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[caption id="attachment_24903" align="aligncenter" width="595"] HMNZS Te Kaha (left) and HMCS Calgary (right) conduct a sail past Esquimalt Lagoon as Te Kaha heads back to New Zealand after spending 18 months in Esquimalt completing an extensive upgrade and refit program.[/caption]SLt K.B. McHale-Hall MARPAC Public Affairs––The waters surrounding Vancouver Island are home to more than the usual inhabitants this December. Exercise Trident Fury (TF20) is underway off the coast of Vancouver Island. It is a task group of Canadian and American maritime assets training to operate together. They are also training to work respectfully within Canada’s marine environment. The environmental responsibility for the Pacific Fleet falls under Maritime Forces Pacific Formation Safety and Environment (FSE). “Environmental sustainability is a top priority for the Royal Canadian Navy and it has become increasingly important as we operate in a global 21st century environment,” said Duane Freeman, MARPAC FSE Officer. “The navy is continuously investing in science to better understand our impacts and to improve our procedures so we conduct the training necessary to maintain operational readiness, while mitigating our environmental marine footprint.” Aircraft and ships participating in TF20 are guided by detailed environmental exercise direction. “FSE worked closely and extensively with exercise planners to help shape and guide the task group exercise,” said Tracy Cornforth MARPAC Formation Environment Officer. “The environmental impact assessment included a description of key activities, potential effects, and strict mitigation measures to be employed. Environmental mitigation measures are incorporated for a range of exercise activities including vessel movement, aircraft movement, sonar transmissions, surface firings, and use of pyrotechnics.”The navy works collaboratively with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Transport Canada to formulate guidance and follow policy. “In advance of TF20, we integrated our planning with DFO guidance. DFO provided recommendations to bolster mitigations and provided guidance on situations to avoid....

2Lt Jamie Boparai Base Administration––It’s no surprise when the National Defence Workplace Charity Campaign (NDWCC) kicks off each year. But what was surprising this year was the environment that it had to operate under. Even so, when tapped on the shoulder by the Base Administration’s Executive Officer, Sailor First Class Barkauskas jumped at the opportunity to represent the unit as the NDWCC Representative. “I knew it was going to be challenging this year with COVID-19. But I wasn’t going to be persuaded from taking up the challenge.”He even upped the ante with a $5,000 fundraising goal.The NDWCC is a yearly campaign, running from October to January, held on all bases across the country to raise money for various charities. “One of the benefits offered by NDWCC is the ability to ensure your donation goes to the charity of your choice,” explains S1 Barkauskas. “There are hundreds of organizations that are able to receive donations through the NDWCC and this lets members choose a charity or a cause that means something to them on a personal level.”He is the point of communication between the NDWCC organization, the command team, and his seven sectional representatives within Base Administration. “I ensure our sectional reps are current with ongoing events, campaign information, canvassing efforts, and tracking donations. We have a great team this year and they are helping make it a lot fun.”While the NDWCC offers an online service to donate through e-transfers or deductions directly off payroll, generally, a large portion of donations come from fun and creative events organized by the unit and section reps. “Unfortunately, COVID has made this year’s fundraising efforts much more challenging. Ideas that may have been successful in other years are sometimes not viable because of provincial health restrictions and physical distancing measures. Parties, socials, and bake...

[caption id="attachment_24885" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Naden Band Christmas Concert at the Royal Theatre in Victoria in 2016. Photo by Cpl André Maillet, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]Peter MallettStaff Writer––The show will go on for the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy and their 42nd annual Christmas Concert. Despite the cancellation of numerous holiday events across Victoria, the 34 full-time military musicians will continue their traditional fundraiser to benefit the Salvation Army Toy Drive. But instead of performing in front of sold out crowds at the iconic Royal Theatre, their festive musical montage will be recorded at the Chiefs and petty Officers’ Mess and will be broadcast on CHEK TV Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. The concert can also be seen on the Naden Band and Salvation Army Facebook pages, and can be found later on YouTube. “Our annual concert is a huge event for us and a highly popular one on Victoria’s social calendar,” said PO1 Matthew McCrady, Naden Band Operations and Production Manager. “The band is trying to preserve as many traditions as possible and add a dose of normalcy to an extraordinarily abnormal year.”Their performance is being filmed by local production company Roll.Focus. Productions, who recently filmed online performances by the Victoria Symphony. PO1 McCrady noted that the band and its contractors have adapted the program to feature its small ensembles to adhere to physical distancing and all other provincial regulations. The musical line-up includes a selection of traditional Christmas carols, multi-cultural songs, including an Israeli song for peace, and a performance by the Drum Group that combines Naden Band members with personnel from the Defence Aboriginal Advisory Group. “Even though our audience can’t be physically present with us this year, we really want to recreate the atmosphere and energy of a live show so that it feels like they’re...

[caption id="attachment_24882" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Members of Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) will be supporting the Christmas Daddies Telethon and giving back to their community during the annual Navy Divers’ Run on Dec. 5. Photo by Mona Ghiz, MARLANT PA[/caption]Ryan MelansonTrident Newspaper––Members of Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) are getting set to continue a long-running tradition that focuses on fitness, camaraderie, and giving back to the community.Despite the continuing challenges presented by COVID-19, the annual Navy Divers’ Run in support of the Christmas Daddies Telethon will still be taking place this holiday season. FDU(A) personnel will run 50 kilometres on Dec. 5, completing laps around the unit’s main building in Shearwater, rather than taking the event out into the community as usual.“There are a handful of activities we do as a unit that really mean a lot to us and that we wanted to hold on to this year. This is one of them; so, we came up with some responsible ways to make this event happen,” said LCdr Neville Lockyer, FDU(A)’s Commanding Officer.“We’ve been working hard to find ways to do our jobs in the face of COVID and accomplish all that we would normally accomplish, while still abiding by all the risk mitigation measures and staying safe. As divers, we have no problem facing a challenge, and this is just another challenge.”With the divers staying close to their home base for the run, they also had to think outside of the box in terms of donations, and reaching members of the community to encourage them to contribute to the fundraiser. The unit has established a Go Fund Me page for donations and will be doing the majority of canvassing virtually. Since first getting involved with the telethon in 1983, the men and women of FDU(A) have brought in more than $313,000...

