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Peter MallettStaff Writer––Caution and concern is on the mind of parents preparing to send their children back to school in the midst of this continuing global pandemic. A recent survey into the impact of COVID-19 on people’s attitudes by polling company by Leger found that 75 percent of parents in the province are worried about sending their children back to school, while 63 percent of children said they were nervous and anxious about the return. With students expected to return to class Sept. 10 and teachers returning Sept. 8 to prepare for them, anxiety over what to expect is a reality for all. For Cdr Ellen Mariano, Commanding Officer Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters, back-to-school for her two children is both a relief to return to some normality, and nervousness. “I am worried because we have kept our bubble very small since the pandemic began and I have been very strict about who and how my children are able to interact with other children and families in the neighbourhood,” she said. She says separation anxiety and the act of breaching the bubble and returning to a regular school routine has become an overwhelming concern for the entire family. “They have been by our side for so long now that going back to school is a big concern and will be a huge challenge emotionally.” Added to her concerns is how the province’s back-to-school plan will keep her children safe. If one of her children, or a schoolmate becomes infected and unwittingly brings the virus home, it would mean self-isolation for her and her husband LCdr Jeff Chura, who commands HMCS Whitehorse.Cdr Mariano’s concerns are not uncommon, says Holly Flower, a social worker with the Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC). She expects calls to the MFRC intake line will ramp up...

[caption id="attachment_24402" align="aligncenter" width="594"] Members of HMCS Winnipeg conduct post-firing maintenance on the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) launcher off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands. Photos by Leading Seaman Valerie LeClair, MARPAC Imaging[/caption]Captain Chelsea Dubeau, HMCS Winnipeg Public Affairs Officer ~It’s Monday, Aug. 24; day eight of Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2020. The air throughout the ship is tense – anticipatory. The planning for the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) shoot has been in the can for a long time, the sequence of events practiced over and over. War bags filled with flash gear are clipped to belt loops, and the ship’s company waits for the Bong Bongs to don gloves, head covering, and ballistic eyewear required for the event. All that planning, all that preparation, all those meetings and changes and coordination and de-conflicting, all comes down to one moment: one flash, one missile moving at unimaginable speed. Except on this day, two missiles will be fired down range. The GoPros have been placed strategically to best capture the footage. This is the second attempt to fire in as many days. The first try was close, but didn’t kick off due to an issue with the aerial target’s flight path in relation to the ship’s position the day prior. It’s now or never. The ship comes to action stations in preparation for the shoot as the target moves closer to the ship, the threat as real to the crew as everything else they’ve been training for during Intermediate Multi-Ship Readiness Training (IMSRT). The target is engaged, and weapons launched. Two missiles are fired, one after another, as speechless sailors viewing on the bridge take in the sight of two ESSMs arc across and against a deep blue sky. It’s a win shared by the entire ship’s company,...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Former National Hockey League forward Jordin Tootoo wants to have a heart-to-heart talk with you about suicide prevention. The former right-winger, turned motivational speaker, enjoyed a 13-year career in the NHL before deciding to call it quits, announcing his retirement in October 2018. Since then, he has been delivering inspiring talks about suicide awareness, drawing on personal experiences while breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health. The 37-year-old grew up in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, and is of Inuit and Ukranian descent. He was the first Inuk person to play in the NHL. He suited up for the Nashville Predators, Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils, and Chicago Blackhawks. During that time, he compiled 161 points and 65 goals in 723 games along with a reputation as being a highly successful agitator and thorn-in-the-side of opponents. He cited a desire to give back to his Indigenous community as his reason to retire. Growing up in Canada’s north, TooToo says he witnessed firsthand the devastating impact mental health issues and addiction have on families and communities. On Aug. 28, 2002, his brother Terence took his own life and Tootoo says, “things were never the same.” On his website www.jordintootoo.com and in his public speaking engagements, Tootoo discusses his personal experiences and destigmatzing mental health issues. Those experiences are captured in his best-selling biography All The Way: My Life on ice. Meet Tootoo virtuallyOn Sept. 10 at 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time, Tootoo will field an hour-long discussion with interested members of CFB Esquimalt’s defence community via the social media app Zoom in recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day. The Zoom event is free, but there only 500 spaces available. The Zoom link is:https://ca01web.zoom.us/j/67421888349?pwd=dlJWMkxZSU9rVGhLekloYVlkUVpFZz09The initiative is part of the Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) Health and Wellness Strategy. Maryse Neilson, Health Promotion...

[caption id="attachment_24388" align="aligncenter" width="594"] HMCS Regina fires two Harpoon Surface to Surface missiles in the Pacific Range Facility Barking Sands, off the coast of Hawaii while participating in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2020. Photo by MS Dan Bard, Canadian Forces Combat Camera[/caption]Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships Regina and Winnipeg were off the coast of Hawaii last week, participating in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2020, the largest maritime exercise in the world. The purpose of this exercise was to provide an opportunity for sailors to gain experience working with international forces, practicing group and task force tactics, and using important equipment and weaponry.DND ~As part of the finale for RIMPAC, HMCS Regina participated in a sinking exercise, or SINKEX. A SINKEX occurs when an environmentally clean, decommissioned hulk is purposefully sunk to provide a unique opportunity to improve coalition partners’ warfare readiness. It this case it was ex-USS Durham, a decommissioned amphibious cargo ship.“With an ever-changing and complex global environment, inter-operability with partner nations is essential to maintain the rules-based international order,” said Lieutenant (Navy) Mike Vanderveer, Weapons Officer on board Regina. “This engagement not only proved the technical readiness of Regina and the Royal Canadian Navy, but provided an opportunity to focus on the application of force in coordinated kinetic action with partner nations.”The weapons system Regina used for this exercise was the RGM-84 Harpoon Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM), which is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile used by most NATO member states.The missile  launched from a platform situated on the ship. It has the ability to travel at high subsonic speeds and skims across the surface of the water to lower the chances of interception by air defence systems.“It is a difficult and perishable skill, so any opportunity to plan and execute exercises with combined forces increases our...

