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Darlene Blakeley, Navy Public Affairs Ottawa ~An historic part of Canada’s naval past has returned home after nearly 100 years.The ship’s wheel from HMCS Niobe, one of Canada’s first two warships, has been acquired by the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.Niobe saw active service in the First World War and its crew members played a significant role in responding to the 1917 Halifax Explosion.The Canadian War Museum purchased the wheel from the Camden Shipyard and Maritime Museum in New Jersey with the support of the National Collection Fund, which was created to acquire and conserve artifacts of significance to Canada’s heritage.The acquisition came as the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) marked Niobe Day, celebrated annually on Oct. 21.“The process to acquire Niobe’s ship’s wheel took place over the past year after the museum in New Jersey approached us to see if we wanted it,” says Jeff Noakes, Second World War historian at the Canadian War Museum. “We are excited to have it back in Canada.”Noakes says the acquisition of the wheel is “one of those fascinating stories about how objects like this can go around the world and then come back to Canada.”The Canadian War Museum also has one of the ship’s wheels from HMCS Rainbow, the second of Canada’s first two warships.Niobe’s wheel requires conservation work before it can be displayed. At over 158 kilograms, with a diameter of two metres, the wheel also needs a custom-made stand.“This was the largest remaining artifact from Niobe,” Noakes says. “We had a rare opportunity to acquire something of importance to Canada’s naval history. We were in a position to take advantage of the opportunity and are thrilled that we will be able to preserve the wheel for present and future generations.”Launched in 1897, Niobe served with the Royal Navy until 1910. That...

[caption id="attachment_14305" align="alignnone" width="425"] Submariner LS Laura Allan checks some wiring aboard HMCS Victoria.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Just three months after HMCS Victoria was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy in December 2000, the ban on women becoming submariners was lifted.The small living space had kept them out of the Oberon class submarines because of privacy concerns, but the change in submarines brought a change in mindset, and so the hatch was opened to both genders wanting their Dolphins.Fast forward 16 years and one can find a handful of women, such as LS Laura Allan and PO2 Stephanie Wheaton, working in the 70 metre-long submarines.As the only female Electrical Technician onboard submarines, LS Allan works in a cramped engine room in the aft of the sub, ensuring the two diesel generators, and two 240-cell lead acid batteries are operating in top condition. Her job requires her to be physically fit, which she has developed from competitive powerlifting in her free time. The 31-year-old submariner can deadlift 355 lbs and lives by the mantra “nothing is impossible.”At the other end, in the control room, PO2 Wheaton, 34, supervises junior non-commissioned members in all external voice, radio teletype and data circuits, and provides real-time tactical information in support of operations to the command team, as the Senior Naval Communicator. Naval communicators are the IT department for the submarine and use hi-tech systems to encode and decode signals.The women are two of 10 out of 275 submariners in the Canadian Submarine Force across Canada, but neither feels they are ground breakers for their gender.“I don’t really see myself as a pioneer or someone for others to look up to. I am all about doing my job and doing it well,” says PO2 Wheaton.“I don’t see myself like that either,” adds LS Allan. “I don’t want to be the person who gets promoted or is deemed successful because I am a woman. I want to be the person that people respect for the work...

[caption id="attachment_14302" align="alignnone" width="425"] Members of Parliament Chandra Arya, Marwan Tabbara, Pierre Paul-Hus, and Cheryl Gallant suit up for their Canadian Leaders at Sea program at Canadian Forces Base Halifax on Oct. 11. Photo by MCpl Alexandre Pacquin[/caption]Ryan Melanson, Trident ~A 24-hour adventure under the waves in HMCS Windsor, one of Canada’s four Victoria-class submarines, was the highlight of a visit to the East Coast by four parliamentarians from Oct. 12 to 13.The politicians made the trip as part of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Canadian Leaders at Sea (CLaS) Program. For nearly a decade, CLaS has been embarking government officials, community and business leaders, and other strategic stakeholders on board HMC ships and submarines to showcase the skill sets and equipment the navy employs in defence of Canada.Guests included Liberal Members of Parliament Marwan Tabbara and Chandra Arya, as well as opposition Members Pierre Paul-Hus and Cheryl Gallant, both of whom sit on the House Standing Committee on National Defence. They were accompanied by Rear-Admiral John Newton, Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic.The submarine with embarked guests submerged more than 100 metres under water, and guests dined in the boat’s small messes alongside personnel, and slept on metal racks alongside submarine trainees and Mark 48 heavy torpedoes.MPs also got a small taste of the slow-moving game of hide and seek that is submarine warfare, with Halifax-class frigate HMCS St. John’s and a CH-124 Sea King helicopter participating in a short exercise about 20 kilometres offshore.Windsor closed within 2,000 yards of the warship at periscope depth, giving everyone a chance to observe the “adversaries” from the search periscope, before the participants took turns listening to St. John’s acoustic signature through the boat’s newly advanced AN/BQQ10 sonar, the same system employed by the newest submarines in the U.S. fleet.Sitting at the fire control system,...

[caption id="attachment_14294" align="alignnone" width="465"] A rider performs a stunt during the making of the movie Moto8. Photo courtesy of Moto8 The Movie[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~MS Pierre Lacombe wants fellow motocross, BMX, and mountain bike enthusiasts to mark Nov. 18 on their calendars.On that day the Pacific Fleet Club will screen Moto8 The Movie. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at www.pitboard.ca or at the door.The movie features spectacular aerial footage of some of motocross’ top riders doing jaw dropping tricks, stunts and jumps on their mechanical rides.The screening will serve as a fundraiser for Canada’s Motocross of Nations (MXON) team, and an opportunity to bring the dirt bike community together.“I want to get all the MX, BMX and mountain bike community in Victoria together in one room for the first time,” says MS Lacombe, who owns Pit Board Industries / Pit Board Racing with his wife Isabelle. He also works as a naval electronic sensor operator aboard HMCS Calgary.He became engaged in MX racing four years ago in 2012 when his children Antoine, 12, and Leone, 16, started their involvement in the sport.He started out designing racing outfits for his children, but gradually expanded his uniform-making ability into a cottage industry.The hand-made racing gear was eventually sold to local BMX and motocross teams and clubs in Victoria, then on provincial teams, and now the national MX team.In the summer, Kourtney Lloyd, Team Canada MXON manager, contacted MS Lacombe for custom-made jackets and pit shirts for the team’s mechanics and pit crew. The items were for their Sept. 24 Moto Cross of Nations event in Maggiorra, Italy, one of the sport’s most important competitions.“They liked my designs so much they immediately ordered 40 jackets,” says MS Lacombe. “They even painted my design on the riders’ helmets. So my...