Captain Chelsea DubeauHMCS Winnipeg PAO––The morning of Aug. 31 was a hot one in Pearl Harbor. The Combat Systems Engineering Officer aboard HMCS Winnipeg stood on the flight deck, ready to give a safety brief. Another successful Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise had just wrapped, where Winnipeg’s Combat Systems Engineering (CSE) department figured quite significantly in the many gunnery exercises that took place. For Lieutenant (Navy) Julien St-Aubin, the coming CSE evolution had been months in the making and it was not like any other he had done. In fact, on that day his team did something that hadn’t been done in many years: led the evolution of transferring two empty Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) canisters and one spare Telemetric ESSM from Winnipeg, and embarked three Warshot ESSM from HMCS Regina. The ammunition transfer was part of Winnipeg’s preparations in advance of its deployment on Operation Projection-Neon.Ammunition safety protocols in normal timesAmmunition safety protocols, including the regulation of procurement, storage, transportation, inspection, maintenance, authorized modification, issue, use, and disposal of all ammunition and explosives with the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces are managed through the Director Ammunition and Explosives Regulation (DAER). What this means is that under normal circumstances Winnipeg’s CSE team would only play a supporting role to the subject matter experts identified by DAER, who would be on-site in Pearl Harbor and led the transfer, comprised primarily of Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot (CFAD) Rocky Point staff. “The Royal Canadian Navy’s ship staff members haven’t been in command of this type of evolution for decades,” said Lt(N) St-Aubin. COVID-19 times, a little differentBut the circumstances at play were anything but normal. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, flying CFAD staff out to Hawaii to oversee the missile re-arm, as is typical, was impossible.“As the Pacific...

[caption id="attachment_24872" align="aligncenter" width="594"] Photo by S1 Mike Goluboff, MARPAC Imaging Services, Esquimalt[/caption]Margo CutcherNDWCC Coordinator––Cold and an overcast sky could not dampen the spirits of Defence Team members as they clenched a lengthy rope to tug-fight for charity.Seven teams met on the volleyball court outside the Naden Athletic Centre Nov. 18: defending champions Base Commander Executive, Base Administration, Naval Personnel Training Group (NPTG) HQ, three teams from Naval Fleet School (Pacific), and a NDWCC Team joined by Dave Ramsey from the United Way of Greater Victoria.“This event is supposed to be fun, but the real reason we’re doing this is for a great cause, our National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign,” said Capt(N) Sam Sader, CFB Esquimalt Base Commander.Two teams were sponsored by local businesses Max Furniture and Ali Baba Pizza, growing the fundraising pot to over $3,500.Competition was fierce, but in the end NPTG HQ emerged with the first place victory. Capt(N) Sader presented the coveted Tug-of-War trophy to Capt(N) Jason Boyd, A/SLt Balijet, A/SLt Miller, MS Harvey, and MS Dent.  He also recognized Personnel Support Programs staff for organizing the logistics and ensuring the event could go ahead safely in the current pandemic environment. “We are well into our National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign and we’ve had a number of events, despite all the challenges with COVID-19 this year. I’m so proud of the way the Formation has come through,” said Capt(N) Sader. “This is what we’re known for here in the community – for being tremendously generous despite all the challenges. We all have to be proud of this and I thank you for being part of it.”The Defence Team can continue to donate by e-Pledge, credit card, or Paypal until the end of February 2021.––––

Peter MallettStaff Writer––One of Victoria’s most beloved naval veterans, Cdr (Retired) Peter Chance celebrated his 100th birthday virtually last week.On Nov. 24, to celebrate the milestone occasion and his over 30-year naval career, the Naval Association of Canada - Vancouver Island (NAC-VI) organized a Zoom call with about 50 people.  Bill Conconi, NAC President, served as host, and LCdr (Retired) Paul Seguna emceed the event.It included a photo montage of his career coupled with important historical events that involved Chance. Signed birthday certificates were virtually presented from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Governor General of Canada Julie Payette, and the Township of Sidney. Congratulatory letters from the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia Janet Austin, and Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, Vice-Admiral Art McDonald were read by LCdr (Retired) Gerald Pash and Bill Conconi respectively.Chance also received video well wishes from RAdm Bob Auchterlonie, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific, and Capt(N) Sam Sader, Base Commander.“I am overwhelmed, delighted, and over the moon with being able to interact with all my friends and receive well wishes from so many people,” said Chance, who also noted his email inbox had been flooded with over 75 birthday greetings and messages of support.During the event, Capt(N) (Retired) Kevin Carlé announced, on behalf of the CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum, that the museum’s permanent Battle of the Atlantic display is to be named the Peter Godwin Chance Gallery in his honour“I am stunned by this news. I hadn’t the slightest idea this would be happening ahead of the ceremony. It’s a great honour to be recognized in this fashion and I am completely flabbergasted,” said the centenarian.He was born in Ottawa on Nov. 24, 1920, and served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Battle of the Atlantic in ships of...

