Operation Nanook-Nunalivut is now well underway in the Inuvik area, and for Master Cpl. Kadin Cockney of the Canadian Rangers, it has been a fruitful experience so far.
"It's been very positive," he said. "Pretty much every op is a new lesson and a new learning experience."
Operation Nanook-Nunalivut is one of four annual activities that the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) undertakes to secure the country's Northern regions SA国际影视传媒� collectively known as Operation Nanook. This year, the exercise is running from Feb. 23 to March 9, and will, as always, see the CAF conducting defence and sovereignty-related activities with a variety of partners and allies, including personnel from the United States.
The Canadian Rangers, a reserve division of the army that serves in remote areas of the country, are always closely involved in the proceedings, and the current operation is no exception. Cockney, a member of the Inuvik Ranger Patrol, has been busy throughout, working closely with other Rangers, as well as members of the military. Between 500-600 personnel are involved, all told.
It has been a particularly enjoyable experience to work with other Northern Rangers, he said.
"There's been lots of travelling around with the Yukon and Nunavut Rangers. Each one of them has got their own experience as well as their own knowledge of the land. Sometimes we work on the same animal, but process it differently.
"[It's been fun] hanging out with everybody and getting to know their backstory and some of their traditions."
It is Cockney's third such operation with the armed forces.
"Each one's different," he said. This time around, one of the main exercises has been "jumping on the Chinook [helicopter] and seeing how to load up the equipment and unload it."
While Cockney and his fellow Rangers have been participating in some interesting drills, one of the main reasons they are involved is to ensure the visiting members of the military are able to safely and respectfully navigate the land and the communities they visit.
"The importance of having Northerners in a military group is, most of all, we're out on the land most of the time, and most of us are hunting, fishing or providing for others, as well as learning local knowledge," he said. "It's all about the knowledge, the land, the resources, the graveyard sites, as well as just having trust within the community.
"It's a very different environment" for the Canadian and American personnel from the south, he added. "The weather they get down south is not the same as up here. There are a lot more frequent stops to warm up, and a lot more explaining to do on the snowmobile, but at a certain point, they do start feeling comfortable after the first week."
Cockney said he's excited to take part in similar exercises in the future.
"I'll be participating in lots of events with [the Canadian Rangers]," he said.