[caption id="attachment_24370" align="aligncenter" width="592"] The Honourable Janet Austin visited Base Logistics last week to be fitted for her new Honorary Captain(N) uniform. Photo courtesy Lieutenant Governor’s Office[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The Honourable Janet Austin, B.C.’s Lieutenant Governor, said if her father were alive today he would be proud of her recently appointed Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) role, which serves as a continuation of her family’s naval tradition. That’s because the vice-regal representative of Queen Elizabeth II has officially joined Victoria’s naval reserve unit HMCS Malahat as their Honorary Captain. Her father, Lt Grey Howick Merivale Austin served in the Royal Navy during the Battle of Atlantic. Later in his naval career, he was the senior officer in charge of bringing British naval ships to Halifax.“He lived in Barbados, enlisted in the Royal Navy when he was 18 on the same day Pearl Harbor was attacked, and served on a number of ships as a young officer,” said LGov Austin. “He would be absolutely thrilled to see that I have become an honorary member of the Royal Canadian Navy. That’s because he always credited his naval training and career as being a crucial formative moment in his life, and helped develop his ethics and self-discipline needed to be successful in life.” Last Monday, she had her first uniform fitting at Base Logistics clothing stores. She’ll return in a few weeks to try on her uniform to ensure it fits. Honorary members of the Canadian military are distinguished Canadians that act as ambassadors. Their responsibilities include performing public outreach for the organization they represent while also helping foster esprit de corps for the troops. She said she is “extremely delighted and looking forward to supporting the navy.” The appointment of Lieutenant Governors to honorary Captains and Colonels in Canada’s military is a customary...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~You could save a bundle on local products and services courtesy of a new awareness and fundraising initiative launched by Wounded Warriors Canada. The national non-profit that funds veterans and first responder’s support programs has a partnership with Winnipeg-based MediaScene’s Action Pack Complimentary Value campaign. Booklets sell for $25 but have a value of over $300 in redeemable coupons. A portion of the proceeds from sales will be used to provide fully trained service dogs for those overcoming Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD].“When people buy our product, they are not only giving to a great charitable initiative, but they are also getting something of value in return,” said Todd Dube, MediaScene Program Coordinator. “It’s just a great deal. Everyone is a winner, the purchaser, Wounded Warriors, and local businesses.”Twelve Victoria businesses are offering freeproducts and services; Montana’s, Good Life Fitness, Bosleys, Salish Sea Aquarium, Iron and Wood Golf Simulator, V2V Blackhops Brewing, Flying Squirrel, Victoria Car Wash, Float House, British Columbia Aviation Museum, Oxygen Yoga and Fitness, and Whiskers Urban Ranch. Dube says the free products and services total $351. MediaScene began its operations in 1994 and used Action Packs as a vehicle to promote local businesses in Manitoba.  Dube says Action Packs then morphed into a vehicle for charitable organizations to boost their awareness and fundraising. MediaScene began its partnership with Wounded Warriors Canada in 2017. Market-specific Action Pack booklets have previously been available in Ottawa, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Vancouver, with Victoria joining the campaign this year. Last year, MediaScene made a $905,000 donation to Wounded Warriors from booklet sales. Executive Director Scott Maxwell was quick to offer his appreciation for the success of the fundraising. “This partnership highlights our strong community-based support that drives our national fundraising and in turn makes our...

[caption id="attachment_24364" align="aligncenter" width="593"] Pte Thomas Wheatley Kilby who was killed in action in France, March 27, 1917.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The City of Parksville, B.C., is on an ambitious hunt to obtain photographs of 60 residents from the area who died during military service in the First and Second World War. The Veteran Remembrance Banner Program was launched by Mayor Ed Mayne and the City of Parksville Council earlier this year. Their goal is to install banners featuring photos of veterans, whose names are listed on the City’s cenotaph, on lamp poles along the Island Highway 19A in time for Remembrance Day.Valda Stefani from the City of Parksville has been scanning museums and archives worldwide and following any lead that will yield her photographic pay dirt. So far, she has found half the photos needed, and says finding the remaining 31 photographs is proving difficult.“Many of the local young men who enlisted, especially in the First World War, had recently arrived from places as far away as the U.K. and Australia, and some were only on Vancouver Island for a short time. They had their lives cut short and many were too young to have started families, adding to the challenge of finding photographs. But their lives mattered and they should be remembered.”Even if all the photographs cannot be found in time for Nov. 11, the search will continue well beyond Remembrance Day, says Stefani. Parksville, a popular beach vacation and tourism destination located on the Salish Sea, has a present-day population of approximately 13,000 permanent residents. During the first half of the 20th century it was a small farming and logging community. It can trace its colonial origins back to the expedition of Royal Navy Captain George Vancouver in 1792 and a subsequent survey of the Alberni Valley by...

