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[caption id="attachment_12342" align="alignnone" width="300"] HMCS Vancouver Successfully Completes Joltex 2016[/caption]SLt Sean Catterall, HMCS Vancovuer ~HMCS Vancouver made history during JoLTEX 16 by becoming the first Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) ship to fire the Harpoon Block II missile in Coastal Target Suppression (CTS) mode in the Southern California Operating Areas.Operators positioned ashore directed the firing of three Harpoon missiles from Vancouver, which used GPS waypoint-guidance to follow an ordered flight path prior to impact with sea container targets located on San Nicolas Island, located in operating area.While the firing only took a forenoon watch, JoLTEX 16 was the culmination of months of preparation.The Canadian Forces Maritime Warfare Centre led the planning, which started in 2015. For Vancouver, the first introduction to the project came late last year during a series of meetings to determine the technical and training requirements, as well as the timelines for JOLTEX 16. With technical inspections complete, Vancouver departed Esquimalt in February, deployed to South America with a mission to support the RCN engagement strategy and enhance relationships with several South American navies.However, in the background Vancouver continued preparing for the final objective of the deployment – the missile firing.At the end of March, while visiting Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Vancouver embarked a team whose role was to put the final touches on the ship’s preparations. Equipment was tested, the operations team’s procedures were refined, and Vancouver was declared ready to proceed.After embarking the Commander of the Canadian Fleet Pacific, the Test Director, and a data collection team, the ship sailed to the range to conduct the firing.  Following an early “wakey-wakey” on April 1, Vancouver came to action stations, closed up section base teams, and assumed damage control condition ZB. After receiving fire missions from operators who had been landed ashore, Vancouver conducted the three harpoon engagements which found...

[caption id="attachment_12324" align="alignnone" width="300"] Military parents seeking support and guidance for dealing with emotional and behavioural challenges with their children can turn to the Military Family Resource Centre’s Triple P Positive Parenting Program.[/caption]Rachel Lallouz, Staff Writer ~ Military parents seeking support and guidance for dealing with emotional and behavioural challenges with their children can turn to the Military Family Resource Centre’s Triple P Positive Parenting Program.The Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) offers a Triple P suite of services that provides military families with opportunities to engage in conversations regarding the unique challenges of raising children within the military lifestyle.   “This program is based on creating strong, nurturing relationships and positive communication between children and parents,” says Pauline Sibbald, MFRC social worker.Triple P is an evidenced-based program that incorporates five core principles: promoting a positive learning environment, ensuring a safe and engaging environment, providing effective discipline, maintaining reasonable expectations for both parent and child, and taking care of oneself as a parent.The Triple P program has five intervention levels and parents determine for themselves how much help they require.  “This multi-level parenting and family support strategy allows the program to be tailored to meet individual family needs,” says Sibbald.  Parents may choose to attend one-on-one sessions with a Triple P practitioner, register for interactive seminars or participate in a group course.“Because the system is flexible, it’s adaptable and responsive to lifestyle needs and challenges. A parent might just be feeling overwhelmed or frustrated with a situation and may want some parenting tips, or may be dealing with ongoing behavioural challenges,” says Sibbald.  Family Transitions is a new parenting program for separated/divorced parents who are experiencing challenges that are impacting or complicating their parenting.  It takes time to build a new family identity and work through feelings related to the end of...

[caption id="attachment_12321" align="alignnone" width="300"] Peter Mallett, Lookout Maj Jim Barrett guides members of Vancouver’s Royal Canadian Army Cadets in a tour of Duntze Head Battery and Dockyard, March 24.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Teens from the Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps (RCACC) marvelled at the Royal Canadian Navy’s Pacific Fleet and Dockyard’s rich naval history during a morning tour March 24.Thirty-five cadets from the lower mainland Corps were given a three-hour guided tour of the base as part of a two-day Citizenship Tour of Victoria. The morning itinerary included stops at the Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton, the dry dock, Duntze Head battery, the Admiral’s House, and a chance to board submarine HMCS Victoria. “The purpose of this and all the tours at the base is to help the community connect with our military,” said tour guide, SLt Louis Pierre Gosselin of Maritime Forces Pacific’s Visits and Protocol office. “The cadets all seemed genuinely interested in the many stories and historical anecdotes we have about Dockyard.”Cadets came from four different units: two from Vancouver’s 2290 RCACC (the 101 Duke of Connaught’s Own Rifle) and the 2472 RCACC (15th Field Artillery), the 3300 RCACC (Bhai Kanhaiya) Surrey, and the 1838 RCACC from Maple Ridge, B.C.  Wet and blustery conditions didn’t seem to dampen their enthusiasm about getting an up-close look at the home of the Pacific fleet.“I thought there were a lot fewer ships here than there actually are. All of us [cadets] seem to be having a good time and learning a lot about the RCN today,” said MWO Andrew Kim, an 18-year-old student from Vancouver’s Magee Secondary School. “For me it was incredible to get a tour of the HMCS Victoria submarine and see how the RCN managed to utilize every single inch of space in the vessel.”During their trip...

