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[caption id="attachment_18168" align="alignnone" width="600"] Lieutenant (Navy) Eric Dignard, Division Commander, Venture Division, Naval Fleet School (Pacific); and Commander Jeanne Lessard, President Mess Committee, stand with Vice-Admiral (Retired) Nigel Brodeur and Acting Sub-Lieutenant Charles Boyes in the Gun Room at Work Point.[/caption] SLt M.X. Déry,  MARPAC PAVice-Admiral (Retired) Nigel Brodeur donated beer steins from the early part of his naval career to the Naval Fleet School Pacific’s Gunroom Feb. 23 in hopes of inspiring the Royal Canadian Navy’s future leaders.Lt(N) Eric Dingnard, Venture Division Commander at Naval Fleet School (Pacific), introduced VAdm (Ret’d) Brodeur by affirming that the Brodeur family “are of great significance to the Royal Canadian Navy.”The Admiral’s grandfather, Louis-Philippe Brodeur, introduced legislation to create the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) while he was Minister of the Naval Service. His father, Rear-Admiral Victor Brodeur, served in the RCN through both world wars.VAdm (Ret’d) Nigel Brodeur, followed in his father’s footsteps and served from 1952 until he retired in 1987.“These mugs, I hope they be put to good use,” he said to a host of Acting Sub-Lieutenants currently undergoing their Naval Warfare Officer courses. “I hope they will give you an indication of the starting out, from lieutenant to captain…Learn all you can. Learn about the sea, learn about other navies.”While some of the donated steins were departure gifts from ships VAdm (Ret’d) Brodeur served in, others were gifts from friends within the fleet.After the presentation, the Admiral spoke one-on-one with a few students, curious to know how far along they were in their training. Acting Sub-Lieutenant Travis Boyko said the steins were a great addition to the Junior Officers Mess.“I think it re-instilled some life into the Gunroom. I know a lot of people were keen on using them.”The ceramic steins will be kept on display while the pewter ones can be...

[caption id="attachment_18163" align="alignnone" width="600"] Students check out a mortar tube under the watchful eye of gunners from 5th (British Columbia) Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery during the Army Reserve's latest Soldier for a Day program.[/caption] Capt Jeff Manney, 39 Signal Regiment PAStudents from as far away as Campbell River gathered in Victoria Feb. 24 to see if being a soldier for a day could lead to being a real soldier.Held at the Bay Street Armoury, the Army Reserves’ popular Soldier For A Day program allowed students to check out army vehicles and communication equipment, practice their marksmanship on the small arms weapons simulator, taste military rations, take the Canadian Armed Forces fitness test, and even try their hand at a military drill.The glimpse into life as an Army Reservist must have been compelling; 20 per cent of those attending submitted an application to join.“We aimed to properly showcase the equipment, benefits and lifestyle of Army Reservists and I think it went over well,” says Capt Sean Breckenridge, the event’s coordinator. “The students were surprised at the number of opportunities available, how technical some of them are, at their similarity to many civilian jobs, and just how compatible the Reserve experience is with civilian life.” Soldier For a Day has been running in various forms since 1996.  In that time it’s emerged as one of the Army Reserves’ most effective recruiting tools, Capt Breckenridge says. “There’s so many upsides to becoming a citizen soldier that it takes a little time to soak them all in,” he says.  “We’ve found that a day-long event is ideal for showing what the Reserves is about. Those thirsting for adventure, challenge, great friends and unforgettable memories will find everything they need here.”That’s on top of the many benefits now available to Reservists, such as up to $8,000...

[caption id="attachment_18160" align="alignnone" width="600"] LS Houle Carrière, Naval Communicator, is the recipient of the Sailor of the Year.[/caption]SLt M.X. Déry, MARPAC PA ~Dentistry and naval communications have little in common, but according to Canadian Fleet Pacific’s 2017 Sailor of the Year, LS Rosalie Houle Carrière, the experience gained from the journey is what’s important. While she has held a dream of being a dentist since she was 12, her desire to gain work experience and travel made her join the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve in 2010 as a Naval Communicator. “The goal of being a dentist is in the back of my mind,” says LS Houle Carrière. “But that doesn’t mean the road to get there is a straight line.” The 25-year-old Québecoise, born and raised in Trois-Rivières, grew up speaking French and learned English in an immersion program; language skills she would put to use when travelling around the world in Canadian warships.As a teenager, LS Houle Carrière joined the Air Cadets, and after high school joined Naval Reserve Unit HMCS Radisson while completing her pre-university degree at Cégep Trois-rivière.With college complete, and qualified as a Naval Communicator, she joined HMCS Regina on Operation Artemis in 2013; the shift from her experience on Great Lakes deployments aboard HMCS Moncton, a maritime coastal defence vessel, to a Halifax-class frigate deployed on a major operation was jarring. “The platform is very different, the atmosphere, it is like a town floating on the water,” says LS Houle Carrière. “You might not see someone for two months; the MCDV is more familial.”That first major deployment was unexpectedly extended when Russia invaded Crimea and Canada committed Regina to Operation Reassurance.In 2016, she came to Esquimalt to serve in HMCS Whitehorse, a change that was difficult. “It is far from family,” said LS Houle Carrière,...

