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[caption id="attachment_10604" align="aligncenter" width="224"] Bob Buckley[/caption]Seated far back in the crowd at the bustling Ladner Band Festival last June, Bob Buckley was entranced by the perfectly played music of the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy.“They were unbelievable that day,” says Buckley. “They are probably one of the best wind ensembles I’ve ever heard in the world.”Buckley, a Canadian composer who has written hundreds of scores for television shows and movies, approached Director of Music for the Naden Band, Lieutenant (Navy) Matthew Clark after the show, proposing the two collaborate on a musical project.“When Bob came up to me, I told him, ‘we have played your music before’,” says Lt(N) Clark. “From there we started a conversation about working together.”Lt(N) Clark wound up commissioning Buckley to write a piece for their 2014 Christmas concert. From there, the two agreed to pair their individual experience to record and produce a CD.“It was always my dream to be a serious composer,” says Buckley, who studied composition at the University of Washington and the University of British Columbia. “But then I got seduced by rock and roll for 20 years.”He has conducted and arranged for major artists such as Michael Bublé, Bryan Adams, Celine Dion, Our Lady Peace, Simple Plan and Aerosmith, to name a few.His musical genius has led him to play in more than a few rock bands, and even a wind ensemble in Holland. Buckley has published at least 60 different wind band compositions with North American and Dutch music publishers.For the CD, he agreed to compose a number of original pieces, and Lt(N) Clark worked with the band to rehearse and polish Buckley’s music.The CD, “Undercurrents”, is comprised of 15 tracks of contemporary wind music. It features a range of tones and styles, from jazz and classical to...

[caption id="attachment_10597" align="aligncenter" width="300"] LS Jessica Spence (left), Base Foods; Katerina Stewart, Canadian Forces Fleet School Esquimalt; and Sgt Moogly Tetrault Hamel, 39 Service Battalion, pose with the Raven statue as the troops fall in during the Raven program’s career day at Work Point Aug. 14.[/caption]As recruits in this year’s Raven program prepare to soar into adulthood, they are learning why a career in the Canadian Armed Forces may be the right flight-path for them.On the morning of Aug. 7, participants in this year’s Aboriginal youth employment program received words of inspiration and encouragement from CPO2 Gus Greer and six other guest speakers during a career day at Work Point’s Nixon building.“Nothing but good can come from being part of the Raven program,” said CPO2 Greer of HMCS Calgary.“You got out of your comfort zone, got off the ‘res’ or your small town and saw how the rest of the world operates. When you get back to your community you have more tools in your tool kit to deal with life.”CPO2 Greer grew up in Creighton Mine, a small mining town southwest of Sudbury, Ont.  Many of his days were spent with his grandparents and other family members on a nearby reserve. He told the group he understands why leaving their tightly knit communities is both a “challenging” and “completely new experience” for most of them.A former Raven recruit also spoke to the youth. LS Jessica Spence, Galley Manager for Base Foods, grew up on the Peguis First Nation reserve, 140 kilometres north of Winnipeg.She was a member of the Raven program in 2006, before joining the military in March 2009 as a cook. She encouraged this year’s class to appreciate the significance of their Raven experience.“Ravens this is your family right now,” said LS Spence. “You spent the summer with...

After 50 hours submerged in the choppy, wind-blown waters of Cowichan Lake an exhausted Cpl Alex Cape decided to call it quits.She swam a remarkable 94 kilometres in the large freshwater lake over the August long weekend, but fell two kilometers short of the world record for longest continuous open-water swim.“I swam pretty freaking far. I still can’t completely wrap my brain around it,” said Cpl Cape, 35.“There have been 12 people who have walked on the moon, but only four have swum this distance before, solo and unassisted.”On Sunday evening around the supper hour, Cpl Cape and her support crew in nearby escort boats decided to end her aquatic marathon due to safety concerns.Cpl Cape, an experienced swimmer who works as a medical technician at CFB Esquimalt’s clinic, says she doesn’t consider the result a failure.She and her swimming partner Susan Simmons, 50, set off from the shores of Municipal Beach on the southern shores of the lake on Friday July 31 at 4 p.m., with an aim to swim 105 kilometers.Simmons has multiple sclerosis, so her goal to smash distance swimmer Vicki Keith’s 1987 benchmark was even more incredible.The two Victoria Masters Swim Club members took on the challenge to raise funds for Special Olympics and MS and to raise awareness about the website ‘What’s Your 105?’Simmons previously swam the English Channel and the Georgia Strait and was aware of the daunting challenge she faced this time around.In 2014, the two completed a 70 km swim of Cowichan Lake, but this time around the weather conditions were much less favourable with higher winds and waves.By midmorning on Saturday, Simmons had covered 44 km before her MS had the final say about how far she could push her body.Vertigo, vomiting and the inability to keep vital nutrients in her...

Peruvian volunteer firefighters Estefania Moraves, 21, and Marco Abad, 23, tried on fire fighting gear, examined emergency supplies and travelled through the narrow passageways of HMCS Calgary on July 31.The tour of the Canadian warship focussed on fire safety precautions and gear used on board a Royal Canadian Navy frigate.Ship firefighter, Sgt Veron Atkinson led the two through every nook and cranny of the ship, from the Officer’s Mess to the machinery control rooms.“I’ve learned a lot since arriving in Canada,” says Abad.“I’m paying attention to skills that are different here that I can bring back to Peru to improve my own firefighting techniques.”The two were invited for a visit to Canada by Firefighters Without Borders member Stephanie Dunlop, the Fire Chief of the Metchosin Fire Department. Moraves and Abad spent three weeks touring fire halls in Langley, Burnaby, Sidney, Central Saanich, and Oak Bay, before crossing the brow of Calgary.When Firefighters Without Borders members visited fire stations in Callao, Peru, three years ago to teach skills courses to volunteers, Dunlop was introduced to the two, who were eager to expand their knowledge of fire fighting with a trip to Canada.When a big brush fire broke out in Metchosin at the end of July, the two were put on the line and helped get the fire under control.They were given extrication training and high rescue rope training in Sooke, and have done ride-alongs with the Langford and Salt Spring Island Fire Halls.The two also toured CFB Esquimalt Fire and Rescue Fire Hall.As volunteer firefighters, both Moraves and Abad must meet a required number of hours spent in their fire halls each month.Moraves dashes from her classes as an engineering student to her fire hall multiple times a week, for a total of 31 hours per month.Abad, who is also studying engineering,...

