News

Crew members of HMCS Regina shared some special time with children of the Phillipines on Valentine’s Day. The warship is on its way back to Esquimalt after months away on duty in the Arabian Gulf.

Cpl Doug Hines and Ron Perkin get some information from Heather Williams about the Navy Run at the MARPAC Expo, which took place at the Naden Athletic Centre on Feb. 6. The run takes place June 23. More information is available at navyrunesquimalt.com.

The Honourable Judith Guichon, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, receives a Vice Regal Salute from the guard of Honour during the opening of the 5th Session of the 39th British Columbia Parliament on Feb. 5.

[caption id="attachment_3391" align="alignnone" width="300"] LS Bob McConnell and LS Andy O’Brien of Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) wrap the remains of a marine locator marker in dirt and gun tape before transporting it for disposal.[/caption] LS Bob McConnell and LS Andy O’Brien of Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) (FDU (P)) travelled to Prevost Island Feb. 7 in response to a call from a member of the public. Their mission: to find and dispose of a military marine locator marker that had been spotted on shore.Used to mark locations on the water of people in distress, marine locator markers (commonly known as smoke markers) are essential to marine search and rescue operations to mark potential dangers on or in the water, especially at night.  Normally, markers will fill with water and sink once they have completely burned, but sometimes they wash ashore, requiring disposal from trained personnel. That is where members from FDU (P) come in.  In response to information received by local authorities, members of the unit trained in unexploded ordnance disposal will travel to the location of the reported marker, find it and dispose of it properly.“If it is in a safe area we would dispose of it by using a small quantity of explosive on the marker as a precautionary measure,” says LS McConnell. “This helps safe-guard members of the public from any potential danger.”On Prevost Island, LS McConnell and LS O’Brien worked quickly to locate the marker, safely move it to the beach, detonate it, and, once it was safe, wrap the remains of the marker with dirt and gun tape to transport it for final disposal.“This type of call is probably the most common we receive at the Fleet Diving Unit,” said LS O’Brien. “It is very important these markers are disposed of properly, and we thank the...

[caption id="attachment_3388" align="alignnone" width="300"] Orca crew members stand ready.[/caption] As an Air Force Officer with a background in the Army Reserves, I will admit to being more than a little anxious when I found out this summer I was posted to work for the Royal Canadian Navy at CFB Esquimalt.  After more than 15 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, I had never seen a Canadian naval vessel up close, let alone sailed in one.Being always willing to accept a challenge and embark on a new adventure, I began to brush up on my navy ranks and learn some nautical terms before crossing the country to take up my post here in Victoria.  Before I knew it, the autumn passed in a flurry of training, emergency response exercises, construction projects and community relations, and the New Year arrived with my total “naval” experience being two hours on a Glendale tugboat.Finding this unacceptable, I immediately began to work to rectify the situation. I began with a morning hosted by LCdr Michelle Tessier and her crew in HMCS Nanaimo in January. Following this, I spent time on Orca-class training vessels belonging to the Patrol Craft Training Section of Canadian Fleet Pacific, which support the Naval Officer Training Centre’s MARS IV course Nabob.The course teaches basic seamanship and introduces naval personnel to shipboard life. I could not imagine a better introduction to the ships of the navy than spending time in an Orca observing the drive, determination, and level of training it takes to become a MARS officer.In the short time I spent in Patrol Craft Training Wolf, I was able to gain a basic understanding of what life at sea involves by observing the MARS IV Nabob trainees and Wolf crew during week two of their six-week sea phase carrying out the...

[caption id="attachment_3385" align="alignnone" width="300"] Members of the Castle Cary Pipes and Drums band march in a parade.[/caption] Here’s something you don’t hear everyday: bagpipers wanted.JD Baillie has been piping with the Castle Cary Pipes and Drums band for more than 25 years, and says the band’s receding membership needs filling.“Due to age and time we’ve seen a lot of members come and go,” says Baillie. “We used to have around 35 members but we’re down to about 14. We hope we can get membership back up to where it used to be. ”The band is recruiting as many new pipers and drummers as possible, and a lifetime of experience isn’t required to join as the band teaches members free of charge.“In the piping community there’s a culture of giving back. We want to teach as we were taught,” says Baillie. “We don’t want a lack of experience to be a barrier for entry. Everyone has to start their career somehow.”Those interested in joining the band will have to supply their own pipes, but drums are provided. The band also plays in full Scottish regalia complete with brogues, sporran, sgian dubh, and of course the iconic kilt.“We’re all about authenticity,” says Baillie. “We figure if we’re going to bother doing it at all, we might as well do it right.”This is a unique opportunity to be a part of a musical group that has been entwined with Victoria’s culture for almost three decades. Founded in the early 1980s, the band has become a staple of a number of events around Victoria including the Highland Games, the Remembrance Day Ceremony at the Langford Cenotaph, and Langford’s Freedom of the City celebration.Interested pipers and drummers are encouraged to contact the Castle Cary Pipes and Drums band at their website www.castlecarypipesanddrums.ca or to contact...

