News

[caption id="attachment_21027" align="alignnone" width="593"] Second World War veteran Russ Kaye is joined by Battlefield Bike Ride cyclists as he makes his way down the steps to set foot on Juno Beach for the first time in 75 years. Photo by John W. Penner/John’s Photography[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~When 95-year-old Second World War veteran Russ Kaye set foot on Juno beach for the first time since D-Day, he wasn’t making his steps in its dark brown sand alone.Over 75 years ago on June 6, 1944, the former gunner with 43rd Battery E Troop 12 Field Regiment was one of thousands of brave Canadians who stormed the beach as part of the historic D-Day Landings near Courseulles-sur-Mer, France. Taking Juno beach was a responsibility that mainly fell to Canada’s army and in the end their mission claimed the lives of an estimated 359 Canadians, 574 wounded and 47 taken as prisoners of war. They added to the approximately 225,000 Allied casualties killed during the entire D-Day Invasion, of which an estimated 18,000 Canadians made the supreme sacrifice. To mark that historic day, Kaye and his family were joined on Juno Beach by a large contingent of cyclists who were taking part in the Wounded Warriors Canada Battlefield Bike Ride 2019 and were hosting the family for the event. Everyone gathered with Kaye to share the experience of returning to Juno. “He walked onto the beach with our cyclists surrounding him, many shook his hand while many others hugged him” said Battlefield Bike Ride Director and rider Captain Jacqueline Zweng of the Regional Cadet Support Unit (Pacific). Capt Zweng describes Kaye as a stoic man who didn’t show much emotion during his pilgrimage but also one who remembers each one of the friends he lost during the invasion of France.“That was the highlight of...

[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...

[caption id="attachment_21017" align="alignnone" width="593"] A/SLt Hayden Pooley and Lt(N) Tom Eagle of STV Goldcrest neck and neck with STV Tuna in a downwind Spinnaker race to Port Hardy during the Van Isle 360 Yacht Race. Photo by LCdr Chris Maier[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Sixteen members of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) put their sailing skills to the ultimate test, proudly representing the base at this year’s Van Isle 360 Yacht race. The 15-day sailing competition began on June 1 and included the circumnavigation of Vancouver Island. The sailors competed aboard Naval Fleet School Pacific’s STV (Sail Training Vessel) Goldcrest and STV Tuna. The RCN’s participation in the 15th iteration of the annual race was also buoyed by an Orca-class Patrol Craft (PCT) Renard and its crew that acted as a support vessel for the entire competition, of which there were 37 boats and approximately 400 competitors. The two teams, whose sailors were recruited from across the Naval Training System, competed aboard their 36-foot, sloop-rigged (single mast) STVs against 36 of the fastest racing yachts from across the region. When the final leg of the race between Victoria and Nanaimo concluded on June 15, Goldcrest had wrestled a 3rd Place finish in the 12-boat Division 3 from Tuna who had been in 2nd place for much of the race and finished 7th. The overall winner of the race was 65 Red Roses II, skippered by Alex Smyth out of West Vancouver Yacht Club, Line Honours for the race went to SMOKE out of the Corinthian Yacht Club Seattle.The strong showing by the RCN boats surprised everyone involved in the race said Lieutenant Commander Chris Maier, who skipped Tuna and its seven-person crew and is a Division Commander at Naval Fleet School (Pacific). Before the race began LCdr Maier noted that many of the sailors were new to sailing and none of them had competed as a team before their training began. The objective was to have a safe training experience that would progressively...

[caption id="attachment_20997" align="alignnone" width="592"] Dispatch rider Frank Shaughnessy of the 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery.Photo: Library and Archives Canada, MIKAN 3202240[/caption]Jay Rankin, Army Public Affairs ~Tucked in the LeBreton Gallery in Ottawa’s Canadian War Museum are two motorcycles bearing the history of a special trade that was prominent in the First and Second World Wars.The museum has a Harley-Davidson and a Norton motorcycle on display that were used extensively by Canadian Dispatch Riders. A Dispatch Rider, called DR, Don R, or Despatch Rider, which was the British spelling, were military messengers on motorcycles in a time of low-tech solutions. It was a Canadian Dispatch Rider who carried the first films of the D-Day landing away from the beaches of Normandy for shipment back to Britain.Before motorcycles were put into service, Dispatch Riders rode on horseback or bicycle. In Egypt during the First World War, even camels were used to carry these military couriers.Duties of Dispatch RidersThe duties for the riders, a trade in which both women and men served, commonly involved delivering maps, orders, intelligence and situational updates that could not be sent – for security and logistical reasons – through telephone or radio. They often led the way to new locations after delivering new orders. Sometimes the riders would even deliver equipment, caged live homing pigeons and medical supplies. It was a dangerous job that required all forms of skills with the bikes, from quickly navigating dangerous terrain to fixing a bike in the field, all while under the constant threat of enemy fire. Among other tactics, the enemy would set neck-level trip wires across dark roads and known trails.“Because they were on their own and they had to use their own wits, Dispatch Riders, if they came under fire, or their access to road was denied by enemy fire,...