[caption id="attachment_12309" align="alignnone" width="300"] Former Protecteur crew members pose aboard HMCS Vancouver off the coast of Panama. Personnel from top left to bottom right: LS Duane Earle, LS Jeffrey Allam, LS James Campbell, MCpl Alfred Castrojas, Cpl Nancy Rheaume, MS David Spiker, Lt(N) Maxime Delcourt, PO2 Benjamin Salamon, PO1 Steven Stacyszyn, LS Shawn Snow, LS Leo Bossé, LS Margeaux Hadwin, Lt(N) Jeff Scheerer, PO1 Stephan Melancon and LS Sergej Krivenko.[/caption]Commander Clive Butler, HMCS Vancouver ~On the morning of March 16, after having completed a brief fuel stop in Balboa, Panama, about 100 nautical miles (185 km) south-west of Panama, HMCS Vancouver came across the former Protecteur during the proud old vessel’s final trip to Nova Scotia.A number of personnel currently serving aboard Vancouver served in Protecteur during the fateful fire that ended its career. The encounter was a surprisingly emotional moment for many of them. Vancouver saluted its old comrade-in-arms out of respect.[caption id="attachment_12310" align="alignleft" width="300"] Former HMCS Protecteur off the coast of Panama as viewed from the vantage of HMCS Vancouver[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12281" align="alignnone" width="300"] Photo by PA Officer, Op CARIBBELCdr Jason Bergen, the Executive Officer of HMCS Saskatoon, stands on the bridge during Operation Caribbe.[/caption]Lt(N) Linda Coleman, HMCS Saskatoon PAO ~A Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Canadian Navy from Saskatchewan is second-in-command of a ship named after his hometown.LCdr Jason Bergen, a proud native of Saskatoon and graduate of Walter Murray Collegiate Institute, is the Executive Officer of HMCS Saskatoon. The ship and its crew are currently on Operation Caribbe in the eastern Pacific Ocean, conducting maritime interdiction operations to counter illicit trafficking.“I am honoured by the opportunity to represent HMCS Saskatoon and my country as we work with our allies countering transnational crime,” says LCdr Bergen.Growing up in Saskatoon, a career in the navy was not necessarily a childhood dream, but the influence of a friend.“A friend of mine joined the Canadian Armed Forces and went to Chilliwack, B.C., for basic training. Hearing her stories piqued my interest and I wanted to do something adventurous while still making money for my university tuition.The first time I flew on a plane was when I went to Saint-Jean, Que., for my own basic training.”That first flight was just the beginning of a career that would end up taking him all over the world.LCdr Bergen joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1997 through his Naval Reserve unit in Saskatoon, HMCS Unicorn. While working part-time with the Reserves, he graduated from the University of Saskatchewan.“Working at HMCS Unicorn while attending university kept me engaged, and I felt like I had accomplished something significant in my life while earning money for school,” he says.After university, he decided to stay in the Reserves as a Maritime Surface and Sub-Surface (MARS) Officer, which would take him to Victoria, home of Maritime Forces Pacific.Since then, LCdr Bergen has...

[caption id="attachment_12277" align="alignnone" width="300"] Photo courtesy of Selena Rhodes Photography, Victoria, BC[/caption]Katelyn Moores, MARPAC PA Office ~“You have to remember our sailors come from all across Canada and are often just as excited about seeing whales as you are,” said Danielle Smith, Maritime Forces Pacific Fleet Environment Officer, to a room full of researchers, naturalists and advocates at the 2nd annual Pacific Whale Watch Association International Symposium last month in Anacortes, Washington.Smith was one of 17 presenters at the symposium, and explained the Royal Canadian Navy’s Marine Mammal Mitigation Policy and the navy’s commitment to following the policies and procedures put in place to help protect marine life.The RCN’s Marine Mammal Mitigation Policy is a comprehensive order for all naval vessels that includes, but is not limited to, constant visual surveillance of the area by watch officers and lookouts, monitoring of passive acoustics and radar systems as a means to detect marine mammals, as well as the use of mitigation zones that will cease all sonar operations if marine mammals come within a certain range.Smith advises Canadian Fleet Pacific on a variety of environmental factors, such as the location of local marine mammal habitats, migration routes and breeding areas, which are all taken into account when planning Fleet operations and exercises.During her presentation, she discussed the success the RCN has had collaborating with external partners, including the Vancouver Aquarium’s B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response Network, and a number of other non-governmental organizations.By working in concert with other organizations and navies the RCN is helping to ensure their policies and procedures are current, effective, and collaborative, she says.So far, these partnerships have led to a number of benefits, including the ability to share and receive acoustic data, and to...

[caption id="attachment_12272" align="alignnone" width="300"] Photo by Cpl Anthony LavioletteA Cyclone helicopter prepares to land on the flight deck of HMCS Montréal off the coast of Halifax March 3.[/caption] Darlene Blakeley, Public Affairs Ottawa ~For the next five years, HMCS Montréal will have a new role to fill along with its regular naval requirements.Montréal has been named the Royal Canadian Navy’s Experimental Ship – or “X-Ship” – a program designed to advance innovative and leading-edge naval concepts in all areas of warship deployment, crewing and sustainment. “To do this, we have been allotted a five-year period within which to build and execute a program that builds on existing trial concepts and develops new ones,” says Lieutenant-Commander Lorraine Sammut, Senior Staff Officer Operations at the New Capability Introduction Detachment in Esquimalt, B.C. “Specifically, X-Ship will be tasked to conduct experiments that fall outside of normal fleet development activities, and be focused on supporting future classes of ships such as the Canadian Surface Combatant and Joint Support Ship.”In the short term, many of the trials conducted will focus on human factors such as variations of crew size and impacts on crew rest and performance, as well as some operational trials. “One of the driving tenets behind X-Ship is to explore crew modelling initiatives – future practices – that are forecasted to be employed in our next classes of ship,” explains LCdr Sammut. “One of the challenges we face is forecasting the level of human effort required to conduct a certain task, given that future ships will have increased levels of automation. To forecast the baseline, the navy, in partnership with Defence Research and Development Canada, uses a crew modelling prediction software and inputs what we already know to be true.”Medium and long term horizons will see an increased focus on operational and technical type trials, including structural...

