News

[caption id="attachment_16118" align="alignnone" width="450"] Lieutenant (Navy) Tom Eagle[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Reporter ~Lieutenant (Navy) Tom Eagle is one of 20 crew members posted to HMCS Oriole, the 31-metre ambassadorial sailing ketch heading to Charlottetown, P.E.I., for this summer’s Canada 150 celebrations.He is Oriole’s Watch Captain, Navigating Officer and the Executive Officer.With the stormy harrowing seas of the Pacific Northwest well behind them, the calm seas of the Oaxaca coastline provided Lt(N) Eagle an opportunity to respond to questions about the voyage.Q: What were the conditions like during the first part of your voyage through the Pacific Northwest and how rough were the seas?A: The Oregon coast was rather rough, but not record setting and certainly not the “perfect storm” as some may call it. We had high winds and large waves on our first attempt at rounding Cape Flattery [off Washington’s Olympic Peninsula], which ended in an anchorage in Port Renfrew overnight. For all involved – save myself, the commanding officer, buffer and a Leading Seaman with some civilian open ocean sailing experience - this was a first chance to see what life on a sailboat feels like offshore.Q: What have been the biggest challenges and adjustments to life at sea?A: Oriole doesn’t have a lot of the creature comforts the rest of the navy is accustomed to. Not getting a hot shower for a few days on Algonquin was par for the course, but not having onboard showers in Oriole is a little daunting because the deck starts to heat up and the ambient temperature listed on the thermometer above my rack is above 35c, [which starts the sweat rolling]. It’s just another thing you need to get used to rather quickly.Q: What are your living quarters like? Closer confines than in a frigate or a submarine? A: I live...

Every day the men and women onboard HMCS Ottawa are served delicious and nutritious meals. The logistical preparation that is involved in feeding over 200 people per day, every day, is staggering.Each day a new menu is prepared that takes into consideration different dietary needs, the operational tempo for the day, and the ingredients the ship was able to procure at its last port of call.The menu includes breakfast, dinner, supper, and of course soup!Despite the difficulty of the task, everyday cooks, with the support of stewards, supply technicians and logistical officers, manage to provide the sailors onboard Ottawa with the next best thing to a home cooked meal—a meal shared with shipmates. The following recipe is an example of one such meal—a delicious Chilled Asian Shrimp Salad courtesy of the Petty Officer First Class John Cross, Chief Cook HMCS Ottawa.Poseidon Cutlass 17 RecipeChilled Asian Shrimp SaladIngredients20 each     Medium Shrimp – Peeled, Deveined & Cooked 5 cups       Mixed GreensMarinade for Shrimp2 each      Fresh Mango – Small Diced½ each     Red Onion – Small Diced½ each     Green Pepper – Small Diced1 cup       Fresh Cilantro1 tbsp      Chili FlakesTo Taste   Salt & PepperDressing1 each    Pineapple – Pureed1 can      Mandarin Oranges – Pureed1 ½  cups  Peanut Oil (May use salad oil if nut allergy)1 cup   Shrimp Marinade             DirectionsCombine marinade ingredients in a medium size bowl. Add cooked shrimp, cover and let sit in refrigerator overnight.Next day, remove shrimp and set aside. Strain marinade through a colander, separating the liquid and salsa mixture for later use.Make dressing by emulsifying dressing ingredients in a food processor.To serve the salad, place a generous amount of mixed greens in the center of the plate. Place several shrimp on top of the greens. Sprinkle the salsa mix liberally over the shrimp and drizzle with the dressing.

[caption id="attachment_16105" align="alignnone" width="450"] Trevor Ashwell competes in the Mobility Cup, a regatta hosting competitors from all across Canada and the United States. This regatta was hosted in Victoria in 2015, and Montreal, QC, in 2016.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The Disabled Sailing Association of Victoria [DSABC, Victoria Branch] is looking to military personnel to help supplement volunteers for its upcoming summertime program.DSA Victoria is one of 14 Disabled Sailing Associations across Canada and has a mandate to provide sailing opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the Greater Victoria area through the non-profit organization Recreation Integration Victoria. It operates out of the Canadian Forces Sailing Association location.Last year, four military volunteers from CFB Esquimalt donated their time to assist with boat operations, lift assistance, rigging, and general maintenance duties. However, three of them were posted this year, leaving a big hole in their volunteer staffing. “We are really sorry to see it when our military members move on to other bases, so there is real need to replace them because they are invaluable to our operation,” says Amie Renaud, from Recreation Integration Victoria, Coordinator of Services.Military members can use their “Special Leave for Community Affairs” allowance to help out.“What it means for Canadian Armed Forces members is they can contribute a small amount of their time and make a big difference in their community,” says Renaud. “In the past, many of our military members have been extremely dedicated to this program because they can see the impact our program is having on people’s lives.”She is hoping to increase those volunteer positions from four to seven this year.The specialty sailing program is offered in June, July and August.  Last year it had 197 registered sailors in its inclusive program, which gets people with a wide range of disabilities out on the water.Renaud, who...