As part of Second World War anniversaries, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) has created an online sound archive called Voices of Liberation. It is also launching a call for Canadian content for this worldwide initiative.It is looking to record the voices of veterans, relatives and pilgrims for a unique online sound resource that explains why the Commission’s war graves, cemeteries and memorials are as poignant today as when they were first built. It wants the Canadian public to record their stories and feelings relating to the Second World War and the sites of remembrance. The stories will reinforce these sites as unique places of memory and create a resource that is both a moment in history and a fitting tribute to those who died.People can contribute to Voices of Liberation at liberation.cwgc.org

[caption id="attachment_20989" align="alignnone" width="593"] Photo by WO (Retired) Christine Potvin[/caption]Litigation Implementation Team Communications SectionChief Military Personnel ~An art exhibition by Warrant Officer (Retired) Christine Potvin, recently displayed at the School of The Photographic Art: Ottawa, tells the stories of 14 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) survivors of the “LGBT Purge,” a dark period during which LGBTQ2 Canadians serving in the public service, the military and the RCMP were unfairly targeted by federal policies due to their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.“This is just the beginning, silence is not an option,” said WO (Ret’d) Potvin speaking about her exhibition that included photographs, audio files, and a book of stories of the CAF survivors of the “Purge”, which lasted from the mid-50s to the mid-90s.“This is not about opening the floodgates or finger pointing,” she added. “Rather, we must educate anyone who takes the time to listen. One individual could potentially reach 10 others and so on and so forth.”WO (Ret’d) Potvin is a CAF veteran. She served 29 years in the medical branch and was deployed, on three missions to Afghanistan. In 2017, she was released for medical reasons and enrolled in a full-time diploma program at the School of The Photographic Art: Ottawa.Her exhibition was on display from April 26 to May 5. In addition to framed prints of photographs that WO (Ret’d) Potvin took of her subjects, visitors could explore the book of stories and listen to excerpts from the compelling, emotional and highly personal interviews she conducted with the survivors.The book is being published with an official launch on Oct. 5. A copy of the book will be kept at the War Museum in Ottawa and the audio interviews in the National Archives of Canada as a historical reminder. WO (Ret’d) Potvin is also organizing a book...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~If you want to paddle a traditional First Nations canoe, take part in cultural sharing, and have fun, consider joining the navy on their upcoming canoe journey. The Royal Canadian Navy is joining the Pulling Together Canoe Journey July 4 to 13. The annual 10-day journey is on the territorial waters and lands of the Tla’amin Nation near Powell River, B.C. The event aims to recognize the past and enhance understanding between Aboriginal peoples and public service agency employees by canoeing together on the traditional highway.Chief Petty Officer Second Class Rod Tulett, skipper of the navy’s canoe, is looking for 12 military paddlers to staff the navy’s new First Nations designed canoe. Participation in the event is open to all ranks and trades of the Canadian Armed Forces, and those interested in taking part are encouraged to contact their Personnel Coordination Centre.CPO2 Tulett says the skill level of paddlers can range from beginner or novice to experienced. He will balance the team with a few hand-picked First Nations paddlers familiar with ocean paddling in the region. The navy has traditionally provided logistical support for the event, and the use of rigid hull inflatable boats [RHIB] and Mark V Special Operations Craft for escort, along with personnel and trucks to help transport supplies. Military personnel who take on the support role will assist with the transport of supplies and equipment for the approximately 400 paddlers and 22 canoe teams participating in the event. CPO2 Tulett has been involved with the journey for the past five years but notes other personnel have been involved for much longer, such as Petty Officer First Class Rob Longley of HMCS Discovery, who has been involved for the past 12 years. HMCS Discovery and the chain of command have shown strong support for...

[caption id="attachment_20981" align="alignnone" width="592"] Father and daughter: LS Iouri Ioganov and LS Victoria Ioganov. Photo by SLt M.S. Déry[/caption]SLt M.X. Déry, MARPAC PA Office ~With a Russian last name like Ioganov, one might think there is only one Leading Seaman preceding it in the Canadian Armed Forces. But like the unusual last name, so is the story of Leading Seamans Iouri and Victoria Ioganov, father and daughter in the Royal Canadian Navy. Their story begins in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union that left Iouri Ioganov struggling to find work as a mechanic. So a year later, he took a plane destined for Cuba, with a stopover in Canada, in search of a better life. At the airport in Russia he met a young woman who was travelling to Quebec to stay with her sister and apply for refugee status. They established an instant connection and she gave him her sister’s address. During the layover in Newfoundland, Iouri walked off the plane and applied for refugee status. Choosing to work over taking free English lessons, he sought out employment in Newfoundland. “I learned English in the car garage.” After a few months, he decided to write the young woman in Quebec because he couldn’t shake the odd feeling she gave him at the airport. They wrote back and forth and fell in love through letters, and he asked her to move to Newfoundland to start a life together.Two years later, their daughter Victoria was born. While it was tough financially, Iouri says the East Coast hospitality helped his family survive.“I was living in a big apartment building designated for refugees. I have no family in Canada, but if I needed something, I went to my neighbours, and when they needed something, they came to me.”In 1998, the family moved...

[caption id="attachment_20978" align="alignnone" width="593"] Commander Jacob French (left) conducts the Navy Shadow Bike-A-Thon. Photo by Leading Seaman Stuart Carmichael[/caption]Melanie Tetreault, Contributor ~Deployments are a unique test of a family’s endurance and resolve.There’s the pre-deployment stress, the deployment routines, and then the post-deployment reconnection.Military families come in all shapes and sizes, which means they all have different successes and needs during the deployment process.There are also lots of milestones.We mark the first 30 days, the countdown to Leave Travel Allowance, and the last days before homecoming. The families of HMCS Regina are experiencing, or have experienced, all these moments, whether this is their first deployment or one of many.The milestone we conquered recently is the halfway point.The halfway point can feel like a somber celebration; yes, three months of separation have gone by (technically four now), but there remains more than two months to go. That’s another two months of an empty bed, long distance communications, and activities without our family members. It is important, however, to celebrate the triumphs of the first half of the deployment and really give ourselves a pat on the back for our efforts.My personal survival tactic to getting to the halfway point, and this is my third time doing it, is staying busy and staying connected. I finished my last semester of college. I continue to volunteer at the Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) as the family contact for the ship. The kids and I attend MFRC and PSP events such as potlucks, movie nights, and hiking. The children attend extracurricular activities such as swimming, skating, Pro-D day camps, and deployment workshops.We talk every day about their father’s deployment. We visit our friends, we make new friends in the community, and we take time to relax and be lazy.This is not a strict road map. Lots...