[caption id="attachment_18155" align="alignnone" width="600"] Lieutenant-Commander Kim Poirrier[/caption]Darlene Blakeley, Navy Public Affairs OttawaIt has been a long and remarkable journey from Vietnamese refugee to Canadian naval officer.Lieutenant-Commander Kim Poirrier, a logistics officer working with the Directorate of Naval Strategy in Ottawa, credits the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) for shaping her into the strong, independent and confident woman she is today.“My journey in the CAF as a naval officer has opened doors for me, given me exposure to travel, and the ability to work at a professional level that I never dreamed possible,” she says. “I have a great sense of pride in wearing my uniform, not only for my own achievements, but also for what my uniform represents.”Life has not always been easy for LCdr Poirrier. She was eight years old when the communist regime of the day began to persecute the ethnic Chinese entrepreneurial class in the former South Vietnam. Her parents owned and operated a successful plastics enterprise and their fairly wealthy family of 11 lived in a beautiful three-storey house, with a nanny and servants. All of this changed suddenly in 1979 when they went from riches to rags.Her family was stripped of everything they owned and resettled into a detention camp along with other wealthy Chinese business families, to work and farm the land.“This was a life sentence of hardship and starvation,” LCdr Poirrier explains. “My father had to make the most difficult decision of his life – risk the lives his wife and nine children to escape from Vietnam for a second chance at life, or stay and risk starvation and even worse treatment from the communist government.”Eventually her parents, along with a number of other wealthy families, got together and paid many pieces of gold to get a fishing boat in order to escape Vietnam....

 [caption id="attachment_18150" align="alignnone" width="600"] Clockwise from left: 1. MS Sebulsky reads flags from a U.S. tanker during a replenishment at sea; 2. AB Leroux instructs civilian Ashley Looye on how to safely operate the C8 firearm during weapons demonstration. Looye was part of the “tiger cruise” that brings family members along for the return trip home; 3. Ashley Looye performs live during the Hangar Coffee Night (Photo courtesy of LS Sidhu); 4. AB Orr and SLt Song entertain the troops during Hangar Coffee Night (Photo courtesy of LS Sidhu); 5. Lt(N) Smirnov gets ready to entertain the ship’s company with his classical guitar during Hangar Coffee Night.[/caption] HMCS Regina returned home last week after deploying to Hawaii to assist in Submarine Commander Course training. The photos are a reflection of their work and playtime during this deployment.  

 [caption id="attachment_18145" align="alignnone" width="600"] George Sweanor, 98, meets with members of the 419 Tactical Fighter (Training) Squadron at the Colorado Springs Airport. In the background, one of seven CT-155 Hawk jets they flew, this one in particular sporting a special Second World War paint scheme.[/caption] Lt(N) Marco Chouinard, NORAD and USNORTHCOM Public Affairs ~A Royal Canadian Air Force Second World War veteran, and former Prisoner of War now living in Colorado Springs, Colorado, received a surprise visit Feb. 23.George Sweanor, 98, a retired Royal Canadian Air Force Squadron Leader, was met by members of 419 Tactical Fighter (Training) Squadron at the Colorado Springs Airport following the unit’s training mission in El Centro, California. Sweanor was one of the founding members of the squadron that stood up in 1941 in the United Kingdom as the third RCAF bomber squadron overseas.Members of 419 Squadron talked with and listened to Sweanor for more than an hour as he reminisced about his time with the squadron and his experiences during the Second World War. “It was an honour for us to meet such a distinguished veteran and founding member of 419 Squadron,” said Major Ryan Kastrukoff, Deputy Commanding Officer of the unit. During the war, Sweanor served with the RCAF in the United Kingdom with 419 Squadron. In 1942, he was shot down and captured after multiple flights over enemy territory, spending 800 days as a POW. Sweanor was also involved in a daring escape from Stalag Luft III prisoner of war camp in Zagan, Poland, in 1944 and acted as a security lookout during the excavation of the escape tunnel dubbed “Harry”. This event was immortalized in the 1963 film, “The Great Escape.”Following the war, Sweanor remained with the RCAF. Also of note, he was one member of a group that opened Cheyenne Mountain, former home to North American...

[caption id="attachment_18137" align="alignnone" width="600"] Inspiring generations. Mom is just as excited as her daughters to check out the Canadian Armed Forces Aurora aircraft from 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron, Comox, during the 2016 Sky’s No Limit Girls Fly Too event.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Personnel from the CFB Esquimalt are helping the Achieve Anything Foundation boost its goal to inspire over 20,000 female future leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics at The Sky’s No Limit Girls Fly Too event.This is the third year units from CFB Esquimalt have been involved. It’s part of the non-profit’s effort to inspire women and girls towards careers in STEM-based (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields with practical hands-on experience in aircraft, tactical assets and hands-on displays from various supporting agencies. This year’s event is on the weekend of March 10 and 11 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Abbotsford International Airport. To further inspire those in attendance about STEM-based career possibilities outside of aviation, the event will feature demonstrations by Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton and Fleet Diving Unit’s Bomb Disposal Unit.There will also be a performance by the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy and participation of the base’s top brass, Rear-Admiral Art McDonald, Commander of Maritime Forces Pacific.“It’s a big accomplishment to be on the permanent radar of the Canadian Armed Forces, and it shows that we are a significant event for them to send so many assets,” said Kirsten Brazier, Achieve Anything Foundation President. In keeping with the flying theme, the Royal Canadian Air Force will display a Sea King and CF-149 Cormorant helicopter, which will also provide free rides at the event, and two static cockpit displays. Additional RCAF include a CC130J Hercules, CT-155 Hawk, CT-156 Harvard, CT-142 Dash-8, CC-115 Buffalo, CP-140 Aurora.The army will provide armoured personnel carriers...

