New BLOG CO at home
[caption id="attachment_21023" align="alignnone" width="592"] Capt(N) Jason Boyd, Base Commander presides over the Change of Command with outgoing CO of Base Logistics Capt(N) Sam Sader and incoming CO Cdr Cynthia Smith on June 19. Photo by Corporal Jay Naples, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]A/SLt Michelle Scott, MARPAC PA Office ~It was happenstance that led Commander (Cdr) Cynthia Smith from her small town of Trenton, N.S. to the corner office on the second deck of D211 in H.M.C. Dockyard Esquimalt.When Cdr Smith was in Grade 10, her school hosted a career fair where she planned to attend an information session by Dalhousie University. There was a room change and she happened to walk into a Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) brief. It was from that moment on, she knew she was destined for a career in the Canadian Armed Forces.While attending RMC, her mentor – the school’s deputy commandant, suggested she consider sea logistics for her future career.“He said, ‘Your personality and nature would be an asset to the logistics community.’ My vision, my communication [skills] and ability to connect with others - that’s what he saw in me,” explained Cdr Smith.Her choice to follow his advice led her from the fleet to Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2), around the world, and back to the West Coast where she assumed command of Base Logistics (BLOG) from Captain (Navy) Sam Sader on June 19.“It’s an honour to be extended such an auspicious appointment,” she said. “I am looking forward to working with such a dedicated, forward thinking, and intelligent team.”Cdr Smith comes to BLOG after five years in Ottawa, working within the Directorate of Military Procurement and later the Directorate of Naval Logistics. But she is no stranger to BLOG - in 2004 she was the Customer Services Officer. Cdr Smith explained her return as feeling like she is coming home, and she is ready to amalgamate her two families – both the branch and her young family making the move to the coast with...