[caption id="attachment_20975" align="alignnone" width="593"] The 2019 MARPAC Nijmegen marching team. Photo by SLt M.X. Déry[/caption]SLt M.X. Déry, MARPAC PA Office ~The final selection for the MARPAC (Maritime Forces Pacific) Nijmegen marching team has been made and the 11 members and one spare are on the home stretch of training before departing for Europe on July 11. Leading the team this year is Warrant Officer Nathan Verhoog who was part of the team last year. “The experience was so wonderful. The pride you get from completing the marches is an incredible feeling. I look forward to the feeling of leading 10 great people across the finish line.”Aside from the leadership challenge, the march is personal for him.“The Nijmegen marches has always had a special significance for me. My Great-great-grandfather did it in 1925 and I found out about that five years ago. It just seemed a great way to come full circle for me.”The Marches, four days of 40 kilometre sections totalling 160km, were originally a means for Dutch infantry to increase their long-distance marching and weight-carrying abilities, but has evolved into an international four-day event that draws military teams and 45,000 civilian marchers from 69 countries.For many members of the Canadian Armed Forces, it is also about remembrance for the Canadian soldiers that died in the Netherlands during the Second World War and the special relationship Canada has with the Dutch people.That was part of the inspiration for the morale patch design for this year’s MARPAC team. “I wanted to venture away from the traditional badges and patches that we’ve used before,” explained Master Corporal Matt Lucas, designer of the winning patch. “I wanted a more modern design.”The red, white and blue colours represents the Dutch flag. “I wanted to incorporate that and blend it into our biggest national ­symbol, the Maple Leaf....

[caption id="attachment_20972" align="alignnone" width="593"] From the left: Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd, General Jonathan Vance, and VAdm Art McDonald sign the change of command certificates, officially marking the relinquishing of command from VAdm Lloyd to VAdm McDonald. Photo by Mona Ghitz[/caption]DND ~Vice-Admiral Art McDonald assumed the duties of Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) from Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd in a formal change of command ceremony on June 12, presided over by General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff.During the ceremony there was also a change of appointment for Chief Petty Officer First Class David Steeves who assumed the role of Command Chief of the RCN from Chief Petty Officer First Class Michel Vigneault. The ceremony was held at HMC Dockyard Halifax, home of Maritime Forces Atlantic.“I have been exceptionally blessed to finish my career as the Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy,” said VAdm Lloyd. “On a daily basis for the last three years, the Command Chief and I have had the pleasure and privilege of witnessing firsthand the incredible difference Canadian sailors are making globally on behalf of Canada and Canadians. The future of the RCN is exceptionally bright, and I could not be more pleased with how the leadership is embracing the once-in-a-half-century opportunity that the largest recapitalization in our peacetime history represents. The Command Chief and I are so incredibly proud of Vice-Admiral Art McDonald, Chief Petty Officer Dave Steeves, and the entire One Navy Team and their loving families who provide them such incredible support. On behalf of the both of us, a heartfelt thank you to you all.”VAdm McDonald assumes Command as the 36th Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy. He has served in a variety of command and staff roles throughout his career, most recently serving as Deputy Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy....

SLt M.X. Déry, Contributor ~With all the construction around Esquimalt, and the Bay Street Bridge being limited to one lane, traffic has increased substantially. While increased motor traffic shouldn’t impact me as a cyclist too much, the increased delays make the drivers I interact with more impatient than usual. Part of me empathizes. I had a meeting in Langford at 5 p.m. on a weekday and decided to drive. I gave myself adequate time to deal with what google maps informed me was “unusually high traffic.” A 25-minute trip turned into 45 minutes, but with planning I still arrived early to my destination. Then the text messages started coming in: “Stuck in traffic, will be there in 20.” No one else had planned for the “unusually high traffic” from the construction that now adds to the commute we all know as the Colwood Crawl. The congestion is so bad that motorcycles have taken to traffic filtering, aka bypassing traffic by using the space between vehicles and bicycle lanes. A colleague attempted to convince me it was recently made legal. It has not.Bicycle lanes are for bicycles, hence the name. If you need a licence to operate your vehicle, get out of the bike lane, and no, you can’t slide between cars to get ahead of the traffic.This unusual congestion has brought out the worst in drivers, and part of me empathizes, namely the forward part of my foot.I mean, having to compress that gas pedal and brake so many times over the course of 45 minutes must really be straining while sitting in an air-conditioned vehicle with your favourite music playing and a beverage in the cup holder.The cramping in your right foot must be pretty bad as you fly past me in a 30 km/h zone, blow through a yellow...

