Kapiti soldier shows his skills in the Middle East
Being a part of the 34-member New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) engineering team in the Sinai has given Corporal Christopher Thomson an opportunity to showcase his skills.
“It has been pretty satisfying being able to use my skills and knowledge in an engineering project overseas,” says Corporal Thomson, an electrician from the New Zealand Army’s 2nd Engineer Regiment (2ER).
Together with 33 other members of 2ER, he deployed to the Sinai Peninsula in January to enhance security at the Multinational Force & Observers’ (MFO) South Camp.
“We don’t often get this opportunity to deploy overseas as an engineering group and display our Army’s engineering capabilities.”
Corporal Thomson said working overseas was also a great way to meet personnel from other militaries and learn about different cultures.
“Every day, we interact with people from different countries — from the civilian Egyptian contractors to the friendly Fijian soldiers providing camp security and the troops from other countries. There are language barriers of course but with the language apps on our mobile phones, we are able to bridge those barriers and iron out any misunderstandings.”
Corporal Thomson was 20 years old and three years out of Kapiti College when he enlisted in the New Zealand Army in 2005.
“I joined the Army because I knew it would give me an opportunity to get a trade, travel and have a rewarding career.”
“Working as part of a multinational peacekeeping force in the Sinai is one of the exciting opportunities I imagined I would be doing when I joined. It has been great using my electrical trade skills, which I learnt through the Army, in an overseas role,” Corporal Thomson said.
