By Lt. (N) Kris Phillips
First published in
SFOR Informer#120, August 22, 2001

Late last week British, Canadian and Dutch engineers completed construction of a 300 metre small arms range in Glamoc as a part of an on-going process to consolidate and formalise the recently reduced SFOR training area known as Resolute Barbara Range (RBR).

Glamoc - Under the direction of Canadian WO Robert Bradley from 24th Field Squadron, 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment, engineers from the three countries set to work three weeks ago to construct the new range.
The site first had to be confirmed free of mines and given a “safety sweep” before construction could begin. Once that was accomplished however, the engineers, with their 10-tonne dump trucks, graders, and support vehicles worked ten hours a day, seven days a week to get the job done.
“It was a lot of work,” stated Canadian Master Cpl. Jim Evans, a heavy equipment operator from 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment. “There was a lot of dozing, hauling of gravel, and some really long days. In the end though, this is a really great area for a range, the trace fits nicely and there is a good zone for administration.”
Following mine clearance, the team levelled-off the site by digging down 2.5 metres to establish a bedrock base. In total, the 25 person multi-national team moved more than 10,000 cubic metres of dirt, to build-up the range, from a site more than 10 km away. With completion of this task, the ten firing points now look downrange to an impact area, which stands at an impressive height of nine meters on top of a hill overlooking Route Pelican.
“It’s nice to see the work done by the guys,” said Australian Capt. Leigh Bosworth, the Division co-ordinating engineer from the Multi-National Division South West Headquarters.
“This is a fairly important part of the range reduction and consolidation programme that is serving to assist in the return of Displaced Persons and Refugees (DPREs) to the area.”
The range is expected to be officially named and opened sometime nearer the end of August. Once this is done, it will serve as a Divisional and SFOR purpose-built small arms range.

Related link:
Nations of SFOR: Canada,
Training and Exercises