SLt M.X. Déry, MARPAC Public Affairs Office ~Delani Hulme-Lawrence is a 24-year-old miniature keel-boat sailor and amputee who has been sailing since she was four years old. She joined the sea cadets at RCSCC Arrowhead in St. Paul, Alta, as a teenager and once she aged out has continued to work with cadets as a coach while working at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club.“When everyone close to you sails, like my fellow sea cadets, my father and my siblings, being on the water feels like home,” said Delani.She has been competing in para-regattas for a decade, having represented both Team Alberta and Team British Columbia at the Canada Summer Games, and now is looking to represent Canada at the Para World Sailing Championship in Spain this July.While in Victoria Delani uses a 2.4mR sail boat provided through the Clagett Boat Grant Program, but the boat with its highly specialized rigging for use by a para-sailor won’t fit in her carry-on to Spain, thus requiring funding to charter a vessel for the competition.Delani started a GoFundMe campaign for $20,000 called Life over Limb Performance Sailing and it has raised $5,000 to date, leaving a large gap to fill before July.“Without the support of my coach, family, friends, and the community none of this would be possible,” said Delani. “I am eternally grateful for all of the support and encouragement I am given.”To help get Delani to the Para World Sailing Championship consider a donation to her GoFundMe campaign: www.gofundme.com/lifeoverlimbsailingDelani's Achievements include:Para World Sailing Championship 2018, Sheboygan USA - 4th Place Female2.4mR US Para Sailing Championship 2018, Newport RI - 1st Place Female2.4mR US Para Sailing Championship 2018, Newport RI - Larry Gadsby Trophy for Most ImprovedFrozen Assets 2018, Victoria BC - 2nd PlaceSpring Dinghies 2018, Victoria BC - 3rd PlaceCanada Summer Games 2017, Winnipeg...

[caption id="attachment_20929" align="alignnone" width="593"] Members of Esquimalt’s Environmental Services team with their individual awards. Photo courtesy DCC[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~CFB Esquimalt’s Environmental Services Team has been recognized by Defence Construction Canada (DCC) for its ongoing contributions to environmental improvement and protection at the base. On April 30 at the National War Museum in Ottawa, Heather Rock, Team Leader of the Environmental Services Team, accepted the Robert Graham Memorial Award at DCC’s annual awards ceremony. The award recognizes outstanding work in the field of environmental, health and safety services, and is named in honour of a former DCC employee who was a notable environmental practitioner.Defence Construction Canada is a crown corporation that provides contracting, construction contract management, infrastructure and environmental services, and other support for Canada’s defence requirements. DCC employs roughly 1,000 people who mostly work at 35+ sites and offices across the country, and for international deployments. The magnitude and importance of the award is notable says Jordan Semeschuk, CFB Esquimalt DCC site manager. His office employs approximately 60 people, 10 of whom work for the Environmental Services Team. “I am incredibly proud of our Environmental Service Team and glad to see they are getting recognition for all of the hard work. It’s a morale boost for sure and also good to know that people at the base and across Canada are recognizing them for the excellent work they do.”Also recognized during the awards ceremony was Brad Trann, Esquimalt DCC Team Leader, who was recognized with the President’s Award for outstanding service in his more than 29-year career. Semeschuk says it was the Environmental Services Team’s work on the Esquimalt Harbour Remediation Project (EHRP) that garnered much of the recognition. The EHRP involves the removal of contaminated silt from the seabed that has been left behind by over 150 years...

[caption id="attachment_20926" align="alignnone" width="593"] HMCS Regina and NRU Asterix conduct a Replenishment at Sea during Operation Projection in the Indian Ocean. Photo by Cpl Stuart Evans, BORDEN Imaging Services[/caption]DND ~This month, the Canadian Armed Forces are deploying ships and a maritime patrol aircraft, under Operation Neon, to ensure sanctions are imposed against North Korea. Operation Neon is Canada’s contribution to a coordinated multinational effort to support the implementation of those United Nations Security Council sanctions. These UN sanctions, imposed between 2006 and 2017, aim to pressure North Korea to abandon its weapons of mass destruction programs and respond to North Korean nuclear weapon tests and ballistic missile launches.The renewed CAF contribution to the multinational effort to counter UN sanctions evasion will be a CP-140 Aurora, crew and supporting personnel operating from Japan, and up to three CAF members embedded permanently into the Enforcement Coordination Cell within the multinational staff Headquarters. HMCS Regina and Naval Replenishment Unit Asterix will join the international maritime monitoring mission later this month.During 2019 and 2020, and into 2021, Canada will periodically deploy military ships, aircraft and personnel to conduct surveillance operations to identify suspected maritime sanctions evasion activities, in particular ship-to-ship ­transfers of fuel and other commodities banned by the United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCR). This contribution will bolster the integrity of the global sanction regime against North Korea.

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The first group of Naval Security Team (NST) personnel have received their Force Protection Qualification certification.Commodore Angus Topshee, Commanding Officer Canadian Fleet Pacific, presented 41 members of the NST with their qualification certificates along with the unit’s new specialty badges and pins in a ceremony at the Chief’s and Petty Officer’s Mess on May 30. The NST was launched in 2016 and is a deployable team of naval reservists for enhanced force protection of Royal Canadian Navy ships when they are alongside international ports. The team takes over the responsibility of security, which frees up ship personnel to support other tasks, such as maintenance. The NST provides an extra layer of enhanced land- and sea-based force protection capability and expertise. In recent months, the NST has been deployed to Dubai, Italy, and Greece. During his address, Cmdre Topshee said the occasion represented the culmination of months of training and success in operations while recognizing the sailors for their hard work and skill. “This new qualification also allows NST to better support operations in the future while allowing us to leverage a crew of qualified and experienced sailors. This supports Canada’s Strong Secure and Engaged Defence Policy which recognizes that the naval security team provides full-time capability using a part-time work force.”The unit’s Coxswain, Chief Petty Officer Second Class Sean MacÚisdin also received the second clasp to his Canadian Forces’ Decoration from Cmdre Topshee.

