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[caption id="attachment_26834" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout Newspaper[/caption]Peter MallettStaff Writer––A white ensign, once flown atop a captured German U-boat, has been returned to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).Second World War veteran Able Seaman Bob Haden of Victoria had kept the ensign as a war trophy for more than 75 years. The ensign was hoisted a top former German U-boat 889 following its surrender in May 1945, becoming HMCS U-889.On Sept. 13, at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 91 in Langford, the 97-year-old presented the ensign as a gift to the Commander Canadian Submarine Force, Captain (Naval) Jean Stéphane Ouellet, and his Chief, CPO1 Paddy McGuire.“This is truly amazing,” said Capt(N) Ouellet while graciously accepting the flag. “Thank you very much. I promise you we will take great care of it.”The white ensign consists of a St. George Cross on a white field with a Union Flag in the canton. It was flown on RCN vessels until the Canadian Naval Jack came into use in 1968. Haden’s ensign will now be mounted, framed, and displayed at Canadian Submarine Force headquarters in Dockyard.Capt(N) Ouellet says this ensign was the missing piece to a historical set, the other being an ensign one that once flew aboard captured German U-boat 190. They will now be displayed together. The two German U boats worked to disrupt the flow of goods and troops between Halifax and Europe by attacking convoys in Canadian waters during the Battle of the Atlantic. Both vessels came into the possession of the Royal Canadian Navy following Germany’s surrender to the Allies on VE Day. U-889 was taken under control by RCN warships on May 10, 1945, and escorted to Shelburne, N.S. The submarine was commissioned into the RCN for eight months following its capture. It was then transferred to the US Navy in...

[caption id="attachment_26820" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Clockwise from top: S1 Derek Duffy, Theodore Duffy, Peter Duffy, and Brian Duffy.[/caption]Joanie VeitchTrident Newspaper––When Sailor First Class Derek Duffy received a Sailor of the Quarter award from Canadian Fleet Atlantic earlier this year, his father, a retired Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) sailor, was at the ceremony with him.While the 27-year-old sailor followed in his father’s footsteps, he also took the same path as his grandfather and great-grandfather, making him the fourth generation of Duffys to sign up for military service.“I’m proud to know I’m carrying on the tradition. It’s my family heritage. It means a lot to get the award and to be part of this legacy of service,” says S1 Duffy.  The first generationHis great-grandfather, Peter Ernest Duffy, was part of the Irish settlement on Prince Edward Island following the Irish Potato Famine. Born in 1896, he was a young man when he and his brother went off to fight in the First World War, where he was a Lance Corporal with the Canadian Expeditionary Force.His brother, Wilfred James Duffy, died in 1916 and is buried at the Vimy Memorial in France.Returning to PEI after the war, great-grandfather Duffy took up the boilermaker trade until the Second World War called him back to military service, this time with the Royal Canadian Navy. From 1940 to 1943, he served as chief stoker on several Flower-class corvettes, eventually working his way up to chief engineer.Fortunate to survive the war once again, the senior Duffy went back to family life, moving with his wife, Margaret, and family to Halifax, where he worked at HMC Dockyard as a pipefitter.“He survived two wars. The luck of the Irish, maybe,” says Brian Duffy, S1 Duffy’s father. “My grandfather went through a lot, but never talked about it. He never talked about the war at all.”Peter Duffy died in 1975 at Camp Hill Hospital in Halifax.The second generationTheodore Duffy was born in 1937 and grew up in Halifax’s north end. One...