 [caption id="attachment_18133" align="alignnone" width="600"] A representative from the Coast Guard  surveys the shoreline with a crew member from PCT Wolf. In the end, no evidence of disturbance to the natural environment was observed. PCT Wolf and crew surveyed the Porlier Pass area following HMCS Calgary’s fuel spill.[/caption] Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The Royal Canadian Navy and multiple government agencies came together quickly on Saturday Feb. 24 with a coordinated joint response following a fuel spill from HMCS Calgary. The spill occurred in the Strait of Georgia between Nanaimo and Parksville as the frigate was conducting an internal fuel transfer; the incident involved the release of up to 20,000 litres of F-76 marine distillate fuel. Calgary’s fuel spill response team reacted immediately. The ship reversed course to look for signs of the spill, and informed authorities at Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) who engaged Emergency Management B.C., as per their Safety and Environment Management System guidelines.MARPAC’s Formation Safety and Environment rapidly coordinated response efforts with Environmental Climate Change Canada, Canadian Coast Guard, Emergency Management B.C. and Transport Canada. As a proactive measure Canadian Armed Forces assets at CFMETR Nanoose and the MARPAC Ready Duty Ship were put on alert to assist if needed. Aircraft were launched overhead to look for visual signs of fuel floating on the surface of the ocean and report them to the Regional Joint Operations Centre. Transport Canada deployed their pollution detection aircraft, while private sector companies Harbour Air and B.C. Ferries were alerted to look for signs of the spill. Commodore Jeff Zwick, Commander of Canadian Fleet Pacific, addressed the media at a press conference the next day to bring them up to date on the incident and the response effort. “We take environmental stewardship very seriously and we’re working proactively to address the problem,” said Cmdre Zwick. “Once...

[caption id="attachment_18107" align="alignnone" width="550"] HMCS Winnipeg sails in formation with the Japanese Navy’s JS Izumo and Sazanami during a Passage Exercise in the South China Sea, which included ships from the United States, Canada, Japan and Australia. Photo by LSIS Bradley Darvill[/caption]Lt(N) Ellie Aminaie, HMCS Winnipeg ~After nearly a year as the Flagship of the West Coast Fleet, HMCS Winnipeg handed over the reins to HMCS Calgary Feb. 2, in order to undergo an extended maintenance and upgrade period. During its tenure as Flagship, Winnipeg was involved in many high tempo operations.Starting March 2017Upon completion of Sea Training-led Intermediate Air Ship Readiness Training in March 2017, Winnipeg deployed in company with HMCS Ottawa for Poseidon Cutlass 17-1 in the Indo-Asia Pacific region. The two ships conducted an array of operations with regional foreign navies.These multi-national operations, which had the Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific and his staff embarked in Winnipeg for portions of the deployment, included exercises with the Australian, Indian, Sri Lankan, Japanese, South Korean, New Zealand and United States Navies.During the deployment, Winnipeg had the Maritime Tactical Operations Group embarked, showcasing this advanced capability of the Royal Canadian Navy to our allied navies. Multiple port visits allowed the the ship’s company to represent Canada at global engagement events in the Philippines, Malaysia, India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Japan and South Korea. Most notably, the port visit in Malaysia included a high profile global engagement component in support of the Minister of National Defence.Another notable milestone for this deployment was the proof of concept of the Naval Security Team that consisted of Reserve Force personnel providing enhanced Force Protection to deployed ships while alongside Busan, Korea.Winnipeg’s return transit to Esquimalt after five month abroad included a Replenishment at Sea Force Generation tasking in company with Ottawa and the Chilean Tanker Almirante Montt, where the Deck department was trained in operations with the tanker, conducting 22 seamanship evolutions within the span of two weeks.September 2017This high readiness ship was put to sea...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A pair of teenage entrepreneurs from Shawinigan Lake are donating proceeds from their new line of clothing and merchandise to Wounded Warriors Canada.The two siblings, Mckenna Haz, 19, and her younger brother Cooper Haz, 16, used the annual Wounded Warrior Run B.C. charitable event to launch their new business KidLED and its first line of clothing ‘WW1 Centennial Collection’, which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.They will donate 10 percent of profits generated from product sales to Wounded Warriors Canada, which has been raising the bar on public awareness surrounding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and mental illness for military and first responders.Co-founder Mckenna says aligning KidLED with Wounded Warriors Canada, seemed a natural first step for the business because of the cause, and her family’s personal connection to the cause.“Our dad served as a military [police] member for 10 years and we have family friends that suffer with PTSD, so it hits home to us,” says Mckenna. “I also think Wounded Warriors really puts mental illness on a high stage and people need to know it is okay to reach out, because at the end of the day we aren’t alone. People matter.”Wounded Warrior Run B.C. runners set off from Port Hardy Feb. 19 for the six-day, 600-kilometre relay style run that ended in Victoria on Feb. 25. Captain Jacqueline Zweng, Regional Cadet Support Unit (Pacific), is this year’s Wounded Warrior Run B.C. Director, and says the runners are glad to see this kind of support from KidLED.“It is so outstanding to see different groups of people coming together to support the cause. As our new slogan states: We are All in This Together, and it’s wonderful to see the Haz family involved in their community.”The last three letters in...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~As civilian and military employers struggle to recruit and retain the next generation in the workforce, the research of David Coletto may help solve the problem.The MARPAC Health and Wellness Strategy is bringing Coletto to CFB Esquimalt on March 9 to give a presentation entitled Leadership and Millennials: Working Effectively with Generational Change. He will deliver a two-and-a-half hour presentation in the Rainbow Room of the Chiefs’ and Petty Officers’ Mess beginning at 9 a.m. The 200 pre-registered spots for the presentation are filling up quickly.Coletto, 35, is a highly successful millennial who co-founded the Ottawa-based market and public opinion research firm Ababcus Data, and heads its Canadian Millennial Research Practice.His presentation is geared to managers, supervisors, commanding officers and people who deliver on-the-job training, so they can better understand what makes millennials tick and how to better accommodate their needs. Maryse Neilson, CFB Esquimalt’s Health Promotion Manager, says Coletto is renowned for his presentation skills.“He is not only well informed and highly successful in his field, but also an incredible entertainer. He presents his research in a good-natured way that allows you to understand the data,” she says.The Federal Government has been tracking the increasing employee shortfall at the Department of National Defence as people reach the mandatory retirement age of 55, and civilian employees reach the end of their careers.After a review by the Auditor General of Canada, a House of Commons report in June 2017 declared that the DND “must improve its methods of recruitment and retention of personnel.”As a result, a key part of Canada’s new defence policy document Strong, Secure, Engaged was a commitment to grow the military by 3,500 members and the Reserve Force by 15,000.This includes the implementation of a comprehensive CAF Retention Strategy which Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan...

