News

[caption id="attachment_17340" align="alignnone" width="450"] Canadian pilot Larry Ricker soars high above the Saanich Peninsula during an Oct. 13 flight demonstration for the Vimy Flight: Birth of A Nation tour. Credit: Heath Moffatt Photography[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Those magnificent men and their First World War flying machines made one last flight, soaring high over the British Columbia Aviation Museum, located near the Victoria International Airport.Over the Oct. 14 weekend, Captain (Retired) Larry Ricker, lead pilot in the Vimy Flight: Birth of A Nation tour, delighted onlookers with demonstration flights in his replica Nieuport 11, a First-World-War-era bi-plane.Over 200 spectators attended the event that was the final stop in the group of 10 volunteer pilot’s 33 city, cross-country tour that began in May.Ricker is a pilot for Air Canada and says he marvels at the simplicity of the planes every time he steps in the cockpit.“The Nieuport is a true delight to fly, it’s a pilot’s aircraft,” he said after a smooth landing back at the museum. “You need to have your hands on the ­controls all the time when you are flying or you will get into trouble fairly quickly. It’s a challenging aircraft, probably the smallest I have ever flown.”Prior to embarking on their pan-Canadian tour in the spring, the Vimy Flight group loaded four Nieuports 11s, two Sopwith Pups, and one SE5A from the Canadian Flight Museum in Surrey into a Canadian Forces C-17 Cargo plane in Comox, which transported them to France. Vimy Flight pilots then performed before an international audience in a commemorative fly-past during 100th Anniversary commemorative events for the Battle of Vimy Ridge on April 9.Now their travelling air show is coming to an end with a final non-flying appearance at the Rooms Museum in St. John’s, Newfoundland on Nov. 11.“Now that we can see...

[caption id="attachment_17336" align="alignnone" width="450"] Members of the Royal Danish Navy’s Boarding Party climb-up HMCS Charlottetown as part of a cross-nation training exercise during Operation Reassurance on Sept. 18. Photo by Corporal J.W.S. Houck, Formation Imaging Services[/caption]Lt(N) Meghan Jacques and LS Richard DonafeldOperation Reassurance Maritime Task Force ~Taking advantage of their time operating closely with NATO allies, the enhanced naval boarding party deployed in HMCS Charlottetown recently facilitated a combined team training exercise for the Royal Danish Navy’s boarding team from Her Danish Majesty’s Ship (HDMS) Niels Juel.Royal Canadian Navy ships each have a boarding party made up of crew members who have other primary duties. An enhanced naval boarding party is an additional team with specialized skills. It works with the regular boarding party to enhance the ship’s maritime interdiction operation capability.During this exercise, the enhanced naval boarding party worked with Charlottetown’s boarding party and the Danish boarding party, sharing knowledge while learning a different perspective.“This combined training with our Danish counterparts expands our team’s way of thinking and problem solving, while allowing us to see challenges in the maritime environment from a different angle and cultural perspective,” said Lieutenant (Navy) Jacob Killawee, Enhanced Naval Boarding Party Team Lead.“The Danish sailors are a class act bunch and were always eager to learn more. Meeting new people from different countries is always a great part about our job, as we get to go to work and be presented with new challenges every day,” he added.The Royal Danish Navy’s boarding team has 10 members, including one boarding officer and one assistant boarding officer. They visited Charlottetown on Sept. 18 and 19 to participate in the exercise.The training consisted of round-robin style stations, spanning topics including medical considerations, close-quarter battle, tactical movement, personnel handling, small arms weapons training and search techniques. As part...

[caption id="attachment_17332" align="alignnone" width="450"] The crew of Dark Star from CFSA prepare for one of the races held during the CFSA Regatta weekend under the watchful eye of skipper and race organizer Neil Porter. Photo by: Trina L Holt[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The Canadian Forces Sailing Association (CFSA) claimed the overall team title and earned three top individual finishes in this year’s Vancouver Island Racing Series (VIRS).This year’s edition of VIRS competition began in April and involved over 200 teams of sailors from sailing clubs across the Island competing in 13 regattas. Competition wrapped up with the Thermopylae Regatta hosted by the Royal Victoria Yacht Club Oct. 14 and 15.The CFSA had the top combined point total of any club in the competition. Three sailors led the way in the individual awards with LCdr (Retired) Graham Heath skippering his five-man crew aboard their yacht Pitoraq, amassing a combined total of 164 points. CFSA skippers Master Seaman Clay Mills and his Jaguar team, and Kerry Blaauw’s Final Dash team, took the other top spots finishing with 147 and 145 points respectively.This is the second consecutive year the CFSA has won the overall points total with skipper Anthony Zegers scoring the top individual score in last year’s series. LCdr Chris Maier of Naval Fleet School (Pacific) serves as the CFSA Commodore and says the victory bolsters the club’s strong reputation throughout the Vancouver Island sailing community.“Our reputation as a very competitive sailing club is well deserved and this win is a big deal,” said LCdr Maier. “We are the small club. We have a smaller membership and smaller budgets than many of our competitors, but our sailors know how to use sail, and sail fast.”The scoring system for the regattas allots different ratings for different classes of competing boats. Points in the...