After sailing as HMCS Oriole’s Captain for almost four-and-a-half years, LCdr Kibble handed over command to LCdr Michael Wills July 30. The new Commanding Officer is junior to him in age, but carries equal confidence and capacity to bear the responsibly of skippering the 94-year-old sailing ketch. Oriole was designed and built in 1921 as a racing platform. It was eventually commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) in 1952. LCdr Kibble says all but a few really understand the true power of this ship, both as a racing/training vessel and a floating ambassador. “HMCS Oriole packs a wallop for Canadians in general, and the RCN in particular wherever we go. We draw huge crowds of young and old alike, and we are center stage.” He adds, “She’s a better ship now than when she was first built,” referencing the vast changes that only a commissioned vessel in the navy can receive through the decades.During his four years at the helm, LCdr Kibble has witnessed the “oohhs and aahhs” from sailors and the public as they tour the vessel, or take part in sailing it around Vancouver Island waters.  “Sailors hailing from every nation flock to have a look at her and talk to her crew. On behalf of Canada, she gives us a resonating voice with the public, and it’s an experience they never forget.”First taught to sail by his father, LCdr Kibble then honed his skills aboard the Golden Hinde, a replica of Sir Francis Drake’s ship. From there his schooling included two 140 foot top sail schooners, Winston Churchill, and Malcom Miller. As a professional mariner, the next step in his progression was joining the RCN.   LCdr Kibble was scoffed at when he boldly declared to a Navy Selection Board he had his crosshairs set on Oriole....

After months of trials, high-readiness preparations, and many personnel and equipment related challenges, HMCS Winnipeg officially joined Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, July 15.Winnipeg joined the task group as part of Operation Reassurance, Canada’s commitment to NATO assurance measures in Central and Eastern Europe. “Our team lives by the ship’s motto ‘one with the strength of many’ and I am proud to say that Winnipeg’s strength now extends to our NATO allies,” said Commander (Cdr) Pascal Belhumeur, Commanding Officer of Winnipeg.While in Palma de Mallorca, Winnipeg’s crew and command team met with SNMG2 Command (flag) ship, Federal German Ship (FGS) Hamburg, as well as Spanish Ship (SPS) Cantabria and SPS Santa Maria for the first time.In addition to holding planning meetings, FGS Hamburg crew hosted the task group’s first diplomatic engagement event, and all SNMG2 ships were open for public tours to local residents and tourists.“It was an honour to meet with all of the international SNMG2 ships that we will be working with,” said Rear-Admiral (RAdm)  Jorg Klein, Commander of SNMG2.“Our assembly in Palma de Mallorca marks the start of our efforts as a team and I am certain that our working relationships will grow stronger over the coming months.”Each ship sailed into Palma harbour on July 15 as individual units, and on July 20, SNMG2 sailed out of Palma harbour as a well-disciplined and professional NATO task group.SNMG2 is now in the Mediterranean Sea conducting fleet integration training to build team cohesiveness and they stand ready to provide necessary support to our NATO Allies.SLt Jamie TobinHMCS Winnipeg

“Brutal, Mad, Xciting!” blared one newspaper headline after the 2012 summer Olympic men’s quarter-finals in BMX racing resulted in 10 crashes involving 21 riders.But that’s not how members of the Greater Victoria BMX Association would describe their local version of the sport.Speaking with some of the civilian and military members of the club, the words you hear are inclusive, friendly, family-oriented and fun.Yes, there are similarities between local racing and the extreme event.While elite tracks ramp-up the level of difficulty, all tracks share the same basic features.They’re about 1,000 feet long with an elevated start gate, banked switchback turns, and straights that present a variety of obstacles – hills, really – for riders to pedal over, “manual” on one wheel, or jump.Each track also has a “rhythm section,” a closely spaced series of small hills, or “rollers,” designed to develop pumping skills.It’s a compact course that demands riders use a whole repertoire of cycling techniques, all in the 30 to 40 seconds it takes to race one lap.“It’s just a great place for kids to learn, to be confident riders on their bikes, which translates to commuting on the road or to any other cycling discipline. And they can learn these skills in a controlled environment,” says Cam Smith, President of Greater Victoria BMX and storesman within the Environmental Materials Section of Base Logistics at CFB Esquimalt.“Even friends of mine who race bikes and know bikes can’t believe how proficient our kids are at riding.”  It’s no surprise, he adds, that Sir Chris Hoy, one of Britain’s most decorated track cyclists started in BMX racing, as did mountain-biking champion Anne-Caroline Chausson, who returned to BMX for the sport’s debut in the 2008 Olympics, winning gold for France.Greater Victoria BMX has produced its own share of top riders, including Brandon Reid,...

[caption id="attachment_10521" align="aligncenter" width="199"] Commanding Officer of HMCS Nanaimo LCdr Jeff Hopkins reviews an electronic map on board the ship’s bridge in preparation for Operation Nanook.[/caption]On Tuesday, HMCS Nanaimo and HMCS Saskatoon left the shelter of Esquimalt Harbour for six weeks of work in the ice laden waters of the Arctic.The two ships will make the 3,500 mile journey to Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territories for the annual Operation Nanook, where they will conduct surveillance and presence activities in the area.Operation Nanook is the Canadian Armed Force’s largest annual northern training and sovereignty activity, working alongside other government departments to establish a visible federal presence in our northern communities.This year’s operation marks the first deployment north of the 60th parallel for a Pacific Fleet ship since HMCS Cedarwood in 1949.“This particular Operation Nanook is special,” says Lieutenant-Commander Brad Henderson, Commanding Officer of Saskatoon.“In the past, ships participating in Operation Nanook left from the East Coast, so this is the first time we are entering the Arctic from the West.”The operation will help to prepare the stage for more extensive operations to be conducted in the future by Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships.Training in the northern environment is anticipated to iron out logistical and operating challenges posed by remoteness and harsher environmental conditions in the North.The exercise will also play a key role in establishing a federal presence in Canada’s northern communities, which LCdr Jeff Hopkins, Commanding Officer of Nanaimo, says is integral to supporting Canada’s Northern Strategy.“But apart from that, we’ll be providing valuable operating time for our sailors in a more challenging environment,” says LCdr Hopkins.Nanaimo’s crew will operate a towed side-scan sonar system, which will capture high definition images below the water. The device is used to efficiently create an image of large areas of the sea floor.Once in...