[caption id="attachment_24353" align="aligncenter" width="593"] Sidel has earned many accolades over his careers, and wears many hats.[/caption]2Lt Justin Leong, Base Administration ~Whether you are a Junior Naval Officer arriving for training, a member attending a conference, or a family member visiting the base, you would have met Commissionaire Sergeant Jim Sidel, Barrack Warden and Booking Clerk at Work Point Barracks. He is famous for his quip, “What do I know, I’m just a Commissionaire!” But Sidel knows a lot, stemming from 17 years’ service in the military as a Medical Assistant, retiring at the rank of Master Corporal, coupled with 23 years and counting with the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires.During his military career, he was posted to the CFB Esquimalt Base Hospital in 1968, followed by a posting to the Calgary Field Ambulance in 1969. “I was deployed with United Nations Emergency Force 2 to Germany in 1970 followed by Egypt in November 1973,” Sidel recounts. He was then posted to Camp Borden in 1978 and various army units across Canada until he retired from the military in 1983. As a commissionaire, he took up his current post at Work Point following a coffee chat with his supervisor at the time who offered him the job of custodian of the barracks. He trained a week with the outgoing Warden, and a few weeks later he left his gate duty for Work Point. “I have had the fortune of working with many Base Accommodation Officers and Base Accommodation Chief Petty Officers and Petty Officers, all molding my professionalism to suit the position here and the needs of those we accommodate.”What he has learned over the years is the importance of being empathetic, social, affable, and conversant, almost like a bartender to those living in barracks. He’s also the guy who ensures the four accommodation buildings...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A new Personnel Support Programs recreation program is set to roll out with the aim to provide unparalleled fun on eight wheels for youth of Defence Team members.A roller-skating class is set to start mid-September at the Colwood Pacific Activity Centre for youth eight to 14 years old. Skate Instructor Association certified instructors will teach the class.“This is our first involvement at CFB Esquimalt and we are excited to be offering a brand-new program for military families,” said Martin Newham, co-owner of Roller Skate Victoria Dance Academy. “The sport of roller skating is one that challenges your balance and coordination, strengthens the stomach, legs, and back muscles, and is one that after proper instruction people can do in isolation.”Newham is well versed to teach the course. He had 30-year career in figure skating, has his Skate Canada gold certification level in ice dance, and has competed internationally in synchronized skating competitions.In 2011, and again in 2013, he and his business partner Andrea Boyes teamed up on the ice for second place finishes in the Pairs Free Skate and Ice Dance categories at the Skate Canada Adult Nationals. Boyes is a former professional figure skater turned roller dancer, who has performed with Disney on Ice and Holiday on Ice.“She sees roller skating as an art form and shares that with her students at Roller Skate Victoria where she teaches roller dance,” said Newham.They both began their transition from blades to wheels approximately five years ago. That’s when Boyes tried the sport in Vancouver and then encouraged Newham to start a group with her in Victoria.To get the ball rolling on their dream and build interest in a potential roller skating club, they threw a roller disco at the Archie Browning Sports Centre. The event, complete with shiny disco...

[caption id="attachment_24344" align="aligncenter" width="593"] HMCS Winnipeg fires a missile at a practice target off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC). Photo by Leading Seaman Valerie LeClair, Royal Canadian Navy[/caption]Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet ~As part of RIMPAC, HMCS Winnipeg had the opportunity to practice the tactics and procedures involved in firing Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSMs) on Aug. 23 to 24 off the coast of Hawaii.ESSMs are medium-range missiles used to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft. They provide self-defence battle space and firepower against high-speed, highly maneuverable anti-ship missiles in the naval environment.A live-firing event is the culmination of months of training and preparation. It provides invaluable data about the ship’s combat management system and demonstrates the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) ability to conduct and support force generation overseas.“Preparing for a missile shoot begins many months before the shoot itself, and is integrated with a demanding readiness programme that tests the skills and endurance of the entire operations team,” said Lt(N) Iain Richardson, Weapons Officer on board Winnipeg. “We are required to train not only for the shoot, but also for any and all possible system issues or emergencies. While the process is long, the privilege of participating in such an important exercise makes it entirely worthwhile.”The biennial exercise contributes to the increased lethality, resiliency, and agility needed by the Joint and Combined Force to deter and defeat aggression by major powers across all domains and levels of conflict. The exercise provides a unique training opportunity that strengthens international maritime partnerships, enhances interoperability, and improves the readiness of the RCN for a wide range of potential operations.––––

[caption id="attachment_24341" align="aligncenter" width="593"] SLt Jillian Surette[/caption]SLt Jillian Surette, HMCS Ville De Québec ~In late January, I set sail for Africa with HMCS Shawinigan in consort with HMCS Glace Bay for Operation Projection 2020. During this sail I learned seamanship and how to run the bridge of a minor war vessel, earning my bridge watch keeping ticket. Unfortunately, the deployment was cut short due to COVID-19, which was starting to grow significantly worldwide.We returned mid-April. After a few months working from home, I was posted to the frigate HMCS Ville De Québec, where I took the next step in my career as a Naval Warfare Officer. I joined the ship for Mission State Readiness Training in preparation for Operation Nanook-Tuugaalik. It quickly became a crash course on everything to do with life on major warship, starting with where do I sleep, eat, or do laundry, and how do I even get there? Then there is what happens when there’s an emergency or a drill?I was finally able to see all the evolutions I learned about while I was training in Esquimalt first-hand, and learn even more than when I was on course. Everything I had forgotten rushed backed into memory in a hurry, on top of all the new things to which I was being exposed. For Op Nanook-Tuugaalik, Ville De Québec took position as the Flag Ship, embarking Captain(N) Martin Fluet and his staff from Canadian Fleet Atlantic. We set sail with our consorts, Canadian ships Glace Bay, MV Asterix, United States Ship (USS) Thomas Hudner, United States Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma, His Danish Majesty’s Ship Triton, and French Ship Fulmar. The purpose of this sail was to show NATO military presence in the Arctic, and work with our alliance counterparts to conduct exercises together as we proceeded North to...