[caption id="attachment_24861" align="aligncenter" width="594"] Stock photo.[/caption]Peter MallettStaff Writer––The discovery of an injured Barred Owl turned a relaxing hike into a rescue mission for Sailor First Class Madison Crawford and S1 Joseph Walker.The two were trekking along the Nanoose Bay coastline when they spotted the bird on the ground. “We had been hiking for about a half an hour when we came across an injured owl located well off the trail and under the tree,” said S1 Crawford. “I noticed the owl moving in a clearing at ground level and initially thought it was scavenging on the ground for some animal but that was not the case.” He dropped a GPS (Global Positioning System) pin to mark their location on his cell phone and then called the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre in nearby Parksville, B.C. The centre dispatched a volunteer but they couldn’t find the sailors. After some back and forth with the Recovery Centre, the sailors decided to carry the bird to the nearest roadway. S1 Crawford had volunteered at the Rocky Point Bird Observatory’s Pedder Bay Banding Station and knew how to handle the owl. He picked the bird up by its legs, supported its chest, and tucked its wings in for the journey.“It seemed like the right thing to do and we had the time to help. The bird was very docile and easy to handle once gripped, although it took a bit of care to pick it up off the ground.”Upon reaching Powder Point Road 30 minutes later, the sailors met up with the volunteer and a commissionaire from Canadian Forces Experimental and Test Ranges. The injured owl was placed in a crate and taken to the Recovery Centre. Sadly, the owl didn’t survive. Derek Downes, Animal Care Technician, said the owl had to be euthanized...

[caption id="attachment_24890" align="aligncenter" width="595"] HMCS Calgary (right) and HMNZS Te Kaha (left) conduct a sail past Esquimalt Lagoon as Te Kaha heads back to New Zealand after spending 18 months in Esquimalt completing an extensive upgrade and refit program.[/caption]Capt Jenn JacksonTF20 PAO––Today marks the beginning of Trident Fury 20 (TF20). It is a joint and multinational naval exercise that will continue until Dec. 13 off the coast of western Vancouver Island, as well as in the vicinity of Constance Bank, and the southern Gulf Islands. TF20 provides an opportunity for the Canadian Armed Forces to maintain operational readiness to deploy on joint operations in a rapid and effective manner alongside allies and other government organizations.It will include participation from the Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force, U.S. Navy, and U.S Coast Guard. “Trident Fury 20 provides a full spectrum of air and sea tactical warfare training, with the aim of enhancing Canada’s ability to respond to offshore threats and unlawful acts from within a coalition environment,” says Commodore Angus Topshee, Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific and embarked Exercise Commander. “This exercise includes an array of events to enhance individual unit training and combat readiness including live fire, seamanship, maritime interdiction operations, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, air defence, mine counter-measures, and small boat defence.”In addition, TF 20 supports pre-deployment training for HMCS Calgary, which is scheduled to depart for Operations Artemis and Projection in early 2021.Even with the focus on Calgary’s pre-deployment training, TF20 also supports the Royal Canadian Navy’s domestic role. At home, maritime defence and security is the navy’s first priority, helping ensure that Canada’s maritime approaches are effectively monitored and protected.“As virtually every Canadian depends on international maritime trade either for employment or for consumer benefits, exercises such as TF20 help ensure the continuing flow of goods by demonstrating our operational presence in the Northeastern Pacific,” adds Cmdre Topshee. “This is integral to the mission of the Pacific Fleet and through close cooperation with CAF Health Services and the Fleet Support Medical...

2Lt Jamie BoparaiBase Administration––We can leave home, but home never leaves us.Long before becoming the West Coast Occupation Structure Identification (MOSID) Advisor for cooks, CPO2 Brian Charron was a Naval Weapons Technician. “I joined in 1988 right out of high school, I went straight to the recruiting centre in Vancouver. My family thought it was a great idea and supported me all the way.”This strong sense of family stuck with CPO2 Charron, and soon after joining he remustered to the cook trade. “I missed my mom’s cooking. She taught me how to cook and it has been a love of mine ever since. I like all food, all the time.” He honed his craft for six months in Borden, ON, during his initial trades training at Basic Culinary School. The basics of ingredient mixing and recipe following are still generally the same today, but cooking has evolved over the years. “A strong and fit fighting force demands a high level of nutrition. We now cook towards encouraging a healthy lifestyle, our menus have low-fat and vegetarian options, and we are always setting the bar higher as we gain more understanding about the role of nutrition and performance.” Although passion for his trade and food is quite evident, CPO2 Charron does admit it can be a grinding and thankless job at times. “You have to be hardworking, dedicated, and calm to be a successful naval cook. On ship, you are on your feet all day, sometimes from 0500 until you are done in the evening. Not only are cooks responsible to feed the crew, but they also have secondary duties such as casualty clearing and firefighting, as well as responding to emergency and training drills.” When others are off exploring foreign ports or attending cocktail parties, the cooks are the ones that...

Since 1988, the military community has gathered once a year for an in-person awards celebration to honour excellence in Canadian Armed Forces’ Sports. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the organizers to do things a little differently.In lieu of the traditional in-person CAF Sports Awards ceremony, this year’s event will be transformed into a virtual recognition of athletes, coaches, and officials from Nov. 23 to Dec. 4 via the CAF Sports Facebook page www.facebook.com/cafsports.Sports have a long history as a key military enabler and contributes to Canadian Armed Forces members’ physical and mental health well-being, and has just as many benefits from a social perspective.  They are a key enabler in operational effectiveness, recruitment and retention efforts, and in global engagement. When CAF members participate in sports, they develop core military attributes such as leadership skills, teamwork, discipline, and esprit de corps.In 2019, there were more than 25,000 participants in various CAF sports programs at all levels and across bases/wings. There were approximately 3,500 athletes who participated in regional sports championships and approximately 1,800 athletes who participated in 17 national sports championships.––––