[caption id="attachment_12269" align="alignnone" width="300"] Photo by U.S. Coast GuardBales of cocaine jettisoned from a suspected smuggling boat and retrieved from the Eastern Pacific Ocean lie stacked aboard HMCS Saskatoon. The bales were seized by a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment embarked on Saskatoon.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Sailors on board HMCS Saskatoon have just made the life of drug smugglers and organized crime a little less lucrative after participating in a sizable drug seizure in the Eastern Pacific.The Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel with its crew of 38 and a United States Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment seized 10 bales of cocaine weighing approximately 360 kilograms on March 19.The operation off the coast of Central America is part of Operation Caribbe, part of Canada’s contribution to a multinational effort against transnational criminal organizations in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea dubbed Operation Martillo.“It’s not just getting drugs off the street in Canada and the United States; Operation Caribbe is also about keeping the money out of the pockets of bad people who are destabilizing the governments of nations in South and Central America,” said Lieutenant-Commander Todd Bacon, Saskatoon’s Commanding Officer.The seizure came about when occupants on a panga-style fishing boat jettisoned their illicit contraband in the water before fleeing at a high speed.Saskatoon approached the smugglers and deployed the U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment team in rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB) to board the vessel.The seizure by Saskatoon brings the total cocaine seized by Canadian warships in the month of March to nearly 700 kg. Earlier this month, the Halifax-based HMCS Summerside was involved in the boarding of a 12-metre vessel in the international waters off the coast of Nicaragua that led to the seizure of 16 bales of cocaine weighing 324 kg.Four Royal Canadian Navy ships were deployed in...

[caption id="attachment_12258" align="alignnone" width="300"] Protect your travels & save 10% on rates[/caption]To avoid incurring out-of-pocket expenses, should you require medical treatment (including new medication) while you’re away, remember to get the SISIP Travel Insurance, offered through Manulife. Plus, members of the CAF community save 10 per cent on rates.This new product is underwritten by Manulife and offered exclusively to the CAF Community.For most vacations, you can’t get where you’re going without flying, which may pose some health issues. Here are a few tips to stay well while you’re in the air.Be aware of the air - Cabin pressure is particularly strong at high altitudes, resulting in less available air. It’s recommended that you take long, relaxed breaths while flying to avoid the possibility of breathing becoming laboured.Avoid deep vein thrombosis - Some passengers can be at risk for this condition, especially on long flights; to help guard against this, try standing up and walking for several minutes every hour or so.Strengthen your immune system - When you’re in a closed environment with dry air, as you are during a flight, illnesses can spread very easily. Avoiding foods with high sugar content can help your body fight off bacteria more effectively.For more information, visit www.sisiptravelinsurance.ca

[caption id="attachment_12253" align="alignnone" width="300"] DND housing, annual adjustments explained by CF Housing Agency[/caption]Regardless of whether a Canadian Armed Forces member lives in private-sector or DND housing, rental adjustments are a routine annual process.In December of 2015, occupants of DND housing received their yearly letter from the Canadian Forces Housing Agency (CFHA) detailing their rent adjustment for fiscal year 2016. CFHA is part of the Department of National Defence’s Infrastructure and Environment family (ADM(IE)) and has been managing the housing portfolio for almost 20 years. DND recognizes the importance to members of having suitable housing; it contributes to a better quality of life and to the well-being of CAF members and their families. This vision is top of mind for CFHA in its management of over 12,000 military housing units across 25 sites, and as it applies Government of Canada housing policies and departmental regulations.    Government of Canada housing policy stipulates that Crown-owned housing must reflect local market rental values for homes of a similar size, style, condition and age. For CAF members opting to live in Crown-owned housing, this means that they are provided with a housing unit at a rental cost similar to what other private-sector renters living in similar housing units in their neighborhood would pay.To provide for a fair and consistent approach to this policy, CFHA must also utilize an annual rent adjustment process. Under this process, CFHA determines whether the rents charged for Crown-owned housing must be changed to reflect fluctuations in the local rental market. Under this system, all occupants of DND housing are subject to an adjustment process every year at the same time.DND, like other government departments, applies the Statistics Canada Consumer Price Index (CPI) to its residential portfolio in order to determine the annual housing rent adjustments. This year’s adjustment is an average 1% increase...

[caption id="attachment_12247" align="alignnone" width="200"] Peter Mallet, LookoutDefenceman MCpl Anita Kwasnicki (left) and MCpl Joanne Lyster at the Wurtele Arena before heading to Nationals. The Lady Tritons played in the Canadian Armed Forces Women’s National Hockey Championships at CFB Borden, March 20 to 24.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff writer ~Going winless and being outscored by a 38-3 margin over four games might thoroughly discourage most hockey teams, but not the Esquimalt Lady Tritons.Even before the Lady Tritons departed for the six-day, five team Canadian Armed Forces Women’s National Hockey Championship tournament, March 19 to 24 at CFB Borden, they were well aware their prospects of collecting the tournament trophy or even registering a victory were bleak. “Our players knew it was going to be tough going into the tournament, but despite the adversity they faced, they played with so much heart, didn’t lose their cool and definitely created something to build on for next season,” said acting head coach PO1 Dave Hillier.The Lady Tritons fortunes on the ice began with an 8-1 loss to Ottawa in their opening game, followed by 8-1 to Halifax, 11-0 to CFB Borden, and an 11-1 loss to Cold Lake.PO1 Hillier, normally an assistant coach with the team, was filling the shoes of head coach Bob Clark who was unable to attend the tournament due to work commitments. While PO1 Hillier admits the results were far less than he and the players had hoped for, he said he enjoyed the experience and would “gladly” do the job again.“If they had been making stupid plays, showed no effort and were taking dumb penalties I wouldn’t want to do this again, but that certainly wasn’t the case with this group,” said PO1 Hillier. “I’m proud to be their coach because the players reflect the best in the military and the best...