[caption id="attachment_24338" align="aligncenter" width="593"] Ordinary Seaman Kilian Soch signals to USS Henry J. Kaiser during a replenishment-at-sea off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands.[/caption]Capt Chelsea Dubeau, HMCS Winnipeg Public Affairs Officer ~The Replenishment-at-Sea evolution, or RAS, is probably one of the more complex ship’s evolutions that occurs. During a RAS, fuel and stores are passed from one ship to another while underway and requires that both ships get very close to one another. Uncomfortably close, by normal standards. Ordinarily ships like to keep a certain distance between them to avoid collision, but a RAS is up-close-and-personal, out of necessity. The lines connecting the ships have thousands of pounds of tension on them. One miscommunication, one malfunction, one mistake, and the consequences could be dire. A RAS requires tricky manoeuvering, absolute focus, and impeccable seamanship; it’s a whole-of-ship evolution, from the bridge team to the sailors running the lines. So, when the crew of HMCS Winnipeg learned they’d be doing a RAS as part of Intermediate Multi-Ship Readiness Training (IMSRT) and RIMPAC, the feeling could only be described as “trepidation”. While a RAS is a regular part of readiness training, RIMPAC presented a higher-stakes platform on which to conduct it. Imagine the pressure. RIMPAC is the world’s largest maritime exercise, and the eyes of the world are on the partner nations participating. If something goes wrong, the consequences run the gamut. “I was a little bit worried, because for me the last time I [conducted a RAS] was on Winnipeg in 2009,” says Chief Petty Officer Second Class Stephan Melançon, Chief Boatswain Mate. “And most of my people are junior, so they’ve never [conducted a RAS] before. So, it was a first for most.”But just because it was a first for most, and just because it was the first RAS for the...

[caption id="attachment_24333" align="aligncenter" width="594"] WO (Retired) Sherry Rumbolt[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A Base Information Services civilian employee has received national recognition for her outstanding work in cyber security. WO (Retired) Sherry Rumbolt, a senior information security officer, was recently honoured as one of Canada’s Top Women in Cyber Security. Rumbolt was among 20 recipients selected in the inaugural award category by the magazine IT World Canada from a list of 170 nominations. She was notified of her nomination in April. Then on June 6, anticipation transformed into excitement when she learned she would be part of the first-ever honour roll. “I was so honoured and thrilled to get the news. I have been in this industry for 30 years. To be recognized for contributions made not only to enhance cyber security in the industry and public sector, but for all the efforts to highlight young professionals, women, and diverse groups in this field was so rewarding.” Due to COVID-19 physical distancing measures, this year’s award ceremony was held virtually. Winners were featured in the latest edition of IT World Canada and received a certificate as part of the award. Major Lauren Banks, Deputy Commanding Officer of the Canadian Forces Network Operations Centre, was also recognized.“Until recently women were often excluded from prominent roles in the cyber security industry,” said Rumbolt. “But this is changing. In the past few years, through the work of many exceptionally knowledgeable and talented women, women are finally being recognized for their efforts.”Returning to the ForcesRumbolt, 49, is originally from Mary’s Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador. She spent 21 years in the Canadian Armed Forces as a Land Communications Information Systems Technician. She entered the world of cyber security in 2004 when she joined the Canadian Forces Network Operations Centre. She retired from the military in 2011. She then worked for the Government of British Columbia for six years in a variety of cyber security positions before returning to CFB Esquimalt as a civilian employee in 2017. Since...

Poll Results & Rank Designation Change DecisionShipmates, Thank you for participating so enthusiastically in our poll seeking your advice with regards to more gender inclusive rank designations for the English rank titles of our most junior sailors. Having launched the initiative, it was incredibly important to me, as your Admiral, to hear from you – currently serving as well as retired members – and interested Canadians from across the country before I direct adoption of a way forward. Your participation via almost 18,000 responses, of which some 30 per cent included write-in/commentary, delivered exactly what was needed. I was especially appreciative of the overwhelming participation by the junior ranks who will be most impacted by the change. I appreciate as well that the initiative prompted us to have a frank and passionate discussion about not only the choices, but also the reasons behind this undertaking. Beyond the polling there has been an impressive deck-plate conversation in cubicles, offices, shops, flats and messes – everywhere, including virtually! What we have been discussing is our culture. We’ve been discussing who we are. Obviously, I encourage this reflection to continue – the introspection and dialogue being foundational to a vibrant, appropriate and ever-evolving naval/force culture... to getting it right! Meanwhile, in closing this chapter of the discussion, I’m so proud to share with you that we have confirmed by a wide majority that we are broadly likeminded (>75 per cent) that this rank change initiative is long overdue, necessary, and welcomed. Why Evolve? As the dialogue has established, while ours is proudly a service steeped in tradition – a service which was historically dominated by straight, cis, white males – it’s equally, necessarily, and proudly a modern service that prides itself on striving to continuously evolve in-step with the nation, and which merits our recent recognition as one of Canada’s top employers – the service you would encourage your family and friends to join, knowing it to be striving to be diverse, inclusive...

DND ~A pilot project to train transitioning Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and Veterans for civilian information technology (IT) jobs is underway. Entitled the Cyber Workforce Enablement Program, or CWEP for short, the project provides high-demand, cyber-career training to hundreds of transitioning members and Veterans, leveraging their existing military skills and preparing them to work in the IT sector with both the Federal Government and businesses across Canada.The pilot project started in May and is the result of a partnership between the CAF Transition Group, the social impact company WithYouWithMe, and the multinational professional services firm Ernst & Young.IT training being offered can be taken individually at one’s own pace, with training usually taking about six to 12 weeks depending on the course, or via scheduled virtual “boot camps” during which the training is completed over the course of an intensive week, including live sessions with an online instructor. In either case, all courses and training are offered free of cost, with the partners’ goal being simply to assist military personnel in their transition back to civilian life.For more information on the training available or to express an interest in joining the Cyber Workforce Enablement Program, visit https://rallypoint.withyouwithme.com/cwep-stp1/––––

