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Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members interested in becoming Clearance Divers will be able to learn more during information sessions being held at bases and wings across Canada during the month of March.“Any CAF member interested in finding out how to become a Clearance Diver is invited to attend,” says Lt(N) Mike St-Pierre, Executive Officer of Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific).It has never been easier to become a Clearance Diver as previous restrictions have been lifted. Voluntary Occupational Transfer is now open to any CAF member from any trade, with or without dive training. Provided you are qualified in your current occupation, meet the medical and fitness requirements, and have 48 months’ continuous service, you are eligible.Clearance Divers are the masters of the underwater domain, and their primary mission is to locate, identify and neutralize explosive devices. They operate in a variety of environments, from the deep sea to the rugged peaks of mountains to dry desert climates to the frigid waters of the Arctic, at home and abroad, and during times of peace and in war.Clearance Divers operate in the most unforgiving environments employing sophisticated equipment and the latest technologies to achieve their mission. They are highly trained specialists who undergo intense, rigorous training, selected from the few who have what it takes to endure extreme conditions to achieve mission success.The Clearance Diver occupation has a long and storied history. The first units were formed during the Second World War to disarm sea mines throughout Europe and the South Pacific.From their auspicious beginnings, Clearance Divers have been at the forefront of Royal Canadian Navy and CAF operations throughout the world, including operations in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and most recently Ukraine.For more information:Information session schedule: esquimalt.mil.ca/fdu/Training requirements: esquimalt.mil.ca/FDU/Training/howtobeCD.htm Become a diver: esquimalt.mil.ca/FDU/Training.htm

[caption id="attachment_17949" align="alignnone" width="575"] Team “Onward” on HMCS Calgary, 57mm main gun in the background. From left to right: Lt(N) Adam Thomson, Lt(N) Sonja Maul-Wilson, SLt Sean Place, Adam Checketts, Team captain Lt(N) Sean Milley, Team captain Warrant Officer Steven Lewington, Lt(N) Cass van Benthem Jutting, Dusty Johnston, and Lt(N) Alex Johnston. Absent: Third team captain Lt(N) Stephen Tomlinson, who is undergoing treatment.[/caption]SLt M.X. Déry, MARPAC Public Affairs ~Some people ride bicycles for charity, while others prefer raising funds by growing mustaches, but on board HMCS Calgary the crew is foregoing libations for the B.C. Cancer Foundation.The 4th annual “Lose the Booze” campaign by the B.C. Cancer Foundation is underway and the top fundraising team in the province is currently “Onward”, the team created by HMCS Calgary, as three of their crew members have been battling cancer this year.“I heard an ad for ‘Lose the Booze’ on the radio,” said Lt(N) Sean Milley, the team’s creator and one of its captains. “I didn’t expect it to turn into what it did.”Lt(N) Milley was the Above Water Warfare Officer in Calgary when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer last year.“The speed on being told to begin treatment was really fast,” he says.The cancer had been caught early and with rapid treatment Lt(N) Milley’s long-term prognosis is good, and he is looking forward to returning to sea.Warrant Officer Steven Lewington was the senior firefighter in Calgary when he was diagnosed last March with thyroid cancer.“We were sailing and I mentioned to the physician’s assistant that I was sweating at night,” he says.Once ashore, it was obvious to his doctor that something was wrong in his neck.“I never thought in a million years that I would have cancer,” said WO Lewington.Surgery took a few months, and treatment is still ongoing, but the situation...

[caption id="attachment_17931" align="alignnone" width="525"] Royal Canadian Navy personnel wave and salute as 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron conducts its final flight with CH-124 Sea King helicopters over Halifax Harbour Jan. 26. Photo by DND[/caption]RCAF Public Affairs ~423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron conducted its final operational flight of CH-124 Sea King helicopters Jan. 26, with a flypast over Halifax Harbour and Shearwater, Nova Scotia.423 MH Squadron personnel will now turn their full attention to transitioning to the CH-148 Cyclone, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s new maritime helicopter.It’s not the last time that residents of the Halifax and Dartmouth area will see the venerable Sea King in flight. 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron, located at Patricia Bay, British Columbia, will support Royal Canadian Navy operations on both coasts until the Sea King is formally retired at Patricia Bay at the end of this year. Both 443 and 423 MH Squadrons are part of 12 Wing Shearwater.The Sea King has been in service with the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force for 55 years. The first Cyclone detachments onboard Navy ships are planned for mid-2018.

[caption id="attachment_17928" align="alignnone" width="525"] Treasury Board of Canada President Scott Brison and Dartmouth-Cole Harbour MP Darren Fisher were joined by members of Maritime Forces Atlantic and the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust Jan. 26 as they announced new federal funding for repairs to HMCS Sackville. Photo by Mona Ghiz, MARLANT PA[/caption]Ryan Melanson, Trident Newspaper ~Canada’s last Flower-class corvette HMCS Sackville is set to receive extensive repairs this summer, following the Federal Government’s announcement of a $3.5 million contribution to the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust (CNMT).The news was delivered by Treasury Board Secretary Scott Brison, on behalf of Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, during a small ceremony at CFB Halifax’s HMC Dockyard Jan. 26.Work on the ship will mainly be completed at Fleet Maintenance Facility (FMF) Cape Scott, and the Royal Canadian Navy will be responsible for managing the contribution agreement to cover the repair costs including labour, materials and subcontracting.Brison spoke about the importance of maintaining the ship, which served during the Battle of the Atlantic and famously engaged three German U-boats in a 24-period during the summer of 1942. Sackville was designated Canada’s Naval Memorial in 1985, and is berthed next to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic during summer months, where it hosts tours and supports different naval and community functions.“Being able to board a ship that actually served in these battles, and now exists as a living memorial and treasured museum, is very valuable. People walk along her decks, hold artifacts in their hands, and learn about an important chapter in Canadian history,” said Brison, who was joined at the jetty by Dartmouth Cole Harbour MP Darren Fisher, members of the CNMT, RAdm Craig Baines, Command Maritime Forces Atlantic, and Capt(N) Stéphane Lafond, Commanding Officer of FMF Cape Scott.“But as a vessel commissioned in 1941, and one that served...

