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[caption id="attachment_22257" align="alignnone" width="593"] Members of HMCS Regina’s naval boarding party make their way in a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB), to a suspect vessel in the Gulf of Oman. Photo by MCpl Frank Hudec, Canadian Forces Combat Camera[/caption]LCdr Mike Erwin, NFS(P) ~A change took place in the delivery of Naval Boarding Party (NBP) training in October when Naval Fleet School (Pacific) turned over responsibility to the Naval Tactical Operations Group.The turnover was part of an overarching direction that would see all matters concerned with naval boarding fall increasingly under Naval Tactical Operations Group’s purview. As the cutlass was passed from one organization to the other, it marked the end of a decades-long era in which the Fleet School, first as Canadian Forces Fleet School (Esquimalt) and then as Naval Fleet School (Pacific), trained individuals and ship’s teams in the conduct of boardings at sea in support of maritime interdiction operations.About Naval BoardingsThe requirement to board ships is as old as navies themselves. Whether it was to inspect a vessel in support of a naval blockade or to overpower an enemy ship and take it as a prize, warships have always needed to insert teams of personnel into other ships. Literature and film are rife with images of ships bearing down upon one another, as boarding parties swarm over the side and through the rigging to the stirring cry of “Out cutlasses and board!”The Royal Canadian Navy is no exception. One of Canada’s most famous boardings took place in the Caribbean during the Second World War. German U-Boat U-94 had been damaged by United States Navy aircraft, as well as depth charges and gunfire from Canadian corvette HMCS Oakville. As the commanding office of Oakville brought his ship alongside the stricken enemy, only SLt Hal Lawrence and PO Art Powell were...

[caption id="attachment_22254" align="alignnone" width="593"] Dr. Brad Evans, Defence Science and Technology Group Leader, Littoral Sensing and Processing Group, flies a drone to conduct mine detection. Photo by LSIS Kylie Jagiello, Navy Imagery Unit - West[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Members of Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) battled poor visibility and close encounters with local sharks during their participation in a multi-national training exercise in Australia. Exercise Dugong saw teams of Clearance Divers from Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States gather at Fleet Base West, near Perth, from Nov. 7 to 22. The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) sent a contingent of 14 personnel to the exercise: nine divers from FDU(P), one diver from Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic), two personnel from Sea Bed Intervention Systems, a White Cell staff, and a Liaison Officer.“It is always great to have the opportunity to work and train with some of the best [Clearance Diving] teams in the world in a setting where we can freely exchange tactics, training and procedures with our partner nations,” said Lieutenant (Navy) Viachaslau Khabian, head of FDU(P) Mine Countermeasures Department.The exercise focused on Very Shallow Water (VSW) Mine Countermeasures at depths of 10 metres or less. VSW Mine Countermeasures are performed in preparation for amphibious landings and are normally done under the cloak of darkness for clandestine purposes. During the exercise, each nation and their divers were given specific lanes near the shoreline to find and dispose of underwater mines. They dove in groups of two and were inserted from inflatable boats at a considerable distance from shore in order to avoid detection.Clearing mines during nighttime operations proved to be challenging, as divers were forced to contend with rough sea conditions, high turbidity, and low light that caused extremely poor visibility, says Lt(N) Khabian. Challenges aside, the exercise provided...

[caption id="attachment_22234" align="alignnone" width="591"] LS (Retired) Allan “Dinger” Bell shows off this year’s special Mooseheads jersey design honouring HMCS Kootenay. Photo by Cpl David Veldman, FIS Halifax.[/caption]Ryan Melanson, Trident Newspaper ~The Halifax Mooseheads weren’t able to get a win over the Drummondville Voltigeurs, but they still put on a great show in front of a military-heavy audience on Nov. 8 for the team’s 16th annual DND Appreciation Night.This year’s game took place in front of over 7,000 fans at the Scotiabank Centre, with the Mooseheads wearing special jerseys to recognize the 50th anniversary of the HMCS Kootenay explosion and those who died. Along with the Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) flag party, the team welcomed Kootenay survivor LS (Retired) Allan “Dinger” Bell and Rear Admiral Craig Baines, Commander MARLANT, on the ice prior to the game for the ceremonial puck drop.RAdm Baines thanked the team and the fans for their continued support over the years, as well as for putting the Kootenay explosion front and centre as the Royal Canadian Navy community continues to recognize that tragedy at sea 50 years ago.“I’m honoured to be standing here in front of you alongside Dinger Bell,” RAdm Baines said to the crowd. He added the annual Mooseheads game serves as a reminder of the close ties between the Canadian Armed Forces in Halifax and the wider community.“It’s one of the reasons that Halifax is the place in Canada to wear a uniform,” he said.The Kootenay crew were also recognized during the regular Canadian Forces Family of the Game segment, with the focus being put on the entirety of the ship’s company and their family members.“We honour them for their bravery in the face of a tragedy that claimed the lives of nine Kootenay member, and forever changed the lives of the survivors and their...

[caption id="attachment_22231" align="alignnone" width="591"] Michael McGlennon, Vice President of Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada (left), and CPO1 Gerald Doutre attend the Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa to lay a wreath on behalf of the Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada. Photo credit PGVC.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~It was only a short moment in time when Chief Petty Officer First Class Gerald Doutre carried a wreath up the steps to the National War Memorial and gently laid it at the base of the massive stone sculpture.Etched on the ribbon adorning the Remembrance Day wreath were the words Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada. To those watching, it was just another wreath joining the dozens carefully placed there during the Nov. 11 service. But to hundreds of military members like CPO1 Doutre, it was a marker of time served in a long-ago war. “It was certainly a proud moment for all Persian Gulf veterans and me, and without a doubt it was also therapeutic,” said CPO1 Doutre. “We had a lot of good folks over there who sacrificed so much; attending this ceremony gave us a chance to remember this and create awareness for the rest of Canada about what we did in the gulf war.”Today, CPO1 Doutre, 50, works as Division Chief for the Director General of Maritime Equipment and Program Management in Gatineau, Que. He is also a member of the Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada.Almost three decades ago, as a young Leading Seaman, he deployed to the Persian Gulf as a Naval Electronic Sensor Operator on board HMCS Athabaskan. The Iroquois-class destroyer was the command and control vessel for the three-ship Canadian Task Group, with their efforts largely focussed on resupplying Allied ships fighting in the war. He vividly remembers the black, acrid smoke clouding the sky...

