- I'm Sergeant Daniel Trombley from Foresters Falls, Ontario,
an Electronic-Optronic Technician
currently posted to Canadian Forces Base Borden.
(narrator): Electronic-Optronic Technicians, or EO Techs for short,
provide essential support in today's high-tech Army environment.
They play a critical role in artillery, armoured, and infantry operations.
(Trombley): We work from the smallest arms, the C7 rifle,
all the way up to what are called precision-guided munitions,
including the Excalibur and the PGK rounds for the M777 artillery.
We ensure that when a round is fired or when a trigger is pulled,
that that round arrives on target exactly where it needs to be, the very first time.
(narrator): It's complex, detailed, high-precision work,
repairing and aligning laser gun sights,
maintaining fibre-optic cables,
and keeping lenses and sensors clean, down to the microscopic level.
A minor calibration error in an electronically controlled weapon system
can be the difference between hitting the target and missing.
Even the most highly sophisticated equipment can break down,
but EO Techs are there to keep things running.
Thermal imaging systems, night-vision scopes and goggles,
control systems for missiles,
chemical and nuclear weapons detection,
and satellite navigation for our vehicles in the field.
- An EO Tech is responsible for anything from basic field power generation,
giving power to our troops in the field, all the way up to maintaining complex sights
on our armoured fighting vehicles, as you see behind me,
which includes the Leopard family of vehicles,
as well as the light armoured fighting vehicles and the TAPVs.
(narrator): This is a job that requires laboratory precision,
in sometimes less than laboratory conditions.
In the field, the actual work will change quite drastically,
from repairing things in a clean room with a lot of tools and a lot of space at their disposal,
to working in confined areas and often trying to just find something
that will work to complete the task at the moment.
- There is no such thing as good enough, as an EO Tech.
Everything needs to be 100% ready to go as you go out the door.
The consequences otherwise are dire.
It could literally mean the difference between life and death.
(narrator): Whatever the mission, EO Techs have a great impact.
It can be very rewarding to fix something crucial to an operation,
and to be able to do it anywhere it breaks down.
There's always new equipment that needs to be looked after.
EO Techs are now maintaining the latest remote weapon systems
and remotely piloted aircraft
like the Forces' new CU172 Blackjack surveillance drone.
(Trombley): I have to say, the coolest part about being an EO Tech
is seeing the fruits of our labour come together on a range,
on international or domestic operations.
As that round leaves the barrel, you know, it's that big boom.
It's a massive shock. But after that shock wears off,
there's also that little bit that, "Did I do my job correct?"
As soon as you hear that stuff on the radio, "Round seen," that's when you can relax.
That's when you know everything's gone well.
You can put a big smile on your face knowing that you gave the users
exactly what they needed at the exact time that they needed it.
(narrator): Once they complete their training,
EO Techs are posted to one of the many Canadian Armed Forces bases across the country.
They are a critical part of the Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical
and Mechanical Engineers, and they work closely with Weapons Technicians,
Vehicle Technicians and Materials Technicians
to keep the Army's equipment in top shape.
- The teamwork within the RCEME Corps is truly something to behold.
There's a lot of ribbing, a lot of friendly jokes that go around,
but at the end of the day, everybody knows that they have
a very important task to perform and everybody performs it to the best they can.
(narrator): Arte et Marte - "By Skill and by Fighting" -
is the motto of the RCEME Corps.
Electronic-Optronic Technicians receive the same basic combat training
as all other Army soldiers.
They also have the opportunity to pursue further combat training
such as parachuting, combat first aid,
winter warfare, and driving armoured vehicles.
- Every morning I wake up and I have a big smile on my face.
I couldn't think of a better life for myself
or anything that I really want to do
besides maybe playing in the NHL. But that's unrealistic, right?