[caption id="attachment_16101" align="alignnone" width="230"] Signalman First Class Douglas A. Munro. Photo courtesy Wikipedia[/caption]Bart Armstrong | www.canadianmedalofhonor.com ~The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) have commissioned a second ship in honour of Vancouver-born, Second World War hero Douglas Munro.The USCG Cutter Munro (WMDL 755) was commissioned March 31.As a member of the American Medal of Honor Society I was privileged and honoured to travel to Seattle to meet with the new captain and crew. At the ceremony I give a short presentation and then attended the actual commissioning ceremony the following day.The USCG also posthumously dedicated their headquarters building in Washington, D.C. to Munro in November 2013.Why all the fuss for Munro?Munro was born Oct. 11, 1919, in Vancouver. The family moved to Kittitas County, Washington in 1922, where his father, a U.S.-born citizen, worked as an electrician for the Warren Company. After attending Central Washington College, Munro enlisted in the USCG in 1939 and rose rapidly through the ranks.  In 1942 Signalman First Class Douglas Munro volunteered to lead a small crew and flotilla of Higgins landing craft to Gaudalcanal to land 500 U.S. Marines. However, the enemy were able to drive the marines into the ocean.Munro and his crew returned to save them. But in placing his craft between heavy machine gun fire and the last vessel, Munro was killed. Eight months later, on Sept. 27, 1942, President Roosevelt presented the posthumous Medal of Honor to his parents.To recognize Monroe’s heroism, the U.S. Navy commissioned a Destroyer Escort and named it the USS Douglas A Munro. It served throughout the Second World War and earned three Battle Stars for heroism in Korea, and was decommissioned in 1966.Five years later to the day Douglas lost his life, the USCG commissioned a Cutter and named it in honour of the hero of Guadalcanal. It...

[caption id="attachment_16095" align="alignnone" width="450"] A Royal Canadian Navy cutter, the Defender, from Canadian Forces Base Halifax is used to provide 1 Canadian Rangers Patrol Group with critical search and rescue and small craft training on Great Slave Lake near Yellowknife during Operation Nunakput 2016. Photo by PO2 Belinda Groves, Task Force Imagery Technician[/caption]RAdm John F. Newton,Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic ~As sailors of the Royal Canadian Navy, we take pride in our inheritance of skill in patrol of the North Atlantic and vast Pacific Ocean. Recent experiences in operations that ranged from the Black Sea, to the Gulf of Guinea, and deep into Indo-Asia-Pacific have reasserted our global “deployability”.In a new undertaking, 20 hand-picked sailors will gain experiential learning in a bold and completely new task. They will set sail on a once-in-a-lifetime voyage of Canada’s longest waterway, the Mackenzie River.In celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary, four force protection cutters will join Operation Nunakput 17. The flotilla will follow the waters that drain into a great watershed of northwestern Canada, from Great Slave Lake to the Beaufort Sea. On a voyage extending 4,000 kilometres to the sea and back, sailors of the Royal Canadian Navy will witness their land and peoples in a manner that very few have experienced.How to applyOver the next few weeks, the MARLANT Formation Chief, CPO1 Pierre Auger, will lead a selection process for the Nunakput boat crews. Personnel interested in obtaining more information should contact Chief Auger directly at Pierre.Auger@forces.gc.ca. Those wishing to participate are to make their interest known through their unit chain of command.Operation NunakputOperation Nunakput is a sovereignty operation conducted annually under the command of Joint Task Force North. The mission is undertaken jointly with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Environment Canada, and Provincial Government partners in order...

[caption id="attachment_16092" align="alignnone" width="450"] Construction equipment is in place at Veterans Cemetery in preparation for the expansion of the military cemetery operated by Veterans Affairs Canada. The project is expected to be completed in late summer and make room for 1,500 new graves through granite columbariums. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout Newspaper[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A construction project at Veterans Cemetery, also known as God’s Acre Cemetery, will provide approximately 1,500 additional burial spaces at the National Historic.The cemetery, shaded by tall trees and nestled between the 12th and 17th holes of Esquimalt’s Gorge Vale Golf Club, was established in 1868 by the Royal Navy and is one of two cemeteries operated by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). The other is Fort Massey Cemetery in Halifax.The site occupies 2.7 acres and houses 2,500 military graves, but is close to capacity.Emile Gallant, VAC’s Manager of Funeral, Burial and Cemetery Maintenance, says the recent expansion of the site and related construction project will lead to the construction of 21 columbariums, where cinerary urns will be stored.“VAC has been working very closely with community groups and the local community to make this project happen,” says Gallant. “People will be very happy to learn that the cemetery will continue to be a resting spot for those who served in the military.”To address the cemetery’s ­current space shortfall, VAC purchased a .62 acre parcel of land from Gorge Vale Golf Club in March 2016 to allow room for the columbariums. Public Services and Procurement Canada then awarded a construction contract to Western Watershed to design the cemetery, and Lees and Associates to manage the worksite.The columbariums are elevated granite structures used to store urns containing ashes of the dead.  They will measure approximately 1.8 metres in height and 90 cm in width and are made of...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~This year’s candlelight vigil at Veterans Cemetery in Esquimalt will honour Canadian soldiers who served at Vimy Ridge 100 years ago.Also known to locals as God’s Acre, the cemetery will host the event May 25 at 6:45 p.m.The vigil is traditionally highlighted by the symbolic gesture of current and past-serving military members passing candles to the younger generation, including cadets, girl guides and scouts who then place the candles on gravestones in the cemetery.This year’s event, which will also recognize Canada’s 150th anniversary, will see musical performances by the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and a bag piper from The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary’s).Candlelight Vigil Chairperson, PO (Retired) Bob Haldane says the event is one of the most popular on Esquimalt resident’s social calendar, and typically attracts 1,000 or more people. Haldane, a former stoker and marine engineer who retired from the Royal Canadian Navy in 1979, says assistance from CFB Esquimalt, along with other community partners, has been key to the success and popularity of the event.“Rear-Admirals and Base Commanders with the RCN have been marvelous to us over the years, and have done wonders to help boost the spectre of the event,” says Haldane, who has chaired the event for the past 11 years and been a vigil volunteer for over 20.He said the RCN provides tents, chairs, a public address system, the services of the Naden Band and work parties to assist in event setup and teardown. The support of community partner Thrifty Foods grocery stores provides cake, hot dogs and refreshments.The vigil receives financial support from Veterans Affairs Canada and is managed by the Township of Esquimalt.