[caption id="attachment_22227" align="alignnone" width="591"] Major James Oliver, Australia’s North-West Mobile Force Arnhem Squadron Commanding Officer, pictured left, and his Regimental Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer Class One Kenneth Nelliman, lay a unit wreath at the B.C. legislature cenotaph during the Remembrance Day service. Photo by Lieutenant Natasha Tersigni[/caption]Lt Natasha Tersigni, 4th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group Public Affairs Officer ~Ten members of the Australian Army Reserve’s North-West Mobile Force traded their sunhats for toques and travelled to British Columbia for Exercise Northern Lights 2019 hosted by the 4th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group (4CRPG).The Australian Army Reserve unit and 4 CRPG have shared hosting yearly unit exchanges since 2011 to give a better understanding of each other’s training and practices.The military units are both wilderness living experts with extensive knowledge of the land where they operate, and both contribute to their country’s national security and public safety in remote, isolated areas.“This ongoing exchange has proven immensely successful with many best practices learned on both sides, as well as valuable cultural exchanges, including an understanding of Aboriginal culture,” said Lieutenant Colonel Russ Meades, Commanding Officer of 4 CRPG. “This exchange not only strengthens our respective units, but bolsters the ties between Canada and Australia, two quite similar allied Pacific Rim countries.”Training activities took place from Nov. 10 to 22, delivered by Canadian Rangers in Victoria, Terrace, and Smithers, British Columbia. Training included operating the Canadian Ranger C19 service rifle; learning about predators that might be encountered in northern British Columbia; avalanche safety; equipment used while patrolling the backcountry; helicopter operations in winter conditions; overnight operations in the backcountry; and snowmobiling on the Hudson Bay Mountain.“It is just incredible the number of similarities we have with the Canadian Rangers,” said Major James Oliver, Officer in Charge of NORFORCE’s Arnhem Squadron. “The distance in remote areas our...

[caption id="attachment_22222" align="alignnone" width="591"] Master Bombardier Ryan Houston from 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, awaits the loading order from the Troop Commander during the confirmation shout at the start of Operation Palaci at Rogers Pass, B.C. on Nov. 22. Photo by MCpl PJ Létourneau, Canadian Forces Combat Camera[/caption] The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) annual support to Parks Canada Agency’s Avalanche Control Program, Operation Palaci, is underway and expected to continue into April 2020.The CAF have provided artillery support to the Parks Canada avalanche control program in Glacier National Park, in the Rogers Pass region since 1961. Rogers Pass carries the major national road and rail transportation through the rugged Columbia Mountains in British Columbia.Each year, artillery gun troops are deployed to Rogers Pass with 105-mm C3 howitzers, adapted to fit the roadside gun platforms. This year, the operation will be carried out in two rotations. Both rotations will be carried out by 17 members from 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, based out of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Shilo, Manitoba, and augmented by various reserve artillery units. 

[caption id="attachment_22219" align="alignnone" width="591"] Petty Officer Second Class Marielle Audet performs a smudging ceremony using a variety of herbs and grasses grown at her home garden in Colwood. She grows the herbs to help supply smudging kits for vessels of the Royal Canadian Navy. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~In the back of Petty Officer Second Class Marielle Audet’s Belmont Park home is a well-tended garden. It might seem like an ordinary plot, brimming in the summer with leafy greens of all varieties, but growing from the earth are the makings of smudging kits. PO2 Audet is of mixed background, Indigenous and French, and when not playing clarinet with the Naden Band, she serves on the Defence Aboriginal Advisory Group. When she learned that warships of the Pacific Fleet were to be equipped with smudging kits, she combined her knowledge of the ceremony with her green thumb to supply the sacred herbs. The smudging ceremony involves the burning of herbs and grasses including, but not limited to, sweet grass, tobacco, sage, rosemary and wild fennel. “This is just my humble contribution to bringing forward this new policy and I’m quite happy to do it,” said PO2 Audet. After harvesting them in the fall, she then dries them in brown paper bags at her home.The 53-year-old says smudging is an important part of Aboriginal culture in North America. Smudging has echoes in many traditions around the world including Catholicism, Buddhism and Wicca.“To me smudging is for cleansing of all the negativity in our lives, thoughts and perceptions. It helps us open up to our thoughts and be more objective as we go through difficult times.”She uses a large abalone shell or wooden bowl to hold the sage bundles in place before the burning. Once a bundle is lit, she uses...

[caption id="attachment_22212" align="alignnone" width="591"] Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Jonathan Vance presents CWO (Retired) Brad Amirault with a Sacrifice Medal at Juno Tower in Halifax on Nov. 23. Photo credit: Sgt Chelsea Hutson[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A retired career soldier with family ties to CFB Esquimalt says the recent awarding of a Sacrifice Medal has been the perfect tonic to accelerate his recovery from deployment injuries, mental and physical.Chief Warrant Officer (Retired) Brad Amirault received the medal from General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff, in a formal ceremony at Juno Tower at CFB Halifax on Nov. 23.The Sacrifice Medal was established in 2008 as a replacement to the Wound Stripe medal and is part of a continued effort by the Government of Canada to provide formal recognition to those who die as a result of military service or are wounded in action.CWO Amirault says having the medal presented by his friend and former Commanding Officer Gen Vance was an emotional and heartfelt moment.The two men shared a hearty handshake in the hallway prior to the ceremony and even some tears during the proceedings as they recounted some shared, difficult times where they drew strength from each other as warriors do.“Having the senior Canadian Forces commander present the medal in front of my immediate family members was an honour that I will proudly wear for the rest of my days.”Adding to the emotions, says CWO Amirault, was the outpouring of support from dozens of family members and friends at a reception held the next day.“It was huge to have all these people supporting me and to see a video presentation of my career played during the ceremony. I truly believe the moment helped me effectively communicate to my family what I could not verbalize. I was reminded of my roots...