[caption id="attachment_24837" align="aligncenter" width="594"] Tim Friese (left) and Ervan Gould stand beside the gravestone rubbing created in honour of Gould’s uncle, F/Lt Frank Dotten. Photo by Lane Farguson, Manager Media Relations and Communication, Halifax Port Authority[/caption]Virginia BeatonTrident Newspaper––Flight Lieutenant Frank Dotten was just 22 years old when his plane crashed during a bombing run over Nuremberg on March 17, 1945, killing him. He was buried at the Durnbach War Cemetery, a little known fact for current day family members. It took some historical sleuthing to discover his burial site, but on Nov. 7 it paid off. Ervan Gould, F/Lt Dotten’s nephew, received a framed gravestone rubbing from the gravesite of the uncle he never had the chance to meet. “We made this happen,” said Tim Friese, a colleague and friend of Gould during a presentation held in the gallery of the Halifax Seaport farmers Market.Friese, a history buff who volunteers with the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust and The Memory Project, researched the location of the grave with help from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, 576 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, and a business owner who lived near the Durnbach War Cemetery. The business owner made the gravestone rubbing and mailed it to Friese, who then had it framed for the presentation. Gould, together with a group of friends from Halifax Port Authority, watched as Friese showed a series of photos and documents depicting F/Lt Dotten’s military career. Among them was a record that indicated all the sorties F/Lt Dotten had flown, a photo of him from November 1944 with his crew from 576 Squadron, and a photo from the visitation book at the cemetery that showed where a local resident signed the book for Ervan Gould in honour of the occasion.After the event, Gould said he was completely surprised to receive the gravesite rubbing as a memento. “I didn’t know why or what to expect,” he said.Gould grew up hearing stories about his uncle. F/Lt Dotten was a native...

Patrick CharltonCNMT Volunteer––After serving for almost 80 years, HMCS Sackville is gearing up to serve another half century or more as Canada’s Naval Memorial.Sackville is owned, maintained, and operated by the volunteer Canadian Naval Memorial Trust (CNMT) in honour of all those who have served in our Naval Service, and in particular, in memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice.  In 1985, the Government designated Sackville Canada's Naval Memorial.War History - Battle of the Atlantic 1939-1945The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), in partnership with maritime units of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the Merchant Navy, played a pivotal role in ensuring the sea lines of communications and logistics were maintained during the longest and most critical battle of the Second World War. The RCN lost 24 ships and suffered 2,210 fatalities; it destroyed or shared in the destruction of 33 U-Boats and 42 enemy surface vessels. HMCS Sackville is the last of the Allies’ fleet of 269 corvettes built for the war at sea.HMCS Sackville TodayThe operation and long-term preservation of Sackville, commissioned in 1941, has changed in the last few years. It will now be part of a new Canadian Maritime Heritage District in downtown Halifax.  However, the watertight integrity of the 205-foot warship must be addressed to ensure the ship can take full advantage of its place on the waterfront in the coming years. Specifically, the plan is to re-skin the ship below the waterline with new 3/8 inch plate steel, with the cost in the order of $12 million. When the project is complete, Sackville will be safe in the water and continue to serve for another five decades and more.Continuing to tell the story of the Battle of the Atlantic, the arduous conditions that sailors lived through, and the constant dangers of life at sea during...

Peter MallettStaff Writer––A new virtual book club called The PSP Page Turners is getting a boost from one of Canada’s hottest new literary talents. Jesse Thistle, Canadian author and National Best Seller of From The Ashes, will join the book club on Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. EST via Zoom as a guest for the book club’s question and answer session. “Regardless if the book club is big or small, Jesse looks for ways to connect with his readers, and we are happy to provide that platform for him,” said Diana Cao, the PSP Page Turners founder at Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services. “We are excited that Jesse will join our club for a virtual session to talk about his book, experiences, and to answer questions.”Thistle is from Northern Saskatchewan and is of Métis-Cree-Scot descent. He is a Ph D. candidate in the History program at York University in Toronto. In his book, the former high school dropout discusses his youth and dealing with issues such as foster care, homelessness, addiction, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and the historic impacts of colonization on Indigenous peoples. He hopes potential readers understand there is no “ah-ha” moment in his book like other road-to-recovery stories. “I didn’t write my book for others but rather for my own self-help. I’m not logging in to lecture people about addiction. My writing is all fact based and I don’t inject my emotion into my story or try to tell people how to feel.” Turning the Page The PSP Page Turners currently has 10 members and is open to anyone, whether they are part of the military community or not. Cao is wanting to grow the club to help mitigate the isolation people are feeling because of COVID-19. Every month, she picks three books and creates an online...

[caption id="attachment_24826" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Royal Canadian Navy members work on the helm console of HMCS Summerside during Operation Caribbe in the Atlantic Ocean on Oct. 29. Members are not named for operational security purposes. Photos by Lt Sheila Tham, Public Affairs Officer[/caption]Lieutenant Sheila ThamOperation Caribbe––I am a Public Affairs Officer and have spent my five-year career split between the Air Force and the Army. I was asked to deploy with the Royal Canadian Navy on Operation Caribbe and decided it would round out my experience. I had heard the slogan “join the navy, see the world” and, given the global pandemic, have spent most of 2020 at home with the urge to travel. It sounded like the perfect opportunity to learn about the navy and head to the tropics. This is my first impression of sailing and the reality of operational travel during COVID-19.HMCS Summerside departed Halifax on Oct. 26 and headed for the Caribbean Sea as part of Operation (Op) Caribbe. Canada often conducts multiple iterations of Op Caribbe in a year - the last deployment was with HMC Ships Nanaimo and Whitehorse earlier this year. However, Maritime Component Command ordered the ships return to Canada on March 18 due to the worldwide spread of COVID-19. The deployment of Summerside is the first Op Caribbe deployment since, and came with a myriad of new considerations and precautions to ensure the safety of personnel.The crew was required to adhere to self-isolation measures prior to sailing along with undergoing a COVID-19 test prior to departure. The same conditions were given to the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) participants who were picked up in Miami, Florida. Due to these precautions, members do not have to wear masks while at sea or adhere to physical distancing. In normal times,...