[caption id="attachment_12243" align="alignnone" width="300"] The auto work bay has what hobbyists need to repair and tune up their vehicles.[/caption]Rachel Lallouz, Staff Writer  ~Military personnel and civilian DND employees who have a budding interest in automotive mechanics, or even fully fledged expertise in car restoration, are encouraged to become a member of the Auto Hobby Club.Located in Work Point, building 1117, the 20-year-old club provides full automotive services for members of the DND community to work on their own cars using the tools and resources provided by the club.“It’s the best kept secret on base, but my mission has been to change that,” says Club President Lieutenant  (Navy) Brady Gaudet, who has seen the membership triple since the new and motivated executive team became involved one year ago, and as he sought to breathe new life into what he believes is one of the most valuable resources on the base.With the guidance and oversight of the two Personnel Support Personnel custodian staff, Bruce Stewart and Dave Windle, working for the club, a member can work on their daily driving car, family car, or personal repair project. While no mechanics are employed at the club they certainly have a wealth of mechanical expertise and resources available for most DIY projects. Many members complete restoration work, rebuild or swap car engines, or modernize older cars to bring them up to present-day safety standards.To successfully complete these tasks, the full-service club offers automotive diagnostic equipment, a large range of car manuals, three fully equipped bays with car hoists, and tire and oil recycling. Storage for 12 vehicles on the property ensures that members can leave their insured vehicles at the club for extended projects for a modest storage fee.“We accept members with every level of automotive experience, from all trades, as long as they...

A Freedom of the Municipality Parade was one of several events held over the March 19th weekend to mark the 100th anniversary of 13 Field Ambulance, the predecessor to the current day 11 Field Ambulance.[caption id="attachment_12239" align="alignnone" width="300"] Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, the Honourable Judith Guichon (front row, third from left) and her husband Bruno Mailloux (front row, second from left) pose with distinguished guests and members of the head table during a dinner commemorating the 100th Anniversary of 13 Field Ambulance, hosted at Government House on March 19.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_12238" align="alignnone" width="200"] The Canadian Armed Forces Medical Services Banner, the “Princess Royals Banner of our Colonel in Chief” (right) is paraded by the 11 Field Ambulance Royal Banner Color Party past Saanich Municipal Hall.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_12237" align="alignnone" width="300"] Mayor Richard Atwell (second from right) and Commanding Officer of 11 Field Ambulance Lieutenant Colonel Heather McClelland (right) inspect the troops.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_12236" align="alignnone" width="300"] LCol McClelland enacts the ceremonial knock upon the mayor’s door, then is greeted by the Mayor of Saanich Richard Atwell.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_12232" align="alignnone" width="300"] The Sky’s No Limit – Girls Fly Too![/caption]The Sky’s No Limit – Girls Fly Too! an epic hands-on outreach event to address gender and cultural diversity in aviation, aerospace, marine and defence.  Despite the inclement weather during the event, and a catastrophic windstorm that, 36 hours prior, had demolished 10,000 square feet of indoor display area, The Sky’s No Limit – Girls Fly Too! 2016 was a resounding success. A testament of dedication and support to the advancement of women in aviation, aerospace, marine and defence, hundreds of volunteers, and agency and industry partners worked feverishly together to re-locate the display area over to the Shell hangar in time for launch.Honoured distinguished guests included The Honourable Judith Guichon, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia; The Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence; Mark Warawa, Member of Parliament; The Honourable Mary Polak, Minister of Envioronment; Canadian Coast Guard Director of Fleet Pacific Region, Joanne McNish; Rear Admiral Gilles Couturier, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific; U.S. Consul General Lynne Platt; and Rajiv K. Chander, Consul General of India.  Special VIPs also included NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy helicopter pilot (Ret’d) Wendy Lawrence; Isabelle Tremblay, Manager of the Project and Program Portfolio Canadian Space Agency; and RCAF Colonel (Ret’d) and Aviation Hall of Fame inductee, George Miller.In total, 10,000 people from around the Lower Mainland and several remote school districts attended the two-day event.  A U.S. Air Force KC-135 refueling aircraft from 63rd Air Refueling Squadron, MacDill AFB, Florida, came with 25 crew members on board to share in the fun.Participants were able to explore aircraft and tactical assets from the Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force, Canadian Army, Canadian Coast Guard, RCMP, Cadets, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Civil Air Search and Rescue, plus civilian and education partners from...

[caption id="attachment_12196" align="alignnone" width="300"] The Naden Band plays for Shoreline Middle School's Grade 8 Concert Band.[/caption]Rachel Lallouz, Staff Writer ~Early on the morning of Friday, March 11, the Naden Band’s rehearsal building was filled with eagerly chatting teens from Shoreline Middle School’s Grade Eight Concert Band.Students perched on the sides of the room ready to watch their musical counterparts play their instruments at the expert level.“Not everyone has a band of this calibre in their backyard,” says Chris Leeson, a music teacher in his third year at Shoreline. “The class this year is particularly keen, so they were really excited to be here.”Leeson, who grew up in Saskatchewan, explains that not all middle school students have the opportunity to hear a professional band perform.“Students may not be exposed to hearing how their instrument is actually supposed to sound, so to hear them be played at this level is especially important for learning musicians,” he says.The 20-person student band started off their trip by listening to the Naden Band play a few songs, before Conductor Lieutenant (Navy) Matthew Clark called on student volunteer Gabby Rush to conduct the Naden Band herself.The two bands then merged, as student musicians paired up with members of the Naden Band, playing their instruments along with the professionals.Chief Petty Officer Second Class Brayden Wise, a double bass player with the Naden Band, had the pleasure of playing alongside his son, Elijah Wise, 13, who is part of Shoreline’s Grade Eight Concert Band.“This kind of experience is great for the kids because you never know how you’ll reach a student,” says CPO2 Wise, who was inspired to become a musician when he heard the Naden Band play in ninth Grade.His son was quick to chime in.“I loved listening to the music and getting to play with everyone,”...