[caption id="attachment_16051" align="alignnone" width="450"] Ho Mai Linh’s “Uncle 15” (Sky Raider pilot) kneels in the front row, second from the right.[/caption]Ho Mai Linh, BIS ~On April 13, 2015, an Act titled the Journey to Freedom Day was passed in the House of Commons and given Royal Assent on April 30, 2015. It recognizes the plight of the Vietnamese people and their efforts to be settled in Canada following the Vietnam conflict of 1959-1975. Upwards of six million people were displaced with the creation of a Communist state, the merging of North and South Vietnam, and the implementation of Vietnamese Communist policies and international economic sanctions.This act identifies every April 30 as the Journey to Freedom Day of the 60,000 people who sought refuge from war and oppression, and were accepted by Canada and Canadians. It is the start of Asian Heritage Month of May.My family and I are some of those “Boat People” and this is my story.This is an expression of my appreciation to the Act that recognized our struggles, and the compassion Canada showed to thousands of migrants seeking freedom and hope for a better life, escaping war and prosecution.Prior to April 30, 1975 - the official end of the Vietnam WarOur family lived a comfortable life despite the ongoing conflict with the likes of the Tet offensive in 1968, occasional grenade attacks at the market square, the mortar showers, and light AK gunfire at the check points emanating from the Viet Cong (Communist Forces) who wanted to create one Vietnam.Thinking back to Saigon, my paternal grandparents had a successful business that provided us all the comforts of life, which included living in a four-story 3,000 square meter building in district one, in downtown Saigon, where we lived with my grandparents and my aunts and uncles. It had a huge second floor open-air terrace that we all enjoyed. It was here that I heard the sound of the squadrons of Hughes helicopters flying overhead, the repeated thud-thud song...

DND ~On May 10, the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) charged a member of the Canadian Armed Forces with sexual assault, voyeurism and related offences under the Criminal Code of Canada.The charges stem from the discovery in January 2017 of a recording device at the private residence of a Canadian Armed Forces member near Washington, D.C.The accused, at that time, was a resource management support clerk with Canadian Defence Liaison Staff (Washington).CFNIS investigators, with the assistance of local police, searched the home of the accused and seized several electronic devices. Recordings found on these devices included a video of a sexual assault against a Canadian Armed Forces member at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt in 2011.  Corporal Colin McGregor, now based at 5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown, New Brunswick, faces multiple charges under the Criminal Code of Canada, punishable under section 130 of the National Defence Act.Charges include sexual assault, voyeurism, interception, and breaking and entering, as well as possession of property obtained by crime, theft, transmission of intimate image, possession of a device for surreptitious interception, and possession of child pornography.The matter is now proceeding in accordance with the military justice system for possible court martial at a date and location still to be determined.Anyone who has knowledge related to this investigation is asked to contact the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service at: 1-888-812-3647.

[caption id="attachment_16042" align="alignnone" width="450"] Caribbean divers cut ropes while executing a bottom cleanup during Exercise Tradewinds 16 in Discovery Bay, Jamaica.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Two diving personnel from Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) are heading to the Caribbean later this month to take part in international military diving exercises off the waters of Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.Divers will deploy May 27 for this year’s edition of Exercise Tradewinds. They will rendezvous with 10 personnel from Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) and administration staff for the exercise that runs June 6 to 11 in Barbados, and then moves to the island of Trinidad and Tobago June 12 to 17.Divers and instructors will offer dive skills related to search and rescue, counter terrorism and ways to disrupt drug smugglers, to military divers from Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago defence forces.Lt(N) Greg Richards, Training Officer at FDU(A), who has been planning and coordinating the exercise for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), says Exercise Tradewinds is designed to promote regional security and cooperation in the Caribbean.“Participation in this training mission provides an excellent opportunity to foster interoperability amongst international dive teams while enhancing their capability,” he adds.The team of RCN divers, dive instructors and medical support staff will be joined by personnel from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Southern Command.Military divers from the host countries will be trained in sunken vessel assessment, evidence and human remains recovery, search patterns, jetty and hull searches, and identifying foreign objects such as mines and explosives.Exercise Tradewinds is an annual event and has been held yearly following the creation of the Canadian-U.S. Caribbean Defence Cooperation framework in June 2013, and an engagement strategy in July 2012.

[caption id="attachment_16038" align="alignnone" width="450"] Major Justin Olsen, Officer in Charge of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Victoria, at his desk at CFB Esquimalt.[/caption]Will Chaster, MARPAC PA ~Search and rescue is unique in the sense that, unlike a business, it hopes to see as few customers as possible.With this goal in mind, prevention activities, an often underreported element of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Victoria (JRCC) search and rescue team, takes place throughout the year.“Activities aimed at prevention really helps us in the long term by ensuring we have fewer ‘customers’ in the future,” says Major Justin Olsen, Officer in Charge of the JRCC.The prevention program is called Rust Removers.The name is representative of the potential erosion of skills that may develop with a pilot after a long winter spent mostly on the ground. Transport Canada mandates that all pilots undergo a certain amount of training in order to stay up-to-date on search and rescue techniques and technology each year.One way to get this refresher is to attend a Rust Removers event put on by the JRCC Search and Rescue team. They usually go directly to a flying club or flight school to update pilots on search and rescue techniques.“We inform people on how the Rescue Centre gets involved in search and rescue events, what technology we use, and how they can increase their chances of survival in the event of an accident,” explains Maj Olsen.The Rust Remover program reaches more than 200 people each year in the Western Region.Any flying or boating organization can request a training day by phoning the JRCC administrative number at 250-413-8927.