[caption id="attachment_10459" align="aligncenter" width="300"] LS M. Sevigny of Base Foods and Cpl Raymond Sam of 39 Service Battalion work the grill in one of the Mobile Kitchen Trailers.[/caption]They cooked enough food to feed an army and now members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are receiving a heartfelt salute from the 2015 B.C. Elders Gathering.“The support of the Canadian Forces at our event was both inspiring and encouraging,” said Mavis Underwood of the Elders Gathering Planning Committee and elder with the Tsawout Nation.“It built bridges between our communities and truly was a very powerful happening for everyone in our community from our youth to our elders.”Military cooks from CFB Esquimalt’s Base Foods joined forces with 39 Service Battalion and First Nations cooks to provide food for 5,000 people at the 39th Annual   B.C. Elders Gathering at the Panorama Recreation Centre in North Saanich earlier this month.The CAF supplied three kitchen trailers staffed with 10 Cooks, to supplement the Tsawout Kitchen staff and volunteers at the annual event.Working side by side, military and First Nations cooks prepared western European cuisine such as soup, sandwiches and chicken, as well as traditional aboriginal dishes including smoked salmon and bannock.The gathering gave Esquimlt’s cooks the rare opportunity to train for cooking in Field Kitchens in a remote environment.“Their main area of expertise is in static kitchens or in galleys on ships,” said Sgt Barbara Lane of Base Foods.“Although they didn’t get the full field experience because they had access to electricity and water, they did get a better understanding of both what will happen when they work remotely and the actual physical work environment in a field kitchen.”Sgt Moogly Tetrault-Hamel helped facilitate the military involvement in this year’s gathering and began planning for it in November 2014.During the event, he was the overall Operation...

[caption id="attachment_10456" align="aligncenter" width="300"] "Our letter mail volumes have decreased considerably over the last few years, and that decline is not going stop..."[/caption]By the end of 2015, Canada Post anticipates that Residential Housing Units (RHU) associated with CFB Esquimalt will be converted from the individual mailing system to community mailbox delivery.Andrew Graves, an advisor for Canada Post’s Communication Services, says the conversion is a result of newly emerging trends in the mailing needs of Canadian households.“Our letter mail volumes have decreased considerably over the last few years, and that decline is not going stop as Canadians move to digital communications,” says Graves.“Canadians sent 1.4 billion fewer letters in 2014 than they did in 2006. At the same time, we are seeing growth in our parcel volumes, but it is still not enough to compensate for the loss in our lettermail business.”The new community mailboxes will feature individual locked compartments for each household.These compartments are large enough to accommodate magazines without having to be rolled up as well as parcels of the same size.Eighty per cent of parcels currently delivered by Canada Post will fit in the newly redesigned boxes.Large parcel compartments will be located at each community mailbox station, allowing members of a household to access their packages without travelling to a post office or having them left on the doorstep.Residents of communities converting to the new system are asked to fill out surveys early in the process to share their priorities and preferences when it comes to the conversion.“Because every community is a little bit different, we approach each community separately,” says Graves.“Teams across the country in every community are trained as experts to find the most suitable places for the mailboxes in a given neighborhood.”Using this feedback, CFB Esquimalt and Canada Post worked together to develop a community...

[caption id="attachment_10452" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The crew of HMCS Vancouver practices Replenishment at Sea manouvers with Chilean Navy ship Almirante Montt.[/caption]To prepare HMCS Vancouver for its ongoing Replenishment at Sea (RAS) operations with the Chilean Navy, the Commander of Sea Training (Pacific), Cdr Chris Peschke, and a team of eight instructors have designed and implemented at-sea training for participating sailors.“We use the expression ‘showing people what right looks like’ to explain how we take a ship’s crew and help build their skills to a certain level so they can continue with training and development on their own,” says Cdr Peschke.“Sea Training opens the door and the ship does the rest.”On any work-up or at-sea training period, Sea Training instructors board a ship to provide individualized overview, instruction and debriefing on basic seamanship, navigation, exit from the harbour, and a range of safety precautions such as man overboard procedures.The training aims to bring a crew’s capability to multi-threat warfare or serious damage control.“We assess the threats a ship is going to face, the area of the world she’s going to be operating in, and then we develop a specific training work up so the ship is comfortable operating when it gets there.”In HMCS Vancouver’s work with Almirante Montt, Cdr Peschke says his team has faced the challenge of training for the specifics of RAS operations.Though routine, the operation is risky.It involves stringing steel cables under 5,000 pounds of tension between a replenishment tanker and a receiving ship.Then heavy pallet loads are sent across with food, fuel and ammunition.Cdr Peschke and his team utilized the Sea Training Guide, Combat Readiness Requirements and past experience to design a program that increases in complexity as the training goes on.“We started off with two ‘dry hook-ups’ where hoses were passed from [Chilean ship] Almirante Montt to...