[caption id="attachment_20923" align="alignnone" width="593"] Photo by Leading Seaman David Gariepy, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]SLt M.X. Déry, MARPAC Public Affairs ~Next week, staff for the upcoming Raven BMQ (Basic Military Qualification) program will begin preparing for the arrival of 40 Indigenous youth from across Canada. The course will run July 4 to Aug. 14.The outreach program is designed to build bridges into Indigenous communities throughout Canada and show young Indigenous people the potential for part-time employment or a full-time career with the Canadian Armed Forces.“We give these recruits new skills, new attitudes, confidence and above all, opportunity,” said MS Michelle Howell, lead instructor and full-time Raven coordinator.Every year presents challenges for staff since each group of recruits is diverse. “One year we had more females on course than males, which was a welcomed surprise; however, we had to change some of our tactics,” explained MS Howell. “Another year we had a greater number of younger students, 16 to 17 year olds versus 18 to 21, which presented another twist.”The 24 military staff will prepare for the recruits arrival by learning their lesson plans and brushing up on skills such as inspections, drill, topography (map and compass), physical training, weapons handling and field craft. “All staff undergo a three-day Aboriginal awareness course,” said MS Howell. “This course ensures everyone is aware of the Indigenous history of Canada. It also teaches staff a little bit about where our recruits are coming from.”The Raven BMQ course includes a three-and-a-half day Culture Camp in Nanoose Bay. The camp is run by an Indigenous coordinator and includes Métis, Inuit and First Nation teachings. After the camp, two civilian Indigenous staff remain on course as counsellors to provide support to the recruits throughout the BMQ. This helps the recruits adapt to being far from home, surrounded by people they...

[caption id="attachment_20915" align="alignnone" width="592"] PO1 Steve Pring poses with a copy of his self-published novel Of Forgiving Hearts. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) sailor has been recognized for his first novel, a psychological-thriller set in Southwestern Ontario. Petty Officer First Class (PO1) Steve Pring was one of 80 writers from Southern Vancouver Island featured in the Greater Victoria Public Libraries Emerging Local Authors Collection. The 54-year-old published his first book, Of Forgiving Hearts in December 2017. “It’s a great honour to be on this list and a great way to the get word out there about my book,” said PO1 Pring. “An emerging and independent author does not normally get as much exposure as a best-selling author like Dan Brown [The Da Vinci Code] or Dean Koontz [Odd Thomas], its gets me some facetime and hopefully my book into people’s hands.” Three strong women are at the centre of the book, characters based on two former wives and his older sister. The characters are tied, in one way or another, to a haunted farmhouse in the tiny community of Wyoming, Ontario, where PO1 Pring once lived during his childhood. All three of the women lived together in the house until a murder and a fire gutted it. As the story unfolds, both the real-life murderer and the evil entity that presides over the house relentlessly taunt them.Tales of ghosts and spirits were always associated with the real-life property says PO1 Pring. His grandmother was rescued from the house by a cable installer after she became trapped during a fierce snowstorm in 1977. It was during the incident he learned from the rescuer that local legend had it the old farm house and the property were haunted.“The ghost stories she told me about the...

[caption id="attachment_20906" align="alignnone" width="592"] From left: Kindness Ambassador Greg Hind is joined by A Kinder Cup owners Chief Petty Officer First Class (Retired) Marc Dufort and Kim Dufort as they raise a toast to their new coffee shop at Admirals Walk Plaza. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The owners of a new coffee shop in Admirals Walk Plaza have opened up with the purpose of hiring adults with developmental disabilities.A Kinder Cup, aptly named, is run by Chief Petty Officer First Class (Retired) Marc Dufort and his wife Kim. It opened last December and among their staff of 12, five employees have a developmental disability. “Normally a business employs people to do a job, but at A Kinder Cup we create jobs to employ people with disabilities, and this is a great venue to do it,” explains CPO1 (Ret’d) Dufort.He has first-hand knowledge of the obstacles facing people with disabilities in Canada as his brother has an intellectual disability and has suffered from epileptic seizures from a young age.“I have seen the other side of our great country, the low level of support my brother had for leading a normal life and I really felt that frustration. When Kim approached me with this idea, I eagerly supported her.” His wife is a former community support worker who supported adults with a developmental disability for over 30 years in the Greater Victoria area. The idea for A Kinder Cup brewed to fruition after Kim read a Facebook post about a coffee shop in Wilmington, N.C., called Bitty and Beau’s who hires adults with a developmental disability. “That story from North Carolina planted a seed for us,” said Kim.When CPO1 (Ret’d) Dufort left the military in 2018 and enrolled in Royal Roads University’s Bachelor of Commerce in Entrepreneurial Management, the coffee...