[caption id="attachment_22132" align="alignnone" width="591"] Petty Officer Second Class Jason Boisvenue, Able Seaman Coree Ranville, AB Adam Gabrielsson, Leading Seaman Joshua Reves, and LS Gregory Ratych pose with their project for the demolition phase of their training. Photo by MCpl Carbe Orellana, MARPAC Imaging Services.[/caption] LCdr Michael Erwin, NFS (P) ~From October into December, Naval Fleet School (Pacific’s) Seamanship Division is conducting three RQ demolitions phases, two RQ Ordinary Seaman serials, and one RQ Leading Seaman serial at Slesse Demolitions Range near Chilliwack on the mainland as a proof of concept designed to gather data and experience about the use of this range.The usual location for this training is Bentinck Island, located between Pedder Bay and Race Rocks. However, in the fall of 2018 the Bentinck Island Range was temporarily closed, causing NFS(P) to consider other options for the delivery of its demolitions mandate. The possibility that presented itself was the use of Slesse Demolitions Range.Though the Bentinck range re-opened with no impact to training, the notion of trialing Slesse Range as a venue for demolitions training took hold, so that the various logistical and personnel requirements of the alternate site could be fully understood should the use of Bentinck become unfeasible for any reason in the future. Getting to SlesseThe research and preparations required to shift the training from Bentinck Island to the unfamiliar and relatively distant Slesse Range were extensive, but under the efforts and leadership of CPO2 John Kranz, PO1 Kevin Hall, and A/SLt Alexandra Duplessis the plan took shape. A host of considerations were thought out and dealt with, ranging from how to move equipment, people, and explosives to the mainland range, to the accommodation and feeding of staff and students.They took advantage of the military camp established in Chilliwack in 1942. Following unification in 1968 it became Canadian...

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="591"] A view of the over-crowded bike storage area at Nelles Block. Due to a new base policy to address the parking space shortage, bikes that are left in bike racks for a period of longer than 60 days are subject to tagging and removal. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout.[/caption] Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~If you left a bicycle parked in the bike racks at Naden for over three months, the security team at Nelles Block may have the answer to your question, where’s my bike?Since the implementation of a new policy by Sgt David Brand, Base Accommodations Barrack Warden Sergeant, accommodation staff have been tagging and removing abandoned bikes left at the Nelles Block and Bernays Block residences for longer than 60 days.The new policy came at the request of the Base Commander’s office in an attempt to address the build up of abandoned bicycles in valuable bike rack spaces for commuting cyclists.Once removed, the bike is photographed, the serial number recorded to ensure it isn’t stolen, and then locked up in storage. If the bikes aren’t claimed within a 90-day period after their seizure, they are donated to charity.Sgt Brand says the lengthy holding period is to accommodate sailors who may be deployed at sea and forgot to remove their bike from the rack before they left.So far, 16 bikes have been removed from the Nelles Block bike rack, held for six months, and then turned over to charity. Eleven bikes were recently removed from the Bernays Block bike rack and put into storage.“Many people still aren’t aware of the policy change concerning abandoned bikes despite signage at bicycle racks and in ­storage rooms alerting people to the problem, so we are trying to get the word out,” said Sgt Brand. “If you think you may have one of these bikes, I encourage you to stop by my office in Nelles Block and have a look at our inventory.”An instructional booklet about the new policy has also been...

[caption id="attachment_22117" align="alignnone" width="591"] Back row: LS Kim, AB Park, SLt Hahm, and SLt Yun. Front row: SLt Lee and LS Moon. Photo by Leading Seaman Victoria Ioganov[/caption]Capt Jenn Jackson, HMCS Ottawa PAO ~ Within HMCS Ottawa’s bulkheads is a small community of sailors with personal ties to some of the many ports visited by ship and crew during Operations Projection and Neon.Six members were born in the Republic of Korea, many with close family still living in Pyeongtaek, Incheon, and Busan – three of the ports visited during the deployment.“One of the highlights of this deployment for me was being able to come alongside Busan. I’m glad Ottawa had a chance to appreciate my family’s hometown and made me proud to be Korean-born Canadian,” said Sub-Lieutenant Hyunji (Ann) Lee, Bridge Watchkeeper-Under-Training.While in Pyeongtaek she served as a translator.“It was a difficult time because I was exposed to a much higher level of Korean than what I am used to, but acting as a translator proved to be a valuable experience and really made me appreciate the efforts my parents had gone through to make sure I still retained Korean as a language.”All six Korean-Canadians on board speak Korean, so it’s not uncommon to hear them chatting Korean in the flats or messes.“I grew up speaking Korean at home, although my vocabulary could use some work,” said SLt Jong Won Joseph Hahm, Marine Systems Engineering Officer Phase VI. “It’s good practice to have an opportunity to speak Korean on the ship and it has helped build our community.”For Leading Seaman Guyeon Kim, Weapons Engineering Technician – Sonar, his Korean heritage has built strong ties within the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).“I have found a solid bond with the other Korean-born Canadians because we have a lot in common, coming from similar backgrounds,”...