Maritime Forces Pacific’s (MARPAC) new commander, RAdm Gilles Couturier, endeared himself to hockey fans at CFB Esquimalt when he introduced himself during a change of command ceremony on A-jetty on July 14.During his opening address, RAdm Couturier drew parallels between Canada’s national sport and its navy.“The reason I use the analogy of hockey is because I believe in the concept of team sports where success is dependent on teamwork and team spirit,” he said. “On the ice, it’s the goal-scorer, the playmaker, the stay-at-home defenceman or the grinder, but within the navy it’s the officers, the non-commissioned members, the operators, the technicians and the civilians that ensure the success of the team.”In his 32-year naval career, RAdm Couturier has applied the lessons learned in the hockey arena as a player, coach and referee to create success for himself and his teams in the navy.Among his biggest achievements was being selected as the Combined Forces Maritime Component Commander (CFMCC) in 2014 for Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the largest maritime exercise in the world. This was the first time a Canadian had taken on the role.This isn’t RAdm Couturier’s first posting to the West Coast. He served on Pacific Fleet ships early in his career and later commanded Maritime Operations Group Four. Then in 2008, he served as the Maritime Component Commander for Operation Podium, the Canadian Armed Forces contribution to the overall security effort for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.“I am thrilled to be back on this coast,” he said.Speaking about the issues currently facing today’s navy, RAdm Couturier emphasized the importance of stamping out sexual discrimination and harassment and said the navy will have to deal with this issue “as a team with the MARPAC leadership fully engaged.”He said the Royal Canadian Navy’s code of...

For 40 days, Chilean replenishment ship AO-52 Almirante Montt will be conducting at-sea training with Pacific Fleet sailors to prepare for the arrival of Canada’s new Queenston-class supply ships.Partnering with Montt are HMC Ships Vancouver and Calgary, which will practice Replenishment-at-Sea (RAS) operations.The collaboration was formalized by a Mutual Logistic Support Arrangement (MLSA) between the Chilean Navy and Royal Canadian Navy following Vice-Admiral Mark Norman’s 2014 announcement that the Protecteur-class supply ships would be retired.“This is a particularly significant moment for the navy because we’re finding a new and alternative method to maintain a core skills set and we’re doing it with the help of our allies,” says Vancouver’s Commanding Officer Cdr Clive Butler. “It speaks to what we can achieve through collaboration.”Two waves of sailors, mostly boatswains, from CFB Esquimalt will be on board Montt throughout the summer for a few weeks at a time. While the Canadians are on board, Chilean Navy personnel will provide instruction and review on operating the RAS vessel. They will conduct practice RAS operations daily, with the majority carried out off the west coast of Vancouver Island.The RAS operations involve maneuvering two ships alongside each other at a range of 50 yards, passing lines between the vessels, allowing for the transfer of fuel or other loads, including ammunition, food and water.“So far, we’ve practiced night fueling, day fueling and one two-point RAS operation, which means transferring both fuel and solid stores,” says Cdr Butler. “We’re getting the opportunity to practice this on a regular basis in a way we haven’t been able to without the tanker [the former HMCS Protecteur].”Protecteur, the west coast fleet’s only supply ship, was taken out of service after a debilitating engine room fire during its transit back to Victoria from Hawaii last summer.Safety procedures related to RAS operations...

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Rocky Point Ammunition Depot, Commanding Officer LCdr Jason Cheney and Ammunition Maintenance Facility Senior Supervisor Glenda Larocque are preserving a little slice of 2015 for future generations of workers.Anniversary celebrations on July 21 and 22 at the depot will see the unveiling of a time capsule during a ceremony on the second day.“Originally, I just thought a time capsule would be an interesting little project to carry out,” says Larocque. “But as we began to organize the project, it took on its own significance as we saw history passing before us.”Rocky Point had long ago come into possession of a Second World War projectile and it had been sitting near the facility’s gun mount. When refurbishment of the shell began, it was discovered to be hollow.At 15 inches in diameter, four feet high and 66 inches deep, the shell sparked inspiration for Larocque, who saw an opportunity to store artifacts inside of it and make it a permanent piece of the landscape.Even without anything inside, the projectile has a story to tell.It was once an APC BL shell with a ballistic cap and weighed 1,920 pounds. It was carried by HMS Warspite, which was heavily damaged on May 22, 1941 during a German air attack of Crete.As the ship passed through Esquimalt on its way to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for repair, the shell, which was cracked, was offloaded at the Colwood Magazine. It was moved to CFAD Rocky Point in 1955 where it was used to proof detonators out on the range.LCdr Cheney says he and Larocque invited CFAD workers to bring items that signified something about Rocky Point. They then placed the artifacts in two ammunitions containers inside the shell casing.Only contributors know what they have placed inside. No one will know the entire contents of the capsule until it is opened 40 years from now.“We wanted to keep those personal mementos a secret until it is opened,” says LCdr Cheney.Two...

[caption id="attachment_10379" align="aligncenter" width="199"] Warrant Officer Tammy Negraeff.[/caption]Never utter the words “it can’t be done” to Warrant Officer Tammy Negraeff.Whenever Canada’s first-ever female Search and Rescue Technician (SAR tech) hears this, an unwavering feeling of determination to disprove the doubters overtakes her.A month ago, her 25-year military career ended with a retirement party, and a moment of reflection on breaking a barrier for women. “I wanted to be a SAR Tech no matter what, whether I was the first female didn’t matter at all to me,” says WO Negraeff. “But the fact that it set a trailblazing precedent is super.”Her career began in 1988 while fighting forest fires in Nelson, B.C., as a student employee with Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations. Rumour of a recruiting officer coming to town drifted to her ears.She immediately signed up for a meeting.The recruiter, having never encountered a woman in the SAR trade, doubted her capability.“He was a little old school,” she says.“The recruiter looked at me and had a smirk on his face while remarking he didn’t think I understood what I was getting into.”Two years later she pledged her service to Canada.Seven years after that she was selected to attend a SAR Tech training course at CFB Comox.The learning curve was sharp and the physical and psychological testing “highly challenging” she recalls.From a pool of approximately 30 applicants each year only about 10 to 15 make the grade.A determined Negraeff would eventually prove the recruiting officer wrong, breaking the SAR Tech gender barrier in 1998 when she graduated as a Master Corporal.“She instantly fit right in,” says Negraeff’s search and rescue partner WO Lance Teichrib.“She didn’t expect to be treated differently and excelled in her training.”Real life SAR Tech work began fairly quickly after graduation.It was a cold mid-winter day...