[caption id="attachment_18098" align="alignnone" width="550"] After her participation in the LEARN program, Christina Van Spronsen of Base Information Services says she doesn’t let the rainy days of winter keep her from staying active. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A technical support worker at Base Information Services says a new weight-busting health and wellness program offered by Health Promotion has given her the tools to have a better life.Last April, Christina Van Spronsen enrolled in the LEARN (Lifestyle Education through Activity Resilience and Nutrition), a Health Promotion and fitness program. Prior to taking the course she says stress was mounting in her life, and hopes of leading a healthy lifestyle seemed all but dashed.“This course gave me something I hadn’t had in a long time - hope,” says Van Spronsen “It isn’t an easy path to stay self-motivated, but I do believe that as a creature of routine, exercise has become my new routine in life.”Since enrolling in the program Van Spronsen has lost 45lbs, her stress has reduced, and she has found more energy for day-to-day activities, both at work and home.LEARN is offered at CFB Esquimalt and is open to all military and DND civilian employees and family members. The mandate of the program is to help participants reduce weight circumference and improve overall health. Goals are achieved through education and training modules that combine physical activity, nutrition, mental fitness and resilience training, stress management and conscious relaxation techniques. Class sizes are small with 10 to 12 people meeting three afternoons a week at the Naden Athletic Centre from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. From 1 p.m. to 2:30 students attend lectures, while the last hour of the segment involves physical training exercises.Rave Reviews Claire Grant, Health Promotion program administrator, says 58 people have graduated from the program...

[caption id="attachment_18123" align="alignnone" width="575"] Photo by Cpl Tony Chand, Formation Imaging Services[/caption]Maritime Tactical Operations Group Tiger Team and Royal Canadian Navy Ship’s Boarding Party members conduct pistol training on the flight deck of HMCS St. John’s during Operation Reassurance, Feb. 21.

[caption id="attachment_18119" align="alignnone" width="575"] Photo by Cpl Tony Chand, Formation Imaging Services[/caption]HMCS St. John’s currently deployed on Operation Reassurance operates with the HDMS Niels Juel (F363) of Standing NATO Maritime Group One off the Norwegian coast, Feb. 22.

[caption id="attachment_18116" align="alignnone" width="575"] Photo by Cpl Tony Chand, Formation Imaging Services[/caption]Royal Canadian Navy members currently deployed on board HMCS St. John’s participate in a Personnel Exchange with a Norwegian Submarine during Operation Reassurance, Feb. 22.