DND ~The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) team consists of three distinct workforces: Regular Force, Reserve Force and civilian that work together to deliver maritime effect for the Government of Canada. While the Canadian Armed Forces and the RCN are evolving to more closely integrate these three components, each will always afford the nation with unique and specific capabilities. As part of this evolution, the RCN is creating a Primary Reserve component for each of its managed occupations. This will enable employment and career progression, on a part-time basis, in every naval occupation. Some occupations will be structured to allow direct entry for civilians and some, such as Marine Systems Engineering and Naval Combat Systems Engineering, will only allow Component Transfer from the Regular Force following attainment of the Operationally Functional Point (OFP). Regardless, for many people, the Naval Reserve will offer an opportunity to continue to serve Canada in a military role but with a reduced and more flexible commitment of time. For those qualified sailors who can commit time, employment opportunities exist across the fleet and the institution in part-time, short-term and longer-term employment. Beyond the ability to continue to serve with increased flexibility of employment, there are many other benefits to transferring to the Naval Reserve. More senior members, considering release to capitalise on their annuity benefit, who still desire to contribute and who have occupational knowledge and skills are encouraged to contact their local Naval Reserve Division to explore continued service options. They could benefit from the more flexible employment opportunities while providing leadership and skills developed over a career to a growing and operationally enhanced Naval Reserve. Service within the Naval Reserve not only affords the employment and geographic stability some people desire, it also delivers the benefits of stability, pension considerations, medical and dental benefits,...

[caption id="attachment_22079" align="alignnone" width="593"] A bubble curtain is activated in Esquimalt Harbour just prior to a marine blast on Sept. 13. The work is being done to make way for a new small boats jetty in Dockyard.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Construction of three small boat jetties located near the southeastern end of Esquimalt Harbour in dockyard is entering its fourth and final phase. Once completed in 2021, the small boat floats will be the berthing place for the eight Orca-class vessels of the Patrol Craft Training Unit, and tugboats and auxiliary vessels operated by the Queen’s Harbour Master (QHM). The jetties, ranging in length of 156 to 162 metres, will be built on the shoreline of Constance Cove, with one jetty being near the Hood Building and the other two north of that.The design-bid-build project is being overseen by Defence Construction Canada (DCC). “We are excited to see this project approaching its final stages,” said Angie Zemanek, Coordinator, Professional Services Contracts with DCC. “Once completed, it will provide the defence community with modernized and expanded infrastructure to accommodate the needs of the current and future fleet of the small vessels of the Royal Canadian Navy.” The construction of this fourth phase is being done by Pomerleau Inc .The jetty project has been in the works since 2005 which coincided with the construction period of the Orca vessels. Currently, the Orcas are berthed near D Jetty on the Colwood-side of the base.  QHM vessels reside at the current ML floats in the waters adjacent to Transport Road near Fleet Maintenance Facility (FMF) Cape Breton. When the project is complete, they will make a short 500 metre move to the northeast to the new jetties.Preparation for the project started in 2017 with dredging of the basin, also part of the Harbour Remediation Project. The...

[caption id="attachment_22076" align="alignnone" width="593"] The future HMCS Margaret Brooke was successfully launched on Sunday, Nov. 20, in Halifax, NS. The ship is the second of the Harry DeWolf class, known as the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships. Photo by MCpl Manuela Berger, Formation Imaging Services Halifax[/caption]Courtesy Maple Leaf ~Canada’s second Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), the future HMCS Margaret Brooke, was successfully launched in Halifax. The launch marked the first time the ship was put in water. The ship will be berthed alongside the Halifax Shipyard until its remaining construction work is completed.Designated the Harry DeWolf-class, these ships were designed with a thick and robust hull that will allow them to operate in up to 120 cm of first-year sea ice. The ships will also be able to operate with a Cyclone helicopter and embark small vehicles, deployable boats, and cargo containers, which will support expanded Royal Canadian Navy surveillance activities and operations while patrolling Canada’s three coasts.The construction of these new AOPS is essential for supporting Canadian Armed Forces operations at home, and abroad, and will provide greater capability to patrol in the Arctic. Work to finalize the construction of the future HMCS Margaret Brooke is ongoing, and an official naming ceremony is being planned for 2020. The ship is expected to be in full service in 2021.

[caption id="attachment_22073" align="alignnone" width="593"] Volunteers from the base and across Victoria pitched in on the latest Radical Renovation on behalf of local charity HeroWork at Peers Victoria Resource Society. Photo by John W.Penner, John’s Photography[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Volunteers from the base are again being hailed for their ‘HeroWork’, performing renovation work on a building that houses a charitable organization in Esquimalt. Over a five-week period, from Oct. 13 to Nov. 17, 45 military personnel from the base grabbed their tool belts and demolition gear and helped local charity HeroWork and its latest ‘Radical Renovation’ project at Peers (Prostitutes Empowerment Education and Resource Society). Peers is a non-profit that supports workers in the sex trade industry and those who wish to leave it with day-to-day needs including housing, medical assistance, financial support, advocacy, social justice, and non-judgemental support. Multiple units pitched in with other volunteers from the community to perform $625,000 worth of improvements at the Fairview Road charity in Esquimalt. Building supplies, equipment, and other costs are paid for through charitable donations including a $10,000 donation from Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services charity Boomer’s Legacy, a frequent donor to HeroWork’s many projects. The historic relationship between the Canadian Armed Forces, the base, and HeroWork dates back to the charity’s founding in 2010. Since its inception, HeroWork has performed over $5 million worth of renovations, but the continued and consistent efforts by both military and civilian staff from CFB Esquimalt along with military veterans from the area has been crucial for success of the projects, says Paul Latour, HeroWork CEO.“It’s a terrific partnership that helps us rebuild community buildings,” said Latour. “Volunteers from CFB Esquimalt are an integral piece to solving the puzzle of our ability to put these programs on because they bring the people, the experience, organization, and...