Ryan Melanson, Trident Staff ~ As current and former sailors, along with friends and family, gathered to say goodbye to HMCS Preserver after nearly five decades of service, RAdm John Newton made it clear Oct. 21 was not a day for sadness. “There’s no sadness in my mind today, only celebration of 46 years of world-class capability sailing the globe,” said the Commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic to the crowd gathered on the jetty, Preserver in the background. The day marked the paying off ceremony of Preserver, the last of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Protecteur-class auxiliary oiler replenishment ships. When Preserver was commissioned in Saint John, New Brunswick, on Aug. 7, 1970, it and sister ship, HMCS Protecteur, were an example of cutting-edge technology and modern underway replenishment procedures. As RAdm Newton described it, “They allowed our navy to act big. These ships gave the navy global reach, sustainability, fast deployment when called to action by the government, and a great utility in coalition for food, stores and fuel, which were and are always in short supply.” Among the crowd were a few who made up the very first crews to board the ship.RAdm Newton mentioned retired sailor Gerry Curry, who made it a point to be there see the ship out, just as he saw it ‘in’ back in 1970. “I spoke to Gerry and what I took from his words is that Preserver inspired him from the first time he stepped aboard it in 1970, and it continued to inspire him throughout his career and into retirement, like it did for so many.” The ship deployed and supported Canadian and allied task groups on missions around the world through its life, beginning in the Cold War years and continuing well into the 21st century. Some of those were...

[caption id="attachment_14277" align="alignnone" width="425"] Duane Freeman, a senior environmental officer at CFB Esquimalt, displays a diver’s knife found during dredging operations in Esquimalt Harbour.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A massive cleanup of Esquimalt Harbour’s seabed continues to reveal a cache of historical artifacts.The multi-year $160-million Esquimalt Harbour Remediation Project began in late 2015 and involves removing contaminated silt from the seabed, created by over 150 years of commercial and naval operations within the harbour. The purpose of the remediation is to clean up the historical contamination from various areas of the harbour, with an end goal of improving the overall health of marine species in the area.As the massive dredging operation, covering 354 hectares, continues, employees from Formation Safety and Environment (FSE) have been taken aback by the diversity of items found locked in the thick layer muck.“We were completely caught by surprise and did not expect this,” said Duane Freeman, who is the Branch Head in charge of FSE.Two large display cases at FSE house service medals, uniform buttons, straight edge razors, rings, cigarette lighters, plates, cutlery, and several IDs.  Not on display were the remains of hundreds of boots. There is no exact count of the number of items recovered, but most date from the 1980s back to the turn of the century, says Freeman.One of the first discoveries was a coffee mug that belonged to VAdm (Ret’d) Gary Garnett almost 30 years ago when he was Commander of the Second Canadian Destroyer Squadron. His name and squadron of his ship were still visible on the mug.Freeman says the cold water temperatures and layers of accumulating silt have helped to preserve many of the found items. To expand on his point he displays a military identification card noting the card was likely from the mid-1950s and belonged to Norman John Boulton of HMCS Cornwallis, whose name and picture are still legible.The dredging operation was carried out by a giant crane barge. The large crane equipped with a bucket was...

[caption id="attachment_14246" align="alignnone" width="425"] MFRC volunteer Muriel Dunn receives the Valued Elder Recognition Award from (left) Lorie McLeod, Executive Director of the Greater Victoria Eldercare Foundation, and Scott Hofer, University of Victoria Director of the Institute on Aging and Lifelong Health, at the Salvation Army Citadel. Photo credit University of Victoria[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~One of the Military Family Resource Centre’s (MFRC) top volunteers has been recognized by the University of Victoria for her outstanding community work.Muriel Dunn, 80, was honoured by the Institute on Aging and Lifelong Health and the Elder Care Foundation with a Valued Elder Recognition Award at the Salvation Army Citadel on Sept. 30.The ceremony was in recognition of the Government of Canada’s National Seniors Day on Oct. 1, and Dunn was one of 16 Capital Regional District residents who, over their lifetime, have given exemplary service to helping others, in particular between 2000 to 2016.“I am very pleased and humbled to be receiving this recognition,” said Dunn. “I was shocked and surprised that I was receiving this reward because I don’t see volunteering as hard work, but more fun and something I truly look forward to doing.”The native of Smithers, B.C. has taken volunteer roles at the base since she and her late husband PO1 (Ret’d) Denis Dunn moved to Victoria in 1954. He was a medical assistant in Royal Canadian Navy vessels, and she was a student nurse at the time, graduating 1957.She retired from nursing 17 years ago and said she wanted to volunteer to stay active and engaged with people in the community.Her involvement with the MFRC began in 2003 when she first volunteered at the non-profit organization’s second hand store on Esquimalt Road. But after the facility closed a few years later she pitched in at other MFRC functions, such as...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~It is a prestigious but demanding job standing sentry at the corner of a war memorial. Only a select few Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members secure the honour.This Remembrance Day, local sailor LS Kyle Ruttan will stand guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National War Memorial in Ottawa with other CAF members representing the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force, and one Royal Canadian Mounted Police member.“It’s a big honour,” says LS Ruttan. “I’m not a hard navy trade; I’m a support trade, so being selected was a complete surprise.”A sentry is required to stand solemnly, with head bowed and white-gloved hands on the butt of a ceremonial rifle, throughout a ceremony that stirs strong emotions among most people. Concentrating at the task at hand, and not becoming openly touched by the event, will be a challenge admits LS Ruttan.“Straight-faced with no emotion, that will be the hardest part because it is an event that always tears me up, especially when they play ‘The Last Post’,” he says.Remembrance Day will also evoke memories of his mother who died last April. The two would often watch the ceremony at the National War Memorial while he was growing up.“I’ll be part of the event this year, and she won’t be there to see it,” he says. “I know she would be so proud of me though.”His father Micheal Ruttan who lives in Verona, Ontario, will make the journey to see his son at the highly visible national event.As he stands vigil his thoughts will also stray to his great grandfather Clifford McInnis who served aboard HMCS Strathadam for four years ­during the Second World War. He will also remember fallen ­co‑­worker LS Brandon South, who died in Tanzania in April 2014 while...