[caption id="attachment_20900" align="alignnone" width="593"] Photo by Corporal Stuart Evans, Borden Imaging Services[/caption]Lt(N) Linda Coleman, Public Affairs Officer ~The seas are unbelievably calm at this time of year in the Arabian Sea along the “Hash Highway,” a historical shipping route through the Indian Ocean that’s been known for smuggling for centuries.This is where HMCS Regina and Naval Replenishment Unit (NRU) Asterix have been operating for the past two months as part of Operation Artemis, the Canadian Armed Forces’ ongoing contribution to counter-terrorism and maritime security operations in the Middle East and East African waters. The aim of the operation was to work with Combined Task Force 150, a Task Force under Combined Maritime Forces that works to deter and deny terrorist organizations any benefits from employing the high seas for smuggling illicit cargo including narcotics, UN embargoed weapons, and Somalian charcoal. Profits from drug trafficking in the region are a known source of funding for terrorists and criminal networks. This represents a common threat to the security and prosperity of the region, further de-stabilizing regional countries. The mission also ensures the legitimate global trade that Canada and the world depend on for their respective economies can proceed without threat of terrorism and illegal activities.Regina, along with its embarked Cyclone helicopter, Naval Tactical Operations Group, NRU Asterix, and a CP-140 Aurora aircraft joined Combined Task Force 150 at the end of March. At the time, it was the Canadian Armed Forces’ third largest operation, next to Operation Impact and Operation Reassurance, significantly increasing the CAF footprint in the Middle East and East Africa region.For the first two weeks of Op Artemis, CAF assets were operating under the command of a Canada-led CTF 150 Task Force, supported by the Royal Australian Navy. The mission started off with a drug bust early on April 7,...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~CFB Esquimalt’s Naval Training Development Centre was quick off the mark in implementing Balance, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) new physical performance strategy. Only days after the CAF’s new fitness strategy was announced, Commander Alain Sauvé introduced measures to support its goals. He’s encouraging supervisors to have military personnel attend PSP-led physical training (PT) events or other physical activities of their choosing; is making the monthly Formation Run mandatory; and is promoting the daily hour of fitness for both physical and mental health. Full compliance is crucial to making the new measures effective, he says.He believes the establishment of designated time blocks for fitness are equally important as the assignments, meetings and regular duties they perform. His measures are an effort to “create a culture change.” “Everyone wants to be fit but making an effort to do so isn’t always easy, so now they have the support of their chain of command to follow their goals,” said Cdr Sauvé. “The unit’s supervisors have been instructed to give that time back to their employees, and the command team must now lead by example by also staying active.”Cdr Sauvé participates in the unit’s weekly PT sessions. His Coxswain, Chief Petty Officer First Class Paul Fenton goes running, and the unit’s Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Angus Fedoruk works out in the gym. Cdr Sauvé has implemented a point system that allows individuals who attain a certain threshold of points to get a day of leave and to be entered in a raffle for healthy prizes. Points are also earned by refraining from alcohol, tobacco and non-medical cannabis, or consuming sugary or high fat foods and drinks. This initiative is in line with the strategic document Balance released on April 23. The 82-page guidebook provides local command teams with the tools...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A British whistle manufacturer is on the hunt to find a tiny and rare piece of survival equipment used by U.S. paratroopers ahead of the D-Day landings. As the 75th anniversary of the historic military operation by the Allies approaches, Birmingham-based Acme Whistles launched its Lost Clickers of the D-Day Landings campaign. ACME is putting the call out to Second World War veterans and their families in hopes they can locate one of its 7,000 clickers issued to the American Airborne Division and used as a vital piece of signalling equipment. Simon Topman, Managing Director at Acme Whistles, says the campaign is mostly focusing its search efforts in the U.S. but says ­clickers might also exist in Canada, Great Britain, or elsewhere. “Perhaps your great Grandad was a D-Day veteran, maybe he has a box of war medals where it could lie unknown,” said Topman. “Maybe an elderly neighbour is a widow of a D-Day veteran who doesn’t realize the significance of the unassuming clicker? We ask that people start seeking them out, to see if they can unearth a lost piece of sound history.”Demonstrating its use, Topman shows how the tiny boxed-shaped clickers fit in the palm of the hand. He says the clickers were nickel plated, while some towards the end of the production run were made in plain brass in the rush to get them ready in time for the landings. Paratroopers used the device after they were dropped behind enemy lines the night before D-Day on June 5, 1945, as an effort to get scattered paratroopers back in a composed fighting group. The clickers were designed to give an audible signal, making a distinct clicking noise when pushing down on the lever. If a paratrooper was not alone when they landed or if they were...

[caption id="attachment_20878" align="alignnone" width="592"] From the left: Chief Petty Officer First Class Steve Wist, Commander Jonathan Kouwenberg, and Lieutenant-Commander Collin Forsberg wear their United Nations blue beret in recognition of International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers and their own service in Operation Safari. Photo by Leading Seaman Sisi Xu, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The three members of HMCS Vancouver’s command team share a unique commonality. They all served on Operation Safari, the Canadian Armed Forces’ contribution to the former United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) during the mid 2000s.Commander Jonathan Kouwenberg was there in 2005; his Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Collin Forsberg served from 2009 to 2010, and Coxswain, Chief Petty Officer First Class Steve Wist was in Sudan in 2008. “This isn’t by design, this is completely accidental,” said Cdr Kouwenberg. “I think we are probably a unique command team within the navy – all three of us having served on this mission in the middle of Africa.” All three joined Vancouver in 2018, and their connection was discovered when Cdr Kouwenberg perused their biographies. He and LCdr Forsberg worked as military observers while CPO1 Wist was stationed at the UN’s supply depot and logistical centre in El-Obeid. Their respective experience in Sudan differed based on the year and the location of their mission. For Cdr Kouwenberg, it was at the start of Operation Safari and UN observers were unarmed. He worked and lived in a remote village along with eight other UN military observers. He and three other members of the team - a Russian, an Ecuadorian and a Mexican officer - would regularly conduct long-range patrols in remote regions where armed clashes between rival tribes and gangs would often occur. “We patrolled arid areas of the countryside that was essentially in the middle of nowhere, with...