[caption id="attachment_16035" align="alignnone" width="450"] Photo by Cpl Carbe Orellana, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]SLt Warren Bush, HMCS Winnipeg ~Sailors of the Royal Canadian Navy were proud to acknowledge and celebrate the legacy of their predecessors through Battle of the Atlantic Day, an annual day of remembrance held on the first Sunday in May.The ship’s company of HMCS Winnipeg commemorated the occasion through a ceremony that brought attention to the service and sacrifice of Canada’s sailors during the Second World War. Winnipeg itself is named after a Battle of the Atlantic veteran, a 990 tonne, 225 foot Algerine Class Minesweeper commissioned in 1943.The service commenced with opening remarks from Winnipeg’s Commanding Officer, followed by the National Anthem, an address by the ship’s Padre, Psalm 23, and the Naval Prayer. The sailors then heeded ‘Lament’ and ‘Reveille’ after a two minute silence, and reflected on a somber Battle of the Atlantic  Roll of Honour, which individually named the 26 Canadian warships lost during the War, as well as the seven Motor Torpedo Boats.The Commanding Officer then cast a ceremonial wreath into the sea.Canada paid dearly for the Battle of the Atlantic: 1,797 sailors of the Royal Canadian Navy and countless merchant seamen met their end in that ocean’s icy water.

[caption id="attachment_16030" align="alignnone" width="450"] United Way Board Member Captain (Navy) Steve Waddell, Base Commander CFB Esquimalt, was on hand at the recent Spirit Awards where local campaign contributors at the Department of National Defence were recognized with induction into the United Way Greater Victoria’s “Thanks a Million” Club.[/caption]James Vassallo, Base PAO ~Helping those less fortunate, providing hot meals for the hungry, giving kids in need new opportunities, and caring for sick animals are just a few of the reasons why the local Defence Team deserves recognition for charitable giving.But at the recent annual Spirit Awards, the United Way Greater Victoria (UWGV) found 10 million more reasons when they made the Department of National Defence (DND) one of the first inductees of the “Thanks a Million” Club.“To become a member of this club you have to raise more than a million dollars, which is pretty amazing,” says Hazel Braithwaite, community campaign director, UWGV. “DND has surpassed that milestone ten-fold. As the only member of this exclusive $10-million club, the department’s dedicated employees have something to be very proud of.”The award recognizes the fundraising efforts of the local Defence Team, comprised of Canadian Armed Forces members and civilian employees working at more than 100 DND units within the Greater Victoria Area. The United Way of Greater Victoria and Healthpartners then distributes these donations to registered Canadian charities based on the choices made by individual donors when they contribute.Since 1994 – when United Way began keeping electronic records – the Defence Team has raised $10,062,690.35 to support charitable causes.Eleven organizations in the Capital Regional District (CRD) have met the $1 million philanthropic milestone in their workplace campaigns: Island Health, University of Victoria, Coast Capital Savings, RBC Royal Bank, City of Victoria, Camosun College, CIBC, TD Canada Trust, ESIT Advanced Solutions Inc., and the Canada...

[caption id="attachment_16027" align="alignnone" width="450"] Left to Right: Major Mark Kierstead, Commanding Officer of Real Property Operations (Pacific), Maj (Ret’d) Ed Vishek, and Base Commander Capt(N) Steve Waddell break ground on the demolition project of Dockyard Building 11.[/caption]Peter Mallett with files from Lt(N) Pamela Hogan, Staff Writer ~When Maj (Ret’d) Ed Vishek climbed aboard an excavating machine on May 5 to take a ceremonial first swipe in the demolition of Dockyard Building 11 he couldn’t help but reminisce.That’s because for Vishek, and hundreds of other sailors, the aging building was his home for two of the most important years of his life.DY11 was the lifeblood and administrative headquarters for the Royal Canadian Navy’s junior officer training complex HMCS Venture, which Vishek attended from1959 to 1961. The program grew out of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Venture Plan that was established in 1954 to address critical officer shortages.Peering from the excavator cab window, the 77-year-old former Venture graduate gazed across the parking lot that was once the Parade Square to DY29, which served as the barracks for him and the other trainees.“It’s a somewhat sad moment for me because this place was where I began my 30-year career in the navy,” said Vishek who went on to enjoy a lengthy career as a naval pilot.During the height of the Cold War the two buildings were the centre of a sprawling training facility that also included a chapel, sports field, gymnasium and boat shed.DY11 was a 36,000 square-foot facility built in 1941 to provide offices and naval training classrooms as part of HMCS Givenchy, a speciality school that ran from 1943-45 for naval gunners crewing civilian vessels in the Second World War. It also contained a mess hall and orderly room, while its 22,000 square foot sister building DY29 was built the following year.Both...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Esquimalt’s military units will soon have something to crow about with a revamped Cock of the Walk sports competition taking flight again in May.With fun, fitness and friendly competition between the base’s military units in mind, Personnel Support Services (PSP) sports staff will roll out the seven-event, year-long multi-sport competition.Cock of the Walk kicks off with a ball hockey tournament May 15 to 19, and concludes eight months later in February 2018 with ice hockey as its final event.Other competitions include:Slo Pitch, June 26 to 30;Soccer, Aug. 28 to Sept. 1;Badminton and Squash, Oct. 2 to 6;National Sports Day, Oct. 20;Basketball, Jan. 15 to 18, 2018, andHockey, Feb. 5 to 9, 2018.Although bragging rights and an overall Cock of the Walk trophy will be handed out, the competition has less to do about athletic competition and more about getting everyone out on the field of play, says PSP Sports Coordinator Heather Catte.“Cock of the Walk is really an effort to maximize fitness opportunities and participation across base units and members of the Fleet,” says Catte. “We hope it succeeds in efforts to increase morale, promote fitness and establish esprit de corps.”The launch of the competition requires unit sports representatives to promote and communicate details of the events, prepare eligibility lists, and assist in the recruitment of support staff for scorekeeping and officiating duties throughout the competition.The last time a Cock of the Walk competition was held at the base was 2015.The term Cock of the Walk originated from an 18th Century tradition of the Royal Navy. It has been used in naval and civilian circles with its connotation to mean a champion of a regatta or sports meet, or a combination of these events. According to naval tradition, the winning ship of a Cock of the...