[video width="580" height="326" mp4="https://www.lookoutnewspaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/2016-09-16_jag-message-eng.mp4"][/video] The Office of the Judge Advocate General (JAG) is conducting consultations with Canadians as part of the Court Martial Comprehensive Review, to help shape our future military justice system.From Oct. 11 to Nov.7, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members can join the discussions with the Court Martial Comprehensive Review Team, as part of our collective effort to strengthen the court martial system.CAF members and the Canadian public can access the Court Martial Comprehensive Review website to find out more about the different topics for discussion, to provide their input, and to see what others have to say on the discussion board.Purpose of the Court Martial Comprehensive ReviewThe purpose of the review is to conduct a legal and policy analysis of the CAF’s court martial system. The Review Team is engaging with Canadian and international experts, CAF members, and the Canadian public, to help ensure the CAF’s court martial system is effective, efficient, and legitimate.Canada’s military justice system contributes significantly to the CAF’s ability to achieve its mission in Canada and around the world, and aligns with Canadian values and the rule of law, all the while serving the particular needs of the CAF.Ways to participate:Fill out the Comment Form: www.forces.gc.ca/en/about-reports-pubs-military-law-court-martial-comprehensive-review/index.pageSend an email: JAG-Consultations@forces.gc.caMail comments: Office of the Judge Advocate General – Court Martial Comprehensive Review Team, 101 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K2

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~It was a fight for its survival, but the HMCS Alberni Museum and Memorial (HAMM) received an 11th hour reprieve and found a new home in Courtenay just in time for Remembrance Day.The museum, dedicated to the sailors who served aboard the Royal Canadian Navy’s flower-class corvettes during the Second World War, and the preservation of Canadian military history, found a new home six-kilometres down Comox Road is the Courtenay Mall.Prior to negotiating a new lease deal, HAMM Founder and Director Lewis Bartholomew said he truly believed it was the end for the 16-year-old Alberni Project and museum when, in June, they were served with notice to vacate the Comox Mall location. A developer looking to ­remodel the mall had served other occupants of the mall with similar notices.“Right before Labour Day weekend I came to the painful realization that we just don’t have a place to move and the future wasn’t good; I was really distraught,” said Bartholomew.“We were told to clear out our stuff. We had gotten to the point where we were already asking friends and volunteers of the museum to clear out spaces in their garages to store our exhibits.”However, on Sept. 25 Bartholomew announced they would be setting up the museum in its new centrally located spot in downtown Courtenay.“I am thrilled we were able to find a new place. Our new landlords made their approach to us at exactly the point when I was becoming extremely frustrated.”While all of its exhibits won’t be unpacked and ready, Bartholomew said the museum plans to open its doors at 9 a.m. on Nov. 11 with its Memorial Wall and some of its popular exhibits ready for display until 6 p.m.That will offer patrons a sneak peak of what its new digs have to...

[caption id="attachment_14227" align="alignnone" width="425"] HMCS Protecteur’s anchor, headed to the Naval Museum of Alberta.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The giant anchor that once rested on the ocean floor, securing HMCS Protecteur for the better part of five decades, has found a new home 1,045 metres above sea level in Alberta.It is being loaned by the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) to the Naval Museum of Alberta. Plans are underway to transport the 12,000 lb anchor and its 1,100 lb connector shackles to its temporary home.“To be able to send a piece of sea-going history, especially from a vessel as important to the navy as Protecteur, inland to our naval brothers and sisters in Alberta is a great opportunity for the RCN, and we were more than happy to facilitate,” said LCdr Justin Leger, Base Logistics Executive Officer. “Otherwise the anchor would have waited on our property for disposal; this way we get to share it with the public.”The Protecteur-Class replenishment oiler was commissioned Aug. 30, 1969, and prematurely decommissioned in May 2015 following a major shipboard fire. In February, the ship was towed via tugboat from Esquimalt Harbour, south through the Panama Canal to its final destination, a scrapyard in Liverpool, N.S. where it was broken up.However, its anchor remained in Base Logistics’ inventory at their warehouse in Colwood. An inquiry was made by Calgary museum staff to the office of the Base Commander to borrow the anchor. Their request was then relayed to the Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel) who granted the request.Naval Museum of Alberta Project Manager, Brad Froggatt said he was delighted to learn their request was approved.“Our museum is dedicated to telling the story of the RCN and Protecteur, having served for more than 45 years, was an integral part of that story,” he says.The anchor will be on...