[caption id="attachment_17925" align="alignnone" width="525"] Clement Tang of Chinese-language cable specialty channel Fairchild TV (not pictured) interviews Cdr Alex Barlow, Commanding Officer of HMCS Ottawa, on the ship’s bridge. The TV crew sailed aboard the frigate to get an up-close look at life in the navy. Photos courtesy Fairchild TV[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A TV crew has documented life on board a Canadian warship for the Chinese community.A three-person film crew from the news program Magazine 26 set sail from Esquimalt aboard HMCS Ottawa for an overnight sail Jan. 25, reaching their final destination of Canada Place in Vancouver the next morning. The daily news program is available on Canadian specialty cable Fairchild TV, which boasts 500,000 viewers daily and is available in both Mandarin and Cantonese languages.“Everyone on board Ottawa was extremely helpful and accommodating to me and my crew,” said Clement Tang, reporter and anchorman. “I immediately got the impression the navy takes its responsibility of informing and educating the Chinese-Canadian community about its operations and possible career paths very seriously.”To add some flare to the coverage, sailors performed two damage control demonstrations involving firefighting techniques and flood response. Then the crew went into “action stations” for a bridge warning organization, the response the ship takes to small boat attacks. The attacking small boat was simulated by the ship’s RHIB.. To beef up the footage, the crew conducted firing of the 50 calibre machine gun with blank ammunition, line handling, small boat operations, high-speed maneuvering, bridge operations, navigation, seamanship briefings, and dinner in the mess.Four Chinese-Canadian sailors were interviewed to provide a personal touch to the segment.Lt(N) Chow, PO2 Shei, PO1 Tin and SLt Wang spoke candidly of their experiences as sailors in the Royal Canadian Navy.Commander Alex Barlow, the ship’s captain, rounded out the interviews by speaking of the humanitarian...

[caption id="attachment_17921" align="alignnone" width="525"] Photo by MARPAC Imaging[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The Canadian Armed Forces’ efforts to beef up the number of women in the military was greatly enhanced by the Achieve Anything Foundation last week.Using HMCS Ottawa as an enticement platform, 120 women and girls of all ages crossed the ship’s brow Jan. 27 for a day sail around Vancouver’s harbour and the Strait of Georgia.For most, this was a first encounter with a Canadian warship and its crew.Sailors were prepared for their guests with special displays laid out in the hangar and in the ship, and an itinerary of tours and spectacles to keep everyone wide-eyed and asking questions.The air force played a role by flying a Sea King helicopter overhead as part of a search and rescue demonstration.“Promoting the navy to future generations is very important to everyone in the defence team,” said Commander Alex Barlow, Ottawa’s Commanding Officer. “Seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces brought great pride to all of the sailors who work aboard Ottawa, and we are hoping those who joined us will share their experiences with friends and family.”The Achieve Anything Foundation was formed to create year-round projects and programs that inspire future female leaders in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and STEM-based fields such as aviation, aerospace, marine and defence. It was founded by Kirsten Brazier, an aviation professional with 25-years’ experience in the commercial aviation industry as a fixed wing aircraft and helicopter pilot. The 47-year-old founded the registered non-profit in 2016, but its roots go back to 2012 with its signature event The Sky’s The Limit – Girls Fly Too! The annual event, held in conjunction with various agency, industry and education partners, is expecting over 20,000 visitors in 2018.Low numbers of women in senior management or command positions...

[caption id="attachment_17918" align="alignnone" width="525"] Team Captain of the Colorado Avalanche Gabriel Landeskog (left) and Vancouver Canucks captain Henrik Sedin are joined by Brigadier General Dave Cochrane (centre) of the Royal Canadian Air Force, and members of 442 Squadron, for the ceremonial opening faceoff during Military Appreciation Night at Rogers Arena, Jan. 30. Photo by Jeff Vinnick, NHLI[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Necks were craned in Vancouver’s Rogers Centre arena last Tuesday, as those in the stands watched Search and Rescue Technicians Sergeant Morgan Boutilier, Master Corporal Daniel Keith, MCpl Zach Holmes, and MCpl Yannyk Daley rappel from the rafters to centre ice.The aerobatic spectacle was part of the Vancouver Canucks military appreciation event, which brought more than 350 military and DND civilian personnel to the venue for an evening of defence appreciation and a hockey game.Evening play began with the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy performing both the Canadian and American national anthems, with Leading Seaman Brandi Sidoryk, a reservist from HMCS Tecumseh, providing the vocal accompaniment.Taking centre ice to perform the ceremonial puck drop between the Canucks and Colorado Avalanche team captains was Brigadier General Dave Cochrane of the Royal Canadian Air Force.“The soldiers, sailors and aviators who attended were true hockey fans; you could tell by the smiles on their faces they really enjoyed the experience,” said Lt(N) Tony Wright, a public affairs officer with Maritime Forces Pacific. “Throughout the game they did tributes to Canadian Forces members on the big [Jumbotron] screen and fans, and many fans, came up and thanked us for our service to our country.”Following the Canucks 4-3 overtime win, Canucks players signed autographs and mingled with their DND visitors before posing for a group photograph. Canucks right-winger Brock Boeser took such interest in the post-game exchange with the guests of honour he...