[caption id="attachment_18095" align="alignnone" width="550"] Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd, centre, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, and Command Chief Petty Officer Michel Vigneault, right, accept a framed version of the new RCN Stadium Series Sweater from Toronto Maple Leafs alumnus Darryl Sittler.[/caption]Darlene Blakely, Navy Public Affairs Ottawa ~The Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club paid tribute to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) recently when it unveiled a Stadium Series Sweater designed for its outdoor game against the Washington Capitals at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, on March 3.The Leafs will wear an all-white uniform, trimmed in blue, representing the Canadian Naval Ensign. In addition to being one of the most recognized visual identifiers of the RCN, the Canadian Naval Ensign is a symbol of excellence portraying the professionalism and dedication of Canadian sailors who deploy around the world.“The Maple Leafs have had a very long and proud association with our Armed Forces throughout the years and this special game is an important opportunity for us to not only pay tribute to the RCN, but to also say thank you to the many men and women who serve our country so bravely,” team president Brendan Shanahan said in a statement. “This unique uniform, to mark a unique occasion, celebrates the traditions of both the RCN and the Toronto Maple Leafs, and it will be a great honour for our players to wear this sweater.”The Maple Leafs will wear white sweaters for the first time in an outdoor game along with white helmets, socks, gloves and pants, all with blue trim. The motto of the RCN, “Ready, Aye, Ready”, will be featured prominently inside the collar of the sweater. The Maple Leafs’ inspiring “Honour. Pride. Courage.” will appear on the top stripe of the left sleeve.Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd, Commander RCN, said he...

[caption id="attachment_18092" align="alignnone" width="550"] Team members who attended the official robotics competition startup Jan. 6 in Vancouver hold the base of the robot they put together that day. It has come a very long way since then. Photo courtesy Tina O’Keeffe[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~An organization that inspires students to chart career paths in science and technology is looking for volunteers from the base to help run it’s first-ever B.C. regional robotics competition.FIRST Robotics Canada (FRC) is a non-profit charity affiliated with U.S. parent organization FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology), whose mission it is to inspire high school and elementary school students with hands-on technology experience under the guidance of seasoned tradespeople.Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre is the location for their regional qualifying event March 14, 15 and 16 with winners moving on to this year’s First Robotics World Championship in Houston and Detroit in April.FRC event coordinator Jason Brett is a former high school shop teacher who now teachs electronics and robotics to future shop teachers at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in Burnaby.  Brett says he’s excited about the Victoria launch because it means students now have a competition they can call their own.“I have been involved in this event for 15 years and we always had to take the kids from B.C. to other venues,” said Brett. “Now we have a couple of hundred bright talented kids who are converging on Victoria for this challenge, and there are so many people at CFB Esquimalt who are of the same mindset even though they may be a generation or two apart.”Brett says he’s looking for military and civilian volunteers from the base to help mentor teams, judge submissions, and lend a hand in event logistical tasks such as registration and event operations.“I think when word...

[caption id="attachment_18083" align="alignnone" width="575"] Photo by Cpl Tony Chand, Formation Imaging Services[/caption]Canadian Armed Forces members currently deployed on board HMCS St. John’s participate in a fitness class lead by Personnel Support Program (PSP) fitness instructor Keira Lee during Operation Reassurance, Feb. 21.

[caption id="attachment_18009" align="alignnone" width="575"] Inset: Members of the Flying Lion Dance Troupe pose for pictures during the 5th International Cultural and Folk Festival held in Concon, Chile.[/caption]Lt(N) Harrison Nguyen, Canadian Submarine Force ~When I was a teenager growing up in Winnipeg I learned Chinese Lion Dance and showcased it during the city’s annual multicultural festival, Folklorama (Twitter: @Folklorama).For those who haven’t experienced Folklorama I highly recommend it. The City of Winnipeg comes alive with over 40 different local communities hosting their own cultural pavilions. What I loved the most was being able to show everyone Chinese Lion Dance and educate people on this important part of Chinese culture.Fifteen years later, I performed for Folklorama again, but this time on the other side of the world.Last September, the President of my dance team asked if I wanted to showcase the Chinese Lion Dance at the 5th International Cultural and Folk Festival in Concon, Chile, Feb. 1 to 4.Excited at the opportunity, I proposed this to my Chain of Command who in turn were more than supportive towards my endeavour.We landed in Santiago, Chile, Jan. 31 where we met with dignitaries from the festival. The whole trip felt like a foreign port visit with the Royal Canadian Navy. There were meetings, gift exchanges, and social events scheduled during our stay.During the four-day festival, my team, the Flying Lion Dance troupe (Twitter: @FlyingLionsWpg) on behalf of Folklorama, represented Chinese Lion Dance Culture by performing four shows in three venues to thousands of people. We were joined by other groups representing cultures from Ukraine, Uruguay, Trinidad & Tobago, Togo, and Argentina.

DND ~Members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have a new tool to help facilitate their transition into the civilian workforce.MNET, which officially launched Oct. 16, 2017, is a new, free to use, online career transition tool that matches military occupations with civilian occupations and job openings. MNET is short for Military Occupational Structure ID (MOSID) to National Occupational Classification (NOC) Equivalency Tool.To use MNET, CAF members and Veterans just need to enter information about their military career and a matching civilian occupation with job description, as well as a link to relevant civilian employment opportunities on the Government of Canada’s Job Bank is produced.Employers are also able to use MNET, which can help them to understand a particular military occupation and lets them post forecasted job openings specifically for Veterans.“It is exciting to see the implementation of this great initiative well ahead of schedule. It would not have been possible without the commitment from interdepartmental cooperation throughout this process,” said Brigadier-General Mark Misener, the General Officer leading the creation of the Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group. “CAF members often think little of the training and experiences that they have amassed during their careers and the weight it can carry over into the competitive labour market.”MNET is the result of coordinated efforts by the CAF’s Directorate of Casualty Support Management, the Military Personnel Generation Learning Support Centre, Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). For example, in order to allow for the translation of military occupations to civilian equivalents, ESDC provided access to its vast catalogue on occupational information in Canada, which categorizes more than 30,000 occupational titles into groups that are organized according to skill types and levels.The online tool, based on a United States Department of Labor application, was created and customized for Canadian...