Katelyn Moores, Base Public Affairs ~This week marks National Addictions Awareness Week (NAAW), an opportunity for Canadians to increase their understanding of substance use, its impacts, and methods for prevention. The theme of this year’s NAAW is Stigma Ends with Me; it aims to help people recognize and address the stigmatized language and attitudes that surround those who struggle with substance abuse.It’s estimated that more than 75 per cent of people believe those living with a substance abuse disorder do so either fully or partially by choice. In fact, next to financial cost, stigma is the second largest barrier for individuals who consider seeking treatment. The Addictions-Free Living Group of the Maritime Forces Pacific Health and Wellness Strategy is hoping to help change this narrative by challenging people to rethink how they talk about substance use and addiction.“Stigma is an important issue surrounding substance abuse because it acts as a barrier for many people to ask for help,” says Andrea Lam, Health Promotions Specialist. “When people feel ashamed, embarrassed, or scared, they are less likely to seek help and access resources.”The stigma associated with substance use disorders is often displayed through the use of language that creates feelings of shame. This stigmatized language can then lead to a cycle of behaviours and attitudes within our society that isolate and marginalize people who use substances. Not only can this stigma discourage people from seeking help for fear of being labeled as an “addict”, it can also impact the quality of healthcare services they are provided and influence the allocation of government resources towards treatment initiatives. The hope is that by shifting to person-focused language – or language that acknowledges someone as a person before describing their personal attributes or health conditions – we can help to address this stigma and shift the...

[caption id="attachment_22067" align="alignnone" width="593"] HMCS Ottawa’s starboard watch sonar operators gather for a group photo outside their restricted workspace. Back row: PO2 St. Pierre and LS Buss. Front row: OS Legg, AB Collett, and MS McPeak. Photo by Captain Jenn Jackson, HMCS Ottawa PAO[/caption]Captain Jenn Jackson, HMCS Ottawa PAO ~Whomp! Whomp! Whomp!That was the steady sound coming from the underwater telephone in HMCS Ottawa’s Operations Room throughout Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) serials conducted in ANNUALEX. Ottawa participated in the exercise from Nov. 10 to 19 during Operation Projection. It was a combined exercise that included more than 25 ships, submarines, and aircraft organized into different task groups from the U.S., Australia, Japan, and Canada’s HMCS Ottawa. The purpose of ANNUALEX was to improve interoperability and the capability for surface warfare, air defence and undersea warfare. The exercise included helicopter operations with the Australians and Japanese, replenishments-at-sea with the U.S. and Japanese, a visit from an Lt Cleo Scarce, a Royal Australian Navy officer, manoeuvres with the different task groups, ASW, and a war-at-sea phase.Ottawa’s main focus during the exercise was ASW, and sonar operators played a pivotal role. It was the eyes and ears of sonar operators that were responsible for detecting, monitoring, and tracking “red force” submarines during the exercise.“During ANNUALEX, we were tasked with using passive sensors, so we deployed our Canadian Towed Array Sonar System to detect the submarines,” says Petty Officer Second Class Sebastien St-Pierre, Sonar Control Supervisor in Ottawa. “From there it is up to us to know what is what in the ocean.”The Canadian Towed Array System, or CANTASS, is designed to be towed up to two kilometers behind a Halifax Class Frigate, depending on oceanographic conditions, to detect and neutralize submarines by locating the sonar away from ship-generated noise. CANTASS is a passive sonar that...

NDWCC PROFILE:Make this your reason to give.During the 2019 National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign, consider supporting charities that support homeless veterans.Veterans’ homelessness is a growing issue in Canada. According to a 2014 report published in the Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, there were 2,950 veterans staying in shelters, making up 2.2 per cent of annual shelter users. The report also highlighted how approximately 25 per cent of the veteran population in Canada face difficulties transitioning from military service to civilian life, and have an increased risk of homelessness, mental illness, and addictions. While veterans make up approximately two per cent of the Canadian population, advocates are concerned with the overrepresentation of veterans in the homeless population.Factors at playNo one organization or group or level of government can hope to tackle veterans’ homelessness on their own. There are a multitude of factors that contribute to, and perpetuate this issue.The study noted that veterans comprised 4.3 per cent of a sample of the adult homeless population with severe mental illness. Veterans identified additional transition challenges beyond starting a new career. One veteran described the transition “like being on Mars and coming back to earth”. Veterans can be hesitant to ask for help, not feeling worthy of the supports made available to them or being distrustful of those offering help.VAC questionnaires and application forms can seem daunting and complex.The study showed a higher incidence of addiction and mental illness among veterans, but especially for those experiencing homelessness. While 11 per cent of veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), many reported using alcohol to deal with their mental health, and some started using while in the military.Some of the problems that put veterans at risk of homelessness were not present when they began their military services, but instead developed over time. To...

Courtesy the Maple Leaf ~Serving in the military is not just a job, it’s a way of life that involves the entire family. There is no other career quite like it, a career that, for many members, becomes synonymous with their identity. That is why transitioning from military to civilian life can be one of the most difficult transitions members and their families make. As such, transition requires thorough preparation, often including social, emotional and psychological adjustments as a person and as a family. Roughly 10,000 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel transition out of the military each year. Every member and their family will one day transition out of the Forces. Transition involves us all. Realizing the challenges members and their families often face when reintegrating into civilian life is why the CAF stood up its newest formation in December of last year, the Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group. About the CAF Transition GroupThe CAF Transition Group is comprised of its headquarters in Ottawa and nine Transition Units located across the country, supporting 32 Transition Centres. In coordination with Veterans Affairs Canada and its other partners, the CAF Transition Group is continuously working to improve the support and programs it offers and to achieve its mission of delivering personalized, professional, and standardized casualty support and transition services to CAF members and their families. The goal is a seamless transition and enhanced well-being for all members and their families, with special attention provided to ill and injured personnel, their families and the families of the deceased. Up until recently, the process of “transition” was a foreign concept for the CAF. When a member left the Forces, he or she was said to “release” from the military. This release consisted of a military member filling out forms, getting paperwork in order, and returning...