[caption id="attachment_15984" align="alignnone" width="450"] HMAS Ballarat and HMCS Ottawa sail in formation with HMCS Winnipeg as part of manoeuvres. Photo by Cpl Carbe Orellana, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]SLt Matt Golding, HMCS Ottawa ~Sailing through the South China Sea on Poseidon Cutlass, HMCS Ottawa and HMCS Winnipeg conducted a CROSSPOL (cross pollination of sailors) with the Australian frigate HMAS Ballarat.The CROSSPOL occurred over three days, where six crew members from each ship got the opportunity to get a firsthand experience of how the other navy operates.For most of the Royal Canadian Navy sailors it was the first time being on an Australian frigate, and all were impressed by the ship and by the professionalism of their team.HMAS Ballarat is one of Australia’s Anzac-class frigates; it is slightly smaller than the Halifax-class but includes a number of upgrades, including a 5-inch main gun, phased array radar, and an air conditioned gym space.The days commenced with a short RHIB transfer over to the Australian ship, where the sailors were greeted by several members of their crew who were eager to show them around. The Australian counterparts gave tours, talked about life onboard their ship, and even let the Canadians try vegemite.Ordinary Seaman Robichaud, a steward on board Ottawa, spent the day with the Australian stewards and cooks; he described it as “one of the greatest experiences he’s had in his military career so far.”

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Employees working on the Fleet Maintenance Facility’s Phase V construction project are being encouraged to think about workplace safety this week.With the overlying theme: Make Safety A Habit, contractors and subcontractors will join CFB Esquimalt employees in observing North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH) May 7 to 13.Stephanie Morand, Project Safety Coordinator with EllisDon Kinetic, says getting people engaged in safety is key to reducing preventable injuries and illness in the workplace and at home.“Talking about proper safety procedures is a big part of safety. However, new or inexperienced workers on design and build projects are often afraid to ask safety questions out of fear of looking stupid,” said Morand. “However, speaking up and asking a question about something they are unsure of makes a big difference in workplace safety, and we are encouraging all employees and their supervisors to initiate the conversation.”Approximately 120 construction workers, engineers and management staff are employed by EllisDon Kinetic on the final phase of the FMF Cape Breton project, which started in 1996. To create awareness about NAOSH Morand walked the construction site last week, affixing promotional posters at various locations. She also has work crews including NAOSH in their weekly “tool box talk” sessions, which are regular informal discussions on work-related issues.Part of Morand’s job is to review safety documents and information, and educate workers about site-specific safety habits and regulations. She says there is sometimes resistance by workers to follow regulated safety practices. She recalls a recent discussion with some iron workers who said they found their safety harnesses uncomfortable. Others grumble about wearing proper hearing and eye protection, safety vests, or helmets.“The promotion of good safety habits may seem like a hindrance or an inconvenience to some, a similar attitude when mandatory seat belt laws...

[caption id="attachment_15978" align="alignnone" width="450"] After conducting drug interdiction operations during a three month deployment on Operation Caribbe, HMCS Saskatoon returns home April 28. Photo by Cpl Andre Maillet, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]William Chaster, MARPAC PA Office ~As HMCS Saskatoon pulled alongside Y Jetty Friday, April 28, cheers broke out from the dozens of family members and friends waiting on the jetty.Once it safely docked, the brow was lowered and Petty Officer First Class Jamie Burno walked off and into the arms of his wife Kim, while their three children crowded around them. The two were the winners of the traditional first kiss following a lengthy deployment.Within minutes the jetty was teeming with crew and family members embraced in warm welcome home greetings.“It’s just great to be home, especially after such a successful deployment,” said Lieutenant-Commander Todd Bacon, Saskatoon’s commanding officer.The return of the coastal defence vessel marked the end of its 53-day deployment on Operation Caribbe. The yearly, bi-coastal operation is Canada’s contribution to the multinational Operation Martillo, which aims to improve regional stability and reduce criminal activity off the Pacific Coast of Central American and in the Caribbean on the East Coast.Throughout the deployment, Saskatoon’s crew seized 44 bales of cocaine, totalling 1,124 kilograms, and disrupted an additional 1,500 kg in cooperation with the United States Coast Guard (USCG). In addition to interrupting ­illegal drug smuggling, this deployment also focused on interoperability exercises with the USCG and elements of the Mexican Navy.“These exercises were focused on improving coordination between us and our allies. Throughout these operations we were treated fantastically by our allies, and units from all three nations had really come together as one group by their end,” said LCdr Bacon. This was Saskatoon’s second deployment on Operation Caribbe. On its first deployment in the spring of 2016, Saskatoon seized...

[caption id="attachment_15975" align="alignnone" width="450"] A soldier from the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), conducts a security check on a “Canadian citizen” entering the processing centre. Photo by Capt Elizabeth Tremblay-Lewicki, 2 Wing Public Affairs[/caption]Exercise Ready Renaissance, Exercise Ready Angle prove whole of government approachCapt Jeff Manney, NDPAO Vancouver ~Despite moving more than 290 navy, army and air force members to British Columbia in April to practice large-scale evacuations of Canadian citizens in an unruly country and bring them to a safe-haven, there wasn’t much to see on Exercise Ready Angle 17.That, of course, is precisely the point when the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), working at the behest of Global Affairs Canada, is asked to withdraw Canadians from hostile or dangerous situations abroad.“Discretion is a key element of a non-combatant evacuation operation,” says Exercise Director Col Normand Gagné, 1st Canadian Division. “No government wants to see large numbers of foreign armed soldiers on its territory. So when Canadians are in danger in another nation, it is expected that CAF personnel have authorization to not wear their uniform. We need to be low-key and agile, moving in numbers small enough not to arouse alarm. Coordination with our government partners is critical, which is why this type of integrated training is so important.”Twice this year, Vancouver Island was the fictitious nation of Macadamia, as the regions of Nanaimo, Comox and Port Alberni hosted exercises to support the 1st Canadian Division’s unique skillset and mandate.In February, “Macadamia” suffered a major earthquake and tsunami. Exercise Ready Renaissance tested the ability of the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to react to a major disaster in another nation.In late April, the government of “Macadamia” was unable to adequately restore services, and the social order was faltering. Armed gangs roamed the streets. Macadamia’s security services...