[caption id="attachment_12201" align="alignnone" width="204"] Raymond Charles English Feb. 2, 1945 – Feb. 24, 2016[/caption]Raymond Charles English Feb. 2, 1945 – Feb. 24, 2016On the morning of Sunday, March 13 family and friends of Raymond Charles English gathered in the Bonaventure Room at the Pacific Fleet Club to celebrate his life.Ray’s combined military and civilian career at CFB Esquimalt spanned 53 years.From 1963-1978 he served in the Royal Canadian Navy before spending 37 years as an electrician with Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton.Ray’s son Reine was first to offer a moving tribute to his Dad. Reine spoke of his father’s love for his family and his lifelong connection with the game of baseball. He remembered how proud Ray was to watch his grandson play.   Christian MacRae, a long-time colleague of Ray, invited friends to come forward and remember him in words. Recollections included Ray’s abilities and great sense of humour, and people  paid tribute to his remarkable career at CFB Esquimalt.  Commander Dan Horan, FMF CB Operations Manager, closed the celebration with the unveiling of a plaque in Ray’s honour.Electricians from the HMCS Victoria were on hand to raise a glass in memory of Ray.Special thanks must go to Phil Venoit and the members of IBEW Local 230 for their generous support of this event.

[caption id="attachment_12210" align="alignnone" width="300"] nutrition month try new[/caption]Think healthy eating is bland? It doesn’t have to be. Healthy eating tastes great.Keep it interesting and get creative with cooking strategies, experiment with new foods and flavours and refresh your recipes.Hello taste buds. Get ready to tingle. It’s time to try something new.Want to try new foods but not sure where to start? These tasty ideas are sure to tempt you:Dietitians love experimenting with new ways to enjoy healthy foods.Try their tasty tips:• Boost protein and fibre in berry smoothies by adding cooked red lentils.• Sprinkle baby spinach or arugula with lemon juice, a little olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and parmesan cheese for a delicious side salad.• Snack on a small portion of cooked barley mixed with defrosted frozen blueberries, flax seeds and a hint of maple syrup.Check out these Apps to help you stay on track - see www.dietitians.ca/gettheappsCookspiration: find dietician approved recipes.eaTipster: Get a dietician approved nutrition tip every dayeaTracker: Consumers can enter foods and activities, set goals to change activity and eating habits, and get feedback on your progress.

[caption id="attachment_12193" align="alignnone" width="300"] Determined Lady Tritons face steep odds at hockey nationals[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff writer ~You can’t blame the Lady Tritons coach, PO1 Dave Hillier for taking a “realistic” approach to this week’s women’s national hockey finals at CFB Borden.After all, his team has a smaller player pool to draw from than the competition, little ice time, few organized games, and will be without their usual head coach. So the players and coaching staff know their chances of triumph at the Canadian Armed Forces Women’s National Hockey Championship, March 19 to 24 at CFB Borden, are minimal at best. “To be brutally honest, the girls having fun and being enthusiastic about playing hockey is all that really matters,” says Hillier. “The true meaning of this competition is all about bonding, camaraderie, meeting and competing against other women hockey players from bases across the country.”The Lady Tritons placed fifth at last year’s nationals and haven’t registered a win at the tournament since 2014.They open the round robin play against CFB Ottawa on March 20 (result unavailable at press time) and then play two games March 21 against CFB Halifax and tournament host CFB Borden before their final preliminary round game on March 22 against Cold Lake.While they are determined to earn a berth in the March 23 semi-final round of the five-team tournament, the Lady Tritons are well aware the deck is firmly stacked against them.  Unlike most teams at the national finals, the Lady Tritons are constantly hamstrung by a small player pool, and the even bigger handicap of getting the players released for games.“With us it’s a situation of anyone who wants to be part of this team and is able to come with us,” says defenceman MCpl Anita Kwasnicki. “Other teams can pick and choose from much larger...

[caption id="attachment_12187" align="alignnone" width="300"] Master Seaman (Retired) John Duncan serves up freshly made soup and sandwiches at one of his two restaurants.[/caption]Rachel Lallouz, Staff Writer ~ Nobody knows the importance of comfort food like Master Seaman (Retired) John Duncan.The sailor spent 12 years dishing up his soulful creations to ships’ crews until 1996 when he retired.He tried working in the civilian world as Head Chef at Lester B. Pearson College in Metchosin, and then as a Food Service Manager at a senior’s facility.But he couldn’t shake the itch to go it alone.After a brief business course, he cracked open the doors of his own restaurant in 2003 - Dad’s Soup and Sangys in Colwood, which later moved to 310 Wale Road.The delectable array soups and sandwiches made entirely from scratch, down to the freshly-baked bread and slowly-simmered soup stocks, made a fast foody following. So successful he opened a second location at 2806 Jacklin Road last April.“The biggest compliment I can get is not about the amount of money that someone spends in one of my restaurants, but the fact they come up to me and say ‘that was the best soup I’ve ever had.’ That’s the kind of food I make for people,” says Duncan.  Seven days a week, starting at 6 a.m., Duncan is in his kitchen, making salad dressings and stocks, helping bake bread, cooking roast beef and turkey for the sandwiches, and slicing veggies. He refuses to use preservatives and processed foods, does not fry anything, and supports his own community by buying local foods.“Our house-baked roast beef on multigrain is just fantastic,” says Duncan. “But we do a terrific grilled Reuben on homemade rye bread as well, and of course, both are loaded with veggies and real cheese.”As for his soups, Duncan says his clam...

