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KIVALLIQ/CAMBRIDGE BAY
Sgt. Barney Aggark of Chesterfield Inlet and Master Cpl. Gerard Maktar of Whale Cove were among Canadian Rangers from all three territories who attended Ranger Development Phase 2 training about 35 km southwest of Cambridge Bay earlier this month.

Nunavut Commissioner Edna Elias speaks with Canadian Rangers Master Cpl. Gerard Maktar of Whale Cove in Cambridge Bay earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Capt. Sandra Levesque

The training marked the first time Cambridge hosted the commissioners of three territories, accompanied by Joint Task Force North Cmdr. Brig.-Gen. Guy Hamel.

The program was further highlighted by a special ceremony during which Aggark was awarded a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for his significant contributions and achievements within Canada and his community.

Warrant Officer Craig Routery said the majority of Rangers who attended the training session were from Nunavut.

He said the aim of the mission was to teach the Rangers the skills required by Ranger leaders and to have them practise those skills.

"All of these guys are very good Rangers, but it takes a special kind of training and a special kind of thinking to be an effective Ranger leader," said Routery.

"You have to learn to think beyond yourself as a leader, and that's the aspect we were trying to get out of the Rangers we brought in for the training.

"Most of the training is very practical, so we give them a task, or job, to do, and then we sit down and show them how to break down a problem into its various

parts.

"We show them how to solve the parts, delegate some of the work to other people, how to supervise and pull it all together to have everyone meet the same objective."

Routery said the program is the beginning of a little bit of theory and a lot of hands-on training.

He said the Rangers spent six of the seven days they were gathered together out on the land practising running camps, setting up runways, doing search and rescue, setting up and running weapons ranges, and all the other jobs they need to know as leaders.

"The course actually ran from the fourth of February until the tenth.

"We had planned to start a little bit earlier, but, unfortunately, weather didn't allow us to get some of our people in from the Eastern Arctic, so we lost a day there.

"That's just the way things go sometimes, when conducting operations in the North, which anyone with any experience in the Arctic realizes."

Routery said, overall, the Rangers did an excellent job during the program.

He said the diversity of the group presented the Rangers with an additional challenge.

"Since we had Rangers together from all over, there were language and cultural issues.

"As well, because of the wide variety of locations involved, the different patrols across the three territories work in different ways.

"The guys and girl from the Yukon, for example, do things differently than someone from Chesterfield Inlet would because of the land, type of training and the environment.

"So, having these people, sort of, set aside ideas they came with, understand how other people have to work doing the same job, but in a different environment, was an excellent component of the training."

Routery said when the training was completed, the Rangers were a really cohesive group.

He said everyone was on a first-name basis and they all understood each other.

"It was really a nice thing to see, having the 20 individuals who came here leave as such a cohesive and tight group.

"Not only was the mission a success, but it was the first time we'd ever tried it this way because we got the participants out of the classrooms, away from the PowerPoint and out into the environment for most of the course.

"We did the stuff required, rather than just sitting in a classroom and listening to how it should be done.

"They picked it up really well, doing an excellent job of grabbing the training and running with it, so we're really happy with the way the whole thing turned out."

Routery said it was a nice touch having the two Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medals presented during the training.

He said the group was very fortunate to have the commissioners from each territory, along with Brig.-Gen. Hamel, on the ground to present the prestigious medals.

"It was very special to have these kinds of people there with us as we were handing the decorations out.

"It's something these guys will never forget."

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