[caption id="attachment_15972" align="alignnone" width="450"] Metchosin Biodiversity co-founder Moralea Milne walks under a large moss-covered fallen tree as the group makes their way down a slope at Mary Hill during Bioblitz 2017.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A team of 14 scientists and outdoor enthusiasts combed over moss-covered hills and rain-drenched dales at Mary Hill military training area in Metchosin on May 1 for Bioblitz 2017.They were recording all plant and animal species, including rare species, on the DND property, as part of the Metchosin Biodiversity Project to identify and catalogue the biodiversity of Metchosin.Metchosin Biodiversity Project co-founder, Moralea Milne says Bioblitz is a scientific endeavour to create a definitive list of species in this West Shore community. It is also an effort to better educate the public about the natural environment in which they work and live.“People need to know we are not alone here and share this community with thousands of other species,” says Milne. “When people realize the number of species and ecosystems that exist, it helps us develop a better stewardship ethic for the land.”During their afternoon search at Mary Hill, investigators divided into three groups and fanned out across the property. The largest group searched for unique vascular plants and mosses, while a second group looked to identify shoreline species located in shallow water and intertidal pools. A third group searched and catalogued insects.They were assisted by three Natural Resources Canada employees and Tracy Cornforth, Environment Officer at CFB Esquimalt’s Formation Safety and Environment Branch, who noted the biodiversity group’s work gives DND a better understanding of the species thriving on the property.“The more we know about the plant and animal life, the better equipped we are to make informed decisions about activities on the base and where they can happen,” says Cornforth. “We are so fortunate to host...

March 17, 1927 – April 14, 2017Bob was born in Vancouver, B.C., to W.J. and Kitty (Hill) Peers of Burnaby Lake.His early years were in Burnaby, Vancouver, and Winnipeg, before moving to Victoria in 1941. He went to Oak Bay High School where he excelled ­academically and athletically - playing rugby and soccer, winning the track and field ­championship, and graduating as Student Council President and Valedictorian.He attended the Royal Canadian Naval College (Royal Roads 1944-46) and was awarded the Sword of Honour on graduation.Bob then went overseas to train with the Royal Navy and was posted to HMS Vanguard, the last of the 15” gun battleships. In 1947 Bob participated in the Royal Family visit to South Africa with their Majesties and the Royal Princesses. Sadly, he was the last surviving Canadian Naval Officer from this deployment.In 1950 he joined HMCS Sioux and completed two tours in Korea.On March 12, 1952, Bob married Cleone Kathleen Thompson of New Westminster, spending their early years in Ottawa, England and Halifax.He was honoured to be one of three Canadian Naval Officers to attend the 1953 Coronation of Elizabeth ll.In December 1956, he was appointed Commanding Officer of HMCS Trinity and subsequently HMCS Chignecto. From 1958-60 Bob was seconded to the U.S. Navy to the Commander Carrier Division 16 (USS Valley Forge). After a posting to RCN HQ in Ottawa, Bob commanded HMCS Annapolis on her commissioning in 1964. Thereafter, he commanded the Sea Training Unit (Halifax) and the Second Escort Squadron (Esquimalt).In July 1970 Bob was appointed Commandant, Royal Roads Military College. In this capacity he negotiated with the Province of B.C., giving the College a Charter to grant degrees. He retired in August 1976 and subsequently participated in various non-profit endeavours including the Goldstream Salmon Hatchery and the Charter Fishing Association.Bob spent his last years at the Lodge at Broadmead in Victoria.The family wish to thank the Lodge staff for the love and care they gave Bob. Thanks also goes to Dr....

SLt Kassandra O’Rourke, HMCS Ottawa ~The shorelines were turquoise and the seas were calm as HMCS Ottawa entered the South China Sea to come alongside Malaysia.Travelling in consort with HMCS Winnipeg, Ottawa is deployed for Poseidon Cutlass 17-1 to bolster Canadian diplomatic engagement and defence relations while developing their sailors in a world entirely new to most onboard.The ship left CFB Esquimalt March 6 and proceeded south along North America’s west coast. They conducted a successful missile exercise and then proceeded across the Pacific Ocean to Pearl Harbor. The crew enjoyed shore leave at the surf, the beaches, and a Luau before bringing Sea Training Pacific on board for Directed Ship’s Readiness Training.The transit from Hawaii to Guam was gruelling as the heat and humidity turned up, but the team proved strong and able as they underwent training that consisted of fires, floods, man overboards, hazardous material spills, mass casualties, simulated explosions, and elaborate battle situations.Ottawa’s team, under the watchful eye of Sea Training, developed the skills needed to meet the challenges of the environment they would soon enter. After successfully completing this milestone, the crew celebrated their achievement and admission into the high-readiness state by swimming in the Mariana Trench – the deepest part of the world.Leading Seaman Madeline Kuiper noticed the changes in Ottawa’s crew and said, “We worked really well together during the mission work up program. People can become very negative when undertaking a busy schedule, but the team was optimistic. I think the team has melded together over the past two months, and we continue to build stronger relationships with each other as time goes on.”After a few days to refresh in beautiful Guam, the ship set sail for the Philippines. On completion of a busy month, the daily schedule was more relaxed and the crew...