Are you a fan of CANEX, Canada’s Military Store? Are you passionate, authentic, creative and outgoing? Are you connected within the CAF community and have a passion to share your story? If you answered yes to any of these, then you could be part of the CANEX Ambassador Program.As a CANEX Ambassador, you will play a key role in helping us keep our finger on the pulse of our CAF communities and provide members with authentic stories and feedback so that we can improve and continue to grow together.CANEX Ambassador Program Requirements:Must be part of the CAF community (active member, retired veteran, military spouse, military child etc.) and hold a valid CFOne card.Active on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.Have 2,000 followers (at least) on one or more social media platform(s).Willing to create high quality and unique content by posting, sharing, and tagging @CANEX.ca and #CANEX content monthly.A minimum of one post per month. All posts must tag @CANEX.ca.Am I eligible? Find out here: https://www.cafconnection.ca/National/Programs-Services/CFOne/Register-Now!/Eligibility.aspxHow it works:CANEX Ambassadors get a firsthand look at upcoming products.Have an opportunity to photograph CANEX product(s) and share your photos within your social community and with CANEX.Ambassadors will create content around CANEX product(s) and seasonal merchandise.Share CANEX messaging and content on your social channels.Ambassadors get the opportunity to test and try new CANEX product(s) and provide product reviews, which will be shared on your social channels and with CANEX.What is in it for me?You will get a firsthand look at upcoming products and existing products. These  will be yours to keep, in exchange for the post.Promo codes (discounts) to shop at CANEX, which you can exclusively share with your fans and followers.Early access to sales, events and launch dates.Increase your exposure to your social profile(s), as your posts will be shared in our CANEX’s social feed.For more information...

SLt K.B McHale-Hall, MARPAC Public Affairs Office ~They are the rarely seen faces behind the camera taking photos of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) deployments, events and people at work on base.However, the imagery technicians from Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) Imaging Section do far more than just digitally capture the faces of the forces. Manifested in the recently released CAF Unclassified Imagery Instructions, imagery technicians are at the forefront of most operations, logging in countless hours behind the scenes, serving in ways you may not expect. The new set of guidelinesLast year, the Unclassified Imagery Instructions were revised and signed, providing guidance to the CAF, public affairs and imagery technician trade.The latest release addresses the services that can be offered, the speed at which imagery can be required, and the ever-evolving technology available, all established in standard operating procedures. Services include, but are not limited to, imagery in support of operations; intelligence gathering on operations; fire and flood investigations; photographing through still and video events such as departures and homecomings of ships; helping in the assessment of weapons systems performance; creating visual training aids; documenting change of command ceremonies; and producing physical media from imagery files. Meeting the missionImagery Technicians are trained to execute all imagery needs identified, but requests may outweigh resources available. That’s where the National Imagery Service Priority plays a vital role. It breaks down nine categories in order of priority: operations and exercises, investigations, intelligence, public affairs, engineering, support to training, historical, production and research, and general. Local units and Commanders can then use the National Imagery Service Priority as guidance to prioritize or limit services based on the existing operational tempo or manning limitations. “Our main priority remains operations and exercises and intelligence gathering, all while supporting Public Affairs,” said MWO Brian Leonard, the NO2PA Imaging Services Officer,...

[caption id="attachment_24295" align="aligncenter" width="593"] Lt(N) Gill Herringer puts the finishing touches on a carving created in her new workspace.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Lt(N) Gill Herringer united her love of pubs with her creative craft tinkering to create O’Malley’s Irish Pub, Carpentry Shop, and upcoming Bakery.Don’t let the name deceive you though, there’s no alcohol involved. Her fledgling small business creates “fun, funky and useful wood art, with some sewing, some baking, and the best damn pickles you have ever tasted,” she says. “I’m slowly working on building up a decent inventory, but I also can do custom carving and other woodworking projects. The bakery part is what I envision adding later, you know, when I'm retired and can spend my weekends sitting behind a table at various farmers' markets.”The Naval Warfare Officer and instructor at Naval Fleet School (Pacific) Venture Division launched her uniquely branded workshop during the pandemic lock down, which afforded her lots of after-work free time. She cleared out her and her daughter’s hockey equipment and other items, and transformed the 600-square-foot unfinished basement space into a workshop. The set-up includes a work bench, woodworking tools, a label maker, organized piles of screws, and wood.“I spent four days sorting and setting things up,” she said. “The new set up meant that instead of scrambling to pull out tools only when things needed fixing, I could actually make things, and I did.”She has carved and built home décor items, selling them through word of mouth and her Facebook page at “very affordable prices.” The aim being to make a very modest profit, while paying for materials and giving people the opportunity to own affordable quality items. “The business grew out of a hobby because I eventually ran out of things to make for myself,” she says. “Now I make things...

[caption id="attachment_24292" align="aligncenter" width="594"] PO2 Robert Morris and SLt Phil Hopkins play the bagpipes during the ship’s departure sail past on Aug. 6.[/caption]Captain Chelsea Dubeau, HMCS Winnipeg PAO ~HMCS Winnipeg did something that many ships have done before, and many will do again: depart on deployment. But something was new and different with the Aug. 1 deployment. For one, Winnipeg is the first ship on the west coast to deploy on an international operation since the pandemic was declared in March and, due to COVID-19 precautions, its sailors won’t be able to explore the many foreign ports of call that are usually such a big part of the deployment experience. A few days prior to leaving, all members of the ship’s company were tested for COVID-19 in anticipation of their participation in RIMPAC 2020 off Hawaiian waters, and the follow-on deployment on Operation Projection/Neon. The crew of HMCS Regina was tested as well, as they are also participating in RIMPAC. Mass tests for COVID-19 are a first for the Royal Canadian Navy, but are now part of a new standard implemented before putting ships to sea. Winnipeg also has a new weapon in its arsenal: a Biofire. It’s an instrument that can test for and detect bacteria and viruses – including COVID-19 – from samples taken on a ship. “The ship is a confined space and if there is a positive COVID patient it can rapidly spread,” said Master Corporal Junkyu Lee, a laboratory technician on board. “The sooner we can detect the virus, the sooner we can confine and control the situation more efficiently.”The Biofire setup in Winnipeg is the first instrument of its kind on a Halifax-class ship. Another new piece of kit is the Naval Remote Weapons System (NRWS), an upgraded version of the traditional .50 calibre machine guns...