[caption id="attachment_14219" align="alignnone" width="425"] Divers from Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) make preparations for a second mine countermeasures dive during Clear Horizon 16 in Chinhae, Korea.[/caption]PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES REMEMBER THE FALLENCapt Jenn Jackson, MARPAC PA Office ~Senior representatives from Australia, Canada, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand, United Kingdom and the United States took part in a memorial ceremony in Busan, Korea, Oct. 15  at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea to honour United Nations fallen soldiers during the Korean War.The ceremony was part of the commencement events for Clear Horizon 16, a multi-national Mine Warfare Exercise led by the Republic of Korea Navy taking place in Busan and Chinhae, Korea, and the surrounding coastal waters from Oct. 15-23.Lt(N) Greg Oickle, Executive Officer of Maritime Forces Pacific’s Fleet Diving Unit, represented Canada at the ceremony.“It was an unforgettable opportunity to be part of this ceremony that honours more than 2,000 United Nations soldiers, more than 300 of which are Canadian, who fell during the Korean War,” he said. “I was really struck by how young many of the interred soldiers were when they fell. The average appeared to be around 19 years old.”The United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea is the only United Nations cemetery in the world. The Parliament of Korea, in order to honour the services and sacrifices made by the UN forces during the Korean War, volunteered the land for permanent use by the UN as a cemetery in August 1955.The General Assembly accepted the proposal and UN Resolution #977(X) to establish a United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea; it became effective in December 1955. This is a holy site where the fallen of 11 nations are interred.During the ceremony, Rear-Admiral Jong Sam Kim, Commander of Republic of Korea Navy Flotilla 5, led the parade of senior...

[caption id="attachment_14204" align="alignnone" width="425"] Commercial shipping traffic transits the Saigon River past HMCS Vancouver in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on Oct. 20.[/caption]Lt(N) Paul Pendergast, MARPAC Public Affairs ~Since departing its home port of Esquimalt in June, HMCS Vancouver has operated extensively throughout the Pacific region, including participation in large-scale multi-national exercises RIMPAC, held in July in the Hawaii area, and Kakadu, hosted by Australia in September.Two weeks into October the ship arrived in Singapore for the first goodwill port visit of WestPloy 16 on Oct. 11. Vancouver’s deployment is aimed at building strong ties between the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and the navies of Asia-pacific countries, while also promoting peace and security in the region.After all the routine tasks such as hooking up shore power and landing gash were completed, the crew were able to explore the city. They were impressed by the modern, efficient, and prosperous city-state.With about the same area and population as greater Toronto, Singapore is the world’s second busiest port in terms of total shipping tonnage (Shanghai is the busiest). Located strategically in the Malacca Strait connecting the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, the booming metropolis is jam packed with gleaming glass and steel skyscrapers.The ship hosted a reception, welcoming business and government leaders to tour the newly modernized frigate and enjoy some Canadian hospitality.There was also time for unofficial efforts to make a positive difference in the community. Twenty members of the crew visited a school at the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore. They spent a morning with students playing games and singing songs.Petty Officer Second Class Stephen Rownd, coordinator of the activity, said, “I was surprised how quickly some crew members jumped into the games, even though they had never done this before. We were really touched by the experience.”Vancouver also hosted an academic roundtable of local security experts while in Singapore as part of the deployment outreach agenda.Attendee Dr. Jim Boutilier, Special Advisor to Maritime Forces Pacific on...

On Oct. 21, Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services will hold the Sports Awards Ceremony in Ottawa. It is considered the highlight of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) sports year. Athletes, coaches and officials, serving and retired, are recognized for their outstanding athletic performances and remarkable contributions to sport. Selected members are also inducted into the Canadian Armed Forces Sports Hall of Fame and Honour Roll during the ceremony. Below are CFB Esquimalt’s nominees:2015 CFB Esquimalt Women’s Soccer TeamRoyal Canadian NavyBuilding a strong team bond can take months; however, the CFB Esquimalt Women’s Soccer Team pulled together a winning, determined and sportsmanlike team in mere days. Unable to field teams for a CAF Regional Championship, athletes from throughout the Pacific Region came together to practice only the day before the 2015 CAF National Championships. They worked hard through a difficult round-robin, barely made play-offs, and then surprised everyone by upsetting the reigning champions, the Ontario Region. The team’s final match against the Quebec Region was a nail-biting scoreless tie through two overtimes, but CFB Esquimalt at last claimed a 2-1 victory on penalty kicks.AB Marjolaine PlanteSwimming, CFB Esquimalt, Royal Canadian NavyIn just a few short years, AB Plante has burst onto the swimming scene in the CAF and has out-paced swimmers 18 years her junior. Her passion for the sport, quiet determination to succeed, and exceptional physical fitness were on display repeatedly in 2015. She reached the podium seven times in civilian regional competition, and won gold medals at the CAF National Championships in the 100 m, 200 m and 400 m freestyle, as well as the 100 m backstroke. AB Plante also competed for Canada at the CISM Military World Games in the 50m butterfly and backstroke, where she swam great races against Olympic-calibre athletes.SLt Connor DukeBasketball, CFB Esquimalt, Royal Canadian NavyIn just one year on the CFB Esquimalt Men’s Basketball Team, SLt Duke grew from a talented but reserved new player into one of the best basketball players in...

[caption id="attachment_14183" align="alignnone" width="425"] Commander Clive Butler (back row, third from left), Commanding Officer of HMCS Vancouver, hosted a round table of local security experts in Singapore on Oct. 12. HMCS Vancouver is in Singapore to conduct a goodwill port visit as part of WestPloy 16. The round table meetings are part of the outreach agenda aimed at building strong ties between the Royal Canadian Navy and the navies of the Asia-Pacific countries while promoting peace and security in the region. Photo by Lt(N) Paul Pendergast, MARPAC PA[/caption]DND ~HMCS Vancouver arrived in Singapore last week to conduct a goodwill visit as part of WestPloy 16.Vancouver’s deployment is aimed at building strong ties between the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and the navies of Asia-Pacific countries while also promoting peace and security in the region.The ship is engaging in a variety of training opportunities with foreign navies as well as visiting several countries in the Asia-Pacific region. WestPloy 16 provides a unique opportunity that allows the RCN to foster and sustain cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans.This deployment allows Vancouver, along with an embarked CH-124 Sea King helicopter and air detachment, to test and evolve the warfighting capabilities of the Halifax-Class warships after upgrades to equipment that were made as part of the Halifax-Class Modernization/Frigate Life Extension project.