[caption id="attachment_17327" align="alignnone" width="450"] Scott Maxwell – Executive Director, Wounded Warriors Canada. Credit: John's Photography[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A ground-breaking support program for military personnel, veterans and first responders suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other forms of trauma has launched in Victoria.With the new B.C. Afghanistan Memorial at Pioneer Square as a backdrop, Wounded Warriors Canada announced the introduction of its Trauma Resiliency Program (TRP).The Oct. 12 announcement came a day prior to the kick-off of the group-based training program in Sooke, the opening phase of an intensive eight-day trauma-resilient skills development training program.Developed by Dr. Tim Black, Associate Professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of Victoria, the program is being administered by the non-profit charity.The program is designed for people diagnosed with trauma-related injuries.Scott Maxwell, Executive Director of Wounded Warriors Canada, says all 60 spots for the roll-out at four separate trial sites were taken within a few days of the program’s introduction.“This is a completely new and first-of-its kind program,” said Maxwell. “The demand in the country for TRP is significant, and with our launch complete we now need to focus our efforts on making the program available to anyone who needs it.”The initial phase of the TRP, called Regulation for Recovery Training, is a three-day course on the nature of trauma-related injuries. The opening phase is designed to educate attendees on the delivery models of the program.The second and final phase of the course, Advanced Recovery Training, requires five consecutive days of intensive study with groups of approximately six people. At this phase they will develop skills, tools and resources needed in their recovery.“The program is trying to teach people resiliency through their injury and learn the skills and tools to manage it,” says Maxwell. “There are all sorts of recovery tools available, but...

[caption id="attachment_17300" align="alignnone" width="450"] The ship’s company of HMCS Montréal marches through the gates of Plouescat Cemetery. Photo by LS Dan Bard, Formation Imaging Services[/caption]Lieutenant(N) Linda Coleman, Public Affairs Officer ~Crew members from HMCS Montréal recently took time from their operation to honour and remember the officers and sailors of HMCS Athabaskan who were lost at sea when the ship was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of France during the Second World War.The ship’s company and staff members from Canadian Fleet Atlantic embarked in Montréal for Neptune Trident 17-02 laid wreaths at the cenotaph at Plouescat Cemetery, France where 59 of the 128 sailors from HMCS Athabaskan are buried.The next day, as the ship transited north, crew members laid a wreath at sea over the area where HMCS Athabaskan sank. The wreath was laid by those who served in HMCS Athabaskan III, as they have a close connection to the ship and its history.“When I was at the cemetery yesterday, I was struck, as I usually am when I visit a war cemetery, by the age of the fallen,” said Cdr Sherban, Montréal’s commanding officer, during the at-sea wreath-laying ceremony.“Now imagine that you’re 18 to 20 years old – the same age as many of the sailors in the Athabaskan and indeed all of the fighting ships of the navy,” he said. “A year ago, you were finishing school, working on your family’s farm, trying to find a date for the next dance and suffering from all of that angst and awkwardness that sometimes afflict those who are young. Now you’re fighting for your life off a foreign coast wondering if you’re going to live or die. Imagine you at that age.”Cdr Sherban’s remarks served as a reminder of the horrors of war, the sacrifices made, and the importance...

[caption id="attachment_17310" align="alignnone" width="450"] Corporal Mark-Andre Bertrand-Bigras, a Medical Technician with Canadian Forces Health Services Centre (Pacific), administers a flu shot to his Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Peckham, during a flu shot clinic in Dockyard. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption]As flu season begins, military members are encouraged to get their flu shot to minimize the spread of the flu to co-workers and family members.The flu vaccine available to military personnel for the 2017/18 flu season is Fluzone, an inactivated vaccine containing four different strains of the flu virus. The vaccine is available now to all military personnel at the immunization clinic or in your Integrated Health Team.Military personnel have dynamic jobs, which can include national and international travel and living in close quarters with others. This can lead to increased exposure to viruses. We can all experience stress and overwork at times, which can also weaken our immune systems. You can even get the flu virus and not have any symptoms, but still spread it to others.Getting vaccinated means you are much less likely to get sick this winter, which in turn means you remain an effective member of your team. It also protects others in our community who have weakened immune systems from getting the flu such as children and the elderly.What is the flu?The flu is an illness most commonly caused by the influenza virus types A and B. Some people get mildly ill, while others get very sick.Flu symptoms usually include the sudden appearance of:high fever (39°C and above)coughmuscle achesOther common symptoms include:headachechillsloss of appetitefatigue (tiredness)sore throatrunny or stuffy noseSome people, especially children, may also experience:a stomach achediarrheanausea and vomitingIt takes one to four days for flu symptoms to appear after exposure to the virus. Most people recover from the flu in seven to 10 days....

[caption id="attachment_17303" align="alignnone" width="450"] LCdr Collin Forsberg, HMCS Brandon’s Commanding Officer, presents a cheque for $1,100 to Judy Sieb of Food for Thought, a charity that ensures all school children receive a healthy breakfast. Photo Credit: Lori Truscott, CFB Shilo Public Affairs Officer[/caption]LS Sydney Huyghe, HMCS Brandon ~Far from a traditional port visit, sailors from HMCS Brandon travelled to the middle of Canada to visit their namesake city in late September.The journey was made by Brandon’s Commanding Officer, LCdr Collin Forsberg, as well as MS Donald Merlo and LS Sydney Huyghe (a native of Manitoba). This was the first namesake city visit for all three sailors.The first day in Brandon included coffee with a reporter from the Brandon Sun newspaper and serving lunch at the Helping Hand Soup Kitchen. The soup kitchen experience proved to be a rewarding part of the trip for all three sailors, allowing them to represent their ship and the navy while giving back to the community. Later that afternoon, the three ship’s representatives visited New Era Elementary School where they spoke to Grade 1/2 split and Grade 5/6 split classes. The students had many interesting and sometimes amusing questions with most of the children having little to no experience with life at sea.Brandon’s ship’s sponsor, Betty Coleman, accompanied the crew during their second day in the city. Their first stop was the office of Rick Chrest, Mayor of Brandon, a visit that further developed the already close relationship between the city and its ship. Afterward, the crew were special guests at a Brandon Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Brandon’s delegation learned how the city’s small business owners are focused on attracting more young people and families.The crew was also given a tour of the 12th Manitoba Dragoons and 26th Field Regiment Museum. The tour was informative and allowed...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Athletes of all levels at CFB Esquimalt are gearing up for Canadian Armed Forces Sports Day.On Oct. 20, the Canadian military’s annual celebration of all things sport happens at bases across the country and around the world. The purpose of CAF Sports Day has little to do with wins and losses. Instead, the event is meant to be inclusive and has more to do with the “fun factor”, explains Heather Catte, Personnel Support Programs Sports Coordinator.“The real purpose of this event is for people of all levels of skill and experience to get out there and participate,” she says. “Sports Day is a great way to be physically active, try new sports and activities, develop new skills, build teamwork and camaraderie, and meet new people.”This year’s Sports Day includes three main components: a 5 kilometre National Sports Day Run, a sports tabloid and a variety of mini-tournaments.The action begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Naden Drill Shed with the National Sports Day Run. Participants are encouraged to arrive early, with proper Department of National Defence identification, to complete the registration process.At 10:30 a.m., the Naden Athletic Centre (NAC) will be the stage for the seven-event sports tabloid, which features basketball, volleyball, squash, cricket, spin, swimming and rowing.Mini tournaments also begin at 10:30 a.m. and involve slo-pitch, three-on-three hockey and seven-aside soccer. Registration for the mini tournaments closes on Oct. 16. To register, email Heather Catte at heather.catte@forces.gc.ca with your team name.Civilian employees at the base are also eligible to take part in the sports tabloid and mini tournaments, but will be required to sign an injury waiver before taking part.Those who take part in the sports tabloid or the mini tournaments can use participation credits earned as points for their unit’s Cock of The Walk team.Three...