[caption id="attachment_24277" align="aligncenter" width="594"] OS Charleyne Oulton[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A Royal Canadian Navy sailor is expressing her heartfelt gratitude to a volunteer firefighter who aided her after a slip-and-fall accident in Sooke on Aug. 14. OS Charleyne Oulton was heading home with her fiancée PO2 Jonathan McGregor and eight-year-old Jack Russell Terrier Frayzer when the dog’s leash got caught on a roadside fence. It caused her to lose her footing on the gravel surface and fall.  Driving by was Ben Patterson, Otter Point Volunteer Fire Department Captain Training Officer in his duty truck. “Fortunately for me he was in the right place at the right time and promptly sprang into action,” she said.  She had sustained a sprained left ankle, strained ligaments, fractured tarsal, and a three centimetre laceration on her foot. Patterson grabbed his first aid kit, donned his Personal Protective Equipment, applied gauze to the wound to stop the bleeding, secured her foot, and kept her calm to mitigate shock. “As far as pain goes, on a level of one to 10, it was a 10, and I have delivered babies. Just complete blinding pain, it took all my focus just to breathe and remain calm,” said OS Oulton. Her fiancée took her to Victoria General Hospital. He had to remain in his vehicle in the parking lot due to COVID-19 procedures. After doctors bandaged her wound and thoroughly examined her, she was fitted with a walking cast and crutches. Immediately following the accident, she sent a letter of thanks to Patterson to express her gratitude for his timely and professional assistance.Peterson says it was a pleasant surprise to receive OS Oulton’s letter.“It’s very humbling to get a response of gratitude from a patient as that is not always the case,” he said. “We go to first response calls with BC Ambulance and many times never hear the final outcome or get any feedback from a patient. To get a letter of appreciation like this reminds me of why I joined the fire service...

[caption id="attachment_24274" align="aligncenter" width="593"] In a makeshift tented barber shop in Work Point, 40 recruits enrolled in Basic Military Qualification training shed their civilian locks for the more formal military look.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Forty new military recruits enrolled in Basic Military Qualification (BMQ) training at CFB Esquimalt have been placed inside a self-isolating bubble to mitigate COVID-19. Recruits are confined to Work Point to live and train for 10 weeks, and will not be permitted outside the facility at any time.“This situation is absolutely new to us and there are a new set of rules involved,” said Lt(N) Guillaume Brochu, Leadership Division Section Officer with Naval Fleet School (Pacific) (NFS(P)). “BMQ is already an important and complicated course to administer and involves taking civilians, many of which have no formal military training, and transforming them into regular force members. Now, this effort has been made more complicated with restrictive COVID-19 measures.”These recruits are among the first wave of Regular Force military trainees across Canada taking part in the BMQ restart since COVID swept across the world in March. To assist with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF)-wide recruit training backlog, and to prove the concept of decentralized BMQ training delivery by the various service elements, the Naval Fleet Schools (under the leadership of the Naval Personnel and Training Group) on each coast were tasked with running a BMQ serial.In hitting the BMQ restart button, enhanced force protection measures have been implemented at Work Point. All recruits and staff must wear non-medical face coverings and gloves when social distancing is not feasible.To further fight the spread of any potential viral infection, the entire course is broken down into four 10-person sections called “cohorts”, in much the same way that compartmentalization in a ship limits the spread of flooding. Initially, the four cohorts...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Two civilian sailors and their dogs are safe on shore after a rescue at sea by HMCS Whitehorse.The Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel, currently deployed on a coastal surveillance search and rescue (SAR) mission, responded to a mayday at 11 p.m. during a fierce storm Aug. 16. An 11-metre sailboat had become disabled in heavy seas off the northwest coast of Vancouver Island.“The vessel’s outboard motor had stopped working and the sails were ripped in multiple places, so they were drifting uncontrollably,” said LCdr Jeff Chura, Commanding Officer of Whitehorse. “Without any steering and propulsion, they were violently thrashing around, with wild pitching up and down, a 30 to 40 degree roll side to side, and would suddenly spin completely around on a swell.” Without a radio aboard, the two sailors waved down fishing vessel Pacific Viking, who relayed a May Day to Coast Guard radio. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) then tasked Whitehorse to provide support. “While Whitehorse was en route to the location, Pacific Viking attempted to take the sailing vessel under tow, but all the deck fittings on the sailboat kept snapping off due to the strain of the high winds and sea state,” said LCdr Chura.Once on scene, Whitehorse’s LS Lombardi, LS Kathol, and Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) Rescue Specialist Wesley Scott took the rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) to the stricken sailboat. They verified there were no injuries aboard and then embarked the two sailors and their canine companions.The Commanding Officer then turned to SLt Gomery for guidance on how to tow the stricken vessel.“He has a 15-year history of both owning and racing his own sailing vessels, so I was able to consult with him for expert knowledge of yacht design and specifications. He was able to tell me that the...