[caption id="attachment_18080" align="alignnone" width="575"] Photo by Cpl Tony Chand, Formation Imaging Services[/caption]Maritime Tactical Operations Group Tiger Team and Royal Canadian Navy Ship’s Boarding Party members conduct pistol training on the flight deck of HMCS St. John’s during Operation Reassurance, off the Norwegian coast Feb. 21.

A new smartphone app is set to turn B.C. bystanders into potential life-savers should a sudden cardiac arrest occurs in a public place.BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) has launched the free PulsePoint application throughout the province. It provides vital information in the case of cardiac arrest, where minutes count in reducing suffering and preventing death.Smartphone users with Pulsepoint are connected to the BCEHS emergency dispatch system. When a sudden cardiac arrest is reported at a p­ublic location through 9-1-1, dispatchers can send the location to people with mobile devices within short walking distance. A user with training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can then go to the patient and begin CPR while paramedics are en route.The smartphone alert also shows users a map pinpointing the location of nearby portable public defibrillators, which are another tool that the general public can use safely before paramedics arrive.British Columbia is the first to have a province-wide program for this public notification service. Pulsepoint also operates in an Ontario municipality and in a number of U.S. counties and cities.The effectiveness of Pulsepoint will be studied in BC and other parts of Canada and the US to determine whether the app increases public participation in cardiac arrest resuscitation. BC is expected to take part in this randomized, controlled research trial starting in 2018.The PulsePoint app can be downloaded from both the Apple Store for iOS and from Google Play Store for Android OSQuick Facts:3 MINUTESThe amount of time after a sudden cardiac arrest in which brain damage occurs if immediate help is not available. Sudden cardiac arrest occurs without notice and leaves patients unconscious.7,101the number of cardiac arrests BCEHS paramedics responded to in 201725%Bystanders performed CPR in approximately 25 per cent of these cases.10%The survival rate beyond 30 days for sudden cardiac arrest in BC is...

[caption id="attachment_17996" align="alignnone" width="575"] The Navy hockey team from HMCS Hunter celebrates their victory with the Grapes Cup on Jan. 20 while participating in the first of what is to be an annual rivalry matchup between Navy players and Army players in Windsor-Essex county.[/caption]A/SLt Moore, HMCS Hunter ~Navy players from HMCS Hunter and the army, featuring players from 31 Canadian Brigade Group (including Essex and Kent Scottish, Windsor Regiment, and 31 Service Battalion), played an outdoor ice hockey game Jan. 20 on the iconic Canadian day known as Hockey Day in Canada.Team Navy quickly seized the lead and eventually went on to win the game 11 – 3 through dominant play.Master Seaman Tyler Thomson, one of Team Navy’s organizers, said the day “went really well. We’re really happy with how it’s going. We’re happy to be able to get out on the ice, to play a friendly game, and to beat Team Army.”This game marked the first annual matchup between the friendly rivals in Windsor Essex. The winner took home the “Grapes Cup,” so named in honour of Don Cherry (“Grapes” is Don Cherry’s nickname).Through its history, Hockey Day in Canada has been about much more than the game of hockey – it has been about bringing the community together. This event successfully did that, bringing dozens of friends, family members, and military personnel together in a time of fun and celebration.Master Seaman Mitchell and Master Seaman Thomson wanted that to be the focus of the match.“Our main priority was to create a fun thing to do - something for families and friends to enjoy while getting to spend time with service members in the public,” said MS Thomson.After the game, guests  enjoyed a public skate. It was an amazing time of strategic outreach and community involvement for the military...

[caption id="attachment_17990" align="alignnone" width="575"] Clockwise from top left: Dana Tremblay displays job opportunities available at B.C. Ferries. Pierre Boucher of the CFB Esquimalt Model Railway Club gets his locomotives on track. Trevor Ball of Fort Street Cycle shows off a bike. Patrons line up at the Deadbeetz food truck for a free lunch. Karl Schneider, Registered Massage Therapist at The Spa at Delta Ocean Pointe Resort, gives a massage. Photos by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Over 120 businesses and community organizations plotted a course for fun and information at the Naden Athletic Centre Feb. 15 at this year’s MARPAC Health and Wellness Expo.Over 1,000 military and DND civilian employees attended this year’s expo held in the upper and lower gymnasium of the sports complex. The annual event features interactive display booths by local non-profits and businesses representing health and wellness, recreation, sports, fitness, outdoor activities, schools and base clubs.One popular feature of the expo were the door prizes offered up by vendors along with the delicious free food samples available to patrons. The first 500 visitors received vouchers for complimentary lunch, courtesy the PSP sponsorship program, for food trucks Deadbeetz and Mai Mai’s Bistro. Those not lucky enough to get their hands on a food voucher could still sate their appetites as Hertels Meats were on hand frying up side and back bacon samples, while Esquimalt’s Melting Moments Catering were offering up sample pasta and desserts, and Serious Coffee provided free coffee and tea to visitors.For those with an appetite for travel they could enter WestJet airlines’ free draw to win a trip to any of its destinations in Canada. This year’s winner was AB Brett Melchior of HMCS Winnipeg.