[caption id="attachment_10376" align="aligncenter" width="199"] WO Kevin Legg takes a rest after the MARPAC Nijmegen team completes a 40 kilometers trek from Roche Cove to CFB Esquimalt on Friday, June 27.[/caption]Every painful step, every laboured breath will draw WO Kevin Legg, 42, closer to his dream of completing the Four Days International Marches Nijmegen next week.The soldier is unlike any of his MARPAC teammates.He marches with a barrage of physical scars incurred during his tour in Afghanistan seven years ago, including damaged lungs and a permanent limp in his left leg.But tenacity and perseverance during tryouts earned WO Legg a coveted spot on the MARPAC team.“He’s a pretty stellar dude,” said MARPAC marching team leader, Lt(N) Paul LePrieur.“He is the epitome of what Nijmegen is all about. He is so inspirational for so many others doubting themselves while going through rehab.”WO Legg’s story of survival began moments after he flicked a switch on an air-handling unit he was repairing while deployed in Afghanistan. After that everything in his world went black.“The last thing I can remember was burning and then waking up in the hospital,” he recalls.“When the explosion occurred I was working on the ground because it was an unusually hot day. It was close to 50 Celsius so I was sitting that way because a fan underneath the unit was cooling me.”A locally employed individual who worked on the military base had planted an Improvised Explosive Device on the unit.WO Legg says if he weren’t sitting down at the moment the bomb detonated, he wouldn’t be alive today.Although it didn’t take his life, the explosion changed him forever.The lower portion of his lungs were burned and permanently damaged, and he says the resulting pulmonary edema (build up of fluid in his lungs) could have been fatal.He now depends on...

[caption id="attachment_10371" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The crew of HMCS Winnipeg gathers on the flight deck to celebrate the ship's 20th anniversary during Operation Caribbe on June 23.[/caption]For many sailors, celebrating a birthday at sea is not always their first choice to mark the occasion.However, for a warship such as HMCS Winnipeg, celebrating its 20th birthday June 23, there was no better way to mark the occasion than on the ocean.“Although at-sea traditions have changed over the years, the operational tenacity of the ship and its crew has not,” said Cdr Pascal Belhumeur, Winnipeg’s Commanding Officer.“In this, its 20th year of service, Winnipeg will spend the next eight months as the forward deployed vanguard unit, along with the Royal Canadian Navy’s first deployed Enhanced Naval Boarding Party Team, and its embarked CH-124 Sea King.”Winnipeg and its crew are currently conducting surveillance operations in support of Operation Caribbe, Canada’s participation in the multinational campaign against illicit trafficking by transnational organized crime in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean.They are also en route to Operation Reassurance, Canada’s contribution to NATO assurance measures in Central and Eastern Europe.The ship’s company celebrated the occasion with a Banyan (barbeque) and a birthday cake that was cut by the command team with three traditional naval swords that are used on ceremonial occasions and celebrations.Despite the ship’s dress regulations, one crew member connected with the ship’s history by wearing a t-shirt that was issued to the crew when the ship was commissioned on June 23, 1995.“When I was departing my last job, a colleague gifted me with this shirt, hoping to pass on some of the HMCS Winnipeg legacy he helped build,” said Lt(N) Dusan Brestovansky, assistant combat systems engineer officer.“I was honoured when he explained the history behind it, and even though it’s a little worn,...

[caption id="attachment_10333" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Canadian Tire representative Landon French presented RAdm Bill Truelove with a paddle representing their donation to the CFB Esquimalt PSP Recreation program in support of military families. Joining the Admiral in the presentation were CPO1 Mike Feltham, Capt(N) Steve Waddell and Olympian Malcolm Howard.[/caption]Canadian Tire has donated $300,000 worth of sporting equipment in support of military families.The donation is a component of their longstanding partnership with Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS).“We believe in the power of sport to inspire Canadians to spend quality, active time together,” said Landon French, Executive Director of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities and Vice-president of Community Relations.“We are honoured to contribute to the military community to help members and their families.”Donated equipment includes over 100 canoes and kayaks, boat safety kits, and personal flotation devices.The donation provides resources to military families that can be used long-term to maintain healthy lifestyles.“I know we all welcome this generous donation,” said Commodore Mark Watson, Director General Morale and Welfare Services. “Sports can help our members stay mentally healthy, while increasing overall unit morale and workplace efficiency.”To celebrate the donation, representatives from Canadian Tire toured six bases this past June, the month designated to be the military’s official recreation month.Representatives enjoyed hot dogs at CFB Petawawa’s family barbeque, helped set up CFB Edmonton’s community garage sale, and cheered on runners at CFB Esquimalt’s Navy Run on June 21, to name a few of the engagements.Helping raise awareness at the Navy Run was professional rower Malcom Howard, who was a 2008 gold medalist at the Bejing Olympics, and silver medalist at the 2012 games in London, England. As a sponsor of the Canadian Olympics, Canadian Tire has supported athletes such as Howard in achieving their goals. Canadian Tire’s partnership with the Canadian Armed Forces seeks...

Looming before me is the colossal hull of a warship.From the vantage of my kayak, which is level with the ocean, the water mirrors the ship in a wrinkled gray reflection.I crane my neck to see the portholes and then the bow high above.The ship is berthed at one of the jetties in dockyard at CFB Esquimalt.Tethered to another jetty is the long black body of a partially submerged submarine bobbing eerily in the dark water.My destination today is the pebbly shore of Fisgard Lighthouse across the harbour.I dip my paddle into the water and pull the kayak forward.I feel the water resist and my uncertainty grow to navigate the distance.This is only one of a handful of times I have eased my body into the tiny cockpit and clutched the double-ended paddle.But that novelty will dwindle today as I am taking part in the Pacific Fleet Kayak Club’s introductory course – a two-phase course that starts in a pool and ends on the ocean.Before launching my kayak into Esquimalt harbour from the Naden boat launch, I and five other rookie kayakers were taught basic safety skills and manoeuvres in the morning at the Naden pool.Corporal Aaron Miller, lead instructor for the club, started us with a wet exit. We had to self-tip, and while upside-down under the water, unlatch ourselves from the kayak and swim to the surface.I paddled to the shallow end and steadied my kayak.With a deep inhale I threw my weight to one side and tipped over.I kept my eyes tightly closed underwater to guard against the chlorine, and felt for the latch on the rubbery skirt.I pulled it back and freed myself from the kayak. When I came to the surface, I realized my paddle was not in my hand.Perfecting this maneuver would have to...