[caption id="attachment_17910" align="alignnone" width="500"] Team B.C. versus Cold Lake during round robin play. Team B.C. won the game 7-3. Photos courtesy Jeff Gaye, Cold Lake Courier Newspaper[/caption]Peter Mallet, Staff Writer ~They went into regional playoffs as the underdog and came out as the top regional women’s hockey team.Team B.C, a mix of female military players from CFB Esquimalt and 19 Wing Comox, hit the ice in the Col J.J. Parr Sports Centre  arena in Cold Lake Jan. 29, set to challenge teams from Canadian Forces Bases Winnipeg, Edmonton and Cold Lake.After round robin play, Team B.C. accumulated enough points to place second, pitting them against the top team from Edmonton for the final playoffs.The game was tight and at the end of three periods the score was tied 3 – 3. It took overtime play to get the final winning goal by Avr Laura Lighthall, earning them the title 2018 CAF Canada West Regional Women’s Hockey Champions.Next on the roster is national playoffs March 4 to 9 at CFB Edmonton where they will be pitted against three other regional teams.This is the second regional sport playoffs under the new Canada West format; basketball was the first.

Ian Alexander Galbraith-McTavishJune 15, 1991 - January 27, 2018It is with great sadness that the family of Able Seaman Ian Galbraith-McTavish announce his passing on 27 January, 2018 in Victoria, B.C.Ian enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in 2013 as an Artillery Soldier and transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy as a Boatswain in 2017. He previously served at CFB Gagetown prior to CFB Esquimalt. A dedicated Boatswain who loved mountain climbing and being outdoors, Ian could always be counted on to help out his shipmates with kindness and understanding.Ian will be lovingly remembered by his parents Heather Galbraith and her husband Chuck Uhl, by his father William McTavish,  his siblings Chris and his wife Reese, John, Brian, and Billie McTavish, step-brothers Jacob and Jason Uhl, his nephews Colby and Rylan, and his nieces Layla and Charlie, as well as family and friends across Canada.A military service will be held at Sands Funeral Chapel, 317 Goldstream Avenue, Colwood at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, 7 February, 2018 with a visitation scheduled for Tuesday, 6 February between 6-8 p.m.The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Our Place Society, Victoria B.C., www.ourplacesociety.com.

[caption id="attachment_17890" align="alignnone" width="550"] Vincent, left, and Rene De Haître get ready to enjoy some extreme aviation in Las Vegas. Insets: Olympic athlete Vincent De Haître and Military recruit Rene De Haître.[/caption]Darlene Blakeley, Navy Public Affairs Ottawa ~One has dreams of a career as a naval officer, the other has dreams of Olympic gold.Brothers Rene and Vincent De Haître represent Canada in their own unique ways, yet they also offer strong support to each other as they pursue their individual goals, even if they are a world apart.Vincent, a world class long track speed skater, will compete in the PyeongChang Olympic Games next month in both the 1,500 and 1,000-metre races on Feb.13 and 23 respectively, and Rene hopes to graduate from the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in St. Jean, Que, on Feb. 22.Being 15 time zones apart means they won’t be able to support each other in person.Originally, the plan was for Rene to travel to South Korea to see his brother compete, but that was before he learned he would be preparing for a career as a Naval Combat System Engineering Officer in the Royal Canadian Navy.“The thought of joining the navy has always been on the table, but the real decision came in November 2016,” Rene explains. “I have a passion for the naval world, especially shipbuilding. After a few years in the private sector, I felt as though I was in a rut just following the course without too much variation. I felt that it was the best time, being young and without too many responsibilities, to change paths and to serve in an environment that promotes cooperation and team work, as well as representing Canada and its interests at home and abroad.”Rene plans to watch his ­brother’s second Olympic race live online.“I will...

[caption id="attachment_17886" align="alignnone" width="450"] Acting Sub-Lieutenant Ian Marcoux competes during the Admiral’s Cup regatta at the Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala, Kerala State. Photo by LCdr Charles Edgeworth[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~It was an initiation to remember for Acting Sub-Lieutenant Ian Marcoux, 22, as he tackled his first international regatta in the Land of Spices.The Naval Warfare Officer trainee travelled to southern India’s Kerala State Dec. 2 to 8, 2017, representing the Royal Canadian Navy in the sailing competition held at Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala.He finished 50th in a field of 55 sailors representing 27 navies from around the world.“It was a fantastic initiation for me into the whole concept of regattas,” said A/SLt Marcoux. “I learned so much in a short time, not only what a real race was like, but I also picked up on so many areas to improve technically as a competitor.”In the opening phase of the regatta, he and the other novice sailors competed in single-person laser-class dinghies against elite-level sailors, some of whom had Olympic experience. “This was my first-ever race. I had learned some basic sailing skills, but now it was all about shifting gears quickly and learning all of the rules and the technical side of the sport that comes with practice and experience,” said A/SLt Marcoux. “As a sportsman I also wanted to live up to all those good Canadian stereotypes [during the competition], and the nature of sailing and right-of-way rules led me to apologizing frequently.”The novice level sailors were eventually demoted to the competition’s lower division for the final two days of the competition.The Russian team looked poised to win the Admiral’s Cup, but organizers ruled they fielded ineligible sailors, leaving the United States the regatta’s overall winners.Members of the Canadian Forces Sailing Association and Naval Fleet School (Pacific)...