[caption id="attachment_26816" align="aligncenter" width="595"] 1000 Yard Stare is a depiction of the Vietnam War.[/caption]Peter MallettStaff Writer––Local submariner MS Allan Gauthier is charting a course to mental fitness through his art. When he is not on the job as a Weapons Engineering Technician with HMCS Victoria, he is in his studio with pencil or brush in hand. Art, he says, has helped him stay resilient through the COVID-19 pandemic and to maintain a healthy work-life balance. “Even before the pandemic began, everything on the news seemed to be negative and there were so may people saying hateful things. The one thing I can control in my life is my art work and the pandemic gave me an opportunity to refocus on myself and take time to do what I enjoy doing.” The 45-year-old has no formal art training past high school art class in his hometown of Sudbury, ON.“My parents like to tell people I was painting before I learned to sign my name,” he says. “As a child I was able to draw complicated objects and shapes with ease.” A gallery of workHis paintings have landed at art shows, museums, and galleries, and he has even done commissioned work. Within his workplace, he has painted the torpedo tubes in HMCS Chicoutimi with Indigenous-inspired artwork depicting bears. He received favourable comments from submarine mates and praise from foreign dignitaries who visit the submarine. “It was meant to add something to our vessel that is unique, inspirational, and something you will always remember,” he says. “You won’t find this artwork on any submarine in the world and I enjoyed painting and coming up with the design.” Another of his recent projects was the creation of a morale patch to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Victoria-class submarines. 1000 yard stare, a painting that brings him much pride, is a depiction of the Vietnam War. It took him nearly a decade to complete. “The title describes combatants who have become emotionally detached from the horrors around...

DND / VAC––Last year’s delays in the production and distribution of the Veteran’s Service Card (VSC) due to COVID-19 protocols have eased up. Thanks to the hard work of the VSC team, the 90-day service standard has almost returned. If you have completed Basic Training and have been honourably released from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), you are eligible to receive one.Why get one? The VSC is a tangible symbol of service to Canada and the CAF. It’s a sign of your ongoing connection to the CAF community, as well as to the programs and services offered by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) as you settle into civilian life.But it serves a practical purpose beyond that too. While the VSC is not an official identification card, showing it can get you discounts at businesses and organizations that offer them to Veterans. The card has your name and photo, and in addition to being a record of service, shows length of service and rank at release, and is useful as proof of military service.Please note the VSC doesn’t replace the CFOne card that gives former members access to the programs and services delivered by Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services, including the CANEX Rewards Program and the official discount program offered through the CF Appreciation Program.While the VSC is typically requested for transitioning CAF members by the release section during their first release interview, Veterans who don’t have one can apply for it themselves. Visit the secure VSC online application portal (https://veterans-service-card.canada.ca/en/) to get started, or download a hard copy of the form to complete and mail in.The VSC team is also available to help if you have any questions about the application criteria or process.––––

[caption id="attachment_26807" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Sea Cadet Corps Grenville’s Kisbee ring.[/caption]Ashley EvansFleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton––Naval tradition is ongoing at Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps (RCSCC) Grenville in Kelowna with the help of specialists from Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton. Over the summer, Ryan Yeomans, Work Center 123 Paint and Graphics artist, built a new Kisbee ring to replace their deteriorated 20-year-old one.Kisbee rings were once used as life-saving buoys. Today, they are primarily ceremonial, part of naval tradition, usually the first thing a person sees when crossing the brow to the ship. For the cadet unit, it is a connection to the Royal Canadian Navy. “Having the same Kisbee ring that is on ships of the Royal Canadian Navy helps sea cadets in Kelowna have a great connection to the navy and be able to learn and be proud of naval customs and traditions even though we are in the interior of BC,” says Lt(N) Andrew Kerr, Commanding Officer of RCSCC Grenville.A ceremonial Kisbee Ring starts as a 30-inch orange plastic ring that is sanded, primed, painted, re-roped, and decorated with the ship or unit’s name in gold leaf. These rings are displayed on a wooden stand on the ship’s deck or in a unit’s building. It took Yeomans about 40 hours to complete the cadet unit’s ring. Once complete, the ring was passed to the Rigging Loft’s Terry Schafer to complete the rope work, and Carly Smethurst from the Sail Loft to craft a protective bag. The cost was waived by FMFCB as the project was deemed a community outreach initiative, and a training opportunity.[caption id="attachment_26810" align="aligncenter" width="606"] Before image of Sea Cadet Corps Grenville’s Kisbee ring.[/caption]“This donation used an important skill set that we need to maintain in our organization,” says Steven Ringma, A/Group Manager 2. “I wanted to work with the operations department to find a solution as this was an opportunity to showcase the craftsmanship and abilities of the paint and graphics work centre, while supporting...