Minister of National Defence Peter McKay wraps up a visit to CFB Trenton with a trip to Batawa to drop the puck for the Trenton Pond Hockey Classic. McKay was in Trenton to announce the construction of two new facilities as well as upgrades to existing structures.

LCol Jean-Pascal Levasseur, Commander of the 5th Combat Engineer Regiment, is about to cross the finish line first during the "All Ranks Race" as part of the 5th Winter Games of the 5th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group of Canada on Feb. 8, 2013 at Valcartier Garrison, QC.

Canadian Forces personnel unload a generator from a CC-177 Globemaster III in Bamako, Mali. The aircraft is transporting supplies to Mali for the French military, which as begun a mission to stabilize the security situation in response to UNSC Resolution 2085.

Able Seaman Dwayne Johnson paints on board HMCS Regina while deployed in the Arabian Sea for Operation Artemis.

[caption id="attachment_3357" align="alignnone" width="300"] The RCAF’s Flight Lieutenant Larry Spurr flew F-86 aircraft with the USAF from Suwon, South Korea. He completed 50 combat missions and achieved one MiG ‘kill’. Photo circa mid-1952.[/caption] This year has been designated as the “Year of the Korean War Veteran.”Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney made the announcement Jan. 8 at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. He was joined by Senator Yonah Martin, representatives from the Royal Canadian Legion, the Korea Veterans Association of Canada and Korean Veterans.“It is our duty today to pay tribute to more than 26,000 Canadian men and women in uniform who came to the aid of South Koreans during the Korean War,” said Minister Blaney. “And, in particular, the 516 Canadians who gave their lives in service to defend the values of peace and freedom on the Korean peninsula.”The Year of the Korean War Veteran coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and South Korea.The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, and active fighting ended on July 27, 1953, with the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement. Approximately 7,000 Canadians continued to serve in the tense theatre of operations between the signing of the Armistice and the end of 1955, with some Canadian troops remaining until 1957.Approximately 1,000 Royal Canadian Air Force personnel were involved in the conflict. Most, about 800, were from 426 (Transport) Squadron (at that time located at RCAF Station Lachine, Que.), while the remainder were fighter pilots, flight nurses, a cadre of supply, technical and photo intelligence personnel, and a Judge Advocate General.Twenty-one RCAF volunteer fighter pilots were sent to Korea for F-86 Sabre combat duties and they served in small scheduled groups starting from March 1952, until November...

The Victoria Royals will be showing their support for the Canadian Forces at their Second Annual Canadian Forces Appreciation Night on Feb. 23.The team will go head-to-head with the Kelowna Rockets in a night of fundraising, celebration, and fun at the Save-On Foods Memorial Arena.Grant McNeil, Promotions Manager for the Royals, says CF Appreciation Night is a cause close to the hearts of the players and staff.“Victoria is very clearly a naval city,” he says. “It’s important we show the public and community that we care and appreciate their service.”The game will be like any other game in the Royals’ regular season but with a Canadian Forces twist. The Royal Canadian Navy Naden Band will perform the national anthem, and the arena will be jam packed with displays and demonstrations by different CF units. Presentations include a weapons display from the Canadian Scottish Regiment, a Naval Reserve display from HMCS Malahat, and demonstrations of Explosive Ordnance Disposal equipment from the Fleet Diving Unit.“There’s going to be a lot of things to see and do that people might not get to experience otherwise,” says McNeil. “There’s so much about the military that civilians don’t understand, so at the event they can get a closer look.”The evening with also benefit various organizations with proceeds from the evening’s 50/50 draw and Chuck-a-Puck fundraisers going to the Military Family Resource Centre and Cadets Canada. Spectators are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items for the Mustard Seed Food Bank.The Royals will wear limited edition CF Appreciation Night jerseys, which will feature a logo and crest inspired by the military.“The game and the jerseys will be a great opportunity for the team to pay homage to the troops,” says McNeil. “We’re very proud to support the cause in any way we can.”The jerseys will be worn only for the Feb. 23 game and then will be auctioned off in various events throughout the rest of the season. The money from the auctions will go to the...