On Oct. 19 at 10:19 a.m. CFB Esquimalt will take part in the 2017 BC Shakeout, a province-wide earthquake drill.The goal of the drill is to improve awareness and preparedness for major earthquakes. It encourages everyone to be better prepared on what to do before, during and after an earthquake.Vancouver Island sits next to the Juan de Fuca plate, which is subducting itself under the North American plate at the Cascadia subduction zone. This is the second largest tectonically active fault system in North America, and extends from northern California to Vancouver Island.The last large earthquake to hit this region was around 1700. That quake is estimated to have measured  8.7 to 9.2 on the richter scale.Though scientists are continually learning more about tectonic plates and the causes of earthquakes, they can’t predict when the “Big One” will come.This annual earthquake exercise provides an opportunity to check our preparations not only on base, but at home as well.Prepare to be without resources for at least 72 hours and quite possibly longer in the event of a large scale disaster.Prior to the exercise, all personnel should take the time to review the following procedures:Visit the BC Shakeout website for some great information: www.shakeoutbc.caFamiliarize yourself with the location of your building’s E-Box muster area. Locations are available on the DND intranet at: http://esquimalt.mil.ca/bcomd/baseops/Diasters%20and%20Emergencies.htmEnsure you have a personal emergency kit under your desk. Report any deficiencies to your Chain of commandWhen the exercise begins, personnel from Base Operations will activate the Emergency Operations Centre and take reports from the E-Boxes and outstations.Information on preparedness, assessing personal risk, family reunification, and more can be found at Emergency Management BC: www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery.

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~For three weekends this fall sailors from HMCS Calgary and volunteers from Boomer’s Legacy Foundation gave up their personal time and transformed themselves into heroes.Approximately 20 sailors from the warship and others recruited by the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) charitable fund grabbed their steel toed boots and tool belts and went to work for local charity HeroWork in a close to $300,000 renovation project at Anawim House.The downtown shelter serves as a day house and residence for the homeless and people living in poverty. It was the beneficiary of a HeroWork Radical Renovation, a project that brings together both skilled and non-skilled labourers in a project similar to an old-fashioned barn raising.During the weekends of Sept. 23, 30 and Oct. 7, civilian and military volunteers worked side-by-side and completed the renovation project.Work included: building a new nurses room, office, outdoor deck and bike repair shop. Volunteers also upgraded the kitchen and storage area, refurbished a large outdoor shed, and made extensive painting and landscaping improvements.HeroWork Founder and Executive Director Paul Latour said the project was completed without any major hitches or surprises. He was pleased the group was also able to achieve more than expected. Bonuses included extra landscaping work, a new staircase and a new roof for the outdoor shed.Latour noted the crucial role military volunteers have played since HeroWork was founded in 2012, including renovation projects for Rainbow Kitchen, the Mustard Seed Food Bank, Power to Be and others. He says whether military personnel are performing skilled or unskilled tasks they always bring something special to the table.“HeroWork is so impressed with the work ethic, intelligence and cooperation of military personnel and their ability to form teams and take direction or give direction when appropriate,” said Latour. “You immediately see that...

[caption id="attachment_17294" align="alignnone" width="450"] The 2017 San Francisco Fleet Week Iconic Photo representing the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the Royal Canadian Navy and the United States Marines. Photo by Elena Zhukova[/caption]Lt(N) Ellie Aminaie, HMCS Winnipeg ~Last week, HMCS Winnipeg attended Fleet Week in San Francisco, California. This six-day event was filled with activities and community relations events with Winnipeg actively participating in numerous engagements.Winnipeg also supported the Canadian Leaders at Sea (CLAS) program, where 23 community leaders, members of parliament and entrepreneurs sailed onboard the ship to San Francisco and back.During the three-day transit, the ship put its capabilities in warfare and damage control on full display. CLAS participants were particularly impressed by the skill and professionalism of Winnipeg’s sailors.Once alongside San Francisco, a group of Winnipeg sailors volunteered at St. Anthony’s Foundation, a non-profit organization that feeds and clothes those in need. The crew sorted clothing donations and served food in the dining room.They enjoyed the opportunity to share a meal with the 1,500 people who were served that day and to hear their personal stories.“It was a very rewarding experience for me to serve food and to have an opportunity to interact with the less fortunate,” said LS Pelletier, who served meals at the event. “It is a humbling experience to see so many people in need of a hot meal and it made me appreciate what I have.”During the Parade of Ships event, during which all participating ships sailed under the Golden Gate bridge in formation, Winnipeg had 60 guests embarked, including members of the United States Auxiliary Coast Guard, the San Francisco Police Department, the Port Authority and other members of the community.It was an especially great experience for the 12 children embarked who thoroughly enjoyed sailing onboard a warship. They got...