[caption id="attachment_22044" align="alignnone" width="593"] The Base Information Services 2019 Adventure Training Team. Front: Maj Jixiang Hu, LS Tammy Hudak, Brenda Lamont, and Melanie Gillespie. Back: Sgt Mike Fagan, Lt(N) Heather Macdonald, Capt Gordon Keyser, and Cpl Shilton Alfonso.[/caption]Sgt Mike Fagan, Base Information Services ~Each year, military members all across Canada look forward to the annual adventure training.This training is unique in that Canadian Forces members are encouraged to put forward their ideas for an event that challenges both body and mind while building team cohesion.This usually involves some sort of physical challenge and always ends with some fun stories, fond memories and great photos.  This year was no exception at Base Information Services (BIS).Proposals are typically narrowed down to the top three favourites and after fiscal, logistical, and safety considerations have been weighed, one proposal is chosen.This year, BIS sent a team of eight members to hike the Juan de Fuca trail.With preparations complete and a couple of practice hikes, including climbing Mt Finlayson and the Sugar Loaf Trail under their belts, the team was ready to embark on their five-day team-building excursion.The trail is 47.5 kilometres in wilderness located within the Juan De Fuca Provincial Park along the southwestern coast of Vancouver Island. It boasts some of the most challenging terrain and truly stunning panoramic views through Canada’s only rain forest. Terrain and elevation change dramatically over the course of the trail.  At some points it’s nothing but rocks, at others it’s lush and green, and in other places the team found themselves surrounded by browns under a forest canopy of tall treesSurrounded by the beauty of the rain forest, the team hiked through the changing terrain. They navigated through the mud, the rocks, and the changing tides, all the while keeping an eye out for bears, cougars, and the...

The International Military Pilgrimage to Lourdes, France will be held May 15-17, 2020. Over 12,000 military members from over 40 countries will be represented. Canada has sent a delegation of pilgrims to this event for many years.The International Military Pilgrimage is an ecumenical and interfaith event. CAF members and veterans (Regular Force and Reservists) are welcome to attend whether healthy, wounded, ill or injured. Those who are motivated by a personal spirituality to participate are encouraged to apply.In recognition of the sacrifice of Canada and other nations during both World Wars and recent conflicts, the French Armed Forces invite between 12,000 to 15,000 current and former military personnel from over 40 countries to parade and pray together for world peace, spiritual healing, and justice. While this is a Roman Catholic Pilgrimage site, this experience welcomes pilgrims from all Christian denominations and faith groups and CAF members and veterans of all faiths will be eligible to participate. ABOUT THE PILGRIMAGEAt the end of the Second World War, Lourdes was a place where French and German soldiers sought to physically and spiritually heal together. The first International Military Pilgrimage was held in 1958. Forty-two other nations have since joined in this act of healing and reconciliation. One could also open up and find out more about their life as to get better clarity and here is where one can find all the best psychics in one place.Lourdes is a very famous and frequently visited pilgrimage site for Roman Catholics and for people from many other faiths and spiritual experiences. It is visited by people seeking healing and renewal.Activities at the Pilgrimage include worship opportunities, a parade through the town of Lourdes culminating in a ceremony at the local war memorial, a candle light vigil, a visit to the baths for immersion in...

[caption id="attachment_22037" align="alignnone" width="594"] Master Seaman Dany Nadeau. Photo credit: MCpl Levarre McDonald[/caption]Ashley Evans, FMF CB ~It was a quiet Thursday afternoon at the Fleet Maintenance Facility (FMF) Cape Breton (CB) when Master Seaman Dany Nadeau received a phone call from his supervisor, Petty Officer Second Class Kevin Larsen, notifying he was being considered in the 2019 National Sentry Program.“I felt quite honoured to be nominated,” said MS Nadeau, 30. A nomination for this program is made for CAF members who have achieved a high standard of work, and whose presence reflects and represents the values of the CAF. It was only one week after that initial phone call when MS Nadeau learned he had been selected for sentry duty at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from Oct. 22 to Nov. 10.The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which sits in front of the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Ontario, is Canada’s most visible and iconic reminder of CAF members’ continued service and sacrifice. In May 2000, remains of an unidentified Canadian soldier who had died in the First World War and was buried in Grave 7, Row E of Plot 8 of the Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery in Souchez, France, were repatriated. On May 28, 2000, the Unknown Soldier was transported with full military honours to the National War Memorial on a horse-drawn Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) gun carriage where a large ceremony commenced. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was designed to honour the more than 116,000 Canadian lives sacrificed in the call for peace and freedom. MS Nadeau was born and raised an only child in Montreal, Quebec, where he found his interests and passions in the millwright trade and playing guitar.“Growing up, my uncle was in the army. He would tell me the character traits he saw...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Defence Team members can now access civilian human resources information through their cell phone. The first-of-its-kind smartphone application, HR GO RH, was released in June by DND’s ADM HR-Civ and provides employment-related information. The bilingual app available for Android or iOS devices provides at-your-fingertips information.The app provides quick and convenient access to human resources information any time of day from virtually any location, says Diana Scheper, Digital Project Manager with ADM (HR-Civ). “The HR GO RH app is really an effort to leverage changes in technology and changes in demography,” said Scheper. “Put simply, the way in which we conduct our lives has changed significantly from years ago with information and support now at our fingertips. This is another way that ADM (HR-Civ) is modernizing the way that service is delivered.”From the HR GO RH pull-down menu, users can find:news and announcements, including updates on the Phoenix Compensation Agreement;pay, benefits, and leave information;information about mental health and well-being; awards and recognition and help for managers about managing your team’s pay, schedules and staffing; a section about working at DND, which includes initiatives for military spouses, priority entitlements, and student employees; and,a toolbox that offers overtime and pay calculators, as well as  job and leave classification descriptions. A separate video section offers users content on mental health, well-being, and pay. The latest version of the app, its fourth release, was made available on Oct. 28 and features enhanced navigation, information, and videos. Scheper says she and her staff are continuing their push to let more DND employees know about the app and its usefulness. ADM (HR-Civ) recently announced a contest offering weekly prizes in an effort to encourage more users to download the app. If you have more questions or concerns about HR Connect RH or the new HR...