[caption id="attachment_3351" align="alignnone" width="300"] Reiki is a holistic healing practice that focuses on the channeling of universal energy to heal and balance the body and spirit.[/caption] When taking care of one’s health it’s important to be hands on. With Reiki it’s hard to be anything but. Lee Hindrichs, a Reiki Master, has been practicing the healing art for more than 25 years and is now offering workshops at the Colwood Pacific Activity Centre.“I thought it would be something military moms  and dads out there could really use, so I gave CPAC a call and they were into it,” says Hindrichs, a former army reserve medic.Reiki is a holistic healing practice that focuses on the channelling of universal energy to heal and balance the body and spirit.The three-day workshop consists of lectures and techniques that take students through the first two levels of Reiki training. It also involves training in reflexology, an alternative healing art that focuses on manipulation of nerve centres to relieve stress and treat ailments.Lectures are a mixture of theory and technique, as well as the history of Reiki.“Students will have questions, and I want to give them tools to answer the ‘why’,” says Hindrichs. “Most of the workshop focuses on the practical though. At the end of it each student will have around three or four complete sessions under their belt.”Her program focuses on balancing the feelings and stress brought on in the homes of military families.“I like to focus on the idea of Doctor Mom or Dad,” she says. “I want to give them the tools and resources to help their children and themselves cope with the feelings of a family member going away for a long time.”Hindrichs was first introduced to the world of Reiki in the mid-1980s while working as a registered nurse.“I was...

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Register for the Navy 10K today and get early bird pricing. The whole family can participate!

Operation Palaci personnel load and fire the 105mm Howitzer artillery cannons for avalanche control in the Selkirk Mountains.

A French military light armoured vehicle exits the ramp of a Canadian Forces CC-177 Globemaster III aircraft at the airport in Bamako, Mali. French forces have begun a mission to stabilize security in the African nation.

Members of the Naval Boarding Party from HMCS Regina, deployed in their Ridged Hull Inflatable Boat, communicate with the crew of a dhow in the Arabian Sea, during Operation Artemis.

[caption id="attachment_3325" align="alignnone" width="300"] The 80-year-old Craigflower bridge is due to be replaced this year and will result in further traffic delays during its closure from Mary to December, 2013. The above image is an artist’s rendering of the new bridge.[/caption] Time is running out for the 80-year-old timber trestle Craigflower Bridge as the District of Saanich and the Town of View Royal are readying to replace it with a modern, aesthetic and functional steel bridge. The bridge will be closed from approximately May 1 to Dec. 1, 2013. The first phase, the construction of a temporary pedestrian bridge for local school children and cyclists, begins April 15.In anticipation of the bridge closure, commuters to the base are encouraged to look at alternatives to using their vehicles for travelling to and from work, as it is expected traffic around the bridge will be substantially disrupted.“We closed Admirals Road in 2009 when we built the bridge over Colquitz, so we have a pretty good idea of what’s going to happen,” says Jim Hemstock, project manager at the Saanich District Engineering Office. “About 80 per cent of people will have to go over to Tillicum and about 20 percent will go the other way over toward Helmcken or Six Mile.”  This will cause traffic choke points in those areas and significant delays surrounding Craigflower Road, Admirals Road and Lampson Street. The evening traffic is anticipated to be even less appealing with heavy trucks coming from the base being diverted onto Craigflower Road, essentially transforming Island Highway and Helmcken Road into temporary truck routes. The good news is there are alternatives for commuters to avoid the traffic chaos, especially for those in the Western Communities travelling to CFB Esquimalt. For example, the Victoria Regional Transit System has bus routes (#6, #24, and #25) departing...