[caption id="attachment_24819" align="aligncenter" width="595"] S2 Blake Castelein participates in small boat training. Photo by S1 Valerie LeClair, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]Captain Chelsea DubeauHMCS Winnipeg––Exercise Keen Sword arrived at an interesting time in HMCS Winnipeg’s deployment. Nestled in-between Operation Neon patrols, Exercise Keen Sword kicked off on Oct. 26 and continued until Nov. 5, overlapping the U.S. election and rounding out a month that started with Winnipeg’s transit through the Taiwan Strait. The biennial exercise is designed to increase combat readiness and interoperability of U.S. forces and the Japan Self-Defense Force.All told, it was quite a busy month for Winnipeg in the Asia-Pacific, one of the most headline-making regions in the world.Exercise Keen Sword is a formidable affair. If you were on the upper decks during the PHOTOEX on Oct. 26, you could have thrown a stone in any direction and hit a warship. Approximately 10,000 U.S. service members from the U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Forces Japan, 7th Fleet, 5th Air Force, 374th Airlift Wing, 18th Wing, 35th Fighter Wing, and III Marine Expeditionary Force took part, along with approximately 40,000 Japanese personnel. To put that into perspective, the number of personnel participating in this year’s Keen Sword is about 10 times that of the 5,300 personnel who participated in this year’s Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC). The Royal Canadian Navy participated in Keen Sword for the first time in 2018 as an observer. This year, however, Winnipeg had an active role. This year’s exerciseThe exercise included anti-submarine warfare serials (ASW), cross-deck landings between Winnipeg’s embarked CH-148 Cyclone helicopter and helicopters on board U.S. and Japanese ships, a replenishment-at-sea with the USNS Tippecanoe, and a final war at sea exercise. From a warfighting perspective, and being that Keen Sword is primarily ASW-focused, the exercise is an opportunity to sharpen those capabilities...

MARPAC PAO––Four massive tires, standing as tall as a grown man, were hauled out of Kinsmen Beach Park in Chemainus last week by 11 Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) members.It took two days to remove the 1,200-pound tires, an environmental hazard for the crab population; high winds and rainy weather added to the toil.It was a joint effort between the navy divers, The Halalt First Nations’ Spill Response Team, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the municipality of North Cowichan. In April, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ South Coast Area Resources Restoration Unit (DFO SCA-RRU) was contacted to address the environmental impact industrial garbage was having on marine creatures in the area. A decade ago, private barges from Chemainus Port were abandoned and sunk. The four industrial tires were used on the barges and were causing an entrapment hazard to the local crab population. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans reached out to Maritime Forces Pacific for their underwater expertise. “For government organizations to come together to support local communities in a short time frame, in the middle of a pandemic, is incredible,” said Chrissy Czembor, Restoration Biologist, DFO SCA-RRU. “The amount of planning and coordination that went into this project is phenomenal.” Divers carefully executed the salvage operation, working around the ferry and tide schedules. With only an approximate location given of the tires’ whereabouts, they had do a greater sweep of the area to find them. Two-person dive teams working from two dive boats rotated every 24-minutes until all four were found 20 metres below the surface. The tires were raised by lift bags and pulled towards shore via the RHIB. On the shore, a truck waited to pull them out. Before hauling them away, Czembor inspected them to ensure no marine creatures were lingering within. “The fact...

Lt(N) Pete BigelowNPTG(A)––Working remotely or virtually may be new to many people this year because of the pandemic, but the Canadian Armed Forces and their international Allies have been exercising this capability for years.Virtual exercising was strengthened recently with Exercise Coalition Virtual Flag (CVF) 21-1. Virtual Flag is an annual United States Air Force-led exercise that ran for nearly two weeks – Oct. 27 to Nov. 5. While the exercise was hosted at Kirkland AFB in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 3,740 kilometres away from the entrance of building S17 in Halifax, NS, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force members did not have to leave their area code to participate. From the Canadian side, participants were from 14 Wing Greenwood, 12 Wing Shearwater, 8 Wing Trenton, and Naval Training Development Center Atlantic (NTDC(A)). Overall, there were over 450 joint and coalition war fighters involved, as well as numerous surface and subsurface units. All these war fighters were controlled from 23 sites spanning three continents. There has been an ever increasing employment of synthetic training within the Canadian Armed Forces and many Allied forces. CVF 21-1 and other virtual exercises allow units to maintain and refine core war fighting capabilities without being hindered by logistics and engineering issues. Participants can obtain the benefits that traditionally have only been afforded by sending ships and aircraft to sea for weeks on end, by simply showing up to a building near their home. It now becomes a regular working day and everyone returns for supper with their loved ones every evening. Another benefit is there are less moving parts running in the background with synthetic training. On a ship or in an aircraft, things can go wrong and hinder the exercise objectives. With synthetic training, issues can arise but are easily managed by those...

2Lt Jamie Boparai Base Administration––A career road is rarely a straight line. For Chief Petty Officer Second Class Mark Grimard, his journey to become the Base Administration’s Senior Human Resource Manager began in the army as a Primary Reserve armored solider with the Sherbrooke Hussars. A few his friends joined the regiment right after high school while CPO2 Grimard took the college route, studying computer sciences before signing up. “My original intention for joining was to pay for school, but it eventually turned into a long and rewarding career.”When college concluded he went to work at CF Recruiting Centre Detachment Sherbrooke. Two distinct realizations came out of this posting that led him down his current path. First, his education was better suited for employment as a Human Resource Administrator. At the time the trade was a combination of Finance and Human Resources (RMS Clerk) before being separated in 2016 into two distinct trades (Fin and HRA). Second, he wanted to wear the navy uniform and deploy on a warship. He moved into the RMS Clerk Trade while still in the army and began his three months of training in 2001. Much of what he learned is still relevant today, he says, although it is done in quite a different fashion with the emergence of technology in the workplace. “Back then we used hard copy binders to find policies and benefits. We also had to ensure the information was not dated or superseded by visiting various websites. We still do the same job today, but it’s much simpler. Everything is online and in one location. It makes life easier, quickly finding information while ensuring accuracy.”In 2005, he choose the navy uniform when he transferred to the Regular Force. RMS Clerks are considered a “purple trade,” meaning they can conduct the same...