[caption id="attachment_15939" align="alignnone" width="450"] Group photo of volunteers during 2017 Volunteer Appreciation Day Banquet held April 20 at the Wardroom. Photo by Cpl André Maillet, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]Jon Chabun, MFRC ~It was a magical night, both figuratively and literally, when 108 volunteers gathered at the Wardroom Thursday April 20 to be celebrated for their charitable spirit.The event, sponsored by CANEX, recognized the contributions volunteers make to the Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC), Personnel Support Programs (PSP), and the CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum.“Volunteers contribute thousands of hours to the military community,” said Ekaterina Gregory, coordinator of volunteers at the MFRC. “Many programs, services and events depend on volunteers for their success.”The night featured a buffet dinner and the magic of Paul Kilshaw. There were speeches from Rear Admiral Art McDonald, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific, and Danielle Sutherland, Senior Manager PSP. Other attendees included 60 guests of the volunteers.“Volunteer contributions are very broad and diverse,” added Gregory. “Some volunteers lead our base clubs, some officiate sports, while ­others staff special events. Some make workshops and groups possible for ­military families. Some help contribute to preserving our history.”At the MFRC, volunteers help run 35 Away Cafes, 10 Deployment Dinners, 36 Playing Together parent-child drop-in sessions, six Sunday Information Sessions and various other support programs for our community. Overall, over 100 MFRC volunteers donated 3,212 hours last year. Youth volunteers contributed 90 hours to help with childcare support.At PSP, volunteers played a vital role in assisting with various activities and special events such as the Navy Run, Formation Fun Day, base sports, base clubs and special interest activities throughout the year.  Approximately 80 volunteers contributed at special events setting up and tearing down events, marshalling run routes and manning booths. More than 50 volunteers supported teams and events at base sports, both...

[caption id="attachment_15927" align="alignnone" width="450"] A boatswain onboard HMCS Saskatoon reads on the sweep deck during Operation Caribbe. Photo by Royal Canadian Navy Public Affairs[/caption]SLt Susannah Anderson, Operation Caribbe PAO ~The tropical heat settled like a wet wool blanket over the ship and the Weapons Engineering Technician was wedged into a small sliver of shade on the sweep deck, avidly reading a paperback on his break.“Have you read Ready Player One? One of the boatswains gave it to me; I just can’t put it down.”On HMCS Saskatoon, 47 days into a deployment in the eastern Pacific on Operation Caribbe, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is being passed from hand to hand throughout the ship.In a world of instant connectivity, sharing a beat-up paperback with friends seems old fashioned. The loss of instant connectivity can come as a shock to new sailors; Internet speed at sea varies based on the position of the ship’s mast or the necessity for operational security.Even with transmitting and receiving turned off, access to cell phones is strictly controlled and instant texts are replaced by thoughtful emails or a mail drop in a port far from home. The lack of connectivity with home quickly fosters a deeper connectivity on ship; meals are taken together, sleeping is done in bunks stacked two and three high, and crewmembers work together on watch.Common experiences and shared books like Ready Player One are links in a chain that bring crewmembers closer together, says Lieutenant-Commander Todd Bacon, Commanding Officer of Saskatoon.“Saskatoon sailed from Esquimalt in February 2017 with a new crew, brought together from across Canada, both Regular and Reserve Force,” he says. “Through hard work and excellence in training, they have grown together and have performed seamlessly in theatre. After two months sharing the exhilaration of successful interdictions, and long...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The love affair for automobiles and motorcycles continues to rev up the hearts of enthusiasts with a new Victoria-based club dubbed Cars and Coffee.CFB Esquimalt is the backdrop for their first meet and greet Sunday, May 7, 9 a.m. to noon, at the Canteen Road parking lot behind Lyall Street Service Station.Anyone interested in showing off their ride and talking all things mechanical is welcome to attend.The driver of the club, Ilya Ford-Ruckle, a contractor with Houle Electric who works in Dockyard, is hopeful the inaugural event will bring plenty of owners out to show off their chrome and wheels.“The ultimate goal of Cars and Coffee Victoria is to build a routine, established family-friendly community event that brings a vibrant group of people to enjoy a common passion,” he says. “Cars and Coffee events started in California over 10 years ago and have been replicated all over the world ever since.”The club’s other founding members are LS Aarron Bernardin from HMCS Victoria, and former Royal Canadian Navy sailor Scott Watson.Coffee, water and pop will be on sale courtesy of Cora Restaurant.

[caption id="attachment_15920" align="alignnone" width="450"] Capt(N) Steve Waddell, Base Commander[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A blue Cold-War-era Jeep languishing in storage in the CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum garage will be pressed into action as a ceremonial staff car for the Base Commander.The 1967 Willys Jeep CJ5 has been refurbished by mechanics from the Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers workshop.“I’m happy it will have a future with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN),” says Glendon Smith, who oversaw the work. “I’m an experienced mechanic but also a history buff. I even owned an old army jeep myself once, so I am really delighted to see things coming full circle for this Jeep. It’s good to know it will have an official capacity again and hopefully used at the base for many years.”The CJ5 is a two-wheel drive, four cylinder with a three speed standard transmission and seating for four to five personnel.Much of Jeep’s history is unknown, but it is thought to be one of a number of vehicles employed by commanders of RCN ships and used as a “Port Jeep” during the 1950s and 60s.In 1985, when the navy celebrated its 75th Anniversary, the vehicle was totally rebuilt by the Base Maintenance Workshop, and presented to then-Base Commander Capt(N) Harry Hal Dzioba, says Smith. Prior to that it had sat idle for several years in a parking lot at Work Point, with its paint fading and rust creeping in.After the 75th it was once again mothballed.“Honestly I would love to hear from anyone in the military community who has information about this vehicle and where and when it might have been used,” says Smith.While there are gaps in its history, Smith does know the CJ5 model was purchased specifically for the RCN by the Government of Canada, and is markedly different...

