14 MSS construction engineers gain experience in Indonesia
Construction engineers from 14 Mission Support Squadron (14 MSS) deployed in August and September, gaining valuable technical and operational experience while working alongside multinational partners in Baturaja, South Sumatra, Indonesia.
The 14 MSS team consisted of Warrant Officer Daniel Coulombe, Corporal Julien Chiasson-Losier, Corporal Mathew Villeneuve, and Corporal Justin Elliott, who supported vertical and horizontal construction projects. They joined Construction Engineers from across Canada and military personnel from Indonesia, Singapore and the United States; to improve a school and jungle roads in the local community.
The multinational team completed electrical, plumbing and structural improvements, while working through translators and directly alongside partner-nation tradespeople. Technicians exchanged construction techniques and combined different approaches to complete the project.
For the Greenwood members, the value of the exercise extended beyond the infrastructure left behind. Persistent heat and humidity, tent life, unfamiliar equipment, different materials and regional supply chains, and language barriers all created training conditions difficult to reproduce at home. When familiar Canadian tools or products were unavailable, members relied on their underlying trade knowledge and worked with partner nations to develop safe and effective solutions using locally available resources.
This was particularly valuable for the squadron’s developing technicians. Apprentices and junior members were required to troubleshoot unfamiliar problems, work with limited resources and communicate technical requirements across language and cultural barriers. At the same time, working alongside Indonesian, American and Singaporean personnel exposed them to different construction methods and approaches to solving similar technical challenges.
The deployment also exposed members to the planning required to execute construction projects at significant distance from Canada. Reconnaissance and coordination were required before construction began to assess the site, identify requirements, determine available resources and coordinate support with multinational partners.
The four members were part of a broader Canadian engineering contribution in Baturaja. Elsewhere in the training area, Canadian combat engineers and mobile support equipment operators worked alongside partner nations to improve jungle routes and establish infrastructure supporting multinational training.
Ultimately, the value of the project extended beyond the improvements to the school. The four 14 MSS members returned to Greenwood with greater confidence in their trades, increased adaptability and valuable experience working alongside international partners.