[caption id="attachment_24786" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Elaine Bryce, daughter of Gordon Bryce, a member of the Corps of Canadian Firefighters, with CWO Bruce Paradis at the plaque unveiling to honour the Corps.[/caption]Peter MallettStaff Writer––If you visit the headquarters of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service in southern England you will notice a commemorative plaque mounted in its entranceway.The flat tablet of brass is prominently displayed next to a portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Upon closer inspection, a casual observer will quickly understand it serves to honour the bravery and valour of the 422 members of the Corps of Canadian Fire Fighters, who volunteered for service in the paramilitary organization to help during Germany’s infamous Blitz on England in the early 1940s. Canadians filled the ranks of National Fire Service and deployed across London, Southampton, Portsmouth, Bristol and Plymouth to fight the fires.The monument also serves as a memorial to three Canadian firefighters who died during their service. Three others were seriously injured in the line duty.The dedication ceremonyIn February 2008, Chief Warrant Officer (now retired) Bruce Paradis led a Canadian delegation to the dedication ceremony. He served in the Canadian Forces National Defence Fire Service for 36 years and currently volunteers as the Treasurer of the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation and as its Atlantic Canada Director.“The Corps was an unknown because they did not fight as soldiers, but they served and served well. These brave Canadians worked alongside their British counterparts who had been devastated by the constant fires cause by the dreaded V1 buzz bomb,” he said. The unveiling ceremony in Hampton also served as a book launch for local author John Leete, who worked with the Hampton Fire and Rescue Service. His book Under Fire chronicles the formation of England’s Auxiliary Fire Service in the late 1930s and eventually the emergency provisions made for a National Fire Service in 1941. He devotes two chapters to the role of Canadian firefighters who served England with distinction between 1942 and 1945.A...

Petty Officer Second Class (PO2) Sara Harris, a Financial Services Supervisor aboard HMCS Winnipeg, joined the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) as a Reservist at HMCS Chippawa as a summer occupation to help pay for university 30 years ago.“It was either that or tree-planting to pay for university.”One of the biggest decision she has made during her employment was whether to move from the Reserve Force to the Regular Force.“It meant having to leave the East Coast after many years there. It was quite a wrench as my parents had chosen to retire in Nova Scotia from Winnipeg just a few years earlier,” PO2 Harris explains. “But there is a quote from John Wooden that I used to have as part of my work email signature block: ‘Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.’ This is one of the things I tell myself when I am facing challenges that come my way.”She decided to move to the Regular Force after spending close to a decade in the private sector, and finds the greatest contrast is the close-knit community with her shipmates.“The best part about being in the navy is the camaraderie. The opportunity to meet and work with people from all over the country is also really great. But the main reason I switched from the Reserves to the Regular Force was to be able to sail on a Canadian Patrol Frigate, which is what I am doing right now. This is my favorite job so far.”Winnipeg is currently deployed in the Asia-Pacific region on Operation Projection Asia-Pacific and Operation Neon, to further strengthen Canada’s relations with partners in the area. Though this posting is close to three decades in the making, her most memorable and life-changing experience in the navy...

[caption id="attachment_24779" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Capt Chris Willis, HMCS Winnipeg’s Padre, casts his vote in the provincial election via phone.[/caption]Captain Chelsea DubeauHMCS Winnipeg––When a snap provincial election was called in September, it presented a unique dilemma for deployed members on board HMCS Winnipeg.How was one to cast their vote while sailing halfway around the world? The usual method used for federal elections – mail-in ballots – was out; COVID-19’s impact on the mail and supply chain saw to that. So what was the democratically-minded sailor to do? Fortunately, a collaborative effort between senior staff at Maritime Forces Pacific, Canadian Fleet Pacific, Elections BC, and, of course, on board Winnipeg, helped make this endeavour possible. It wouldn’t be via mail, there was simply not enough time for that, and pre-registration was also off the table. By the time options had been weighed for how to facilitate voting, the pre-registration window for eligible voters had already passed. What came about was an innovative solution that hadn’t before been used in a deployed naval environment: assisted, telephone voting. Typically reserved for those members of the electorate who are unable to vote in person, due to disability for example, members on board Winnipeg were given the opportunity to cast their vote via telephone from Oct. 9 right up until the provincial election date of Oct. 24. The ship’s Voice-over-IP telephones were used for the purpose, and pre-registration wasn’t required; in fact, several voters on board were able to register right over the telephone. Identification was required and verified over the phone, and the assisted voting officials even provided each voter with a run down of candidates in their riding. The whole process, on average, took about 10 minutes per person. Captain Chris Willis, Winnipeg’s Padre, was the second person to cast their vote after Chief...