[caption id="attachment_14178" align="alignnone" width="425"] Commodore Marta Mulkins, Commander Naval Reserve (centre), on a joint Canadian Coast Guard / RCMP rigid hulled inflatable boat during Exercise Erie Valour. Photo by Lt(N) David Lewis[/caption]Lt(N) David Lewis, HMCS Prevost PAO ~Seven Naval Reserve Divisions, four Army Reserve units, the Canadian Coast Guard, and the RCMP all came together on the first weekend of October for Exercise Erie Valour.The exercise is designed to simulate a joint task force and improve interoperability between government departments.The exercise ran from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 in Port Stanley, Ontario.“The main focus of the exercise is to develop and regenerate individual skills and knowledge of naval operations, seamanship, and specific trade skills in a dynamic and active training environment that promotes skill development and personnel retention,” said LCdr Sean Batte, Commanding Officer of HMCS Prevost, and Joint Task Force Commander for the exercise.Training centered on individual readiness and proficiency in small boat operations while working within a Joint Task Force command structure that oversees waterborne and land security.Also, in an effort to enhance the safety and security of its ships and personnel while on deployment, the Royal Canadian Navy’s developing capability – the Naval Security Team – was tested. In the future, Exercise Erie Valour will continue to support the concept of the Naval Security Team in its training.Commander of the Naval Reserve, Commodore Marta Mulkins visited Port Stanley during Erie Valour and said, “The professionalism and teamwork demonstrated during Ex Erie Valour is impressive. The skills these sailors hone during training exercises such as this will serve them, their home units, and the Royal Canadian Navy for years to come.”In an official tweet from the RCMP they referred to Erie Valour as “a great weekend training with our Maritime Security partners.”

SLt Duy Nguyen & Lt(N) Ellie AminaieHMCS Ottawa ~For the first time since its Halifax Class modernization, HMCS Ottawa and crew had the opportunity to operate in a multi-ship task group.Along with HMCS Winnipeg, Ottawa participated in a U.S.-led exercise involving numerous American ships, a Chilean submarine, and multitudes of U.S.-based aircraft off the coast of Southern California.Ottawa’s crew is working toward high readiness for their upcoming WestPloy 17 deployment; so, the ship’s company has undergone a month-long Intermediate Multi-Ship Readiness Training (IMSRT), also referred to as workups, in order to prepare the crew for the challenges of naval operations, damage control, and warfare.The U.S.-led exercise, called SWATTEX, also served to improve the Royal Canadian Navy’s interoperability with American counterparts.For many of the younger members of the crew, the workups program was a first taste of high tempo operations over an extended period at sea. Ottawa embarked a team from Sea Training Atlantic to train and mentor the crew, helping to establish core skills required at sea, and build team cohesion.SLt Bryan Carr, a Phase VI Combat Systems Engineering Officer and recent graduate from initial training ashore, joined the crew days before sailing from Esquimalt, and was quickly exposed to an array of new naval operations and seamanship evolutions.“There’s been a lot to learn since pretty much every evolution was practiced during IMSRT. It’s been a great opportunity to see the 57mm gun and Close-In Weapon System, both in action and taken apart for maintenance. For a while, we were doing a shoot every day,” he said.Although he found many concepts at sea difficult to grasp at first, SLt Carr was able to gain greater comfort and confidence as he experienced numerous emergency scenarios.Another young sailor who benefitted from Ottawa’s Force Generation program was Able Seaman Jean-Michel Derome, who is a Junior Weapons Engineer. In addition to the Sea Training mentorship he received in repairing equipment during battle damage scenarios, AB Derome’s experience with the Naval Boarding Party was the highlight...

[caption id="attachment_14171" align="alignnone" width="425"] Lieutenant Commander (Ret’d) John Nosotti[/caption]Deborah Morrow, Contributor ~Last week, Lieutenant Commander (Ret’d) John Nosotti celebrates the two-year anniversary of the near-impossible odds of surviving a cardiac arrest while on a remote island.Two years ago, Nosotti and four friends were enjoying a sail on a HMCS Discovery C22 vessel from Stanley Park to Bowen Island. Upon arrival, Nosotti stepped onto the jetty and immediately collapsed in full cardio-respiratory arrest, which means no breathing, no heartbeat, and no signs of life.Responding to shouts for help, a sailor from a nearby yacht dove into the water, swam to the jetty, and began chest compressions. Another member of the C22 crew who had years of E.R. experience as a nurse also helped; a bystander said she was an oncologist, and another person who came to help also knew CPR.Nosotti’s skin colour was deeply blue which meant he needed oxygen. While one person did mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, the others took turns doing chest compressions.The Bowen water taxi operator called on his radio for a paramedic helicopter, but knew the advanced life support help was 45 minutes away. Nosotti’s rescuers had to keep going until help arrived, or else lose him.CPR is exhausting, so turns had to be taken to avoid fatigue from interfering with effective CPR. The four capable and trained first aiders spelled each other off.Mouth-to-mouth ventilation was effective but lacked the high percentage of oxygen the blood needed to fully saturate his body.So Nosotti was still cyanotic (blue) when the Bowen Island Volunteer Firefighters came to help. They did not have full respiratory equipment, but they did have an oxygen tank and mask. The person doing mouth-to-mouth used the mask to breathe in a high concentration of oxygen into her own lungs and then breathe what she could into Nosetti.Shortly...