[caption id="attachment_12182" align="alignnone" width="300"] Left to right: Vancouver and Chilean Navy vessels Condell and Prat execute a sunburst formation during the Officer of the Watch manoeuvres serial. ~ Photo LS Sergej Krivenko, HMCS Vancouver[/caption]SLt Sean Catterall, HMCS Vancouver ~The final and perhaps most significant stop on the long journey south for HMCS Vancouver was a port visit to Chile.This year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and Chile. Chile is considered a priority country in the Government of Canada’s Engagement in the Americas Strategy, and Vancouver’s visit was reflective of this initiative.On Monday Feb. 29, Vancouver conducted an underway replenishment with the Chilean Navy ship/vessel Almirante Montt 20 miles off the coast of Valparaiso. After having exercised exclusively with Almirante Montt for a period of five weeks this past summer, it was a familiar scene.As Vancouver entered the port of Valparaiso the next day, the Chilean Navy’s band played and Commander Maritime Forces Pacific, RAdm Gilles Couturier was present to welcome Vancouver’s crew to Valparaiso.Shortly after arriving, key Canadian and Chilean naval staff, including a 15-sailor contingent from Vancouver, attended a wreath laying ceremony downtown in Plaza Sotomayor in honour of the sailors who fell during the Battles of Iquique and Punta Gruesa during the War of the Pacific in 1879.Following the ceremony, tours of the ship were provided to Embassy staff and Consular Wardens prior to a Canadiana-style reception, co-hosted by RAdm Couturier and Canadian Ambassador to Chile Marcel Lebleu, on Vancouver’s flight deck.After a four day port visit, Vancouver and crew departed Valparaiso in company with Chilean Navy ships Almirante Condell and Capitán Prat in order to conduct a 48-hour long PASSEX with the Chilean Navy in the waters to the south of Valparaiso. Once at sea, Vancouver had the privilege of operating with the...

[caption id="attachment_12178" align="alignnone" width="300"] Associate Minister of National Defence, Kent Hehr speaks with Lieutenant (Navy) Matthew Otoupal while visiting CFB Esquimalt March 15 for a procurement announcement of naval remote weapon stations to be installed in Halifax Class frigates. ~ Cpl Stuart MacNeil, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]Rachel Lallouz , Staff Writer Royal Canadian Navy warships have taken another step into the future.Last week, two ministers were in town to announce the purchase and installation of remote naval weapons stations on the Halifax-class frigates.Judy Foote, Minister of Public Services Procurement Canada, and Kent Hehr, Associate Minister of National Defence and Veterans Affairs Canada, announced March 15 two contract awards, valued at $36 million, to Raytheon Canada Limited for the purchase of the remotely controlled gun stations.The contracts ensure ongoing maintenance of the stations for up to five years, as well as the purchase of two additional weapons stations for use in training, bringing the total number of stations to 58.“This is part of the Government of Canada’s strategy for renewing the ships and equipment of our navy,” said Minister Foote. “We are providing modern weaponry systems to defend against naval and aerial threats in any situation.”Mark Nichol, President of Raytheon International Inc. in Canada, says the new weapons stations are high sensor platforms that will be located on the decks of the frigates and on the future Queenston-class Joint Support Ships.He says that either a 7.6 light machine gun or 50-calibre heavy machine gun will be mounted on the stations.The new stations will allow for defence against small boat and low-slow flyer threats, and will allow operators to remotely observe and locate targets under various environmental conditions.“These platforms will allow the crew to remotely control weapons installed on these mounts from within the ship, rather than outside,” said Minister Hehr. “The new systems will provide increased security for the men and women who serve on our ships.”Currently, weapon stations on board the frigates require gun operators to be outside on the ship...

[caption id="attachment_12206" align="alignnone" width="300"] An Air Workup group with the new CH-148 Cyclone.[/caption]Fifteen members of Sea Training Pacific had the pleasure of working with  HMCS Montreal to assist in an Air Workup with the new CH-148 Cyclone from March 2 to 4, immediately following a Directed Workup program.  This particular program was a milestone within the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as it marked the first 100 percent CAF Air Detachment to perform trials and evaluations onboard with the CH-148 Cyclone.  The Helicopter Operational Test and Evaluation Facility, which is based out of 12 Wing, CFB Shearwater, have been busily testing and developing this new capability since the first models of the CH-148 were introduced.  This most recent step involves flying the Cyclone through a series of flight regimes and deck evolutions, known as Operational Test and Evaluation, and integrating an Air Detachment onboard HMCS Montreal in order to progress the data collection and trials necessary for further development.   This Operational Test and Evaluation process is critical to progressing this exciting new capability towards a fully mission-capable maritime helicopter.  It was fantastic to see the Helicopter Operational Test and Evaluation Facility Air detachment come into its own in the early stages as the new department on the ship. It was also great to see the ship and detachment, sailors, pilots and avionics technicians come to a commwon understanding of the safety and emergency procedures, not to mention the difference in routine flying operations, that will be required when operating with Cyclone onboard. For some junior RCAF technicians onboard, this was their first experience at sea as an Air Detachment, and they needed to leverage the experience of those with more sea time.  This is where the work we did as Sea Training was most enjoyable; it was truly...