[caption id="attachment_17277" align="alignnone" width="550"] Photo by LS David Gariepy, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]HMCS Nanaimo left CFB Esquimalt on Sept. 28 to deploy on Operation Caribbe, Canada’s contribution to the campaign against criminal organizations in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. Nanaimo will conduct Intermediate Single Ship Readiness Training on its way to San Diego before embarking a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment and beginning operational patrols. This is Canada’s eleventh year participating in Operation Caribbe. Nanaimo will return to Esquimalt in December.

[caption id="attachment_17273" align="alignnone" width="550"] Left to right: Lieutenant Commander Tung Siu, Fleet Support Medical Officer, Canadian Forces Health Services Centre (Pacific), Chief Warrant Officer Mark Dankwerth, Fleet Senior Human Resources Manager, Base Commander Captain (Navy) Jason Boyd, Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Peckham, Commanding Officer Canadian Forces Health Services Centre (Pacific), Rear-Admiral Art McDonald, Commanding Officer of Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC). Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout Newspaper[/caption]Canadian Forces Health Services Centre (Pacific) kicked off their annual Flu Shot Campaign for military personnel at the base by hosting a flu shot clinic at Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) headquarters in Dockyard on Oct. 4. Flu shots are not mandatory but highly encouraged for all members of the military. For more information about future clinics and drop-in appointments at the base immunization clinic follow CFB Esquimalt’s base intranet splash pages or call 250-363-4140.

[caption id="attachment_17270" align="alignnone" width="400"] LS (Ret’d) Mike Stevens[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A 13-year veteran of the Royal Canadian Navy has made an unconventional transition to the civilian work force, trading in the screens of a Naval Electronics Sensor Operator for a film director’s chair.With his first film selected for screening in the upcoming New West Film Festival in Vancouver, it seems Leading Seaman (Ret’d) Mike Stevens’ new career is a bright one.When it became clear in 2016 that his career in the navy was coming to an end for medical reasons, he had the option of returning to work in security or pursuing his decade-long desire to become a filmmaker. His wife Shannon encouraged him to follow his passion.So Stevens began attending the film program at Victoria’s Pacific Design Academy in September 2016 under the Department of National Defence Vocational Rehabilitation Program.Less than a year later, as part of his course requirements, he had produced the film Dee, an eight-minute suspense/thriller. To have it included in a festival is an affirming experience, he says.“For me to be part of the film festival is a huge shot in the arm just when I needed it the most,” says Stevens. “What it means to me is vindication and validation for the film, but also for the decision that I made to set out onto the new and unfamiliar path of filmmaking.”Stevens’ military career included working aboard warships as an Electronic Warfare and Above-Water Warfare specialist for six years before spending the last six at Regional Joint Operations Centre as a Watch Supervisor. He says the 12-hour shifts sitting in dark rooms in front of computer screens coupled with health problems eventually spelled an end to his days in the navy.Choosing the uncertainty of a completely new career over the guarantee of a...

[caption id="attachment_17266" align="alignnone" width="450"] Allied ships under Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) move into formation during Operation Reassurance. Photos by Corporal J.W.S. Houck - Formation Imaging Services[/caption]Lt(N) Meghan Jacques, Public Affairs ~In August 2017, HMCS Charlottetown deployed to the Baltic Sea on Operation Reassurance, joining the Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1).The SNMG1 is a naval force made up of ships from NATO countries that are working together to reassure allies in the region of NATO’s ability to support stability and security in the region.“As part of routine SNMG1 operations, HMCS Charlottetown conducts patrols to improve awareness, which is used to monitor patterns of maritime and air traffic in the area of operations,” said Commander Nathan Decicco, Commanding Officer of Charlottetown.Part of the routine work of maintaining awareness is monitoring routine foreign naval and air activities.In early September, during Russia’s preparations for ZAPAD 17, Charlottetown and the embarked CH-124 Sea King Helicopter observed routine Russian air and naval activity while sailing in the Baltic.Charlottetown’s professional posture while observing Russian warships and aircraft was integral to maintaining situational awareness, maritime security, and stability in the Baltic region.“HMCS Charlottetown also participates in regular training serials with SNMG1 consorts, improving overall interoperability and is integrated in larger coordinated national and NATO exercises including Exercise Northern Coast in the Baltic Sea and Exercise Brilliant Mariner in the Mediterranean Sea;” said Cdr Decicco.Charlottetown excels at maintaining accurate real-time awareness while participating in concurrent advanced training serials. The concurrent tasks requires Charlottetown’s Operations Team to manage multiple simultaneous scenarios and maintain succinct and accurate tactical communications.

[caption id="attachment_17263" align="alignnone" width="400"] Crew members from HMCS St. John’s receive supplies at Norfolk Naval Base in West Virginia before departing on Operation Renaissance. Photo by MCpl Chris Ringius, Formation Imaging Services Halifax[/caption]Captain Matt Zalot, Public Affairs ~One of the roles of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is to help people in the wake of disasters. Whether these disasters are caused by humans or nature, alleviating suffering is an important military function that can bring about stability, save lives, and prevent further misery.That is why it’s unsurprising that the Government of Canada sent HMCS St. John’s to respond to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Irma when it passed through the Caribbean in early September.The tropical cyclone, which affected many of the Leeward Islands and the United States, was the strongest Atlantic hurricane since Hurricane Wilma in 2005. The crew of St. John’s had its work cut out, and quickly stepped up the pace of their training in order to meet the required benchmarks before transiting south to the Turks and Caicos.The ship arrived in South Caicos on Sept. 15 and the crew quickly began performing important humanitarian aid and disaster relief. The main lines of effort were directed at clearing debris, providing fresh water to the island, and providing work parties with the technical expertise to re-establish power and otherwise help out as needed.The leadership of St. John’s liaised with United Kingdom military representatives, disaster response personnel, and local South Caicos officials to determine how best to coordinate disaster response efforts.St. John’s served as a valuable command centre, permitting calls to higher command, producing lifesaving water, and providing a home for work parties after they returned from labouring in the hot and humid Caribbean climate. Every day, approximately 80 sailors transferred via small boat back and forth to shore in...