[caption id="attachment_10323" align="aligncenter" width="229"] Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr.[/caption]German film-maker Judith Voelker spent three days in June at CFB Esquimalt filming a segment for her latest documentary called The Great Impostor.With the help of a local Victoria film crew from Gamut Productions, she researched Ferdinand Waldo Demara at the CFB Esqumalt Naval and Military Museum, filmed scenic shots around the base, and interviewed Retired Commander Peter Chance, who met the impostor during the Korean War.Demara masqueraded as many people over his life, but his most infamous was as a ship’s surgeon on board HMCS Cayuga. After meeting a young doctor named Joseph C. Cyr in Maine, he took his identity and boarded the Royal Canadian Navy destroyer.Peter Chance’s first encounter with the “Medical Officer” was in 1951 when he needed his infected toe looked at before shipping out in Cayuga.“I went down to the ship, and met this affable, round-faced and beaming man who took a look at my foot and assured me that he would take care of it,” says Cdr Chance, 94.Rather than treat the toe right away, Demara requested the small operation take place the next morning. Unbeknownst to the young Chance, Demara spent the night pouring over medical textbooks.“The next day he injected my foot with freezing medicine, cleared up the infection, wrapped my foot up, and sent me on my way with crutches,” says Cdr Chance. “He knew exactly what he was doing, and he didn’t hesitate or falter at all. It healed perfectly.”Cayuga deployed shortly after, taking Demara and Chance with it. Bound for west of the Yalu River, Cayuga was sent as part of a United Nations Task force of commonwealth naval allies poised to fight in the Korean War.“Joe, as we called him, continued to get along well with all the men on...

[caption id="attachment_10285" align="aligncenter" width="170"] MS Mark Ritchie[/caption]Master Seaman Mark Ritchie braces himself for the echoing boom of the Navy Run start signal.He holds his body taut, left foot pointed in front of him, knees slightly bent.Around him are hundreds of runners frozen in similar stances.He focuses on breathing.Running through his mind is the 10 kilometre course, every turn and hill well studied and memorized beforehand.During the past 30 years, the sailor has been a fixture at the start line of hundreds of races.In any given year he will run between five to 20 races.“I started off on the high school track team in Grade 11,” he said before the race.“But when school was over, there was no more track team, and I started racing on my own.”A few years later, in 1997, he joined the Army Reserve in Hamilton, ON, as a Diesel Mechanic.When he wasn’t working, he was running all over the Ontario landscape, training and competing.“There’s the attraction of being better every time you do another race, to see yourself improve,” he says.His main goal is always to run faster than his previous time.He says a big component of achieving that is his familiarity with his own running ability.“You have to run at a precise pace, and maintain that pace from start to finish so you don’t crash half way through,” he says.“And you have to be aware of your endurance level throughout.”After moving to Victoria in 1999, and joining the Regular Force Navy, he found the temperate climate allowed him year round racing.By 2012, he was running 10,000 metre races on the University of Victoria track with local elite runners.He also ran the entirety of the Galloping Goose Trail, a 56-kilometre, 4.5 hour run.He is familiar with the Navy Run, and the 10k route that winds through...

After two years leading the Royal Canadian Navy’s fleet on the west coast, Commodore (Cmdre) Bob Auchterlonie relinquished command of Canadian Fleet Pacific (CANFLTPAC) at a change of command ceremony last Wednesday.Standing dockside with HMCS Calgary at his back, Cmdre Auchterlonie officially signed over command to Captain (Navy) Jeffery Zwick.“When I took command we weren’t talking about domestic terrorism, Russian aggression in the Ukraine, ISIS nor the potential collapse of the European Union,” said Cmdre Auchterlonie during his address.“But all of that has come to pass with more events on the horizon – events that the Canadian Fleet Pacific is ready to respond to. The qualities of courage, superior training and leadership exist throughout this fleet, and they will continue to guide us in the future regardless of the circumstances around the globe.”During a traditional two-year term at the helm of CANFLTPAC and the Canadian Naval Training System, Cmdre Auchterlonie has navigated the fleet through some stormy seas.Only two months after taking command in July 2013, he was pressed into action after a collision involving HMCS Algonquin and HMCS Protecteur.Then in February 2014, Protecteur suffered a major, debilitating fire.The incidents led to the premature paying off of both ships.In July 2014, he ordered HMCS Whitehorse home after three incidents of misconduct during naval exercises off San Diego.“Bob, it has not been an easy two years, but you tackled every challenge with professionalism and composure demonstrating outstanding leadership abilities,” said RAdm Truelove, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific, who presided over the ceremony.“You and I have weathered a few storms together and I can’t thank you enough for your personal friendship, support and solid advice.”There were bright moments for the Commodore and the fleet during his tenure, including the Pacific Fleet’s participation in Operation Caribbe.In March of this year, HMCS Winnipeg assisted the...