[caption id="attachment_17883" align="alignnone" width="450"] MCpl Kathryn Holmberg greets her mother, Linda, in the Nanaimo airport following her flight from Latvia. Holmberg spent seven months in the Baltic Nation with the Canadian-led enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup Latvia. Photo by Capt Jeff Manney, 39 Signal Regiment[/caption]Capt Jeff Manney, 39 Signal Regiment PAO ~An international effort to demonstrate collective resolve in Eastern Europe took on a very personal, local flavour with the return of an Army Reservist to Nanaimo two weeks ago.Victoria-based Master Cpl Kathryn Holmberg, a member of 39 Signal Regiment, ended a seven-month deployment to Latvia in the arms of her mother.“She was sobbing, kissing me, telling me loves me, that she missed me.  Having me far away was very hard for her. She thinks Victoria is too far,” said the soldier.MCpl Holmberg, a Reservist since 2011, was in the first rotation of Canadian Armed Forces members deployed to the Canadian-led NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup Latvia. She was one of many Reservists supporting the bulk of the Canadian contingent, comprised primarily of Regular Force troops from the Edmonton-based 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.The Battlegroup, along with similar formations in Estonia, Lithuania and Poland, set itself up in a hurry near Riga, Latvia’s capital, last summer. The deployments came amid NATO concerns about Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its support to rebels in eastern Ukraine.For MCpl Holmberg, a clerk managing soldiers’ pay in the Battlegroup’s orderly room, that urgency translated into 12-hour working days, six, sometimes seven days per week. “There was just so much work to be done,” she recalls. “I’d tell myself, if I go home at the end of the day having done the best I could, then I’d be happy.”An abundance of caution, which eased over time, limited soldiers’ movements off base.  That meant MCpl Holmberg...

[caption id="attachment_17880" align="alignnone" width="450"] Deborah Morrow makes a $5,000 donation to Cockrell House chairman Angus Stanfield, Jan. 19. Morrow donated her cash prize from a Canada Volunteer Award to the West Shore facility that provides transitional housing and other support for homeless and at-risk veterans. Photos by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A one-time donation to a West Shore charity that helps homeless veterans has snowballed into two matching donations.Cockrell House, which provides transitional housing to homeless and at-risk veterans, received a total of $15,000 two weeks ago from three very supportive donors.Deborah Morrow, Verity Health Resources Chief Executive Officer, donated her Canada’s Volunteer Award cash prize to the charity, which was followed up with donations from the West Shore Poppy Fund of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 91 and the Greater Victoria Afghanistan Memorial Project.Morrow received her award in Ottawa Dec. 5 on UNESCO’s International Day of the Volunteer for her 35 years championing the cause of youth and homeless veterans. She also volunteers and mentors youth in the Duke Edinburgh’s Award Challenge, the Youth NATO Summit global conference, the Coast Guard, and the Navy League of Canada.“I blurted it out right away, that all of the money would go to Cockrell House,” said Morrow. “About five minutes later I contacted Cockrell House Chairman Angus Stanfield on the phone and told him the news.”With everyone in attendance Jan. 19, Stanfield accepted the money.“It is a great shot in the arm for this organization,” he said. “This money will be put into use immediately to fund our program and assist veterans who need our help now.”The 11-bed multiplex on Sooke Road has provided a place to live, food, counselling, social services and transportation to over 70 residents since it opened its doors in 2009.Supporting Cockrell House seemed a perfect fit...

A/SLt Alex Wood, HMCS York PAO ~More than 100 members from 22 of Canada’s 24 Naval Reserve divisions participated in a two-week exercise aboard four Orca Class training vessels in January.Lead by Officer in Tactical Command, Lieutenant-Commander Trent Nichols (Commanding Officer, HMCS Queen), Naval Reservists from all ranks and trades came together to refresh their skills, progress in individual training, and for several members experience life at sea for the first time.Naval Warfare Officers honed their expertise in navigation and ship handling as they responded to man over board and steering gear breakdown drills.Boatswains, cooks and other crew members worked on firefighting techniques, knot tying and casualty clearing, as well as working with heaving lines and manning the Zodiac.Every mariner knows that weather is a crucial factor when planning for ships going to sea.  In this case, however, weather throughout the country played a direct role. Conditions in Eastern Canada at the beginning of January delayed and even canceled flights for many participants. This resulted in travel times up to 50 hours, requiring exercise planners to adapt the sequence of events and personnel changes in order to ensure valuable training time was not lost.“You are always considering weather when planning any Orca sail, but particularly so at this time of year,” said lead planning officer Lieutenant (Navy) Ron Clancy, HMCS York. “However, while we had several plans in place to mitigate inclement weather on the coast, including alongside training and alternative port visits, we did not expect to have so many people impacted by flight delays on their way here. It certainly called for some creative problem solving.”During week two, the ships were forced to seek shelter and go to anchor in Nanoose Bay as winds in the Strait of Georgia exceeded 30 knots. Despite the foul weather, sailors participated...