[caption id="attachment_17259" align="alignnone" width="550"] Sarah McLachlan performs with the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy during the Invictus Games opening ceremony. Photo by Cpl Jean-Roch Chabot, CFJIC[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Canadian music icon Sarah McLachlan teamed up with the official band of Canada’s Pacific Fleet during the opening ceremony of the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto.Approximately 30 members of the Naden Band and 35 members of CFB Halifax’s Stadacona Band backed the award-winning singer/songwriter on the main stage of the Air Canada Centre on Sept. 23. With a near-capacity crowd at the arena and a national television audience looking on, McLachlan and the two bands performed their rendition of McLachlan’s popular song, “In Your Shoes”.“What a great honour for us to be asked to be part of such an amazing event that use sports to inspire recovery and rehabilitation of soldiers around the globe,” said Naden Band Commanding Officer SLt Vincent Roy. “It was a great way for us to close the chapter on a very busy summer.”An international sport competition for ill and injured military members and veterans, the Invictus Games brought together athletes from 15 countries competing in 12 different adaptive sports.McLachlan and the naval bands were part of a three-hour performance that followed the entrance of the athletes during the traditional Parade of Nations and opening remarks from Prince Harry, founder of the Invictus Games, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.Other performers during the show included French Canadian folk band La Bottine Souriante, pop singer Alessia Cara and the Tenors, and comedian Mike Myers. Four Canadian Armed Forces bands took part in the opening ceremonies with Ottawa’s Central Band and La Musique du Royal 22e Regiment Quebec providing accompaniment for the athletes as they marched out onto the arena floor to open the ceremony.Naden Band Production Supervisor...

[caption id="attachment_17255" align="alignnone" width="225"] The newly created Bike To Work Week Trophy on display before a trophy presentation at the Naden Athletic Centre. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout Newspaper[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~CFB Esquimalt has received official recognition from the federal government for its ridership numbers in last spring’s province-wide Bike to Work Week competition.Base Commander Captain (Navy) Jason Boyd capped off the formation’s participation in the Greater Victoria Bike to Work Week Society event by accepting the trophy for being the B.C. Federal Council Bike to Work Week Challenge Champions. The trophy commemorates the high participation numbers in the Department of National Defence (DND) during the week-long June event.Director General, Pacific Regional Public Services Procurement Canada, Annie Desgagné was on hand at the Naden Athletic Centre on Oct. 4 to present the newly-created trophy to Capt(N) Boyd on behalf of the formation.“I am so pleased to see the DND engaged and encouraging everyone to be a part of Bike to Work Week and it is my pleasure to award this prestigious trophy to Captain Boyd,” said Desgagné.DND is the first organization to have its name engraved on the trophy, which Desgagné said was donated by  federal employees. Capt(N) Boyd also praised military and civilian cyclists at the base who chose to leave their cars at home last week during the fall Bike To Work Week event held at the base.“It’s outstanding to hear that our membership contributed to roughly half the amount of the total kilometres travelled by federal government employees for this competition,” said Capt(N) Boyd upon accepting the trophy. “It shows that DND employees take cycling, fitness and our Health and Wellness Strategy very seriously.”Capt(N) Boyd noted he cycles a round-trip distance of 30 kilometres to and from work and can see firsthand that he isn’t the...

[caption id="attachment_17241" align="alignnone" width="300"] From left: Warrant Officer Mike Clarke and Master Corporal Todd Clark from 77 Line Regiment, present a $400 donation to Cockrell House Chairman Angus Stanfield and Resident Manager Rick Nicholson.[/caption] Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~ Representatives from Cockrell House visited Dockyard Sept. 25 to accept a $400 donation from Canadian Forces 77 Line Regiment. The 13-member unit that employs 11 military personnel and two civilians is part of the army’s Communications and Electronics Branch, 3 Line Squadron, and handles the lion’s share of the cable and antenna maintenance at the base and other DND properties on the lower mainland and southern Vancouver Island. Over the past six months members of Regiment collected $2 donations from a “dress-down Friday” event and other fundraising initiatives to provide financial assistance to the Colwood-based non-profit, which provides transitional housing to homeless and at-risk veterans. “It’s great to see this kind of support and initiative from the members of this unit,” said Cockrell House Chairman Angus Stanfield. “77 Line Regiment has helped us in the past in other ways such as donating socks, t-shirts and underwear for our residents, and by also making us the beneficiaries of their food drives. Their efforts are not only helping our residents but also helping to spread word around the base about what we do at Cockrell House.” The 11-bed multiplex unit provides housing, counselling, life skills health and social services and transportation to over 50 residents since it opened in 2009. Cockrell House receives its funding from the Royal Canadian Legion BC/Yukon Command, the Legion Foundation, other veteran organizations, and the City of Colwood. Stanfield, a past president of the Legion’s BC/Yukon Command, said the money raised will be used to pay for bus passes and $100 food cards for residents. Warrant Officer, Mike...