[caption id="attachment_10277" align="aligncenter" width="204"] SGT Jeffrey Spricenieks with the Sacrifice Medal[/caption]With the blood pounding in his ears, Sergeant Jeff Spricenieks pulled his battered partner out of the Tracked Light Armoured Vehicle (TLAV) in Kandahar, Afghanistan.While completing a re-supply mission as part of Operation Athena on Aug.17, 2007, their vehicle hit a Taliban roadside improvised explosive device.  At a ceremony last Thursday, Sgt Spricenieks received a Sacrifice Medal for injuries he sustained that day as a result of enemy action, and was promoted to his current rank.He says that getting the medal brought back memories of what happened that day.“After the loud pop of the explosion, we were flipped over about 30 metres off the road,” he says. “Given that the vehicle is about 29,000 pounds, it was a pretty massive bump.”When they came to a stop, Sgt Spricenieks, then a Master Bombardier, struggled to free himself from the driver’s hatch of the TLAV. Despite injuries to his back and left ear, he managed to remove his co-driver from the vehicle.“My initial reaction was to make sure the site was secure, so we wouldn’t get ambushed,” he says.“So after doing an initial check for the enemy, I gave him my pistol so he could cover us while I performed first aid on him, because he was definitely more banged up then I was. All our other weapons were destroyed.”Sgt Spricenieks says his months and months of training took over.“I didn’t want to move him because it was possible he had spinal injuries, possible broken femurs, and he had a broken nose.”While stabilizing his co-driver, he waved up the next vehicle to conduct security.But due to the surrounding terrain, communications from the security vehicle were not possible.Sgt Spricenieks then ran 100 metres to the next Canadian vehicle to call MEDEVAC before succumbing...

[caption id="attachment_10218" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The crew of HMCS Winnipeg said goodbye to their families last Monday prior to departing for Operation Reassurance.[/caption]Last Monday, tears, embraces, and heart-felt good-byes were exchanged between the crewmembers of HMCS Winnipeg and their family and friends.Shortly after 10 a.m. the brow was removed and the lines hauled in as the warship set sail for a deployment that could last up to nine months.Before plotting a course for the Mediterranean Sea where it will join Operation Reassurance, Winnipeg and crew will take part in Operation Caribbe, a multinational effort to combat drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.Prior to leaving Esquimalt, Commodore Bob Auchterlonie, Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific, addressed the crew.“The level of support you are seeing right now will stay with you as you travel throughout the globe,” he said.“You have an absolutely tremendous opportunity ahead of you. Many of you joined the navy to see the world and you are going to be doing that over the next eight months.”Winnipeg’s Commanding Officer, Cdr Pascal Belhumeur praised the crew for its diligence and determination in preparing for a mission that comes with a great deal of responsibility.  “My pledge to the families is I am going to take care of the people while we are deployed,” he said.“Operation Reassurance is NATO’s response to Russian aggression in the eastern Ukraine and it’s important for us to show that Canada takes collective defence of NATO seriously, and to also show our NATO partners, who feel threatened by aggression, that we are committed to the mission.”Winnipeg will replace HMCS Fredericton, which is nearing the end of its deployment in the Mediterranean.After leaving CFB Esquimalt, Winnipeg sailed past Clover Point off Dallas Road in Victoria where members of the public waved goodbye to the crew before...

[caption id="attachment_10215" align="aligncenter" width="300"] HCapt(N) Cedric Steele had the opportunity to meet His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales at the reception during the Royal visit to CFB Esquimalt in 2009.[/caption]Businessman and philanthropist Cedric Steele has been involved with countless charities and community groups over his life, but says his role as Honorary Captain (Navy) stands out as a great achievement.Last Thursday, the 71-year-old honorary sailor bade farewell to his position, retiring after 18 years donning the officer uniform, (although his official retirement is December 2015).“My job was to build a bridge between the community, the navy and the Canadian Forces,” says Steele. “I think that bridge is secure, but it will always need polishing and upgrading, and I will always be there to continue with that job.”The successful real estate entrepreneur - originally from South Africa – has been instrumental in raising the navy profile in Victoria for over two decades.His most visible legacies are the Homecoming Statue in Victoria’s Inner Harbour as part of the Royal Canadian Navy’s 100th anniversary celebrations in 2010, and the two highway signs that read:Welcome to Victoria, home of Canada’s Pacific Fleet.“At the end of the day it is the community that bought into the idea of supporting the navy,” he says. “So many people were there to help; I was just the messenger.”He also championed bringing American aircraft carriers to the island as a way to boost Victoria’s tourism economy and raise the profile of our American ally to Victorians.This earned him the U.S. Navy and Marine Corp Achievement Medal in 1999, and Gold Star in lieu of a second achievement medal in 2000 for his work with the aircraft carriers USS John C. Stennis and USS Abraham Lincoln.His relationship with the Canadian military developed while serving as president of the Greater...

[caption id="attachment_10206" align="alignleft" width="250"] LS Tom Eustace[/caption] [caption id="attachment_10207" align="alignleft" width="250"] LS Firat Ataman[/caption]          For eight hours a day, seven days a week, a team of rotating military members guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa, Ontario, as part of the National Sentry Program from April 9 to Nov. 10.Rain or shine, these members stand guard over the tomb of an unidentified Canadian soldier from the First World War who represents all who sacrificed their lives for the peace and freedom of Canadians.Leading Seaman Firat Ataman and Leading Seaman Tom Eustace, both sailors from HMCS Vancouver, were two of seven CFB Esquimalt members chosen to guard the tomb in early May.“I applied out of pure honour and pride,” says LS Eustace. “I was just hoping I’d be able to get it.”LS Eustace, named after a family member who died in service during the First World War, says he applied to continue upholding the honour of his military family.LS Ataman, who moved to Canada from Turkey 13 years ago, says he wanted to wear his military uniform in Canada’s capital city.After both made it through a competitive application and interview process, they were approved to attend in late March. From there, the sailors set about preparing for sentry duty.“I started off by doing research on the tomb itself, so that I would have a stronger appreciation for what I was about to do,” says LS Ataman.Apart from learning the history of the tomb, the sailors had their uniforms freshly tailored, and got duplicates should they need a change of uniform.The large kit list filled four suitcases with boots, slacks, formal shirts, and even their gabardines.The biggest preparation challenge was honing their sentry duty skills.“We practiced drills constantly up at the Naden drill shed with navy members who guarded last year,” says AB Eustace.“I think we were both a little nervous about the drills, because that’s not something the navy practices routinely.”From the moment they arrived at the 33 Brigade Headquarters...