[caption id="attachment_14163" align="alignnone" width="425"] Dance instructor Victor Golubkov, owner of VGdance studio, and Captain Jenn Jackson move through their Rumba routine to “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten. The dance was performed at the Pacifica Ball in April 2016 in Victoria.[/caption]Capt Jenn Jackson, Contributor ~A cancer diagnosis is not necessarily a death sentence.In fact, I am living, breathing proof that with determination, perseverance and support, life doesn’t even have to stop for cancer treatments.In November 2014, I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Stage II Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and Ductal Carcinoma In-Situ, two different types of breast cancer.I was 35, active, otherwise healthy, and had no family history of the disease. There was nothing to indicate that I was more likely than anyone else to be diagnosed, but yet there I was. I was the CFB Esquimalt Public Affairs Officer and I was also a competitive ballroom dancer.I can’t speak for the experience of others, but when I received my diagnosis it just seemed unreal. I didn’t feel sick. In fact, I had competed in dance just two weeks prior and won top pro/am student. I had just organized the Remembrance Week Speaker’s program for the Formation.But whether it felt real or not, reality in the form of six months of chemotherapy, six weeks of radiation, and multiple surgeries was rapidly coming my way. More than 18 months of my life was spent eradicating the cancer and reducing as much as possible the chance of it reoccurring.I realized early on that if I was going to make it through so many months of treatment, feeling sick, being off work, and unable to do many of the things I wanted, that I needed to find one thing as an ‘anchor’ to keep me grounded, positive, and looking ahead to the future. I needed to know there would be something in my life to give me joy. It quickly became obvious that dance was that one thing, and all of my health...

[caption id="attachment_14158" align="alignnone" width="425"] Rudi Hoenson meets with CPO1 Gilles Grégoire and RAdm Art McDonald during a war medals presentation ceremony for Hoenson at the Veterans Memorial Lodge at Broadmead, Oct. 7. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout Newspaper[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Japanese POW Rudi Hoenson, 93, has finally received his well-earned war medals, seven decades after the Second World War ended.Netherlands Defence Attache in Canada, Lieutenant Colonel Christa Oppers-Beumer, on behalf of Netherlands Minister of Defence Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, honoured him with the Mobilization War Cross and the Medal for Order and Peace during an Oct. 7 ceremony at Veterans Memorial Lodge at Broadmead.Despite seeing the worst horrors of war firsthand, including the Nagasaki atomic bomb, the upbeat Hoenson teased officials.“I would like to thank the Dutch government even though these medals are a little late in arriving. What took you so long? I have been waiting 71 years…You are not going to prick me with the medal are you?”The extended spell of spontaneous laughter broke much of the pre-ceremony tension in the auditorium, but after his ice-breaker the war veteran took a more serious tone.In his address to the audience, Hoenson said he was dedicating his medals to his fallen comrades who fought alongside him in the Dutch East Indies prior to his capture, and those at the POW camp in Nagasaki - where he spent three-and-a-half years - that didn’t survive.“They were entitled to the awards too, but sadly many of them did not receive it,” said Hoenson, who received a standing ovation.The atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945, and Hoenson’s POW camp was less than a mile from ground zero. In the aftermath of the blast much of the city was levelled and left in smouldering ruins; Hoenson and several other prisoners fled the...

[caption id="attachment_14128" align="alignnone" width="400"] Royal Canadian Navy sailor Leading Seaman Josh Adams, of Fleet Diving Unit Pacific, prepares to dispose of unexploded projectiles found underwater near White Beach in the Solomon Islands during Operation Render Safe.[/caption]Canadian Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialists in the Solomon IslandsCpl M. Doran and Capt A. Rosendahl, Australian Defence Forces ~Canadian clearance divers shared skills and knowledge with New Zealand sailors while they were attached to Her Majesty’s New Zealand Ship (HMNZS) Manawanui during Operation Render Safe in the Solomon Islands Sept. 7 to Oct. 7.The operation aimed to reduce the hazards of explosive remnants of war and enhance safety across the Southwest Pacific.Canadian Dive Team Lead, Petty Officer Second Class David Cheeseman of Fleet Diving Unit - Atlantic, said his team conducted explosive ordnance disposal with Australian and New Zealand military forces and the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force.“We’ve been very successful in discovering unexploded ordnance below the waterline while on HMNZS Manawanui and disposing of it,” he said. “Last week we found six 100-pound air-dropped bombs and another 50 unexploded projectiles. Some were just lying on the sea bed, which meant we could move them to a safer area to blow them, but a few were embedded so we blew them in location.”PO2 Cheeseman said Operation Render Safe was important because it gave the local communities a safer environment to live in.“It’s fantastic to get out and do our job as clearance divers and know we are making the areas around the Solomon Islands safer for the population,” he said. “Especially for the younger children who may not know what these remnants of war are and may injure or kill themselves.”There have been 12 islanders killed by explosive remnants of war in the past decade either by finding ordnance accidently or by trying to make...

[caption id="attachment_14123" align="alignnone" width="400"] Left to right: Chief Petty Officer First Class Goulding and Commander Matthews present a cheque for $5,011.10 on behalf of HMCS Regina to the Chris Knox Foundation. Photos by Brent Fisher[/caption]SLt Mike Harris, HMCS Regina ~Potato harvesting, veterans visit, and a home-opener hockey game, these are some of the activity highlights 15 HMCS Regina crew members took part in during their namesake city visit from Sept. 22 to 27.At the Club du Souvenir at École St Andrew, crew members attended a swearing-in ceremony and then surprised students with a visit from ship mascot Gunner the Gopher, as well as the unfurling of the world’s largest Saskatchewan Roughriders flag.The Roughriders also invited the ship’s representatives to be guests at one of their games, which included the crew marching onto the field prior to the national anthem.The Regina Pats, a Western Hockey League (WHL) team having a century-old affiliation with the military, also hosted the crew. Sailors attended the team’s home opener where Commander Colin Matthews, Regina’s Commanding Officer, dropped the puck to commence their first home game of the season.During a meet and greet at HMCS Queen with members of the unit and Friends of the Navy, Cdr Matthews presented a cheque for more than $5,000 to the Chris Knox Foundation as a sign of the ship’s commitment to the charity and their support of the sick children and youth in the city.Regina holds a strong connection to past military members who have given so much for this country; so crew members spent time getting to know some of the city’s distinguished veterans. They visited the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre to listen to vivid stories from seniors, and were given a lesson in crib by members of the veterans program.They were also given an exclusive tour of the...