[caption id="attachment_17234" align="alignnone" width="300"] Rocky Point Bird Observatory Society volunteer Ann Nightingale shows the banding procedure used on the birds of Rocky Point including this Common Yellowthroat. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption] Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~ A Department of National Defence property on the southern tip of Vancouver Island is providing researchers with an invaluable laboratory to study the migratory habits of birds. Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot Rocky Point, a sprawling 500-acre property that houses ammunition storage bunkers, also serves as a unique and virtually undisturbed habitat for a variety of plants, animals, and more than 300 bird species. Early each morning, from July 21 to Oct. 18, just as the sun rises over the Olympic Mountains and casts its bright reddish-amber glow across the sky, a group of volunteers from the non-profit charity Rocky Point Bird Observatory Society (RPBOS) fan out across the property. Armed with large nets, binoculars, notepads and cameras, the birders trek the forested areas and meadows and cast 12 bird nets towards the sky. They have been flocking to the same spot for the past 23 years to monitor the birds because Rocky Point is their gathering place before they make the 18-kilometre flight across the Juan de Fuca Strait to the state of Washington for the winter. For six hours each day volunteers and two paid banders carefully take captured birds out of bird-catching mist nets and gently place them in cloth sacks - adhering to a Bander’s Code of Ethics adapted from the North American Banding Council protocol. As the dawn breaks and the call of sea lions can be heard from nearby Bentick Island, volunteer Ann Nightingale points upward to the sky, which teams with life in flight. Five Canada Geese fly across proceeded by a Sharp-shinned Hawk. Seconds later she hears two Red-Tailed Hawks and a Brown Tailed Creeper coming from the forest nearby, recognizing their calls instantly. Nightingale says she became fascinated with birds in the mid-1990s and has...

[caption id="attachment_17231" align="alignnone" width="300"] The Reviewing Officer Captain (Navy) Martin Drews (left), and Lieutenant-Commander Christopher Maier (right), present Naval Cadet Austin Ferguson (center) with the Jeune Brothers Trophy (aka The Venture Cup) for being the winner of the annual sailing race between the students of Venture. Photo by: MCpl Brent Kenny, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption] Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~ A new regatta and the revival of an old trophy is helping students at the Naval Officer Training Centre (NOTC) reconnect with open water sailing. Fifteen Junior Officers studying to become Maritime Surface and Sub-Surface Officers (MARS) volunteered to compete in the first-ever Venture Cup sailing competition. This summer, seven two-person teams of student officers took to the water each Sunday in sailing dinghies to race. Their launch point was from the Canadian Forces Sailing Association. The Venture Cup competition was organized by the students themselves. Naval Cadet Austin Ferguson helped found the regatta and won the inaugural edition. “Winning the competition was unexpected and great but having everyone from the NOTC come out every weekend and get on the water was truly unique,” he said. “It wasn’t so much about participating in the regatta itself but keeping the naval tradition alive.” It was NCdt Ferguson and Training Officer Lt(N) Ronald Clancy who hatched the scheme for the regatta and then worked to drum up interest and support. They found an old trophy in a case - the Juene Brothers Trophy – and used it as the award to the top team. According to historian Wilf Lund, the trophy was donated to HMCS Venture in 1955 by the owners of Victoria business Jeune Bros. Tent and Awning. It was awarded to the Venture student who accumulated the most points in a year-long intramural sports competition. He adds the trophy had originally...

[caption id="attachment_17225" align="alignnone" width="300"] Left to right: Benoit Chartrand,CANEX District Manager (East); Matt Hogue, civilian employee; Corporal Mark Osbourne; Leading Seaman Chris Hanratty; Base Commander CFB Halifax, Captain(N) Paul W. Forget; Corporal Shaun Beals; Corporal Mitch Mancini; CANEX CFB Halifax Store Manager, Glenn Banfield, and team player, not pictured, Aviator Tre Upshaw, show their winnings after scooping the champion gaming title.[/caption] Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~ CFB Halifax retained its #1 Champion title for the CANEX Championship Gaming Series online tournament organized by Canada’s Military Store. The second annual online gaming series took place Aug. 18 to 20. The competition featured 16 six-player teams from military bases across the country competing for over $7,000 in prizes, while testing their skills in the popular military combat action video game Overwatch. This year’s first place team, Desktop Support of CFB Halifax, edged out its closest competitor Chair Force of CFB Petawawa to retain the title won last year by Halifax’s Base Logistics’ Five Guys and Fries, which competed in the game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. CANEX, Canada’s Military Store, also notched its own victory with the second annual gaming competition says Vivian Ngai, Segment Marketing Manager for CANEX, A division of Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS). That’s because benchmarks for participation and web traffic indicators increased markedly over last year’s inaugural gaming series. A total of 109 registered players took part in this year’s competition representing an increase of 33 percent from 2016. This year’s gaming tournament generated over 21,000 online engagements through the Twitch live stream chat and CANEX’s social media posts, an increase of 49 percent unique viewers and an 82 percent increase in chat activities compared to last year. Ngai says market surveys conducted for CANEX reveal that a significant number of customers are gamers and strongly indicated a high degree of satisfaction at peer-to-peer competition. “Based on our findings the top three motivators for CAF gamers to play these video games are because it serves as a...

[caption id="attachment_17220" align="alignnone" width="300"] Members of the media are escorted by RHIB (Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat) to Bentinck Island for a demolition demonstration on Sept. 20. Photos by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption] Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~ When the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) showed local media its Marine Mammal Mitigation Strategy on Bentinck Island Demolition Range it didn’t anticipate that whales would play a role in the demonstration. As media watched navy personnel set up demonstration demolition charges two weeks ago, they were alerted to a pod of killer whales and a group of baleen whales by on-the-water sentries whose job it is to search out marine life near the island. “The presence of so many whales were a surprise, but they appropriately demonstrated how our procedures play out in real life because whales do frequent the area on a regular basis,” said Duane Freeman, Senior Environment Officer with the RCN’s Formation Safety and Environment office. “We had to delay our demonstration, and in a worst-case scenario had they stayed in the area, we wouldn’t have done the demonstration at all.” The day-long event was arranged to show local media what goes on at the demolition range and the steps the military takes to mitigate any harmful effects on surrounding marine life. Regulations for activities on the property, located at the southwest corner of Rocky Point Ammunition Depot, include reductions in the amount of explosives used for detonations, a more restrictive explosives policy when whales are sighted in the area, and an expansion of safety zones. The demonstration and strengthened policy come in the wake of concerns by the Pacific Whale Watching Association and tour boat operators in August that the use of explosives was harming a pod of killer whales in the vicinity. A recent meeting between the base and the whale watching association resulted in agreed improvements such as halting explosives training when aquatic mammals are sighted within a two kilometres radius of the detonation site, an increase from the...