[caption id="attachment_17874" align="alignnone" width="450"] Mark MacIntyre, Victoria Police Department Director of Public Affairs, speaks to those gathered about the good work of two CFB Esquimalt sailors, Master Seaman Nathan Charbonneau and Leading Seaman Stephon Mullett, after they were presented with a Community Service Award by and Acting Police Chief Del Manak. Peter Mallett, Lookout Newspaper[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Two sailors from CFB Esquimalt have been recognized for their quick action that helped police arrest an impaired driver in downtown Victoria last year.Master Seaman Nathan Charbonneau and Leading Seaman Stephon Mullett were among six citizens bestowed with the Civic Service Award at Victoria Police Department headquarters Jan. 22.“It was amazing, great work, and the officers were thankful for what they did,” said Constable Matt Rutherford, spokesperson for the Victoria Police Department.While returning home from a concert in LS Mullett’s vehicle on Nov. 4, 2017, the two sailors spotted a car speeding and going the wrong way down a one-way street in the downtown core.MS Charbonneau called 9-1-1 to report a possible impaired driver, relaying vital information including vehicle description and location to the call taker. LS Mullett followed the suspect vehicle at a safe distance.The sailors said they observed the vehicle run multiple red lights, pass other vehicles in a no-pass zone, and then nearly sideswipe a BC Transit bus. It was at that point they lost sight of it. Police eventually tracked it down, but the driver refused to bring his vehicle to a stop and fled.The vehicle re-appeared near MacCaulay Elementary School in Esquimalt, almost colliding with MS Charboneau and LS Mullett’s car.“He almost hit us head on as it came around a corner,” said LS Mullett. “At that point it occurred to us they had evaded the police,” said LS Mullett.With his car, he boxed the suspect vehicle...

[caption id="attachment_17871" align="alignnone" width="450"] Following a major defence announcement, Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan, centre, posed for a photo with Commodore Jeff Zwick (left), Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific, and Captain (Navy) Ed Hooper (right), Commanding Officer Fleet Maintenance Facility, in front of a Close-In Weapons Systems simulator at Naval Fleet School (Pacific). Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~With a Close-In Weapons Systems (CIWS) simulator towering behind him, Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan announced a major defence spending contract at Naval Fleet School (Pacific) last Friday.The $704 million defence contract is being awarded to Raytheon Canada Limited and will focus on the improvement of radar systems for the CIWS. The rapid-fire, radar-guided gun systems are designed to deter threats from missiles, small ships and aircraft.“We are making strategic investments in the Royal Canadian Navy that will help protect our sailors as they conduct the full spectrum of operations in a modern security environment,” said Minister Sajjan to fleet school students, senior officials and local media.The CIWS is already in use by the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) Halifax-class frigates and will also be installed on the new Joint Support Ships following their construction.The new contract is aligned with the goals set out in the Federal Government’s Defence Policy entitled “Strong, Secure, Engaged” announced last year, which called for defence spending to increase from $19 billion in 2017 to $32.7 billion by 2027.Commodore Jeff Zwick, Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific, says the CIWS is affectionately known to sailors on RCN frigates as “R2D2”, and has already proven itself reliable as the last line of defence for warships from external threats.“CIWS is extremely important when we talk about the essential tools that our sailors need to make a Canadian warship effective,” said Cmdre Zwick. “The improvements to CIWS ensures that...

[caption id="attachment_17855" align="alignnone" width="450"] Junior Ranger Nova Gull received a James Bartleman Indigenous Youth Creative Writing Award from Ontario Lieutenant-Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell in a ceremony held at Queen’s Park in Toronto in December. Photo by Sergeant Peter Moon, Canadian Rangers[/caption]Sergeant Peter Moon, 3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group ~A last-minute submission for a writing competition won a Junior Canadian Ranger from the remote Cree community of Peawanuck in Northern Ontario a prestigious Indigenous writing award.“I’d written a couple of poems before,” said Junior Ranger Nova Gull, 16. “And then I wrote my winning entry and everyone liked it. At the last moment, we decided to enter it for the competition.”That required typing it out and emailing it to Timmins, Ont., where it was printed and rushed to a mailbox just before the midnight deadline for entries.“Nova’s poem ‘Where’s Our Voice?’ highlights the lack of attention towards Indigenous issues,” said the citation for her winning entry, “and aims to bring awareness to what has happened to Indigenous people in Canada.”Her poem was one of five entries that received a James Bartleman Indigenous Youth Creative Writing Award from Ontario Lieutenant-Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell in a ceremony held at Queen’s Park in Toronto in December.Nova’s father, Matthew Gull, the Canadian Ranger sergeant commanding the Ranger patrol in Peawanuck, was at the ceremony along with her grandfather Moses Gull, and other members of her family, including her sister, Aurora, 14, who won a similar award last year.“I’m very proud,” Sergeant Gull said. “I’m proud of my kids. They are also both Junior Canadian Rangers.”Nova was invested into the Order of St. George in October 2017 for her dedication to the Junior Rangers. The Order of St. George, the Canadian Priory has roots going back to 1326, and it helps support military family organizations, Canadian Armed Forces...

[caption id="attachment_17852" align="alignnone" width="450"] Terrebonne MP Michel Boudrias, a former Army Captain who served in Afghanistan, participates in a force protection scenario on board HMCS Toronto. Photos by: CPO2 Shawn Kent, FIS Halifax[/caption]Ryan Melanson, Trident Staff ~For residents of Halifax, seeing Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) ships sail in and out of the harbour is routine, and it’s common to see the navy uniform being worn around town by the thousands of sailors who call the region home.However, Canadians who live away from the coasts don’t normally have the same level of familiarity with Canada’s naval service, and it can be harder to understand how the navy fits within the Canadian Armed Forces service to the country.One of the way’s the RCN continues to combat this effect is through the Canadian Leaders at Sea (CLaS) program, which offers once-in-a-lifetime seagoing experiences to influential civilians in government, business and academia. The latest group set sail from CFB Halifax just before the holidays, spending more than 24 hours at sea with both HMCS Windsor and HMCS Toronto.Each CLaS program is designed to be an intense and immersive experience, giving participants a brief taste of what life is really like for RCN sailors and submariners, while also leaving them with a better understanding of naval operations and their importance to Canadian security.Sailing in submarines and warships while accompanied by senior navy leaders is an opportunity that most civilians are unlikely to come across, and the significance of the trip isn’t lost on the participants, said Gabriel Ste-Marie, the MP for the Quebec riding of Joliette and one of two members of the Bloc Quebecois party to go to sea.“It’s a unique chance that’s presented to us, to get a bit of knowledge of this reality without enrolling for anything long term, and I appreciate...