[caption id="attachment_17987" align="alignnone" width="560"] Left: Hazel Braithwaite, United Way of Greater Victoria Director of Community Campaign; Base Chief, Chief Petty Officer Gino Spinelli; Julie Mills, HealthPartners Accounts Manager; and Captain (Navy) Jason Boyd, Base Commander, display a cheque for $300,000 from the National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The MARPAC Health and Wellness Expo was the venue to mark the conclusion of this year’s National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign (NDWCC), which began in October 2017. Through a variety of fundraising initiatives, this year’s campaign raised $300,000 for local charities.Captain (Navy) Jason Boyd, Base Commander, made a brief speech to the crowd and then made a cheque presentation to Hazel Braithwaite, United Way Greater Victoria Director of Community Campaign, and Julie Mills, HealthPartners. Braithwaite congratulated Capt(N) Boyd and CFB Esquimalt’s military and civilian employees for another solid contribution this year, noting the sizable donation will go a long way to funding programs in the community.“We are always impressed with the support we get from CFB Esquimalt and are thrilled to have this sizable donation to put back into the community that will help operate so many programs,” said Braithwaite.Capt(N) Boyd said the charitable campaign also helps to highlight the “tremendous efforts” of military personnel and civilian staff in the community, either through financial support, volunteering, and other acts of goodwill.“The point I really want to make about this year’s NDWCC campaign is that it really wasn’t about the size of your wallets but the size of your hearts,” said Capt(N) Boyd. “We are very pleased with the results of this year’s campaign and are able to celebrate MARPAC’s involvement in the community; we give back a lot.”

[caption id="attachment_17984" align="alignnone" width="560"] It was 20 years in the making, and a mere minute to lose, but it was all worth it in the end. PO1 Darren Peat’s mustache succumbed to a $,6,225 fundraising goal, and the sailor braved the shaved on HMCS Regina’s flight deck. Photo courtesy HMCS Regina[/caption]SLt M.X. Déry, MARPAC PA ~When HMCS Regina’s crew sets out to do something, they get the job done.So when this year’s National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign (NDWCC) season kicked off, Regina’s crew had their sights on surpassing the previous year’s contribution, and they did. They managed to raise $41,525, a 23 per cent increase on last year’s already substantial sum.“I believe the dramatic increase this year was a direct response to the day sail Regina put on for the Chris Knox Foundation,” said Lt(N) Gregory Kuhn, NDWCC co-ordinator in Regina. “Donating this year became personal – you could now put a face to the organization you were donating to.”The Chris Knox Foundation, Regina’s official charity, will get the lion’s share of the funds - over $20,500 - raised through the ship’s handful of fundraising events. But the highlight of the events was the shaving of heads and mustaches on the flight deck.PO1 Lee Richardson helped raise the funds to shave Lt(N) Tracy Tkachuk’s mustache, but soon discovered that Lt(N) Tkachuk had also been raising funds to shave PO1 Richardson’s head.“When you thought I had the best of Tkachuk, I did not,” said PO1 Richardson. “Remember it’s for the children!”PO1 Darren Peat set a high price for his classic mustache, thinking his lofty goal of $5,000 would never be reached.“PO Richardson suggested it [the mustache shave] so I asked my wife; she said ‘no way!’ So I said name a price, and she said $5,000 assuming there was no way...

[caption id="attachment_17968" align="alignnone" width="575"] Lt(N) Stephenie Murray, left, and Lt(N) Andrea Murray, are twin sisters in the Royal Canadian Navy who are both currently Executive Officers in Kingston-class warships. Photo by Mona Ghiz, MARLANT PA[/caption] Ryan Melanson, Trident Newspaper ~ If you come to HMC Dockyard in Halifax looking for a naval officer named Lt(N) Murray, you need to be very specific. Even if you know she’s the Executive Officer of a Kingston-class ship, you’ll still need more details. That’s because there are two Murrays. Lt(N) Andrea Murray, Executive Officer of HMCS Kingston, and Lt(N) Stephanie Murray, Executive Officer of HMCS Glace Bay, are twin sisters, which is often news even to their dockyard colleagues. The two aren’t identical twins, but the similarities while in uniform are close enough to create some confusion. “There’s a harbour pilot we’ve been working with for a decade who recently realized we weren’t the same person, so we had to let him know. That happens all the time. We also get mistaken for each other on a daily basis,” says Lt(N) Andrea Murray. The two sisters have been members of the Royal Canadian Navy since 2005, and starting with Basic Training, which they completed together, their careers have progressed in lockstep with each other. “We’ve actually done basically all our positions at the same time. We were Operations Officers together, we were Deck Officers, and now we’re both XOs,” says Lt(N) Andrea Murray. Her sister added that growing up, their parents worked hard to ensure they led independent lives, enrolling the sisters in different classes at school or signing them up for different sports teams and activities. “And now here we are doing the same job, in the same place, in the same uniform,” she jokes. The Murrays come from a family with lots...

