Army combat divers from Canada and NATO went into the depths of the Salish Sea as part of Roguish Buoy, a multi-day exercise involving several countries from Jan 29 to Feb 15.
Roguish Buoy started in 1979 and has been going for 45 years. It allows combat divers to practice their skills in a safe environment, said Master Cpl. Russell Ashwood, second in command of one of the diving units.
The army divers usually work in shallower waters, but getting the chance to plunge into salt water and use the facilities at CFB Esquimalt allows them to further hone their skills.
“It’s like an actual deployment, whether domestic or international,” said Ashwood.
The exercise’s 65 divers hail from several NATO countries, including the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Before entering the water, the divers will have their suits checked and are given a task to perform underwater that will test their diving prowess and the skills they’ve learned as army engineers, said warrant officer Nathan Miller.
Army combat divers are responsible for clearing objects and creating pathways, so if there’s ever a need for the army to move from water to land, it can done as safely as possible, said Roguish Buoy coordinator Cpt. Alex Scott.
“We clear hazards for other friendly forces and assist with any recovery operations,” he said.
Army engineers will carry out various tasks, including clearing minefields, disposing of explosives and obstacles, and demolishing enemy structures such as bridges and roads.
The army has been training its divers since 2000, after the Army Dive Centre was established and took over responsibility from the Navy.
Scott said the army has ensured that the exercise will not disturb marine wildlife.
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