Humans of CFB Esquimalt

Archana Cini, Lookout Newspaper. Humans of CFB Esquimalt is a series dedicated to the people who form the West Coast Defence community. It captures unique stories of service, identity, learning, and living from both civilians and military members who work and move through the base. If interested in sharing your story, please email archana.cini@forces.gc.ca. – While many people join the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) early in their working lives, Acting Sub-Lieutenant (A/SLt) Mike Samuels joined at 49 years old after two decades at a desk job.  “I figured I had around 15 years left of a good, working life,” said A/SLt Samuels. “This country has been very good to me, I felt joining the Forces was an opportunity for me to give back – and add some excitement as well!”   A/SLt Samuels was born in Montreal, but soon after his family moved to Peterborough, Ont. Here, he was raised alongside his older sister by his father, a psychology professor at the local college, and his mother, a nurse. At 15 years old, A/SLt Samuels had the opportunity to attend Trinity College School, a boarding school in Port Hope. He then went on to study philosophy and history at King’s College at The University of Western Ontario. After graduation, A/SLt Samuels spent a little over a year teaching English in South Korea after deciding to broaden his perspectives on the world. After his return, A/SLt Samuels moved to Toronto, where he spent the next 18 years working in the telecommunications industry in Network Operations, during which he also got married.   “I didn’t hate my job,” said A/SLt Samuels. “But it simply wasn’t the kind of work that gave me the sense of purpose or satisfaction that I was looking for.”   At 47 years old, A/SLt Samuels applied to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) amid the COVID-19 pandemic. During the...

Archana Cini, Lookout Newspaper. Humans of CFB Esquimalt is a series dedicated to the people who form the West Coast Defence community. It captures unique stories of service, identity, learning, and living from both civilians and military members who work and move through the base. If interested in sharing your story, please email archana.cini@forces.gc.ca. - For Sailor 1st Class (S1) Dongwon Shin, his decision to join the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was rooted in values carried with him since childhood: honour, service, and a desire to protect the people around him. Born and raised in South Korea, S1 Shin spent his early years surrounded by the love of his family and a curiosity for understanding how things worked. His father, an electrical communications engineer, passed down both technical knowledge and a love for working with his hands. At 16 years old, S1 Shin moved to Canada, settling in Calgary, Alta, where he completed both his high school and post-secondary education. While South Korea’s education system emphasized competition and achievement, S1 Shin found that Canada encouraged exploration and individuality. “I don’t think I would be as happy if I had stayed in my homeland,” said S1 Shin. “Here, I’ve found that you can explore yourself more and find out where you would like to fit.” When an economic downturn led to widespread layoffs in Alberta’s aviation industry, S1 Shin’s path unexpectedly shifted following his own layoff. Rather than standing still, he returned to school to study electrical engineering while also submitting an application to join the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). On Aug 16, 2018, S1 Shin joined the RCN. “I remember saying it all the time as a kid; ‘I want to be a soldier. I want to protect,’” said S1 Shin. As a young boy, learning about Canada’s role in...

Archana Cini, Lookout Newspaper. Humans of CFB Esquimalt is a series dedicated to the people who form the Canadian West Coast Defence community. It captures unique stories of service, identity, learning, and living from both civilians and military members who work and move through the base.   If you are interested in sharing your story for a feature, please email archana.cini@forces.gc.ca.  - Some people move through their life belonging entirely to a single world. Reservist and artist Sailor 1st class (S1) Sabrina Holmes has always existed in two.  S1 Holmes grew up in Whitby, Ontario, far from the salty sea she now works near. However, water has always been a part of her life. S1 Holmes’ parents met through the Naval Reserves at His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) York, where they served as marine engineers. Stories of sailing aboard gate vessels (naval training ships that opened and closed anti-submarine nets in major harbours to allow vessels to pass) and time spent at sea were never abstract; they were family history.  S1 Holmes’ childhood was also shaped by water. She learned boating skills and rope work early by her father, and spent years in competitive swimming building comfort and safety around water. Eventually, that connection to the sea became something more than background — it became a path. At 16 years old, S1 Holmes joined HMCS York as a Naval Reservist. However, she also found herself gravitating towards another subject throughout her upbringing: art.  “I was always more inclined at school towards art class, and really focused my skill acquisition towards drawing for years,” said S1 Holmes. “When the time came to start looking at university, my parents encouraged me to explore applying to some fine arts programs as it would very likely make school more interesting.”  Since then, she has balanced her academic years in uniform with summers spent serving across Canada’s coasts — a balance,...