[caption id="attachment_24262" align="aligncenter" width="594"] Members of HMCS Winnipeg wave goodbye as the ship departs Esquimalt Harbour Aug. 1. For the first several days at sea, sailors wore non-medical masks as a precautionary measure against COVID-19. Due to the global pandemic, Winnipeg sailors will not be exploring foreign ports during their deployment on RIMPAC and Operation Projection/Neon, which will see the ship return in December 2020. Photo by Leading Seaman Valerie LeClair, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]SLt Phil Hopkins, HMCS Winnipeg Charity Officer ~For the most part, sailors join the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) to sail and see the world. During these trying times, however, sailors on board HMCS Winnipeg will continue to sail but won’t have the ability to explore foreign ports due to COVID-19 precautions. Nevertheless, and with high spirits, enthusiasm, and the willingness to “adapt and overcome,” Winnipeg’s charity team has created esprit de corps and morale events such as the “Run to Winnipeg and Back” challenge. The idea is for the crew to run to Winnipeg and back virtually, via treadmills and the flight deck, while deployed.With health and fitness in mind, and to promote this event, Winnipeg’s charity team has worked tirelessly to pursue opportunities to collaborate with veteran-owned and local businesses for prizes and items to support this cause. Donated items will be raffled off during the deployment with the profits going to the Manitoba Firefighters Burn Fund, Winnipeg’s chosen charity.––––

2Lt Justin Leong, Base Administration ~When it is time to leave the military, Canadian Armed Forces members at CFB Esquimalt must visit the Release Section located in Naden 30 - Base Orderly Room. Greeting them are Rachel Labute and her staff of seven who work with members to ensure their smooth transition out of the profession of arms. While it is a process, with lots of paperwork, the real skill lies in managing the emotions that come at the end of a career.   “Everyone deals with their release differently,” says Labute. “Some members are ready to release and are super happy and excited for the process and what the future has to offer. Some members are upset and anxious because they have spent their whole career in the military and it is hard to think of a life outside of that. Some members are dissatisfied with how their career in the military transpired and are ready to start a new career.” As the person in charge of the Release Section, Labute’s responsibility is to manage the section, train new employees, review and approve their pay, and meet with releasing members. Releasing members come in for an initial interview, followed by paperwork that includes their out routine, security clearance cancellation form, and Statement of Understanding. They also review the forms to request a Certificate of Service, Prime Minister Letter if a member has more than 20 years, Member’s Personnel Record Resume, member’s Release Notification Message, and their Declaration of Intended Place of Residence. The member’s pension package is reviewed in a second meeting. “Forms are completed and photocopies are made so the member can send in their pension package right away,” explains Labute. The third appointment is when the member signs all final documents, along with their security caution and document return...

[caption id="attachment_24250" align="aligncenter" width="594"] OS Eloise Lavoie[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A naval reservist who returned in June from her work at a long-term care home in Quebec has one small request of Canadians: Wear a mask and follow the guidelines of health experts. “It’s vitally important that all people in all parts of the country follow the rules because it will save countless lives as this global pandemic unfolds,” says OS Eloise Lavoie, a registered nurse. “Even if you live in a region of the country with a low number of reported cases, wearing a mask, washing your hands, and social distancing is not that hard to do and is the easiest way to reduce the spread of COVID-19.” The 22 year old is a member of Montreal-based reserve unit NCSM/HMCS Donnacona. She was one of approximately 1,500 military members deployed to 54 long-term care facilities in Quebec and Ontario in April, May, and June as part of Operation Laser.  OS Lavoie and other members from Donnacona were deployed to a seniors residence in Manoir Verdun, a suburban neighborhood of Montreal, in April. Before their arrival, many residents at the nursing home had become infected with COVID-19, with eight dying from it.   Military members were tasked by the government to help as approximately 1,200 staff at long term care facilities in Quebec had not shown up to work due to illness, as a precaution, or out of fear of being infected.  “Many residents in the Verdun nursing home simply couldn’t get their regular daily care and were left on their own for hours at a time because they were so short of staff,” said OS Lavoie. When the request came from her unit for volunteers she was one of the first to step forward. “I called my supervisor and said I want to do this. I thought to myself, I am young, healthy, and have the nursing skills that I could put into helping people who need our assistance immediately.” She spent most of her time working on a quarantined floor of the nursing home designated for approximately 20 people who had tested positive for COVID-19. Her role was categorized as non-medical but the duties she performed were essential to...

[caption id="attachment_24243" align="aligncenter" width="593"] Christina Morrison[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A Seaspan Victoria Shipyards employee has launched an ambitious art project: to paint all the tugboats on the west coast of British Columbia. Christina Morrison is a local artist who confesses she has a quirky, life-long passion for tugboats. She estimates there are approximately 400 tugs in B.C. and that her project may take 15 years or longer to complete, but she is determined to make it happen. “We live on an island and these boats are essential to our existence,” she says. “I think tugboats are an important part of our maritime community and shipping industry. The scope of businesses and harbour operations they support is truly remarkable.”Since May, Morrison has been reaching out to the maritime community for photographs of tugs to use as reference material for her paintings, which she does in acrylic on gallery wrapped canvass.“A lot of the owners think it’s really cool that I want to paint their tugs. Moving the project forward is really about getting connected with everyone in the maritime community and tugboat owners.”She completed her first painting in May of local tugboat Esquimalt II and has since painted 10 more tugs. Four of the paintings, including the Esquimalt II, have sold but are on hold until her art show next summer. The asking price is affordable for original artwork - between $500 and $900.She prides herself on her attention to detail. “People in the maritime community are very passionate about their boats and complete accuracy in my paintings is a must.”In her queue are the 10 vessels of Queen’s Harbour Master. She has collected images of Canadian Forces Auxiliary Vessels (CFAV) Tillicum (YTM 555), Glendyne (YTB 640) and Glendale (YTB641); although she is looking for better quality images so she can capture their true beauty. The 43-year-old works as a Production Clerk at Seaspan’s Admiral’s Road location. She has been around the sea most of her life, growing up in Sooke.“When I...