Joanne Baxter, Health Promotion ~You have two weeks behind you on your healthy eating pledge. Now it’s time to look at what you can focus on in week three.Priortize portion size! When it comes to healthy eating, how much you eat can be just as important as what you eat.Eating portions that are too big can lead to overeating and weight gain. Follow these tips to manage the munchies while enjoying realistic portions. Give yourself a hand! Size up your portions with handy estimates.Wondering if you’re eating too much or too little? Use your hand and try these estimates on for size: 1 cup of leafy green veggies or 1 whole piece of fruit = 1 fist. Fresh, frozen or canned vegetables = ½ fist. 1 slice of bread or ½ bagel = 1 hand. 1 cup of milk or ¾ cup of yogurt = 1 fist. 50 grams of cheese = 2 thumbs. Serving of chicken = palm of hand. ¾ cup of pulses (e.g. lentils, black beans, chick peas) = 1 fist. Dietitians can help you manage your portion sizes and eat mindfully.Check out some of these favourite dietitian-designed tips: Downsize big portions when eating out: split an entrée, skip appetizers or share dessert.Turn off screens during meals so you are less likely to eat mindlessly long after you are satisfied.Slow down when you eat. Put your fork down in between bites. For customized help with your diet find a dietitian in your area:www.dietitians.ca/find.

[caption id="attachment_12139" align="alignnone" width="300"] Nominate an exceptional mariner[/caption]The Maritime Museum of British Columbia is inviting nominations for the SS Beaver Medal, an annual award that recognizes outstanding contributions to the marine sector. Nominations are encouraged for anyone who has made noteworthy contributions to B.C.’s marine sector, including: science, technology, business, applications of maritime skills, nautical heritage and culture, and academic offerings. An award is also made to recognize a noteworthy organization, vessel or technological project.“This year will mark the fifth competition to recognize noteworthy achievements in our province’s diverse maritime scene,” said Barry Rolston, who heads the medal project. “The 2015 awards were presented by Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Judith Guichon in November to Captain Ron Burchett who builds dynamic working models of tugboats used to train mariners worldwide; veteran marine writer Mr. Syd Heal; and Mr. Helmut Lanziner who developed the electronic charts and information display systems that have replaced paper charts.The Pacific Pilotage Authority which operates the deep sea pilotage service all the way up the BC coast was recognized by a special award.“ The gold-plated medal is struck from copper salvaged from the 19th century paddlewheel steamship S.S. Beaver, built in England in 1835 for the Hudson’s Bay Company. After rounding the treacherous Cape Horn, Beaver reached the northwest coast where it served for 53 years.This iconic vessel pioneered commercial navigation on the B.C. coast as a floating trading post, hydrographic survey ship and towboat.It grounded near Vancouver in 1888 and after foundering, some of her machinery was recovered providing the metal for the Beaver Medal.“To our knowledge, no other award encompasses all aspects of our coastal industry, history, technology, or practical application of skills,” said former Ambassador and retired Admiral John Anderson. Nominations for 2016 close on May 16, 2016. Nomination information, easy-to-complete forms and due...

GCWC Campaign Wrap Up from Lookout on Vimeo. Captain (N) Steve Waddell, Base Commander and Chair of the 2015 GCWCC, unveiled the large cheque that declared a total of $448,000 has been raised. This money will help support the United Way, HealthPartners and a number of other registered Canadian charities, including Esquimalt’s Military Family Resource Centre. Capt(N) Waddell presented the cheque to Patricia Jelinski, CEO of United Way Greater Victoria, and Therese Boullard, HealthPartners B.C. representative, and expressed his appreciation for the phenomenal contributions made this year by the Defence community.

[caption id="attachment_12130" align="alignnone" width="300"] New army website a one stop shop for well-being[/caption]Jeanne Gagnon, Guard of Honour ~The Canadian Army has implemented a new strategy to ensure men and women in uniform are physically and mentally prepared to participate in domestic and international operations.The Canadian Army Integrated Performance Strategy (CAIPS) recognizes that soldiers who are healthy and fit, are socially active, have a good support network at home and have a positive outlook on life contribute to the well-being of the Forces.The “Mission: Ready” website http://strongproudready.ca/missionready/en/home-en/ is one element of the strategy and was launched this past December. The website allows military members and civilians to find resources linked to their career, their family, their health, their relationships, their beliefs, their fitness and their finances. Users can search information by geographic location and tailored to their situation, whether they are part of the regular force or reservists, whether they are family members or DND employees.The goal is to reinforce the army, the unit and the individual while keeping the Canadian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defence informed, wrote Commander of the Canadian Army Lieutenant-General Marquis Hainse, in “Mission: Ready – The Canadian Army Integrated Performance Strategy (CAIPS).”“My end state is an army that is proud, strong, and ready to deploy on demanding missions and operations but equally possessing of the resiliency requisite to succeeding and successfully returning to Canada,” wrote LGen Hainse. “Performance optimization and healthy lifestyle choices will permeate everyday life at the unit and at home.”Other elements of the strategy include the Road to Mental Readiness training packages, a Readiness and Resiliency Guide for leaders and Performance Triad training guides to improve sleep, nutrition and activity.The website gathers many of the programs and services available to military members and civilians in one location, which is one...

[caption id="attachment_12125" align="alignnone" width="300"] Cpl Stuart MacNeil, MARPAC Imaging ServicesOn board HMCS Ottawa, a simulated causality receives medical care from a team of doctors, physician assistants, nurses and medics from Canadian Forces Health Services Centre (Pacific) during SMASHEX 2016.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The scene: Early on the morning of Feb. 25, 2016, the fictitious submarine HMCS Ojibwa fails to report for its regular communications check.After repeated attempts to communicate with the vessel, the Battle Watch Operations Centre (BWOC) springs into action alerting members of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Victoria who then set into motion an intricate search and rescue plan.All essential personnel are immediately recalled to the base.Drawing on all available assets including satellite, radar, aircraft from 443 Squadron and any nearby ships, JRCC staff find Ojibwa on the floor of the Pacific Ocean in a remote location.The vessel is taking on water in its engine room and a dangerous reaction has begun between the submarine’s batteries and the sea water. Twelve of the 59 crew members are injured.While Ojibwa has a limited power supply, there is still enough energy remaining to provide life support for a few days if necessary, but the casualties need medical attention.As the trapped submariners await rescue, more than 300 personnel from three units are being assembled, briefed and transported to the site to begin the rescue operation.This nightmarish scenario of a disabled submarine was a complex training exercise that combined the efforts of multiple units and assets to practice submarine escape and rescue operations.“Operations at sea are inherently dangerous for any mariner, making our ability to carry out rescue operations a top priority,” said Commander Lorne C. Carruth, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations and Intelligence Fusion. “Of all rescue scenarios, it is difficult to imagine one more daunting than the need...