Peter MallettStaff Writer––Derelict, unusable bicycles abandoned around CFB Esquimalt are being collected and disposed of to ensure a clean and safe working environment within the Formation.By order of the Base Commander, members from the Base Chief’s office, armed with lock cutters, will start the removal Sept. 15.“If the derelict bikes are not removed by their owner before Sept. 15, we will remove and dispose of them, or give them to charity,” says PO2 Janine Pope, a representative from the Base Commander’s office. The collected bikes will be stored on base for a short holding period to give people a chance to collect them once they find them gone. People should contact the Deputy Base Chief to retrieve their bike.The Base Chief’s staff have gone around to every bike rack and tagged bikes in poor condition. Some of the targeted bikes are in racks at Nelles Block and Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton in dockyard.“If the bikes are no longer in usable condition, it’s likely the owner was not able to move them to get them to a [repair] shop, or possibly moved to a different base and forgot them,” says PO2 Pope.––––

[caption id="attachment_26801" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Master Sailor Jamie McCurry holds up his military vaccine card after receiving his shot. Photo by Sailor First Class Mike Goluboff, Imagery Technician[/caption]Canadian Forces Health Services and the BC Ministry of Health have agreed on a valid Proof of Vaccination for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members. They will not require CAF members to obtain a separate BC Vaccine Card when the province implements this requirement on Sept. 13.  Acceptable vaccination ID – CAF members onlyVaccinated CAF members can use their CAF ID (NDI 10 & 20) and CF Health Services COVID-19 vaccination wallet cards going forward as proof of vaccination in BC. There will be no need for vaccinated CAF members to submit records into the BC provincial immunization registry nor to obtain the BC Vaccine Card. This applies to both Regular and Reserve Force members who have been vaccinated by CF Health Services (CFHS).Accepting CAF IDThe Province of BC has added this guidance to their provincial website and will advise the BC business sector in its formal direction on the rollout of the BC Vaccine Card. BC will be the third province to implement a proof of vaccination requirement to access non-essential provincial services. Quebec and Manitoba, the two provinces who have already implemented their vaccine card, have confirmed that the CAF proof of vaccination will be accepted. As each province is establishing its own policies and on separate timelines, CAF members leaving BC should research the provincial government website of their destination province, prior to departure.Differing provincial vaccination cardsCAF members who have received vaccination from a CF Health Services Centre outside of BC will have a different vaccination card. These will also be accepted when accompanied with an official CAF ID. The province has also been made aware that due to the pandemic, many...

[caption id="attachment_26796" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Concept drawing of the full scale replica airframe of the Sea King helicopter created by Apex Industrial Design Ltd., of Red Deer, Alberta.[/caption]Peter MallettStaff Writer––A life-sized 11-tonne skeletal sculpture of a Sea King helicopter may be landing on the flight deck of the former HMCS Annapolis next year, which is submerged in Halkett Bay, north of Vancouver. The former navy destroyer, decommissioned in 1996, became an artificial reef on April 4, 2015, through the work of the Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia (ARSBC). Next year, pending final approval from BC Parks, the sculpture of a CH-124 helicopter’s skeletal frame will be lowered approximately 70 feet below the surface onto Annapolis’ flight deck. Construction of the sculpture is being built by architectural steel contractor George Third & Son of Burnaby, B.C. The design is by Apex Industrial Design Ltd. from Alberta.The helicopter’s frame is made of uncoated steel bars and measures approximately 10 feet wide at the wheel base and 50 feet long for the fuselage. The design allows the ocean current to flow through unimpeded and thus expand on fish and fauna marine habitat opportunities living in and around the artificial reef, says LCdr (Retired) Rick Wall, ARSBC Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer. [caption id="attachment_26798" align="aligncenter" width="595"] A Sea King on the flight deck of HMCS Annapolis.[/caption]“Installing the aircraft on the flight deck where it originally operated will also be a fitting symbolic tribute to all the aircrew who served on board this proud ship,” says Wall. The last of the Royal Canadian Air Force Sea King helicopters were taken out of action in December 2018 and replaced with the Cyclone helicopter. “The Sea King was a helicopter that flew off the Annapolis throughout its service life,” says Wall, who served aboard the destroyer during his 41-year navy career. “Annapolis was chosen for the Sea King location because it was the first destroyer with an assigned helicopter on the West Coast.”ARSBC’s mission is to create environmentally friendly...

