Combat engineers adapt to COVID-19 environment

By Lieutenant (Navy) Andrew McLaughlin, 31 Canadian Brigade Group

London, Ontario — Members of 31 Combat Engineer Regiment (31 CER) have overcome limits imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic by running virtual exercises.

Combining hands-on training with physical distancing, Exercise CYBORG SAPPER allowed  a group of combat engineers, or “sappers,” from 31 CER, to fulfill Individual Battle Task Standard (IBTS) and mandatory training requirements.

It included both theoretical and practical elements, including Non-Standard Bridge (NSB) parts and construction methods.

“The basis of the exercise was to allow hands-on, distance learning for our sappers who have not yet built a real NSB,” said Master Warrant Officer Arthur Churcher, Squadron Sergeant Major of 7 Engineer Squadron. “The model kits seen in the pictures were produced from materials on hand at the garrison by members of the regiment. The kits were distributed to the sappers with contactless delivery, so that there would be minimal contact between members.”

The sappers constructed the bridges at home after classroom lectures delivered through WebEx, a digital platform used by the Canadian Armed Forces for distance learning.

Participants also studied and applied the Sheffield Method for destruction of bridges using explosives.

“When the after-action review was conducted, the soldiers were ecstatic with the fact that they were able to continue hands-on training,” MWO Churcher explained. “The following…