[caption id="attachment_17215" align="alignnone" width="300"] Karyne Gelinas (left), and Sandy Bates (right) from Team Canada win silver and bronze, respectively, in the Invictus Women’s Golf event at the St. George’s Golf and Country Club on Sept. 26. Cornelia Oosthuizen is centre with her gold medal. Photo by: Corporal Michael MacIsaac[/caption] Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~ Canadian Armed Forces veteran Master Corporal (Retired) Sandy Bate of Victoria captured a bronze medal in golf at the Invictus Games Toronto 2017. Bate, 57, was an accomplished athlete at CFB Esquimalt until her medical release eight years ago, and then struggled to overcome two knee replacement surgeries before making her return to the golf course in June 2016. Ahead of the Sept. 23 to 30 international sporting competition for injured or sick military personnel and veterans, Bate said her path to recovery “had come full circle”. Being selected had “given her something to shoot for.” “Sports was always a way for me to fit in, but when I was unable to participate any longer it came difficult for me to cope,” said Bate. The Invictus golf competition was played on the links at historic St. Georges Golf and Country Club in Etobicoke on Sept. 26. Leading up to the competition Bate dedicated her performance to the memories of her late mother and brother who were both avid golfers. Bate scored a total of 24 points finishing three points behind Canada’s Karyne Gelinas, a retired Air Force Air Traffic Controller from Moncton, and gold medalist Corneilia Oosthuuizen of the United Kingdom who topped the field with a 32. The Invictus Golf tournament employed a Modified Stableford Scoring System that awards points for a golfer’s performance on each hole. Bate says a crucial factor in her comeback was an adjustment to her swing, necessitated by the lack...

[caption id="attachment_17203" align="alignnone" width="300"] Lieutenant (Navy) Krista Seguin wins gold in the Invictus Women’s Heavyweight powerlifting event at Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre on Sept. 25. Photo by: Corporal Michael MacIsaac[/caption] Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~ A naval officer from CFB Esquimalt is paving her road to recovery with Invictus Games gold. Lieutenant (Navy) Krista Seguin, who works for Base Accommodations, captured a gold medal in the Women’s Power Lifting Heavyweight Division at the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 on Sept. 25. Prior to arriving for the third edition of the international sporting competition for injured and sick military personnel and veterans, the 28-year-old had modest expectations. “All I was shooting for was to do my best and hope that my training and hard work kicked in,” said Lt(N) Seguin. “Winning a gold medal was surreal. It’s something that I have always dreamed of, so I am ecstatic.” The victory seemed all the more fitting because prior to the Games she held the Latin phrase “Luctor et Emergo”, which means: I struggle and emerge, as her mantra. Like the other athletes Lt(N) Seguin is using the power of adaptive sport as part of her recovery process. She suffers from a Compartment Syndrome in her right leg, a painful condition that puts pressure on muscles and joints. She developed the condition during basic training at Royal Military College in 2007. “I am definitely not pain free, but thankfully the pain did not hinder my performance,” she said. “Unfortunately it’s doubtful that I will ever be pain free; however, I have found many ways to cope with the pain, and staying active and playing sports is one of them.” In her path to the top of the podium, Lt(N) Seguin lifted 85 kg, edging out retired Canadian Armed Forces medical technician Jackie Buttnor, who...

[caption id="attachment_17151" align="alignnone" width="450"] Lieutenant Commander Danny O’Regan, Commandant of Fleet School; Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Veterans Affairs; Jackie Carlé, Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) Interim Executive Director; Kaitlyn Ross, MFRC Veteran Family Program Coordinator; Pauline Sibbald, MFRC Social Worker; and Base Commander Capt(N) Jason Boyd gather outside the MFRC building on Signal Hill for a group photograph. Photo by Jon Chabun, MFRC[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~In early September, Minister of Veterans Affairs Seamus O’Regan made a one-day stop in Esquimalt. The recently appointed cabinet minister was in town to meet with senior naval leadership, tour dockyard, and drop by the Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) to discuss the rollout of the Veteran Family Program.Meeting him at the MFRC was his younger brother, Lieutenant Commander Danny O’Regan, Commandant of Naval Fleet School (Pacific).A gaggle of O’Regan family members were in Ottawa just days before to witness Minister O’Regan’s swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall.“Now he is essentially my boss,” said LCdr O’Regan. “I was on leave in St. John’s after taking the red eye when he called me and said he had been named minister and we had to come to Ottawa for the ceremony.”The representative from St. John’s South-Mount Pearl, not only heads Veterans Affairs Canada but is also the Associate Minister of Defence as part of his first-ever cabinet appointment. The cabinet appointment came following the resignation of Minister of Public Services and Procurement Judy Foote, precipitating a cabinet shuffle by the Prime Minister.LCdr O’Regan remarked how the ceremony in Ottawa was also a family celebration of courage and recovery. That’s because back in January 2016, when Seamus was still a back bencher, he announced to the nation on social media that he was seeking treatment for alcoholism.Family, friends, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rallied around him throughout his...