[caption id="attachment_24769" align="alignnone" width="595"] Members of The Steel Spirit meet with poet Fred Andrews at Roberta Place Retirement Lodge long-term care facility in Barrie, ON. Back row from left: Trisha MacLeod, Colin Partridge, and Lee-Ann LeMesurier. Front Row: Andrews and The Steel Spirit founder Barbara Brown. Photo credit: Roberta Place[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer––There are two things that help Second World War veteran Fred Andrews remember his military service: a carefully preserved poppy and the poetry he wrote.The 99-year-old is one of a dwindling population of veterans from that war. His caregivers at Roberta Place Retirement Lodge long-term care facility in Barrie, ON, say his memory is fading.His poetry helps him remember, says Anita Crane, his Life Enrichment Coordinator. She is helping Andrews share his story, but says his “incredible poetry” speaks for itself. Until recently, he was a prolific writer of prose with one of his five books of poems drawing praise from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Three quarters of a century ago Andrews was a young man from Trinity Bay, Newfoundland, and a member of the then Dominion’s 59th Heavy Artillery Regiment. The largely unheralded regiment played a key role in the Battle of Normandy and helped liberate France, Belgium, and the Netherlands from German occupation. His favourite poem The Trail of 59th Newfoundland Heavy Regiment took many years to write and recounts his regiment’s trek across Europe. “I think of all of his prized possessions he is most proud of this poem,” said Crane. “He wrote that poem over the course of a few years.”The 1,354 word poem employs a heroic quatrain to recount the regiment, their training, and eventual movement and battles in Europe. Although poetic, his words offer a rare first-hand account of the 59th Regiment. When pressed for details about what he saw during the...

[caption id="attachment_24765" align="alignnone" width="595"] Sailor First Class Serge Lacasse with his dog Galley.[/caption]Peter MallettStaff Writer––A Royal Canadian Navy sailor is putting his best paws forward for charity. Sailor First Class Serge Lacasse, 36, has joined forces with Operation Freedom Paws Canada to help promote their goal of empowering veterans and individuals with disabilities by teaching them to train their own dog and certify them as a service dog.Through a special therapeutic canine-human relationship, veterans and others can live an enriched life despite their disability. “A relationship with a dog is all about chemistry,” said S1 Lacasse of his dog Galley, who he acquired five months ago with the help of the charity. “We hit it off immediately, as soon as he saw me he came up to me and licked my face and that was it.”He is currently coping with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a psychological ailment developed over eight years working in submarines, and is now transitioning out of the navy.“I suffered from all the classic symptoms and I was considered completely dysfunctional in society,” he says. “I couldn’t go out in public or even go to the grocery store without anxiety and panic attacks, and wanted to remove myself from society, and my relationship with my friends and spouse had completely crumbled.”S1 Lacasse has promoted the charity to Canadian Submarine Force, submarines HMCS Victoria and HMCS Chicoutimi, Maritime Forces Pacific Headquarters, HMCS Regina and the Esquimalt Military Police and they have all chosen to support Operation Freedom Paws through the National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign (NDWCC). “I have seen first-hand the affect this program has had on S1 Lacasse and was very happy to see the smile back on his face and that familiar personality we are all used to,” said CPO2 Michael (Rob) Tibbetts, CANSUBFOR Chief. “He is...

[caption id="attachment_24762" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Bob Gondek[/caption]Courtesy War Amps––On Remembrance Day this year, many Canadians will reflect on the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Among those will be war amputee veteran Bob Gondek, of Toronto, who also carries a physical reminder of that pivotal time in history.At the age of 96, Gondek still vividly recalls serving alongside the Allied Forces with the 2nd Polish Corps during the Italian Campaign. “We were climbing a hill, heavily laden with equipment carried by mules,” he says. “Germans were above and could easily see us. Their machine gun fire pinned us to the ground. We had to deal with completely unknown terrain and extreme darkness. Finally, I found a soft spot where I could seek temporary shelter. In the morning, I realized I was laying on corpses, buried in shallow graves.”  In 1944, he was based outside Loretto, Italy, when heavy gun fire broke out. “Without any order, I crawled up to them [the enemy] and threw a grenade. I acted instinctively.” After a short period of silence, the enemy began firing mortars. “I remember an explosion and the smell of gunpowder. I then realized that my weapon was gone and, in the place where my hand held the machine gun, there was nothing – I had lost part of my left arm below the elbow. I felt like I was dying because my whole life flashed before my eyes.”  Gondek also had extensive injuries around his leg and hip and spent five months recovering in the hospital. He was awarded the Virtuti Militari, the Polish equivalent of the Victoria Cross, for his valour in destroying two enemy machine gun nests. He also received the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restitua from Poland, the Cross of Valour, Merit...

[caption id="attachment_24759" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Three of Private Robert Speirs McClymont’s medals are, from left: the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal 1914-1919. Together they are affectionately called Pip, Squeak and Wilfred.[/caption]Sharon Adams Legion Magazine––It is, unfortunately, so easy for a veteran’s service and sacrifice to be forgotten.Many veterans may not tell their stories; perhaps to avoid painful memories or to spare loved ones from experiencing, even second-hand, the horrors of war. So this chapter in the family history, and its importance, may not be passed along. Perhaps that’s how some First World War medals were nearly consigned to the rubbish heap in Winnipeg in the early 2000s.A family clearing out an apartment after a death put out boxes of unwanted stuff and invited other residents to help themselves. One neighbour picked out a small box containing a crest with the initials KOSB, and four medals, three from the First World War. Mistakenly discarded, he thought, but a family member told him they were not wanted. He kept them, not knowing what else to do with them.Twelve years later, he chanced to meet Dave Flannigan, then Dominion President of The Royal Canadian Legion. He told Flannigan the story and handed over the medals.The medals were earned by Private Robert Speirs McClymont of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers (KOSB), which traces its history back to 1689.They included a 1914-15 Star, a British War Medal, and a Victory Medal 1914-1919, a trio that was nicknamed Pip, Squeak and Wilfred, after characters in a popular comic strip of the day.The fourth medal, the Imperial Service Medal, was awarded in the 1950s to civil servants retiring after 25 years of service.Research by Legion Magazine took the story a little further. A Robert Speirs McClymont was born in Minnigaff, Scotland, in 1894....

