exercise Nihilo Sapper 16 is a valuable training opportunity that allows Canadian Armed Forces Engineers to practice the skills required to establish the infrastructure to support military operations in Canada and abroad,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Cotton commanding officer of the 4 Engineering Support Regiment. “A team of professionals from across the Canadian Army, Navy, Air Force, and Canadian Joint Operations Command will be deploying to the Bathurst area where they will be completing a number of engineer projects, some of which will have a long-lasting impact on the local community.”
This specific exercise allows the regiment to train with their colleague from the Royal Canadian Navy and support residents in the Greater Bathurst Area, said Col.Daniel MacIsaac, commander of the 5th Canadian Division Support Group.