[caption id="attachment_12121" align="alignnone" width="300"] Photos by PO2 Bibeau, FDU(P)The Operational Dive Team poses for a picture during the ice dive exercise on Lac Des Roches in Lone Butte, B.C.[/caption] Katelyn Moores, MARPAC Public Affairs ~An icy dip in Canada’s northern waters is not something most people would look forward to, but for Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) (FDU(P)), diving in frigid and isolated conditions is an excellent opportunity to hone a unique and important skill set. Last month, 16 divers from the Operational Dive Team, consisting of six Reserve Port Inspection Divers and 10 Clearance Divers, deployed to Lac Des Roches in Lone Butte, B.C., for a five-day ice dive exercise to ensure they are prepared to operate in Canada’s Arctic.“Clearance divers have a mandate to operate in all Canadian waterways,” explained Lieutenant (Navy) Kevin Okihiro, the officer in charge of the exercise. “It’s important that we stay practiced in operating in these northern areas.”The exercise aimed to combine the capabilities of the divers with those of the SeaBotix Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), a tethered robot controlled from land that provides real-time information on the underwater environment. Capable of traveling to a depth of 950 metres, the ROV allows the dive team to get a clear picture of what’s beneath the ice while eliminating the time constraint that decompression imposes on divers. After the ROV does an initial scan of the area, objects of interest can be further investigated by the divers.Exercises like this one happen at least once a year and provide an excellent opportunity to familiarize the divers with Arctic operations in a demanding, real-world environment.The cold weather isn’t the only challenge these divers faced. Lt(N) Okihiro said the main obstacle when operating in the Arctic isn’t the frigid temperature, but the remote location.“The biggest challenge for us is getting...

[caption id="attachment_12117" align="alignnone" width="300"] Peter Mallett, Lookout Valcartier players celebrate and gather for a team shot after capturing the CAF Old Timers Hockey Championship at Wurtele Arena, March 10. Valcartier defeated Petawawa 5-1 to claim their third consecutive national title.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~CFB Valcartier’s Lions roared to their third consecutive CAF Old Timers Hockey Championship title with a 5-1 victory over the CFB Petawawa Stags in the final tournament game at Wurtele Arena on March 10.Valcartier set the tone early, scoring just 25 seconds into the first period when Corporal (Cpl) Rock Lirette capitalized on a goalmouth scramble and bested Petawawa goaltender Pte Ryan Kershaw with a quick snap shot above his right blocker. Lions Team Captain Cpl Gino Methot scored the game’s second goal on the power play with one minute remaining in the opening period with a shot from a tight angle into the right side of the net.“We had to work hard to win this trophy and we are all very proud of collecting our third consecutive national championship,” said Lions coach Warrant Officer (WO) Ghyslain Simard. “Most of the players on the squad have been here for all three of our wins and our team chemistry this week has been simply extraordinary.”WO Simard noted that even though Valcartier had a smaller lineup than most of their opponents they used their speed and quicker reaction time to their advantage. He said their closest game in the tournament was also against Petawawa whom they defeated 3-2 on opening day of the tournament on March 6.“We made some adjustments after the first game and then the chemistry just seemed to come together for us,” said WO Simard.Valcartier went undefeated in the tournament finishing with a record of 6-0 while outscoring their opponents by a combined margin of 38-12....

[caption id="attachment_12113" align="alignnone" width="300"] LS Ogle Henry, MARPAC Imaging ServicesCAF Warriors goaltender CP02 Ken Simoneau makes a save as Canucks Alumni forward Dave ’Tiger’ Williams looks for a rebound during Heroes Hockey 2016 action at the Q Centre on March 6.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~CAF Warriors goalie Chief Petty Officer Second Class Ken Simoneau admits he was nervous and had a few butterflies prior to his memorable night of minding the net in a charity game against a cast of former NHL stars. After all, the highest level of hockey CPO2 Simoneau had ever played at was house league back in his hometown of Baie-Comeau, Que.But after the first period of the March 6 Heroes Hockey Challenge, it was NHL legends like Dave ‘Tiger’ Williams and Dave Babych who were in awe of the 40-year-old naval electronics sensor operator.“They [the CAF Warriors] scored the heck out of us in the first half of the game,” said two-time NHL All-Star defenceman Babych. “Their goaltender was amazing. Sometimes you run into good goalies like this in our alumni games and it’s a struggle to figure them out.”The Warriors, a team selected from players participating in the Canadian Armed Forces Old Timers Hockey Championship held last week in Esquimalt, eventually fell by an 11-7 score line. It was CPO2 Simoneau’s puck stopping skills along with two goals by Warriors forward Sgt Jodie Noseworthy of CFB Edmonton that helped the give the Warriors a 6-3 lead after the first of two 30 minute periods in the game.Earlier that day CPO2 Simoneau, starting goaltender for CFB Esquimalt’s Tritons Old Timers team, was voted game MVP in the Old Timers tournament opener. Six hours later he was busy frustrating the NHL alumni, stopping forward Kyle Wellwod on a penalty shot and closing the door on scoring...