[caption id="attachment_22031" align="alignnone" width="593"] Siblings PO2 Thomas Hertel and Capt Monica Phillips on HMCS Ottawa’s quarterdeck. Photo by Capt Jen Jackson, HMCS Ottawa PAO[/caption]Capt Jenn Jackson, HMCS Ottawa PAO ~When Captain Monica Phillips received her posting to HMCS Ottawa she knew it was coming with an added experience.For the first time in their more than 20-year careers, Capt Phillips and her brother Petty Officer Second Class Thomas “Turtle” Hertel were posted to the same unit. “We had both been posted to the same geographical area before, but Ottawa is the first time we have served in the same unit, same ship,” said Capt Phillips.“When I came aboard I had to advise the chain of command that Thomas was my brother – they were not even aware. To counter any conflict of interest, I ensure that I keep things transparent, including ensuring there is another person present whenever I need to discuss something with Thomas professionally,” she adds.Many crew members are not aware of their connection because she goes by her married name. “There is that moment of shock and surprise when they find out, and it is almost always a funny reaction,” said PO2 Hertel.Capt Phillips, a Regular Force Physician Assistant who joined in 1998 as a Medical Technician, is the older sibling. But PO2 Hertel, a Marine Technician – Electrical, beat her to the military punch by joining the reserves as an infantry soldier right out of high school in 1992. He then transferred to the Regular Force in his current occupation in 2000. His experiences indirectly influenced his sister’s decision to join.“I knew I wanted to study medicine, and the military seemed like a great opportunity to do it,” said Capt Phillips. “I thought about becoming a Medical Officer from the beginning, but Turtle complained so much about officers...

[caption id="attachment_21997" align="alignnone" width="593"] HMCS Provider by John M. Mulders. Provider was a support ship and the first in the fleet, as well as the largest ship ever built in Canada for the Canadian Navy during its time. It was commissioned in 1963 and was built to carry fuel, ammunition, supplies, dry and refrigerated provisions, and replacement helicopters among other necessary freight to aid its naval fleet. Photo credit: Maritime Museum of BC[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A new art show featuring a cross-section of art work from the Maritime Museum of B.C. has opened at Victoria’s Government House over the weekend.The collection of over 500 art works from the museum made their debut at the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia on Nov. 8 and will be available for viewing until the fall of 2020. “The art show highlights paintings of life along our coast over the past several hundred years,” says David Leverton, Maritime Museum of B.C. Executive Director. “Important to this theme is artwork representing the protection of our coastline by the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).”This is portrayed in the work of John M. Mulders, including his painting of former RCN supply vessel HMCS Provider. Provider was the largest ship ever built for the RCN during the Cold-War era and was assigned to CFB Esquimalt from 1969 until it was paid off in 1998. Edward Goodall’s portrayal of former RCN Flower-class corvette HMCS Sudbury and the rescue of S.S. Glafkos in Barkley Sound during the 1960s is another painting featured in the art show.Other works of art include early European discovery of B.C., the whaling industry, and vessels of the Canadian Coast Guard, tugboats and ferries.

[caption id="attachment_21994" align="alignnone" width="592"] Author James Southern displays a copy of his book Once Upon Once Again. Photo by Peter Mallett[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A civilian employee from the base is at it again, telling his stories and fairy tales in his second book. James Southern, 76, a power engineer for CFB Esquimalt’s central heating plant, has self-published his latest book Once Again Once Upon, a vividly descriptive tangled web of tales that involves spiders, aphids, ants, and a sprinkling of fairies.He describes it as bedtime stories geared towards teenagers and young adults “inducing a minimum of nightmares.” His latest literary offering is more comedic than frightening and includes a reworking of the 18 stories told in his first self-published offering Once Upon: Fairly Tall Fairy Tales, and 12 new stories. “I do my writing to escape the stress of my daily routine. For me, it is quite satisfying to finish one of my stories. There is no sense in keeping it to myself if others will enjoy it.”He gears his stories to young people who lead fast-paced lives and have limited time or attention span to read novels. “I have a more vivid imagination than most people, so every story I tell is different,” says Southern. “I tell short stories because I have too many thoughts racing through my mind at any one time to stick to a long and drawn-out plot.”His influence is legendary Danish author and playwright Hans Christian Andersen. Similar to Andersen, Southern begins his fairy tales with the phrase Once upon a time. Most stories are set in Scandinavia in the late medieval period. He developed his love for writing during a time of loss, war, and a transcontinental move for him and his family. He never knew his father, Kenneth Southern, a Lieutenant Colonel who fought...