Over the past several decades, the definition of a “healthy workplace” has shifted from an almost exclusive focus on the physical work environment, including traditional occupational health and safety concerns such as physical, chemical, biological and ergonomic hazards, to one that has broadened to include the psychological, social, and cultural aspects of health. We spend the majority of our time in the workplace and often find ourselves sliding down the Mental Health Continuum from the green to the red when things start to get stressful, deadlines get closer, and work begins to pile up. However, with the support of a healthy workplace we are able to overcome these challenges and continue on a successful and healthy trajectory.Click here for more details (PDF).Mental Health at Work: Let’s Talk at CFB Esquimalt Wednesday, 31 January, 20189:45am to 12:30pmRainbow Room at C&PO’s Everyone welcome!

[caption id="attachment_17845" align="alignnone" width="450"] Photo by ADM(Mat)[/caption]Courtesy Maple Leaf ~The Canadian Army and the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command are conducting the first-ever operational trials and evaluations on the latest version of the smallest operational military aircraft in the world – the Black Hornet 3, made by FLIR.Weighing just a few dozen grams, it consists of two aircraft, a hand controller and a chest-mounted tablet, all fitting into a small shoebox-sized package.The aircraft has a range of over a kilometre with video and night-vision capabilities.This equipment opens up a whole range of possibilities, and both commands will seek innovative ways to evolve tactics, techniques and procedures to use this new capability, assess its usefulness and identify requirements.

[caption id="attachment_17842" align="alignnone" width="450"] PSP Fitness and Sports Instructor Thomas Dalziel, right, got his first pro kickboxing victory on Dec. 18, 2017, in a main-event match American fighter Ravon Baxter of Nashville during the World Combat Arena fight card at the Montreal Casino. Photo courtesy of Manseau Sports Photos[/caption]Ryan Melanson, Trident Newspaper ~The men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces are highly trained and capable of defending themselves if necessary. However at 12 Wing Shearwater they’re not the only ones who know how to put up a good fight.Thomas Dalziel, a Personnel Support Programs Fitness and Sports Instructor at the Shearwater gym, is a third degree black belt in Kajukenpo and four-time amateur kickboxing champion. He recently took the next step in his fight career by winning his second professional kickboxing match.Dalziel defeated American fighter Ravon Baxter of Nashville on Dec. 18, 2017, fighting in the main event of a World Combat Arena fight card at the Montreal Casino. The victory came by way of TKO; his opponent was saved from Dalziel’s strikes in the third round by the bell, and was unable to return to fight in the fourth.Baxter was making his professional debut after going undefeated in amateur kickboxing, with multiple knockout wins on his record. Dalziel took the bout on short notice after plans for a promotional fight in New Brunswick fell through.“The promoter with World Combat Arena reached out and I jumped at the opportunity,” he said. “It was great to get the win.”He made his professional debut in July after a decade of amateur experience, and though he lost that fight after suffering a broken orbital bone early on, he was confident in his abilities going into his second pro matchup – as long as he could keep his eye sockets in one piece.“I...

[caption id="attachment_17838" align="alignnone" width="450"] HMCS St. John’s crewmembers line the rails as the ship departs Halifax on Operation Reassurance.[/caption]Darlene Blakeley, Navy Public Affairs Ottawa ~Family and friends watched as HMCS  St. John’s, covered in a thin layer of fresh snow, left the jetty Jan. 16 on its six-month deployment.HMCS St. John’s left for the Mediterranean Sea on Operation Reassurance, the Canadian Armed Forces’ contribution to NATO assurance and deterrence measures in Central and Eastern Europe.“Today is the culmination of a tremendous amount of work by the crew of HMCS St. John’s,” said Rear-Admiral Craig Baines, Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT), who was on hand to see the ship off. “In fact, not only did they have to prepare for this deployment, but in the fall they were our go-to ship to head down south to help out after the devastation that was wreaked by hurricanes in the Caribbean area. And I think this, in very real terms, shows the flexibility of sea power.”Speaking directly to the families, RAdm Baines underlined the importance of both training and deterrence to the mission.“It’s very important that all of our nations be able to operate together if and when required in the future,” he said. “St. John’s is a very high-end contribution to Op Reassurance.”St. John’s, under the command of Commander Gord Noseworthy, will be part of Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1), one of NATO’s maritime immediate reaction forces.Prior to sailing, Cdr Noseworthy commented that the past eight months have been extremely busy for crew members as they prepared for the mission.“We have already sailed thousands of miles and spent many weeks away from home in preparation for our upcoming deployment,” he said. “Now that day is upon us. We are all extremely excited to get underway as we set sail east to represent...