[caption id="attachment_14119" align="alignnone" width="400"] Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd met with submariners, members of the Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton, and Babcock Canada during a town hall in dockyard’s Submarine Shore Office, Sept. 30. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout Newspaper[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd thanked submariners and support staff at Maritime Forces Pacific for their efforts getting HMCS Chicoutimi operationally ready during his visit to CFB Esquimalt.The 35th Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy addressed submariners and members of Fleet Maintenance Facility and Babcock Canada at the Submarine Shore Office in dockyard on the morning of Sept. 30.“I’m looking forward to Chicoutimi ramping up and deploying,” said VAdm Lloyd. “You and all Canadians should be very proud of what this submarine can do, and what a great job each and every one of you has been doing to get her operational again.”In his opening remarks VAdm Lloyd fondly recalled his days in Esquimalt, between March 2009 and July 2010, when he was Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific. He was promoted to his current rank as Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy June 23, replacing Vice-Admiral Mark Norman who moved on to become Vice Chief of Defence Staff.Following his address he held a mini town hall fielding questions from the audience.After his meeting with the submariners, VAdm Lloyd attended the Depart With Dignity Ceremony at the Wardroom for VAdm Robert Davidson.

Base Operations ~Get ready to “drop, cover and hold on” during the Great British Columbia Shakeout on Oct. 20.Everyone in Maritime Forces Pacific, whether civilian or military, will participate in Exercise Shakeout.At 10:20 a.m. people can expect to see flash messages, mass emails and hear the Mass Notification System (MNS) announcing the exercise start.Once the alarm is sent, everyone will drop, cover, and hold on as if there were a major earthquake occurring at that very moment, and stay in this position for at least 60 seconds.DROP to the ground (before the earthquake drops you!),Take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk or table, and;HOLD ON to it until the shaking stops.Do not run to another room, just to get under a table. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, drop to the ground in an inside corner of the building and cover your head and neck with your hands and arms.Earthquakes occur without warning and may be so violent you cannot run or crawl; you will most likely be knocked to the ground, so protect yourself.After 60 seconds everyone will evacuate their workplace and muster at the designated muster area for each building, bringing their personal emergency kits with them. From there, the most senior leader will assume control, and lead all assembled personnel to the applicable Disaster Response Boxes (E-Boxes).Once at the E-Box you will be split into groups based on First Aid qualifications and whether you have taken the four-day Basic Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Course. The Base USAR Team will provide a brief on the roles and responsibilities and will have some minor tasks for you to perform specific to each E-Box location.“This is an excellent time to ask questions and find out how you can help during an emergency by performing activities...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Victoria Hyundai has chosen the Defence Team of CFB Esquimalt as the latest recipient of a car giveaway contest.DND employees – civilian and military – are able to enter the draw to win a new Hyundai Accent. The contest closes Sept. 9, 2017, so there is plenty of time for everyone to enter.Those entering need to have valid military or DND ID, be the age of majority at the time of legal entry, and be a legal resident of Victoria, B.C.Victoria Hyundai Manager Jeremy Truong said the excitement level around the contest has been growing in recent days. The car has been showcased at the Industrial Supplier Trade Show and Formation Fun Day in September. It is expected to be on site at the Oct. 21 CAF National 5K Sports Day run in the Naden Drill Shed.“Our customer base has a large military presence and this is our way of saying thank you to the men and women of the local defence community,” he says. “I recently had an opportunity to attend a day sail in HMCS Ottawa where I was able to gain a greater appreciation of what our Canadian Armed Forces do for us every day, both at home and when deployed abroad.”This is his company’s third car giveaway to Victoria-based DND members in the past four years. The idea for the giveaway was born in 2012 when former Victoria Hyundai owner Steve Munro, a retired artilleryman, decided he wanted to do something special for DND members.To register for the contest visit the special Victoria Hyundai contest website www.victoriahyundaidnd.com or watch for the specially wrapped car at base events.

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Sixteen members of Fleet Diving Unit Pacific (FDU(P)) will represent the Canadian Armed Forces at Operation Clear Horizon 16 in the Republic of Korea this week.The Oct. 11 to 23 multi-national training mission is the first exercise of its kind led by South Korea, and is focussed on mine countermeasure operations. It also will highlight Canada’s ongoing efforts to contribute to peace and stability in Northeast Asia.Divers and ships from the United States, Philippines, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand will also participate.A key part of the Fleet Diving Unit team’s efforts will be to provide other participating nations with mine countermeasure training such as explosive ordnance disposal, underwater detonation and pouncer operations, which involves the deployment of divers from helicopters into the sea.“It’s really an opportunity to work jointly, and collaborate with other participating nations on what types of equipment and technology they use. It is also an opportunity to show them how we work with ours,” said CPO2 Alex MacNeish a clearance diver and FDU(P)’s Operations Chief.During the 12-day exercise, FDU (P) divers will employ the use of two made-in-Canada high tech gadgets: the Shark Marine and Canadian Clearance Diver Apparatus re-breather used specifically for mine countermeasure operations.“Essentially it’s an under-water breather designed for the military to work in an environment that may have underwater mines,” explained CPO2 MacNeish. “The idea behind the technology is for divers to move more silently and quietly through the water by reducing sound. It also gives off a low-magnetic acoustic signature that is safer for the diver in these situations.”The Shark Marine underwater navigator is a hand-held electronic device used by divers to detect objects on the seabed floor. It aids divers in an underwater environment with limited visibility.During the opening days of Clear Horizon 2016 three members of...