[caption id="attachment_15916" align="alignnone" width="450"] The winning team: Leading Seaman Jorge Medina, Master Seaman Victoria Tavares, Michael Connelly, a culinary student from Heritage College, and Ritsh Purran, head of culinary instruction at Heritage College. Photo by Darcy Boucher, Royal Canadian Navy[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~An event akin to the famous Iron Chef TV show took place two weeks ago in Ottawa, pitting navy and civilian chefs against each other to cook up a delectable win.Battling it out in the Mystery Box Cooking Challenge were two teams of four comprised of navy chefs, a local Ottawa chef, and a culinary student from Heritage College in Gatineau, Que.The event was held at Naval Reserve Division HMCS Carleton and was judged by local food critics and Capt(N) Steve Irwin, Director of Naval Logistics.CFB Esquimalt chef LS Jorge Medina, who cooks for Rear-Admiral Art McDonald, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific, was on the winning team.However, the win was not a simple fare. The two teams had to cook two courses - appetizer and main – using the secret ingredients of polenta, Jerusalem artichokes, cod, citrus fruit, shitake mushrooms, beef, and asparagus.The winning team dished up an appetizer of Tatami beef, a variation of a traditional Japanese dish that included asparagus, balsamic vinegar and tomatoes, and steamed cod with a citrus butter sauce accompanied by ravioli served in a shitake mushroom cream sauce.LS Medina’s teammates were Master Seaman Victoria Tavares, HMCS Carleton; Michael Connelly, a culinary student from Heritage College, and Ritsh Purran, Head of Culinary Instruction at Heritage College.A refrigeration issue almost brought catastrophe to LS Medina’s team.“We thought we wouldn’t be able to overcome the huge setback with the change to our appetizer course,” said LS Medina. “It created a fair degree of nervousness and as a group we were clearly agitated by the development,...

[caption id="attachment_15879" align="alignnone" width="425"] CPO2 (Ret’d) Neil Laur, his wife Maggie, and their dog Daisy take a break from their daily activities to enjoy some chocolate chip cookies on their back porch.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~For the past 22 years a retired sailor and his wife have been opening their home to support vulnerable youth, and are encouraging others in the defence community to follow their lead.“We believe every child deserves a second chance,” says CPO2 (Retired) Neil Laur. “They are all different, come from different communities, different family settings and have different cultures, but we welcome all of them with open arms as if they were our own.”Before his retirement in 1998, Neil Laur enjoyed a 40-year career with the Royal Canadian Navy as an electrician working at CFB Halifax and later CFB Esquimalt. Towards the end of his career, he and his wife Maggie decided to become a Care Family for the Boys and Girls Club Services of Greater Victoria.Since then they have provided over 85 youth between the ages of 13 and 19 with safe refuge, a comfortable bedroom, warm meals, and a stable family environment.“We don’t mind being called ‘Grandma’ and Grandpa’,” says Maggie.She says fresh-baked cookies, greetings from their dog Daisy, and a loving environment all serve as excellent ice breakers for newly arriving guests at their home on a quiet street in suburban View Royal.The Laur family are currently enrolled in the Boys and Girls Club’s Full Time Attendance  Program, which focusses on assisting male youths on probation, who normally come from communities outside the Greater Victoria area.Temporary family members are required to help with the household chores such as washing dishes, folding clothes, and cleaning their rooms.Household rules also include no swearing “unless it happens when we are playing cards,” says Neil. He...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Victoria author Michael Dupuis’ fascination with the Halifax Explosion has led to a 194-page book, Bearing Witness: Journalists, Record Keepers and the 1917 Halifax Explosion.The retired history teacher’s latest literary work recounts one of the most infamous and defining moments in Canada’s history through stories of journalists covering the event.“It’s been 100 years since the explosion and no one has really recognized the work of the journalists and how their words tell the entire story of what really happened in Halifax,” says Dupuis. “They were a major catalyst for the remarkable relief effort by Canadians and Americans that ensued.”For two years Dupuis dug deep into the national archives, library microfilm, and interviews from that fateful morning of Dec. 6, 1917, to recapture the tireless efforts of more than 20 journalists from Canada and the United States whose job it was to tell the world about the grisly scene.Many newspaper reports spell out in great detail the devastating 2.9-kiloton blast that occurred when Norwegian vessel SS Imo struck the munitions-laden French freighter SS Mont-Blanc in Halifax Harbour, causing a fire to break out that soon after ignited her cargo. The shockwave from the explosion resulted in a firestorm and tsunami that flattened four square miles and killed 2,000, injured more than 9,000, and left 12,000 homeless.Dupuis notes in the opening passage that survivors first claimed “to see a blinding flash of light and giant fireball, then heard a horrendous, ear-slitting roar and crash.”The book is dedicated to Halifax Daily Echo reporter John ‘Jack’ Ronayne who was the only journalist to die in the explosion.“As soon as he heard Mont-Blanc was burning at Pier 6, Ronayne rushed to the scene,” said Dupuis. “When the munitions-laden ship suddenly and unexpectedly exploded he was very close to ground zero. Ronayne...

[caption id="attachment_15873" align="alignnone" width="425"] LS Manuel Dussault Gomez has the helm of PCT Grizzly for the departure. Photo by PO1 Al van Akker[/caption]Lt(N) Paul Pendergast, HMCS Malahat PAO ~HMCS Malahat celebrated the end of another successful training year on Saturday, April 8, by hosting family and friends at Victoria’s Naval Reserve Division as a way of thanking them for their support.Members of Malahat know full well they could not fulfill their commitment to serve in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) without their families, who are the real strength behind the uniform.With Lt(N) Kay van Akker on her first sailing opportunity as a newly qualified Orca Class Officer In Charge, Malahat guests were divided into two groups – one sailing in the morning and one in the afternoon.It was an action-packed two hours in Patrol Craft Training Grizzly with man-overboard drills, seamanship demonstrations, and individual trades and skills refresher training for some Malahat members.There were opportunities for family members to try controlling the vessel by taking the helm, and RHIB rides for the kids.As this training year concludes, some Malahat members will continue with their Monday to Friday civilian jobs, while others will take summer contracts to sail in RCN ships based out of Halifax or Esquimalt. Still others will be engaged in summer training to further their qualifications or be employed as instructors in the naval training system.When the members return in September, Malahat will be ready, as planning is already well underway for another busy training year.