Op IMPACT

Captain Harriet Colquhoun

Members of the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) made their way to various locations in the Middle East over the months of April and May, some more fortunate than others landing in the warm summer nights of Amman, Jordan. 

Within the Canadian Training Assistance team – Jordan (CTAT-J), Strathconas have taken up an array of responsibilities and roles. The team itself is split between three semi-permanent locations across Jordan in the North, East and South respectively. 

In the South WO Murphy and WO Bell are leading the way by identifying opportunities to develop the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) logistics chain and combat sustainment knowledge in an effort to support the JAF’s multi-year roadmap to gaining NATO accreditation. They are currently operating out of Al-Quwaryah training area in a multi-national exercise, through challenging conditions which will become notably more challenging when they support the multi-day patrol challenge at the end June. 

In Jordan’s capital Cpl Kentfield continues to work diligently towards building improvements that will contribute to safer accommodation for the CTAT-J. He faces daily challenges having to communicate with ‘Mo’ the building manager who he has fostered a healthy working relationship with through the use of google translate. At the stern of the ops team stands Sgt Mackenzie, the CTAT-J Operations WO, who helps coordinates all CTAT-J activities from armoured SUV escorts along the northern Jordanian border to ensuring the safety and security of the CTAT-J’s accommodation block and main office. 

MCpl Andrews, Captain Ku, MCpl Conahan and Capt Colquhoun have also all settled well into their roles. MCpl Conahan has been on hand every waking hour of the day as the CTAT-J team adjusts to local cuisine and thus far, thanks to MCpl Andrews the CO has arrived promptly and unscathed to all important meetings. Capt Ku continues to foster a healthy intelligence sharing relationship with the Canadian embassy in Jordan and Captain Colquhoun has been working to identify, initiate and monitor a plethora of projects supporting the JAF including: constructing new female accommodation buildings; converting battlefield ambulances; and improving CBRN storage to enhance reaction times of the Jordanian border force.