[caption id="attachment_17147" align="alignnone" width="450"] Photo by Sergeant D.G. Janes, Army Public Affairs[/caption]Steven Fouchard, Army Public Affairs ~The City of Ottawa has shown its gratitude to local military units and cadet corps with a rare honour that saw them march through the city’s streets on Saturday, September 16.Municipal officials in the capital granted those units Freedom of the City, a historical honour with origins in 15th-century Britain that is usually given to just one unit at a time. However, with the convergence of both Canada 150 celebrations and Canada Army Run, which took place the following day, the city extended the honour to all of the 18 military units and three cadet units it has previously honoured since the late 19th century.Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Jackson, Commanding Officer of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh’s Own), which is the City of Ottawa’s official regiment, led the units in a parade.In keeping with tradition, LCol Jackson had the additional privilege of taking a ceremonial walk up to the doors of city hall, where he received the mayor’s permission to march before leading the parade itself.“For me personally, being asked to be the Parade Commander, having my Regimental Sergeant Major, Chief Warrant Officer Michael Lever, appointed as the Parade Sergeant-Major, and having the privilege of leading a number of distinguished Canadian Armed Forces units and cadet units is a great honour,” he said.“The Cameron Highlanders is the city’s regiment,” LCol Jackson added. “We have always had a special attachment to Ottawa and the various communities that make up our spectacular National Capital.”Also in attendance were former Commander Canadian Army Lieutenant-General (Retired) Andrew Leslie, now a sitting Member of Parliament; Major-General Simon Hetherington, Commander Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Centre Headquarters; Major-General Paul Bury, Chief Reserves and Cadets; and Colonel Richard Goodyear, Commandant of...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~“There was so much smoke in the air it was almost apocalyptic because the sun was blotted out,” said Jason Humphries of the fires raging in B.C.’s interior.“We couldn’t see the fire itself because of all the smoke, but we could see the damage that extended for miles and miles. As far as the eye could see were charred hillsides, burned out trees and whole forested areas completely obliterated.”The thirty-six-year-old fire inspector from CFB Esquimalt Fire Rescue spent a week this summer battling the fires near Cache Creek with members of the Sooke and Metchosin volunteer fire departments.They were part of a massive provincial effort to contain multiple wildfires that broke out in the tinder-dry Okanagan region this year.Both departments supplied a pumper truck staffed with four volunteer firefighters, making the seven hour 440-kilometre trek to the region at a moment’s notice.Humphries has battled the occasional brush or spot fire over his 13 year career, but says those blazes pale in comparison to this year’s wildfires that devastated a huge swatch of central B.C.Volunteer firefighting teams were tasked with protecting homes from the fires and making sure emergency sprinklers in homes and businesses were operating properly.Besides a few hours battling a brush fire burning out of control near Loon Lake midway through his trip, he credits the forestry fire fighters from B.C., Alberta, Ontario and New Brunswick, along contingents from Australia, New Zealand and the United States with doing the lion’s share of the front-line work.“They were doing most of the more dangerous work containing the larger blazes and I have utmost respect for them,” says Humphries. “The biggest takeaway from my experience was the amount of resources and people that converged on this place, and the organization required to manage a situation like this.”Since April...

[caption id="attachment_17141" align="alignnone" width="450"] Capt Jean Martin and Capt Craig Law conduct training in the CH148 Cyclone operational mission simulator. The simulator allows for the creation of a virtual battlespace that is highly reflective of the demanding and highly dynamic operating environments that 12 Wing personnel are called upon in providing wings for the fleet. Photo by LS Upshall[/caption]Lt Catherine Drover, 406 (M) Operational Training Squadron ~The first round of Aircrew Conversion Training at 406 Maritime Operational Training Squadron in 12 Wing Shearwater started Sept. 11 for pilots in preparation for operational employment on the CH-148 Cyclone.Pilot Conversion Training Courses 1 and 2, consisting mostly of CH-124 Sea King experienced airmen and women, will spend the next 90 training days learning new aircraft systems and tactics, while transferring their knowledge and skills from the Sea King to the CH-148 Cyclone. This cadre of pilots will form the first operational Cyclone air detachments ready to deploy on Her Majesty Canadian Ships starting the summer of 2018.406 (M) Operational Training Squadron is responsible for all Cyclone aircrew and technician conversion training programs and have already completed a number of courses for Avionics Systems Technicians (AVS Tech) and Aviation Systems Technicians (AVN Tech).Through the fall, 406 (M) Operational Training Squadron will continue to increase technicians throughput by adding an additional AVN serial, and introducing Air Weapons Systems (AWS) and Aircraft Structure (ACS) Technicians in 2018.With two AVS serial already in-house and four AVN serials starting through the fall, 406 will be running eight type courses by the winter of 2018.This represents the next step in continuing the Squadron’s mission to generate the technicians and aircrew behind the “Wings for the Fleet”.

Are you a DND Public Service Employee? Would you like to influence and improve the Public Service? Would you like to express your opinion about the leadership, workforce, and work environment in the Public Service? If so, you have until Sept. 29 to complete the 2017 Public Service Employee Survey.Do you have more questions? Please see the Q&A below and visit the Public Service Employee Surveys web page at http://intranet.mil.ca/en/lets-talk/pses/index.pageAbout the SurveyThe Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) provides employees the opportunity to anonymously voice their opinions about their leadership, workforce and work environment. Through the triennial PSES, employees and managers provide valuable information for senior leaders at Defence to identify areas requiring workplace improvement.The 2017 PSES will be conducted from Aug. 21 to Sept. 29, 2017 and the resultant departmental and Public Service-wide results will be released in the spring of 2018.The three-year cycleAs the survey is conducted every three years, the implementation of action plans also works on a three-year cycle. Within DND, the cycle begins at year one with the survey’s release, the subsequent analysis of the results, engagement of employees, and action plan development. Over the next two years, solutions to address issues raised in the survey will be implemented, results will be communicated, annual progress reports will be submitted, and implementation results will be assessed yearly.Employees have a sayImplementing workplace improvements that address the issues raised by employees in the PSES cannot happen from the top down. One of the key ways to improve Defence is through engagement with employees – by using the wealth of knowledge and experience that employees bring to the department to improve their workplace, which will benefit not only themselves, but all Canadians.How can I fill out the survey?You will receive an e-mail invitation from Statistics Canada with a unique identifier...