[caption id="attachment_3322" align="alignnone" width="300"] Members of the Naval Boarding Party from HMCS Regina, deployed in their Ridged Hull Inflatable Boat, approach a fishing dhow.[/caption] The Gulf of Aden, situated between Yemen and Somalia, contains one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. With an average of 21,000 ships transiting annually, it is part of the waterway that connects the Mediterranean Ocean with the Arabian Sea. Determining which of these ships is engaged in legitimate commerce and which may have more detrimental intentions is one of the challenges faced by Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150).CTF-150 is part of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and consists of ships from countries such as Australia, Canada, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Tasked with counter-terrorism and maritime security operations, the task force works to prevent and stop illicit activity in the region. HMCS Regina, Canada’s contribution to CTF-150, is currently conducting what is referred to as maritime interdiction operations. The aim of these patrols is to prevent illicit activity by observing and investigating the local shipping activity. By determining the normal trade routes and routines of the various types of vessels that pass through the region every day, CMF is better able to determine which activity is suspicious or illegal.A typical patrol consists of recording and observing the behavior of the region’s merchant mariners. In order to gain the information about the vessels, the crew uses many tools available, such as the ship’s radar and Sea King helicopter. The Sea King’s primary function is to extend the range of the ship’s sensors by surveying the area of operations. A secondary function is to help determine if other vessels in the vicinity are behaving suspiciously.In addition, local information can be gained by talking to mariners. This is accomplished by hailing the vessel and communicating...

[caption id="attachment_3317" align="alignnone" width="300"] Operation Palaci personnel load and fire the 105mm Howitzer artillery cannon used by Operation Palaci for avalanche control in the Selkirk Mountains.[/caption] Operation Palaci is the contribution by the Canadian Forces (CF) to Parks Canada’s avalanche-control program in Rogers Pass, where the Trans-Canada Highway and the Canadian Pacific Railway cross the Selkirk Mountains.The objective of Operation Palaci is to prevent naturally occurring avalanches, and to ensure road and rail links between coastal B.C. and the rest of Canada are not blocked.This is done by firing shells from C3 105mm Howitzer cannons into rock formations to reduce natural avalanches. “If Parks Canada is surprised by an avalanche, roads and railways can stay closed for days,” says MBdr Rebecca Bliss-Roth, a member of 10th Field Regiment Artillery unit of Regina, Saskatchewan, who has been stationed in the Rogers Pass since Nov. 21. “This way they’re ready for them and can clear the road relatively quickly while keeping the pass safe.” So far this season, 52 controlled avalanches have been triggered and 82 rounds have been fired.Op Palaci draws upon reserve and regular forces members from across Canada. The first rotation started Nov. 21 and includes members from BC, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. They are stationed in a Parks Canada compound near the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre. The compound includes separate rooms for each participant, a full kitchen, full laundry, and common room with amenities such as satellite TV and movies. Despite these creature comforts MBdr Bliss-Roth says cabin fever tends to set in from time to time.“We’re basically in the middle of nowhere. The nearest town is something like 30 kilometres away, so we don’t really get out there too often.”When not performing avalanche control, military personnel undertake periods of professional development, occasionally busying themselves in the woodworking...

A Canadian Forces Globemaster III aircraft commander checks the wings and tail for frost from the tail hatch at Base aérienne 125 Istres-Le Tubé in Istres, France on route to Bamako, Mali.

A Sea King helicopter from HMCS Regina fires flares during an exercise while on Operation Artemis in the Arabian Sea.

Marine Engineer, OS David Blanchard, performs maintenance in the forward engine room on board HMCS Regina, while deployed in the Arabian Sea for Operation Artemis.

Marine Engineer, OS Lionel Achari on board HMCS Regina inspects an engine while deployed in the Arabian Sea for Operation Artemis.

Members of HMCS Regina deploy a Zodiac during a man overboard exercise while on Operation ARTEMIS in the Arabian Sea.