[caption id="attachment_20875" align="alignnone" width="592"] AB Nick Reicker, from HMCS Malahat, observes the busy waters of the Swiftsure start line from the unit’s RHIB.[/caption]A/SLt Donald Den, HMCS Malahat ~For hundreds of boaters and spectators, the end of May marked the Swiftsure International Yacht Race. In its 76th year, Swiftsure is the largest sailing race on the west coast of North America and draws hundreds of participants and boats to the city. Due to the race’s size, location, and international significance, the Royal Canadian Navy lends its support, as well as personnel and ship resources to the running of Swiftsure. On location for the start of this event was both a Kingston-class vessel, HMCS Edmonton and a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) from HMCS Malahat - Victoria’s Naval Reserve Unit. Edmonton physically served as one end of the anchored start line; it also transported several event officials, and marked the commencement of the different races with either a horn or a blast from the ceremonial on-deck cannon. Malahat sailors crewed a RHIB that was the official “Jury Boat” of the race, transporting Swiftsure jury officials and a photographer amidst the 165 different boats that converged around Clover Point for the start of the race. “Events like Swiftsure provide Malahat with an opportunity to contribute and interact with the local and international communities with on-water support to the event, staff, and the race participants,” said Cdr Greg Walker, Commanding Officer of Malahat. Amongst the pool of entrants this year were boats from the Royal Canadian Navy - Sailing Training Vessels Goldcrest and Tuna, crewed by current and former naval personnel, and sailed under the flag of the Canadian Forces Sailing Association (CFSA). While the start of the race on Saturday was faced with low winds and heavy rains, leading many to refer to the event...

[caption id="attachment_20872" align="alignnone" width="592"] PO1 Wiggins presents Bruce Alfred an engraving of the Namgis First Nation’s logo; George Alfred and the students of T’lisalagi’lakw school pose with him in the Fleet Maintenance Facility engraving shop. Photo by SLt M.X. Déry, MARPAC PA Office[/caption]SLt M.X. Déry, MARPAC Public Affairs ~Seven students from T’lisalagi’lakw School in Alert Bay visited CFB Esquimalt during a school trip to Greater Victoria. Commodore Angus Topshee invited members of the Namgis community during Exercise Northern Reach in Port McNeill March 30, when he met with Namgis member George Alfred.First stop on the tour was Fleet Maintenance Facility, which employs roughly a thousand civilian and military personnel, more than half the entire population of Alert Bay. Students learned what it takes to maintain the fleet of warships as they followed the yellow lines through the massive shop floor with highly specialized equipment around every corner. School principal Shane Douglas reminded them to think about the wide range of trade occupations available in B.C.When the group arrived at the engraving shop, Bruce Alfred received a specially created plaque with the Namgis First Nations logo on it from PO1 Wiggins. Of special note, Alfred also designed the logo. Once finished with the shore tours, the group moved to a naval platform, HMCS Nanaimo, where PO2 Gavin Flannigan showed the group around the ship. “Why are the lights red?” asked one curious student pointing to the red colour florescent lighting.“At night we turn all the lights off except the red ones and that helps keep our night vision for when we go on the upper decks or the bridge,” replied PO2 Flannigan.On the bridge, the students were surprised to find the controls for the ship’s propulsion system so small considering their power.Commander Jason Bergen spoke to the group in his cabin, and...

[caption id="attachment_20869" align="alignnone" width="593"] Captain Chris Dare, who works as a dentist at the Dockyard Dental Clinic, was part of the UK-based 360 Expeditions climbing team that scaled the world’s tallest mountain last week from its Tibetan side.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A Canadian Armed Forces member says his military training was crucial to surviving a harrowing ascent to the summit of Mount Everest that turned deadly for one of his teammates.Captain Chris Dare, who works as a dentist at the Dockyard Dental Clinic, was part of the UK-based 360 Expeditions climbing team that scaled the world’s tallest mountain last week from its Tibetan side. During a May 29 telephone interview from his hotel room in Tibet, Capt Dare said his experiences in the military made all the difference in getting him to the top of Everest and back to base camp alive. “In the past, the military has put me in stressful situations, no sleep, exhaustion and getting fired upon in combat zones. I learned to calm down, to think and try to make the best decision possible instead of just going with my gut reaction.”In his now viral Facebook post from Mount Everest Base Camp after the summit, Capt Dare didn’t celebrate conquering the 8,500-metre summit, which brought to fruition his goal to hike the world’s Seven Summits. Instead, the 35-year-old lamented on the death of Kevin Hynes, his beloved teammate. Hynes died in his sleep, in his tent during his descent down the mountain on May 24. “Kevin was an amazing hard-working Irishman that I feel privileged to have met and spent so much time with,” wrote Capt Dare. “He always kept his mountaineering achievements under the radar and treated everyone with such kindness, it burns your heart. I miss him dearly.” The death of the 56-year-old father and 10...

