JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – It’s Mission Monday. Meet Royal Canadian Air Force Maj. Nicolas Claveau, he’s an exchange officer embedded with the Air Force Civil Engineer Center at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, as the chief of the contingency training branch.
Claveau and his contingency training teammates oversee the curriculum and scheduling of CE training such as skill and knowledge, mission essential equipment training and special capabilities. His team is currently busy with planning for the CE enterprise’s annual Readiness Challenge competition in April which tests mission essential skills in a realistic, contingency environment.
We asked the Quebec, native, to tell us a little more about himself and the work he’s doing for the U.S. Air Force.
What do you love about your job?
I enjoy learning about the different civil engineer capabilities within the U.S. Air Force and understanding how they fit in the bigger picture. It is interesting to compare them with Canada’s own capabilities and potentially learn from each other.
When it comes to your job, what keeps you motivated?
Coffee! But also, being surrounded by driven and helpful people!
Why are you and your team important to the Air Force and Space Force enterprise and your customers?
Along with the other branches in the AFCEC Expeditionary Division, we ensure our civil engineers have the proper training available to get them ready for current and future challenges.
Describe a project or event you and your team worked on recently that gave you a great sense of accomplishment:
My team has been the lead for Readiness Challenge: a yearly competition which tests the readiness of CE and services skills in a contingency environment. With the help of the 801st RED HORSE Training Squadron, we bring teams from diverse major commands together and assess the enterprise’s readiness.
Is there anything else you’d like to add which might help people understand the importance of what you do for the Department of the Air Force?
No, but I would like to close with a motto: the engineer solution is not one that is perfect but one that works.