[caption id="attachment_3271" align="alignnone" width="300"] Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) Fleet Chief Petty Officer, CPO1 Paul Helston; MARPAC Chief of Staff, Capt(N) Mike Knippel; and Commander MARPAC, RAdm Bill Truelove sport pink t-shirts in support of International STAND UP to Bullying Day on Friday, Feb. 22.[/caption] CFB Esquimalt will join thousands of schools, workplaces and organizations this year when it officially participates in International STAND UP to Bullying Day next month.The driving force behind the event, MCpl Kyle Mitchell, hopes to see a sea of pink shirts on Friday, Feb. 22, which is “dress with a difference” day, as military members and civilians show support for the cause.“I’d hope for everyone to be wearing pink shirts, but because this is the first time, I’m just happy the base has authorized it,” he says.Inspired by his two children who are actively involved in anti-bullying programs in their school, MCpl Mitchell decided to take action to make people on base more aware of bullying, its effects and programs that address it.“I know we in CFB Esquimalt have systems in place to assist our members and families, but I was surprised to find out that my own wife was unaware of them,” he says. The Military Family Resource Centre, the padres, the divisional system, the Employee Assistance Program, the Canadian Forces Members Assistance Program and CF Mental Health Services all offer assistance to people experiencing bullying. Several of these programs are available to families as well as DND employees.MCpl Mitchell knew the opportunity to take his own action against bullying had arrived during a luncheon with Commander Maritime Forces Pacific, RAdm Bill Truelove early last year.“He challenged all of us present to take a look at ourselves, at the base, and see if there is anything that we are doing that we can do better,...

[caption id="attachment_3268" align="alignnone" width="300"] Canadian Forces volunteers including CPO1 Dan Ferguson (centre) gather to deconstruct the home of Rishi Sharma (left) and family.[/caption] Crowbars were hefted and sledgehammers swung when Canadian Forces members lent a helping hand deconstructing a home for Habitat for Humanity.On Jan. 13 a crew consisting of a CF members, homeowners, and Habitat for Humanity employees aided in stripping a Saanich house to the studs. The goal: to recover all salvageable materials so they can be recycled by Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore.“We’ve worked with Habitat for Humanity before, so when they called us it was a no brainer,” says CPO1 Derek Ferguson, who headed up the team of CF volunteers. “We’ve helped them at their store before, but we’ve never helped them tear down a house.”The house, which was already slated for destruction, was set upon by the crew and stripped of all valuable building materials; everything from cabinets and doors to light fixtures and door knobs was torn out and taken away to Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore.“The homeowner wanted to make sure his house was being dealt with in the most environmentally conscious way,” says CPO1 Ferguson. “He was involved in many steps of the process to ensure that everything that could be done was being done.”Deconstruction involved plenty of smashing and crushing, something that CPO1 Ferguson and the crew were elated to be a part of.“It was great fun. It’s not something that you get to do every day,” he says. “The homeowner even came in and helped with some of it. Everyone had a great time.”At the end of the day, the team filled two moving trucks with salvageable materials.“The materials that we gathered will be kept out of the landfills and hopefully be used to build or renovate some homes,” says CPO1 Ferguson....

[caption id="attachment_3265" align="alignnone" width="300"] Franks Woods (left) and Hervey Simard (right) are hoping to start a Soccer Academy for the student body of l’Ecole Victor-Brodeur.[/caption] Hervey Simard is an IT Supervisor for the Victoria Police Department by trade and ex-military member, but in his free time he coaches soccer for the Victoria Highlanders, Prospect Lake Soccer Club and school teams at L’école Victor-Brodeur, a French Language school in Esquimalt. When the most recent school soccer season wrapped up, he was approached by a large number of students interested in playing.“I’d have kids coming up while I was coaching asking if they could play,” says Simard. “I thought there must be a way I can get something going for kids that aren’t already on a team.”Simard then pitched an idea, which he talked about over the summer with fellow Highlander coach Frank Woods, to the staff of Victor-Brodeur: a free soccer program, open to everyone, that would take place during the lunch hour. The program was given the green light, with the school even offering to cover basic costs.“We talked over the summer on creating such an academy at Victor-Brodeur. With many students having international background it made sense,” says Woods.Simard and Woods will coach the program during the school’s lunch hour to give youth that are busy after school a chance to play.“Many of these kids come from military families, so their parents sometimes keep very busy schedules,” says Simard. The program starts Feb.4 and takes place twice weekly. The Monday session is for kids in Grades five, six, and seven, while Thursdays are for Grades eight, nine, and 10.“It’s a great way to stay fit and make friends,” says Simard. “We want to promote healthy lifestyle, but more importantly how to be honest and respectful on and off the...

35 Canadian Brigade Group “A” Company conducts the final attack in the training areas of Fort Pickett in Virginia, USA, during Exercise Noble Guerrier. A total of 1600 CF reservists deployed for the week-long exercise.