[caption id="attachment_14101" align="alignnone" width="400"] Canadian Coast Guard Ship Sir Wilfrid Laurier’s Commanding Officer Bill Noon (left), and Parks Canada’s Ryan Harris (second from left), show the side-scan sonar image of the wreck to Marc-André Bernier (third from left), Jonathan Moore (fourth from left), and Chief Officer Rich Marriott (at far right). Photo by Theresa Nichols, Fisheries and Oceans Canada[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Four prominent players in the ground-breaking discovery of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition of 1846 are setting sail for the Victoria’s Maritime Museum this week to tell their story.Bill Noon, captain of the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) Ship Sir Wilfred Laurier, under Parks Canada’s lead, played a key role in the August 2014 discovery of HMS Erebus, Sir John Franklin’s ship, and recently helped to identify Franklin’s second vessel HMS Terror off the coast of King William Island. He will be part of the presentation “Mysteries of HMS Erebus” at Victoria’s Maritime Museum, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m.Noon, a 35-year CCG veteran, describes himself as a life-long maritime history buff. He compared his involvement in the discoveries as “winning the history lotto.” He rates the initial Erebus discovery, the focus of the presentation, as incredible.“For me it was an exciting and defining moment in both my life and career,” said Noon, who recalls the moment in 2014 when he was informed by Parks Canada officials about the discovery of Erebus. “I’ll never forget the moment in my captain’s quarter’s when they showed me the side-scan sonar imagery from the ocean floor. It may just look like a computer enhanced image but for me it was a super-dramatic, ground breaking image because that was the moment we finally had actual proof of one of the lost vessels.”The presentation will be hosted by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Paul Watson.The evening also includes Parks Canada lead archeologist and diver Ryan Harris, and renowned author David C. Woodman who wrote “Unravelling the Franklin Mystery”.Noon says their discussion will shed much-needed light on the...

[caption id="attachment_14072" align="alignnone" width="400"] PO1 Jonathan Sorensen leads his team in the tug-of-war competition. Photos by Peter Mallett, Lookout Newspaper[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The soggy conditions didn’t seem to faze members of the new Naval Fleet School Pacific who cheered, high-fived and bonded during their unit’s annual Sports Day on Sept. 23.The cool temperatures and light showers persisted for most of the day as approximately 400 personnel took to “the great outdoors” to compete in golf, soccer, ball hockey, softball, basketball, beach volleyball, tug-of-war and wild play tree trekking (zip line) competitions at the Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre in Colwood.“The summer saw a lot of changes to the unit and it took a lot of hard work by many people, so this day was a much needed release for everyone and a way to come together as a big campus,” said Cdr Todd Bonnar, NFS(P) Commanding Officer.Cdr Bonnar was referring to the recent implementation of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Future Naval Training System (FNTS) that saw the reconfiguration of Fleet School Esquimalt and the Naval Officer Training Centre VENTURE into NFS(P). Despite the logistical challenges of the transformation, and the sports day’s weather, Cdr Bonnar said he was impressed with the turnout and that it was an indication of the “can-do” attitude of students and staff.OS Kendra Fitz-Gerald, a combat training student studying to become a sonar operator, said she was really looking forward to the event and getting out on the baseball field with her classmates.“It gets everyone together and out of the workplace setting for a day and is certainly a morale booster for us all,” she said.LS Josh Bear, who is studying to become a marine engineer, said the event was therapeutic and a good way to beat the stress of studying.“It gives you a complete...

[caption id="attachment_14069" align="alignnone" width="400"] Members of HMCS Winnipeg prepare to berth alongside Broadway Pier, San Diego, California, on Sept. 10, during the ship’s visit to the city for Fleet Week. Photo by LS Ogle Henry, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]SLt Christopher House, HMCS Winnipeg ~For six days this month, the crew of HMCS Winnipeg enjoyed the fun and festivities of Fleet Week San Diego.This celebration of the navy’s culture, history, and community is the city’s largest maritime event and provides a wonderful opportunity for the sailors of the Royal Canadian Navy to form new bonds and strengthen old ones with their American allies.The week alongside at the B Street Pier near downtown San Diego allowed the crew to take advantage of the city’s warm weather and many attractions, while also engaging in some community service work and attending Fleet Week ceremonial functions.Much of the crew took time to explore the city’s renowned Gas Lamp district, eating at many restaurants, and even going to see a Padres baseball game.While some ventured off to visit one or more of the famous beaches in the area, others enjoyed the live music, food trucks, and numerous shops that were on the street right beside the pier.The USS Midway Museum and San Diego Zoo were also popular attractions, and in the spirit of Fleet Week, were giving free admission to all RCN sailors in uniform. A few deserving enlisted personnel were also able to enjoy an appreciative luncheon at SeaWorld San Diego.Community service and volunteer work were also a large part of Fleet Week events. Not only did Winnipeg conduct tours of the ship for the public each day, some personnel went out into the greater San Diego area to help out around the city. Ten sailors took part in a Groundwork Project, creating a .25 acre...

[caption id="attachment_14066" align="alignnone" width="400"] One important lesson before sailing is knowing how to right an overturned sail boat. This was part of the Soldier On sail training experience.[/caption]WO M.Eric Venema, Soldier On ~Who the heck is Bob? What is he doing overboard?These were all thoughts going through the minds of eight serving or retired members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) from western Canada as they attempted their man overboard drills.Luckily “Bob” was a floating apparatus to simulate a person that had fallen overboard.Participants from Vancouver Island, the British Columbia interior, Alberta, and Manitoba earned a level 2 certification in sailboat operations during the five-day sailing camp held at Canadian Forces Sailing Association (CFSA) in Esquimalt from Sept. 7 to 12.Soldier On is a Canadian Armed Forces program that supports serving members and veterans to overcome their physical or mental health illness or injury through physical activity and sport. The program is a highly visible and integral component of the Department of National Defence’s commitment and priority towards providing a comprehensive approach to care for ill and injured members.Soldier On supplies members with equipment and coaches to meet their needs.They also provide members with a safe environment to challenge themselves, and to get inspired in ways they may not have thought possible. This re-introduction to an active lifestyle provides the member with opportunities to develop new skills, build confidence in their abilities, and meet peers with similar challenges. Many ill and injured members credit Soldier On with helping them adapt to their new normal, and in realizing their full potential to “Soldier On” in their existing military career or in their new civilian life.Through the hard work of the CFSA in Esquimalt, and with the understanding of the association members, all of the attendees were put through their paces starting...