[caption id="attachment_10135" align="aligncenter" width="225"] PO2 Siska at Holten Canadian War Cemetery with a local whose village was liberated by the Canadian Scottish Regiment during the Second World War.[/caption]The memory of marching through the crowded, cobblestone streets of Weinhagen, Holland, with the Canadian Flag gripped firmly in his hands is still very vivid for PO2 Derrick Siska.It was just over a month ago that he joined 150 Operation Distinction members in the 70th Anniversary Liberation March.PO2 Siska, an Electrical Maintenance Supervisor in HMCS Vancouver, says the march is the highlight of his military career.Along the six and a half kilometre parade route were 150,000 cheering Dutch people, ready to show their gratitude for Canada’s liberation of the Netherlands at the close of the Second World War.“Once we hit the street, our emotions took over. All I could see were 20 rows deep of parents and little kids waving flags.”Present at the parade’s mid-way point was Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who declined to make a speech, but showed his appreciation to the marchers with a broad grin.When the hour and a half long parade ended the sailor says a little melancholy set in.“I just wanted it to start all over so I could experience it again and again,” he says.  With the march over, Dutch children wanting photographs swarmed them.In mid April, he was approached with a nomination for the merit-based Operation Distinction. He was the only West Coast navy representative selected.“I think the work I do on board was noticed,” he says. “I take every day for what it’s worth, and I try to walk around with an outgoing, positive attitude and hope that other people can pick it up.”He made it into the top three contenders at CFB Esquimalt, but says an interview with the Fleet Chief secured his spot.“When...

[caption id="attachment_10132" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The glass showcase displays a fingerprinting kit, evidence bags, a current military police cap (far left), and a historic military police cap (far right).[/caption]Private Jeffrey Baker brushes away a piece of lint from an immaculate Military Police (MP) uniform, one of many adorning the mannequins at the CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum as part of a display celebrating the MP unit’s 75th anniversary. “As a MP reservist, I feel proud that we are being represented at the museum with both reservist and regular force displays,” says Pte Baker, who helped curate the exhibit with museum exhibit designer Clare Sharpe and fellow Military Police member Master Corporal Ian Beswick. When Pte Baker brought his seven-year-old son, Joshua, into the museum one day, a query to Sharpe about including more army representation turned into challenge.Sharpe invited Pte Baker to turn his personal knowledge of the military police into a display. As a self-professed military history buff, he says curating is not out of character for him. For the past eight months, MCpl Beswick and Pte Baker have been collecting Military Police antiques, memorabilia, and artefacts for the display, which now takes up almost half of one display room. “We have head gear, helmets, Second World War uniforms and battle dresses on loan from my own unit, (1 MP Regt/12 Platoon), and courtesy of LCol Leaker at Ashton Museum,” he says.A large glass display case holds a mix of modern and historical artefacts, including a fingerprinting kit from the 1990s, air force MP arm bands, evidence bags, and antique cap badges. Many of the artefacts were borrowed from MCpl Beswick’s private collection and the Ashton Armoury Museum, some of which originally belonged to Provost Marshal George Wilkinson. The Provost Corps was the military branch that evolved into the modern...

Dressed in their black ceremonial uniforms, the last crew of HMCS Algonquin lined the rails of the ship for a final salute as it was paid off after 41 years of distinguished service.During the ceremony in HMC Dockyard last Thursday were stirring tributes and even a few tears. “Algonquin was such an important part of the fleet and after more than four decades the ship has served its country well,” said Lieutenant-Commander Jonathan Lafontaine, Algonquin’s final Commanding Officer.“Today is a day of mixed emotions because this ship served as a second home for so many sailors.”More than 300 current and former crew attended Thursday’s ceremony.Among them were two surviving members of the original HMCS Algonquin, a V-Class Destroyer that was paid off in 1970 and was part of the historic 1944 D-Day invasion at Normandy.Jack Buller and Andrew Irwin have remained good friends since their role in the historic Second World War mission.“It’s a very meaningful experience for me to be here. I’ve never felt like a hero before until today,” said Buller, 89, who was raised in Victoria but now resides in Sacramento, California, Buller was just 17 and Irwin 19 when they first served together in Algonquin. “I can still remember the evening of June 5, (1944) like it was yesterday. Our commanding officer called ‘clear all decks’ for a full gathering around the torpedo tubes and gave us our orders for the next 48 hours. We all knew something big was about to happen; there were so many ships in the harbour that day.”Watching the current Algonquin leave the RCN forever was tough for the two veterans.“There will never be another Algonquin. It’s a little bit like a funeral or the passing of a good friend for so many sailors past and present,” said Irwin.  MS Elisabeth...

[caption id="attachment_10074" align="aligncenter" width="300"] HMCS Saskatoon comes alongside the sea wall as HMCS Whitehorse passes under the Burnside Bridge.[/caption]The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) featured prominently during this year’s Portland Rose Festival Fleet Week festivities, with HMC ships Calgary, Whitehorse, Saskatoon, and Oriole participating.Things kicked off with the arrival of Oriole last Tuesday, the first naval ship to arrive at the historic city. Although Oriole was greeted with a heavy downpour, it didn’t dampen the spirits of the Astoria Regatta Court, a group of young women from Astoria high schools who boarded the sailing ketch for a day sail.Festival organizers welcomed the 10 ships from the RCN, U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard. “One of the purposes of Fleet Week has always been to celebrate and thank the active and reserve military personnel and all veterans,” said Portland Rose Festival Foundation CEO Jeff Curtis.“Their arrival [navy ships] commemorates a relationship that has lasted more than 100 years, and over 80 years of visiting Portland during the Rose Festival. It is a significant commitment by the navy to make the Rose Festival Fleet Week one of the premier Fleet Week events in the country.”Thousands of people toured the RCN ships, many entertained by a contingent from the Naden Band as they waited in line. Those who toured HMCS Calgary saw the latest in Canadian naval technology as the ship’s crew showed off the suite of upgrades.  “Since we completed our upgrades, this ship has been very busy on operations and exercises, as well as testing  our new systems and supporting force generation activities,” said Executive Officer, LCdr Jake French. “The Rose Festival gives this crew a nice port visit as well as an opportunity to showcase to thousands of visitors the great work we do.” The Rose Festival attracts more than a million visitors annually.With the RCN, USN...