[caption id="attachment_24247" align="aligncenter" width="593"] Photo credit: Nelson Museum, Nelson BC[/caption]National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces ~The Royal Canadian Navy’s sixth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) will be named in honour of Lieutenant Robert Hampton Gray, a Canadian naval hero of the Second World War.Lt Gray joined the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1940, and served as a pilot in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. He embarked on HMS Formidable with 1841 Squadron, which joined the war in the Pacific as part of Operation Iceberg in April 1945. He was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously, for courage and determination in carrying out daring air strikes on the Japanese destroyer HIJMS Amakusa. On Aug. 9, 1945, he led two flights of Corsair aircraft to attack naval vessels in Onagawa Bay. He opened the attack run flying straight into concentrated anti-aircraft fire, and was hit almost immediately. With his aircraft on fire, and one bomb lost, he continued the attack and released his remaining bomb on the escort vessel HIJMS Amakusa, causing the ship to capsize and sink. His aircraft then crashed into the sea, and his body was never recovered. “Lieutenant Gray was known to his fellow military members as a courageous leader, with a brilliant flying spirit, who continued to inspire and motivate his crew after his unfortunate passing,” said Vice-Admiral Art McDonald, Commander Royal Canadian Navy. “By naming the sixth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship after Lt Gray, we honour him as a Canadian naval hero, and celebrate his outstanding leadership and heroism.”The other five AOPS are named Harry DeWolf, Margaret Brooke, Max Bernays, William Hall, and Frédérick Rolette.The Harry DeWolf-class will be capable of armed sea-borne surveillance of Canada’s waters, providing government situational awareness of activities and events in these regions, and cooperating with partners to assert...

[caption id="attachment_24238" align="aligncenter" width="593"] Members of Naval Fleet School Pacific gather for a group photograph in celebration of their 11,000 non-medical mask milestone on Aug. 14 at the Seamanship Training Centre. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Like elves at Santa’s workshop, sailors within the Naval Fleet School (Pacific) (NFS(P)) have cut and stitched over 10,000 non-medical masks at a make-shift assembly line set up in the Seamanship Training Centre (STC).The masks have been created and distributed to the 1,100 Esquimalt-based students, instructors, and staff that could be required to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. “Using their inherent ‘bos’n’ trade skills, members applied themselves to setting up and honing the entire production process, from ordering raw materials to marking, cutting, sewing and final assembly,” said LCdr Michael Erwin, NFS(P) Seamanship Division Commander. “The result has been an amazing organization that has optimized productivity while contributing significantly to their shipmates in the Formation.”Mask production began May 7 with a Joint Task Force Pacific Task Order that was part of the Canadian Armed Forces response to the pandemic. Initially, PO1 Scott Colburn coordinated NFS(P)’s mask production. Then, PO2 Brett Spelliscy oversaw the production team consisting of two dozen boatswains, who were conducting training, and members from within Seamanship Division. They used electronic cutters  and 16 in-house sewing machines to speed up the mask-making process. They performed their “magic” and quickly transformed large bolts of fabric purchased from area retailers into masks, says PO2 Spelliscy. “Learning how to use a sewing machine is part of the normal training for boatswains and as per their jack-of-all trades job description, they are required to have these skills among many others when they arrive on ship,” he adds.On average, from the start to the end of production, STC...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Veterans and currently serving military members gathered Sunday Aug. 9 at the B.C. Legislature cenotaph to mark National Peacekeepers’ Day. A flyover by a CC-115 Buffalo plane from CFB Comox added a poignant moment for the men and women in blue berets. In 1974, nine Canadian peacekeepers aboard a Buffalo transport plane were shot down by Syrian missiles during operations supporting the United Nations mission in the Golan Heights. “It was an important day of healing and recognition for so many veterans and current-serving military members in attendance and the Buffalo flyover was just a fantastic moment for everyone who attended,” said Jim MacMillan-Murphy, 63, founder of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veteran’s Association and president of its B.C. Chapter. “It was the first time it had ever made an appearance at our ceremony.”National Peacekeepers’ Day was established in 2008. It is a sombre memorial for the 130 Canadians killed in the line of duty in the past 75 years. MacMillan-Murphy served five decades ago with Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) as part of Canada’s United Nations Peace Keeping mission in Cyprus in the mid 1970s. He was also involved in the Golan Heights conflict between Syria and Israel in 1980.As a transport sergeant, it was often his responsibility to collect the personal effects of deceased service members and inform their loved ones of their deaths. He remembers the Buffalo tragedy vividly and every Aug. 9 he cries when thinking back to that day and the many others that claimed the lives of Canadian Armed Forces members. “We had been injected into terrible situations to put our bodies on the line against warring factions with the intent to do something good for the world and that is why we wear the blue berets with pride,” said MacMillan-Murphy.The proceedings on the legislature...

[caption id="attachment_24220" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Members of the Port Hardy Canadian Ranger Patrol install signage in Winter Harbour on May 9.[/caption]Canadian Ranger Lindsay Chung, Quesnel Canadian Ranger Patrol ~When communities across western Canada asked for help responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian Rangers from 4th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group (4 CRPG) were quick to answer the call. They have worked with a variety of partners to do everything from distributing food to isolated residents to staffing emergency response centers. In support of Operation Laser, the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) response to the pandemic, more than 200 Canadian Rangers in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba have been on standby since April, with many Patrols from 4 CRPG activating their Local Response Forces after requests for support from their communities.In northern Saskatchewan, Canadian Rangers from the Wollaston Lake, Fond-du-Lac, Île-à-la-Crosse, and Lac La Ronge have worked as liaison officers through their local emergency operations centres, assisting with duties at the centres; hunting and fishing to provide food for residents; putting together and delivering care packages; and conducting wellness checks, among other tasks.Partnerships are key and many of them have been built over a long period, says Master Warrant Officer Jim Vogl, 4 CRPG's Alberta/Saskatchewan Company Sergeant Major. “Being a community-based organization or unit within CAF, much of the relationships needed to furnish success on operations were already there, with Canadian Rangers living among and knowing the people,” he said. There are many reasons the Canadian Rangers are a valuable partner in domestic operations such as Op Laser.“With Canadian Rangers coming from all different walks of life, they bring a vast variety of skill sets to the table,” he said. “We’ve got very skilled hunters, very experienced search and rescue people. They bring a bit of fluidity to operations in the north because of...