[caption id="attachment_21991" align="alignnone" width="593"] A clump of donated human hair hidden in a stack of wood for the dogs to search out. Photo by SLt M.X. Déry[/caption]SLt M.X. Déry, MARPAC PA Office ~For five years the non-profit Search and Recovery Dog Association of Victoria (SARDAV) has trained handlers and dogs to assist search organizations in finding human remains.In the same way that specializations exist in Canadian Armed Forces trades, canines can be trained to search for different things; some dogs detect explosives or narcotics, others track living people, while others find human remains.When it becomes unlikely that someone will be found alive, human remain detection dogs are a tool authorities can use to recovery bodies.“I believe everyone should come home,” said head trainer Angela Lavergne, who works at Regional Cadet Support Unit Pacific by day, and volunteers at SARDAV on her off time.At the start, training focusses on obedience and responding to verbal commands to prepare both dog and owner to move up the training ladder. The association meets each Sunday at various locations on the lower island, with CFB Esquimalt’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) training site located in Work Point as one of the locations. The USAR site is ideal as it contains various types of terrain, from natural paths and wooded areas to industrial and urban disaster areas. After basic obedience training, handlers learn search and recovery theory, and a dog’s ability to suss out remains is developed. Human remains are placed at the training site; human hair, teeth, blood and even placenta are sealed in a plastic bag and great care is taken not to contaminate the remains with other objects or scents as this could confuse the dog.“If you walk straight to a location and drop the article, the dog will just follow your scent to...

[caption id="attachment_21988" align="alignnone" width="593"] Guests of the DWAO pose for group photo in front of the outside fire trainer. Photos by Leading Seaman Brendan Gibson, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]A/SLt Michelle Scott, MARPAC Public Affairs ~Damage Control Galiano’s flood gates were opened and their fire trainer lit for a group of women interested in learning about the facility.Twenty-nine women from the defence community and Greater Victoria businesses donned bunker gear on Oct. 29 and tried their hand at tackling flood and fire situations in the flood trainer, fixing pipe breaks, using the fire extinguisher and hoses, and learning about the five stages of fire.The women-only event, the first of its kind at Damage Control Division, was hosted by the Defence Women’s Advisory Organization (DWAO).“The purpose of the morning was to have them go through a new experience and allow them to dig a little deeper for the afternoon discussion groups,” explained Lieutenant (Navy) Melanie Weaver, DWAO military co-chair.The women shared their experiences in the afternoon talks and provided support and advice to each other.“I was impressed with the comfort level the women had during the discussions,” said Nicole Schaaf, DWAO civilian co-chair.  “It is difficult to talk about diversity issues in the workplace. This amazing experience brought the group together and fostered a level of comfort that led to open, honest conversations.”The DWAO will take the concerns raised at the meeting and pass them to senior leadership for further discussion. This is a mandate of the group – to address systemic issues facing women in the DND/CAF and provide a voice for those who may not feel as though they have one.Four influential female leaders from the local business community including Mandy Farmer, Honorary Captain (Navy) of CFB Esquimalt and CEO of Accent Inns and Hotel Zed, also participated in the event.Farmer, who...

[caption id="attachment_21985" align="alignnone" width="593"] Cadet Hannah Tiemer from 100 RCSCC in Duncan charts a course aboard PCT Raven during the biannual Cadet Seamanship Deployments. Photo by Capt Jordan Holmes[/caption]Capt Jordan Holmes, RCSU(P) ~Sixty-four cadets from across Canada spent a week sailing in Patrol Craft Training vessels Orca and Raven.Cadets filled a variety of roles including navigator, helmsmen, boatswain, and cook, all while learning general seamanship and small boat handling skills.The two vessels were staffed by eight Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC) Reserve officers and nine Regular Force members from the Patrol Craft Training Unit (PCTU). Among the staff in Orca was SLt Deryn Hotel, from Victoria. This was her third round instructing the biannual seamanship deployments. “I was a cadet my first time on a PCT; there was so much to learn every day. I really thrived in the consistency and rhythm. It’s an opportunity unique to the Cadet Program for youth, and it’s so empowering. How many other teenagers get to experience a taste of life in the Royal Canadian Navy?” said SLt Hotel.She has been a CIC officer for three years and fills a variety of roles in the Cadet Program. She is an instructor with 100 Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps Admiral Mainguy in Duncan and teaches at the South Island Sailing Centre, where hundreds of cadets learn the basics of sailing every year. “Much of what happens at the Corps is in a classroom, whereas the seamanship deployments are practical and hands-on. I think it pushes cadets out of their comfort zone. They have to spend a lot of time building the trust of the Regular Force officers and NCMs (non commissioned members) on the ship, to show they are capable of running each exercise or performing a role, and they do. By the end of the week...

[caption id="attachment_21982" align="alignnone" width="593"] PO2 Gillies from Naval Personnel Training Group assists in the filming of a training video with a film crew from Race Rocks 3D. Photo by PO1 Beaulieu[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff writer ~A new tool in the training box of Naval Fleet School is currently being developed. Contracted by Naval Training Development Center Pacific (NTDC (P)), Race Rocks 3D is creating a fully functioning virtual reality version of the ship’s power generation and distribution system. It will include a series of instructional videos to be used in tandem with the virtual task trainer. By utilizing this technology, NTDC(P) hopes to enable naval trainees to hone their practical skills before placing them in real-world scenarios. This will also help propel current naval training into the future, and fulfill the vision of the Future Naval Training Strategy – to produce a world-class training system that fosters excellence at sea. Currently, phase two of the development shows trainees how to:Sync a generator at the switchboard;Parallel a generator with shore power at the switchboard; andReset a load shed con­di­tion. Created by the Program Support Services section of the Learning Support Center division of the NTDC(P), and Race Rocks 3D, this technology can be facilitated in-class or remotely, allowing trainees to learn at their own pace at any time via the Defence Learning Network (DLN). The program can be accessed at the convenience of the trainees via a tablet or computer onboard the ship, or remotely from their own devices.In the program, trainees or current sailors who need a refresher can decide what level of instruction they need while looking at an interactive, exact replica of a Halifax-class frigate switchboard. Trainees can watch videos that walk them through tasks step-by-step; they can choose to be walked through each step via a series of on-screen instructions;...