[caption id="attachment_17965" align="alignnone" width="575"] Runners from the base left: Lieutenant Commander Simon Brown, Master Seaman Steve Deschamps, and Matt Carlson are joined by Wounded Warrior Run B.C. Director, Captain Jacquieline Zweng (second from right) for the launch event at Jim Pattison Subaru in Colwood Feb. 1.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Four runners from CFB Esquimalt are about to set off on the 5th annual Wounded Warrior Run B.C. and face the physically gruelling task of running the length of Vancouver Island.The team will begin pounding the pavement in Port Hardy Feb. 19 and conclude Feb. 25 at the provincial legislature in Victoria.Organized by Wounded Warriors Canada, the purpose of the approximately 600-kilometre relay-style run is to raise public awareness about mental health and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), along with financial support for programs that benefit affected military members and first responders.Joining the seven-person Wounded Warrior team are Lieutenant Commander Simon Brown of Maritime Forces Pacific, Chief Warrant Officer Mark Dankwerth of Base Administration, Master Seaman Steve Deschamps of Canadian Fleet Pacific, and Matt Carlson, Personnel Support Services Community Recreation Coordinator.The Big LaunchRunners and support staff gathered at Jim Pattison Subaru Feb. 1 for the official launch event. They were flanked by first responders from the Colwood Fire Department, West Shore RCMP, a colour guard from the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 91, Colwood Mayor Carol Hamilton and members of the Victoria Grizzlies junior hockey team, who were there to show their support.Run Director, Captain Jacqueline Zweng works as a Cadet Instructor at the Regional Cadet Support Unit at Work Point. She was a member of last year’s Wounded Warriors team and shared her own her story of overcoming breast cancer, surgery, and a subsequent car accident to become a runner on last year’s team. While not diagnosed with PTSD herself, she...

[caption id="attachment_17962" align="alignnone" width="575"] Alicia Hogue, a Programmer with the Royal Canadian Navy, demonstrates ship tracking software for Commander Seana Routledge of MARLANT’s Base Information Services on Feb. 2 at HMC Dockyard Halifax. Photo by Mona Ghiz, MARLANT PA[/caption]Scott Syms, Vessel Monitoring Services, CFB Halifax ~A small navy software development group in Halifax is causing a big splash with NATO.Halifax-based programmers with the Royal Canadian Navy wrote ship tracking software that has helped Canadian industry win NATO contracts worth millions of Euros.Most of the world’s goods are carried by ocean-going vessels, and the greater need to track shipping to ensure global safety and security has generated more data than ever before.But the increase in ship position data creates problems for officers such as LCdr Phillip Mundy, Director of the Regional Joint Operations Centre Atlantic.“Our job is to keep an eye on the ship traffic off the coast of Eastern Canada. As we introduced more data, we had systems choking on millions of position reports; it was affecting our ability to track ships off of Canada’s coasts.”To solve the problem, LCdr Mundy turned to a technical support group embedded with the East Coast Navy. “The amount of data available is outstripping older methods of processing it,” says Alicia Hogue, a programmer with the navy. “To solve LCdr Mundy’s problem, we had to re-think the whole process of gathering and storing data.”The group leveraged components from big data companies such as Google, Uber and Linkedin. The resulting software is capable of processing hundreds of millions of position reports a day and is used on both coasts to manage and visualise ship data.Hogue described Canada’s efforts to colleagues overseas, and they were interested.“All navies were struggling with the same set of problems brought about by new, high-volume data sources,” she says.The interest soon became...

[caption id="attachment_17959" align="alignnone" width="575"] Sailors line the bow of HMCS Athabaskan during the ship’s paying off ceremony on March 10, 2017. Photo by FIS Halifax[/caption]Ryan Melanson, Trident Newspaper ~A contract has been awarded for disposal work on the former HMCS Athabaskan, which means the ship will soon be towed from HMC Dockyard to the Marine Recycling Corporation facilities in Sydney, Nova Scotia, to be dismantled.Public Services and Procurement Canada announced the contract, worth $5.7 million, on Jan.18. Though Marine Recycling Corporation is headquartered in Port Colborne, Ontario, the entirety of the work, including demilitarization of equipment, remediation of hazardous waste, and recycling of any remaining materials, will take place at the company’s Cape Breton site.The dismantling is expected to be completed by summer 2019.HMCS Athabaskan was the last of the Royal Canadian Navy’s four Iroquois-class destroyers in service when it was officially paid off in March 2017. The ships were constructed in the 1970s with highly advanced technologies at the time, including new sonar and infrared technologies and the ability to launch two maritime helicopters at once. Notable deployments for the ship included Operation Friction in 1991 during the Gulf War, as well as relief work in the United States following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and in Haiti after the country’s devastating Earthquake in 2010.The lack of destroyers in the fleet has created a temporary capability gap for the navy, but it will be restored with the construction of 15 Canadian Surface Combatants, with the first expected to be delivered in the mid-2020s.