[caption id="attachment_17835" align="alignnone" width="450"] Lieutenant-Colonel Bob Hart, Commander 1 Dental Detachment Unit Esquimalt, talks teeth with Rear Admiral Art McDonald, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific, as Jinky Apayo, a Certified Dental Assistant, prepares for the Admiral’s checkup. The checkup was part of RAdm McDonald’s work with the dental unit after it secured his services in the “You’re the Boss” auction in support of the National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign. Photo credit: Rodney Venis, Base Public Affairs[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Rear-Admiral Art McDonald made a career move earlier this month when he temporarily left his command at Maritime Forces Pacific to become a “Dental Care Program Clerk For a Day”.The Admiral was “won” in the “You’re The Boss” special auction by the Dental Unit, with monies raised going to the National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign (NDWCC.)He ventured over to the 1 Dental Unit Detachment Esquimalt, located at the base hospital on Colville Road, Jan. 12, taking up his post as dental clerk under supervision of Darla Gibbins.“It’s a tough job and her work is twice as hard as mine,” said RAdm McDonald as he sent out emails to command teams to ensure their ships/units are dentally fit, and also to individual members to schedule their annual checkups.“Our readiness in the Royal Canadian Navy starts with looking after the health of our people and our Dental Detachment is a key component of that.”As he drafted a reminder letter on a computer, he noted one of the biggest challenges of his new job was tracking down patients attached to the fleet who had switched units or moved between ship to shore. As patients arrived in the lobby for their checkups, they were surprised to see a new person in the receptionist’s chair.Gibbins marvelled at the Admiral’s professional telephone demeanour and his typing speed.“He’s doing great,”...

PSP ~As of Jan. 22, Personnel Support Programs (PSP) will no longer be accepting drop-in participants for FORCE testing.FORCE testing, unlike other CAF Fitness Evaluations, is not conducive to allowing drop-ins due to the evaluation protocol. Rest times set by FORCE testing protocol are stretched when there are more people than what PSP can accommodate, leading to unfair advantages and disadvantages across the board. In addition to this, PSP bases staffing levels off of the number of registered participants, and struggles to accommodate large influxes of drop-ins.Each unit should have their own FORCE Test Coordinator, who takes on the role of booking members, and PSP encourages units to have a 2IC for this tasking.Should a unit need to set up an IC or 2IC with access, they can contact PSP at either 250-363-4485 or 250-363-4412.If a member is deploying and there are no open test spaces available, the unit is to contact the PSP Fitness Coordinator, Alyssa Jesson, at 250-363-4495. These circumstances will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, and the member/unit will be required to show the appropriate documentation (DAG sheet) in order to process the request. If people have any questions, or would like a copy of the memo, please contact Fitness Coordinator Alyssa Jesson: alyssa.jesson@forces.gc.ca.

[caption id="attachment_17813" align="alignnone" width="450"] Federal Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough was on hand to officiate the start of construction on the future HMCS Max Bernays, the third Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel being built for the navy. Photo by LS Dan Bard, FIS Halifax[/caption]Ryan Melanson, Trident Staff ~The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and Irving Shipbuilding marked another milestone on the road to building Canada’s future naval fleet on Dec. 19, when officials gathered at Irving’s Marine Fabricators facility in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, to cut the first steel to be used in construction of the future HMCS Max Bernays.Officials from Irving and senior RCN leaders were on hand, as well as Public Services and Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough.The ship will be named after Chief Petty Officer Max Bernays, a Canadian naval hero from British Columbia, known best for his time as Coxswain of HMCS Assiniboine during the Battle of the Atlantic.CPO Bernays famously manned the helm by himself under heavy fire from German submarine U-210 in August of 1942, surrounded by smoke and flames. He ordered his junior sailors to safety and sent more than 100 telegraph orders to the engine room while executing all helm orders on his own, maneuvering the ship in position to ram and sink the enemy boat after a long and extremely hard-fought operation, during which Assiniboine lost one sailor and 13 others were wounded.He was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal by the British Admiralty.Each ship of this class is being named after individuals who exhibited outstanding leadership and heroic service during wartime, and CPO Bernay’s story is one that fits squarely within that criteria, making this a good opportunity for the navy to name a ship after an NCM for the first time.To mark the occasion, a group of non-commissioned sailors from various ranks and trades...

[caption id="attachment_17810" align="alignnone" width="450"] Second Lieutenant Yana Hempler[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A reservist is rallying the support of the running community around her cause: pounding the pavement to assist critically ill children.Second Lieutenant Yana Hempler, a passionate member of the fitness community who works as a Logistics Officer with 39 Service Battalion, launched her new charity Run4Dreams late last year to provide financial assistance for sick children and their families.This runner’s charity is one with a unique twist. Monies are not raised the traditional way, through pledges in a formal race.Instead, participants register, run five-kilometres on their own time, and record their results online.“In a physical race, everyone has to be in one place at one time, so it really limits the amount of people you can get involved,” said 2Lt Hempler. “In a virtual race, you get to run your own race at your own pace and time it yourself, or you can also submit your results from a local race.”In mid-October, Run4Dreams held their first-ever virtual race. It raised $400 with 32 competitors in four Canadian cities paying registration fees of $24.99 to take part.“We had good feedback on the first Run4Dreams event and we are now in the growth stage and our registration is starting to pick up,” she said. Top finishers receive recognition in the form of bragging rights and cash prizes. Great swag, as well as draw prizes such as donated athletic equipment or gift certificates and race entries to other local events are also available to random entrants, she adds.Funds raised by Run4Dreams go to support the Help Fill A Dream Foundation, a non-profit that provides financial assistance and care for children under 19 suffering from life-threatening illnesses and their families.Helping others in need is nothing new for the 27-year-old who grew up in Grande...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The Pacific Fleet Club has been home to the Junior Ranks Mess for the last four decades but will be closing its doors later this year due to structural concerns.Located at the top of Lyall Street, the iconic seaside building currently serves as the primary social hub and gathering spot for over 1,200 non-commissioned sailors, soldiers and aviators. The impending closure comes following the release of an engineering report in March 2016 that revealed flaws in beams that support the ocean-side portion of the building, estimating repairs to be upwards of $8.5 million.The decision to move the club was announced in a base-wide email by Captain (Navy) Jason Boyd, Base Commander, just ahead of the holiday break.Capt(N) Boyd indicated the current building will continue to operate as the Junior Ranks Mess until its closure in late 2018, at which point Naden Building 40 will become the temporary home of the Pacific Fleet Club.“This move will be made in the interest of the safety and well-being of all club users, combined with the desire to be fiscally responsible, as the cost of repairs and maintenance to the existing facility have been found to be prohibitive,” said Capt(N) Boyd.He also noted the importance of the Pacific Fleet Club to the “morale and culture of the Canadian Armed Forces” and said options for a permanent replacement home are currently being considered.Forty-two years ago the Club opened with its spectacular view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Olympic Mountains. The venue’s two main rooms, the Okanagan Lounge and Bonaventure Room, can accommodate up to 325 guests.It has been the primary spot for junior ranks and guests to unwind after work and on weekends, and over the years it has hosted events such as town hall meetings, conferences and seminars,...