Peter MallettStaff Writer––A sailor from HMCS Edmonton says serving as an extra in the filming of a Second World War movie was an excellent way to celebrate his family’s military service. SLt Mehak Dhinsa travelled to Kelowna, B.C., Oct. 31 to take part in the opening phase of filming for the historical drama Promises. The short film is the work of Surrey-based historian Steven Purewal. It highlights the contribution made by Sikh soldiers to the Allied war effort, and specifically at the Battle of Monte Casino in Italy. SLt Dhinsa, who is Sikh, has a strong family connection to Second World War including the Burma campaign. It involved the Allies and China teaming up in a series of battles against the Imperial forces of Japan between 1941 and 1945, to overturn Japanese occupation, but at a horrific cost to military and civilian life. His great grandfathers and other family members fought in the Second World War conquest and some of them were killed after an air raid by the Japanese. “Many Canadians are unaware of the importance of the Burma Campaign - in 2014 it was voted the most important battle of WW2 by readers of a broadsheet newspaper in the UK. I thought this was an excellent way to honour their legacy.” The sailor was one of two military members participating in the shoot, with the other an army reservist, Capt Charan Kamal Singh Dullat from Calgary. It was the first film production for him that included a brief speaking role. Promises explores the active role of Sikh soldiers during the Second World War and subsequent post war discrimination against Sikh veterans and Indian immigrants in Canada. The film depicts the battle of Monte Cassino, in which the Indian 4th Infantry Division was attached to the British Eighth Army that...

[caption id="attachment_24753" align="aligncenter" width="595"] PO1 (Retired) Victor Flett, 2012[/caption]Peter MallettStaff Writer––When 92-year-old PO1 (Retired) Victor Flett bows his head in a moment of silence on Remembrance Day, he will think of beloved family members who served Canada honourably. He is the last in line of three generations from Manitoba’s Peguis First Nation to serve in Canada’s military. The members of Peguis First Nation are of Saultaux (Ojibway) and Cree descent.His Grandfather, whom he never met, is a source of immense pride and pain for him and his family. That’s because Pte David William Stranger, an infantryman in the Canadian Army, was killed at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in the First World War. “It was very sad for us that he was not there when I was young; this stands out most for me in my memories of my family and life,” says Flett. “Even though I never met him, his memory made me very aware of the sacrifice put into defending the freedoms of our country, pride in being Canadian, and being able to serve his country the way he did.”Flett’s father Edward, also a soldier, served as infantry in the final months of the First World War. At age three, Flett’s mother died of TB and his grandmother, a widow who raised seven children of her own, took in him and his five siblings and raised them on his grandfather’s land. She was a great source of strength with her strong and enduring faith in God and lifelong membership of Saint Peter’s Old Stone Church near Selkirk, MB, says Flett.As grown men, Flett and his brothers joined the military, with three serving Canada during the Second World War.His oldest brother Andrew worked as a marine engineer in the Merchant Navy during the Battle of the Atlantic. His other...

[caption id="attachment_24748" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Cpl Nicole Reid[/caption]Peter MallettStaff Writer––When Cpl Nicole Reid, 27, paints, each brush stroke she puts on the canvass helps her blow off steam. The Aviation Technician with CFB Borden’s 400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron conducts maintenance and repairs on CH146 Griffon helicopters and while fulfilling, it can be stressful. Painting in her off-hours grew following a deployment to Mali in support of UN Mission MinusINUSMA in 2018. “I found the tour in Africa highly demanding and difficult, so more and more I really began to enjoy painting as an outlet for stress relief.” Life at the base finds its way onto her canvas – something she calls “slice of life” paintings.The living room in her Residential Housing Unit is a makeshift art studio. Acrylic paint colours she selects are dependent on the mood she wants to convey. “My overall intention is to capture the work we do and the people and faces behind it. My paintings aren’t just about a helicopter but the technicians who work day-in and day-out to make it safe to fly.” Her painting The Face of 400 Sqn was created in 2018. It was done at the request of the then 1 Wing Kingston commander as a gift to 1 Wing. It still hangs in the Wing’s main entrance today and was her first commissioned work. “It’s an image of a technician who is working at the back of a helicopter during heavy maintenance on a Griffon,” said Cpl Reid. “The commander had wanted a painting that truly captured what 400 Sqn does and it shows the chopper completely torn apart, so I felt it captured exactly what he wanted to see.”She has been mechanically inclined since childhood helping her father take apart and rebuild engines. Years later, she attended college where she...

MARPAC Public Affairs––This year has been a year like none other. Every facet of our lives has been changed by the global pandemic. Nothing has escaped its impact, including how we will remember and commemorate our veterans this Remembrance Day.This year, we will remember the sacrifices of those who fought valiantly and the values they fought for. The Battle of Atlantic was the longest battle of the Second World War. Over the course of 2,075 days, Allied naval and air forces fought more than 100 convoy battles and as many as 1,000 single ship actions against submarines and warships of the German and Italian navies.During the Battle of the Atlantic, many were lost at sea, so many Canadian families cannot visit the final resting place. Let’s grieve with those families and continue to remember all sacrifices made to ensure the freedoms we enjoy today in our daily routines.Instead of the crowds of hundreds and thousands that gather together to pay their respects, this year people are being asked to do so virtually. Locally, there will be live coverage on television and on Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) social media accounts. Rear-Admiral (RAdm) Bob Auchterlonie will lay a wreath at the Victoria Cenotaph on behalf of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). “Pausing in silence to honour all those who have fallen, those who have served, and those who continue to serve, is especially important today in these unprecedented times. I wish to honour those who recently lost their lives in service to Canada this year – I will be keeping them, those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and all their families in my thoughts and prayers as I lay the wreath at the Victoria Cenotaph on behalf of Maritime Forces Pacific,” said Rear-Admiral (RAdm) Bob Auchterlonie.Commemorative sail pastThere will be a commemorative sail...