Commander Bradley White, Program Manager of Naval Training System Transformation ~The Royal Canadian Navy is transforming almost every aspect of Canada’s naval training system, and people should know about it. It is no secret to anyone that the navy has embarked on one of the most ambitious, recapitalized programs ever undertaken starting with HMCS Harry Dewolf, but there is more than steel that makes a navy. In fact, as the adage goes, it is the sailors who make the navy and not the ships. In order to operate these new ships and maintain the high standard of sailors and officers that we already have, we must do everything we can to enable good training. Sure, the new ships will come with new training packages in order to conduct initial cadre training (ICT – the kind of training already qualified sailors take to learn new systems), but we also aim to modernize all aspects of training, from Basic Military Training for naval reservists, to trades training, to combat training, and all the way to command and leadership training programs. If the goal is to ensure that our people can do their jobs to the best of their ability, in new ships, then the right question to ask is how?How?Since 2013, the Naval Training System has been researching and planning this change. What’s more, several modernization changes have already taken place in accordance with our initial plans. All of this is encompassed in the Naval Training System Transformation Program led by the Commander of Naval Personnel and Training Group, Capt(N) Martin Drews. Employing an approach that uses ever maturing spirals of activity, we first defined the problem (spiral one), then restructured the Naval Training System in order to accept modernized training methods and new training systems.  The bulk of the effort will take...

[caption id="attachment_20843" align="alignnone" width="592"] Deborah Cotton and Commodore (Retired) Doug Mclean cut the HMCS Beacon Hill exhibit ribbon. Photo by LS Gibson, MARPAC Imaging[/caption]Peter Mallett Staff Writer ~A new exhibit celebrating the legacy of HMCS Beacon Hill and its legendary commander Ted Simmons has launched at the CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum. The grand opening ceremony for Hero Warship: HMCS Beacon Hill and Her Daring Commander took place at the base museum on the morning of May 17. Its unveiling came one day after the 75th anniversary of the commissioning of the former River Class Frigate that became the namesake ship for the City of Victoria and served the Royal Canadian Navy until September 1967. Simmons’ 75-year-old daughter Deborah Cotton was joined by the ship’s final navigation officer, Commodore (Retired) Doug McClean, for a ribbon cutting ceremony that officially opened the exhibit.McLean, with Cotton at his side, cut the ribbon with an authentic Second World War naval sword loaned by museum volunteer Paul Seguna. “I am absolutely overwhelmed by how beautiful the exhibit is and the magnificent job the museum staff have done,” said Cotton. “I think if my father saw this, he would be very impressed.”McLean also feels a strong personal connection to the new exhibit and the ship itself.“Ships are living things, and sailors say if you serve in a ship you own a plank of the ship. Well I certainly own one of Beacon Hill’s planks; she is a great old ship.”McLean shared several anecdotes of being a young sailor in Beacon Hill. One was the frightful moment just prior to the ship’s payoff ceremony in Esquimalt. The old ship was on a final sail-past of Beacon Hill Park when it tendered so severely McLean and the rest of the crew thought it was going to tip.Created...

[caption id="attachment_20840" align="alignnone" width="590"] Left: A concept illustration of the new building. Right: Present day St. Peter and St. Paul parish hall.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Parishioners at the historic St. Peter and St. Paul Anglican Church are making final preparations for this weekend’s “moving on sale” of hall furnishings. The historic 152-year-old church located at 1379 Esquimalt Road isn’t moving, rather it is the parish hall contents that are being sold off. The hall will be ­deconstructed to make way for a five story building to house the new church hall and ministry centre and a 24 unit seniors affordable rental housing complex. Sharon Wickware, moving on sale organizer, says emptying out the parish hall before demolition is emotional for church parishioners. “This change is not something that happened overnight and has been in the planning process for the last 10 years; the process of saying goodbye remains very disconcerting for many of our members,” said Wickware. “Nonetheless, many parishioners are also looking forward to the renewal and moving this project forward.” In 2018, St. Peter and St. Paul received zoning approval from the Township of Esquimalt to replace its parish hall and community centre with a new building. The construction ­project is being overseen by The Anglican Diocese of British Columbia and B.C. Housing. Demolition work on the parish building is slated to begin soon and a ground-breaking event is planned for later this year. The moving sale will commence at 9 a.m. on June 1. Items for sale include tables and chairs, office style dividers, a large movie projection screen, two deep freezers and two household kitchen stoves, bulletin boards, dishes, pottery, numerous items from the church’s arts and craft club, a wooden fireplace facade, Sunday School toys, and a Nintendo Wii. Proceeds from the sale will be collected...

General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff ~The best of intentions have led to unintended harm. When it comes to the opening last week of the Afghanistan Memorial Hall at the new National Defence Headquarters, we unintentionally went down that path. We owe the family and friends of our Fallen, all who served in Afghanistan, and Canadians an apology for not properly including you and not properly communicating with you. I am truly sorry for our insensitivity and the pain, anger and frustration that this decision caused you. I accept full responsibility for it all.You also deserve an explanation, and a changed approach.When the monument, once known as the Kandahar Airfield (KAF) Cenotaph, needed a permanent home, we considered several options, but ultimately decided to have it reside within the Headquarters lines on our new campus at Carling.  Our concern was to keep the monument accessible, but also safe from the elements and vandalism, so we decided to protect it within our base in a space custom-designed to house it in a dignified and peaceful setting, where people could pay their respects. We wanted to honour the Fallen – Canadian, U.S., military and civilian – by protecting this legacy of theirs carved in stone. In our Headquarters, it will serve as a daily reminder to us of the true, and ongoing, cost of war: much like it did on the airfield in Kandahar.We also made this decision to install it within the secured zone of the Headquarters in light of plans to create a publicly accessible National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan in Ottawa. This new monument will recognize the commitment and sacrifice of Canadian men and women who served in Afghanistan, as well as the support provided to them by Canadians at home. Our colleagues at Veterans...