[caption id="attachment_17756" align="alignnone" width="450"] An employee working on the scrapping of HMAS Sydney removes the bottle of whisky from its package of insulation tape after it was recovered from the main mast.[/caption]Darlene Blakeley, Navy Public Affairs Ottawa ~It was a strange place to find a miniature bottle of Canadian whisky.The bottle, hand-marked April 10, 1982, was recently discovered in the forward starboard leg of the main mast of Her Majesty’s Australian Ship Sydney, a guided-missile frigate named after the state capital city of New South Wales.The frigate was one of six modified Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates ordered from 1977 onwards, and the third of four to be constructed in the United States.The Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) have close ties, but it was actually an American who placed the whisky in the main mast when the ship was being built at the Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle, Wash., in 1982. Future crews of the ship had no idea it was there.The bottle remained hidden for 35 years until earlier this year when Sydney, decommissioned in 2015, was towed to Henderson in Western Australia to be scrapped.As part of the Sydney disposal activities, the RAN was contacted through the HMAS Sydney association that an individual from the United States who was involved in the construction of Sydney had placed a bottle of Canadian whisky wrapped in insulation tape inside the mast during construction.“I was not sure if the story was valid or if the bottle still existed 35 years later, thus have been waiting to get an opportunity to inspect,” said RAN Captain Brad Smith. “This has now been done and the story is true. I think this is a fantastic story to finish the HMAS Sydney story.”Although it is not known why the shipyard employee placed...

[caption id="attachment_17753" align="alignnone" width="485"] LCdr Judith Harlock, Joint Personnel Support Unit Commanding Officer (centre), is joined by Petty Officer Second Class Shanna Foster (left) and Sergeant Stephanie Henry after participating in Operation Chrome Dome Part II.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Three women from the Integrated Personnel Support Centre (IPSC) went under the barber’s sheers and scissors in support of cancer fundraiser Operation Chrome Dome, Part II.On Dec. 14, 2017, Lieutenant Commander Judith Harlock, Joint Personnel Support Unit (JPSU) Commanding Officer, once again went cue-ball bald following $4,900 in pledges raised to support the BC Cancer Agency and the Gord Downie Fund For Cancer Research through the National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign (NDWCC).The inaugural head shaving in 2016 was not only a fundraiser, but also a show of support by LCdr Harlock for her co-worker Petty Officer Second Class Fiona Borland, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016.PO2 Borland, the organizer of the charity event, eventually went on to beat the disease by undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, but wanted to keep Chrome Dome going.Chrome Dome II had a different twist. Two other volunteers, Sergeant Stephanie Henry and PO2 Shanna Foster agreed to climb into the barber’s chair. Unlike LCdr Harlock, they opted to cut their long hair and donate it to the children’s cancer charity Wigs For Kids, which provides wigs for children undergoing cancer treatment.With eyes pointed upwards towards their scalps, the pair winced and grimaced as Angela Smith of Fusion Hair Works collected their locks with a group of approximately 20 co-workers cheering them on.LCdr Harlock’s much shorter hair wasn’t long enough to be used for a wig and there was little angst from her as Smith’s clippers cut away.LCdr Harlock said she was “more than happy” to sport a more radical look again this year.“Hair grows back quickly,”...

[caption id="attachment_17750" align="alignnone" width="485"] Photo by Parks Canada[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~High in the mountains of Rogers Pass members of the Canadian Armed Forces were having a blast over the holiday season, but not from opening presents or spending time with loved ones.Instead, 17 members of CFB Shilo’s First Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (1RCHA) spent Christmas 2017 and New Year’s Eve high in the Selkirk Mountains of B.C.’s southern interior.There they set their sights at predetermined targets with their C3 105-mm Howitzer artillery guns as part of the annual avalanche control program in Rogers Pass.The CAF, under Operation Palaci, partner with Parks Canada to keep the 40-kilometre stretch of the Trans-Canada highway corridor safe and free from lengthy avalanche closures throughout the winter. The roadway is B.C.’s main link to the rest of Canada, and even a short closure can inflict great economic losses as the flow of goods, services and people screech to a halt.Rogers Pass is a notorious slide zone. In 1910, it was the site of an infamous avalanche that killed 62 railroad workers. The section of highway through the area passes 134 different avalanche paths.The region experiences an annual snowfall accumulation of approximately 12 metres, so the objective is to create mini slides in an effort to avoid massive buildups of snow and ice that result in more destructive, road-closing slides.Each year from November to April, in an effort to keep the traffic corridor open and safe, members of Royal Canadian Horse Artillery regiments fire away with C3 105-mm Howitzer artillery guns from 17 shooting areas, at 271 predetermined targets covering 134 slide zones.“The soldiers in Palaci must be ready to go within a minute’s notice, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” says Captain Charles Meyers, Joint Task Force Pacific (JTFP). “For them,...