[caption id="attachment_26780" align="alignnone" width="591"] MCpl Windy Lafreniere and her family. Photo Courtesy of MCpl Windy Lafreniere.[/caption] Holly BridgesRoyal Canadian Air Force__M Cpl Windy Lafreniere is a member of the Mohawk Nation of Akwesasne along the St. Lawrence River. She was put into foster care at birth to a non-Indigenous family and never really knew her birth parents or siblings. She later discovered she had 12 brothers and four sisters. She met her birth parents when she was a teenager, but they both passed away shortly afterwards. She lived with various foster parents until the age of eight when she met the Kinsellas, with whom she would remain with until aging out of foster care at 18, and who remain her parents today.“I owe huge thanks to the Kinsellas for me becoming the driven person I am today. If not for their love and support I would not be who I am today.”She is a Mobile Support Equipment Operator for the Royal Canadian Air Force  at 16 Wing and Military Co-Chair of the CFB Borden Defence Aboriginal Advisory Group. Now, MCpl Lafreniere is on a journey to discover more about her Indigenous connections and to instill a strong sense of identity, culture, and pride in her three children.“As my husband is Algonquin and I’m Mohawk, all of my kids recently got their status cards so they are super excited. We have tried to teach our children about their roots as we ourselves learn about them as well. My daughter was chosen by our elders at a very young age to become a jingle dress dancer (medicine dancer), which is quite an honour.”Pivotal at 16 WingAt 16 Wing, MCpl Lafreniere has been instrumental in raising awareness of Indigenous culture and supporting local Indigenous Canadian Armed Forces members and their families. Some of the events...

[caption id="attachment_26774" align="alignnone" width="591"] Vanessa Nicholson, a member of the Defence Women’s Advisory Group, has started a collection drive for menstrual hygiene products.[/caption]Peter MallettStaff Writer__A campaign to collect menstrual hygiene products for people in need has been launched by members of the Defence Women’s Advisory Organization (DWAO). Vanessa Nicholson, DWAO member, has a target of amassing 10,000 menstrual hygiene products by May 28, 2022. The end date coincides with the World Menstrual Hygiene Day. “People are normally very generous when it comes to supporting food banks with donations. However, when we donate to these organizations we don’t typically think of donating menstruation products,” she says. To kick off their “end period poverty” campaign, the DWAO members will host a virtual discussion on MS Teams, Sept. 15 at 8:30 a.m.World Menstrual Hygiene DayOn World Menstrual Hygiene Day the United Way of the Lower Mainland will release its annual Period Promise research report. It is funded by the Government of British Columbia’s Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction and captures information about how period poverty is affecting local residents. The last study found that more than 51 per cent of respondents have struggled to buy [menstruation] products at least once in their lifetime. Period Promise also supports grants to 15 non-profit agencies that provide free menstrual products.“Not having access to these products can lead to unsanitary measures and have huge impacts on people’s lives,” says Nicholson. “A good example is people using tampons longer than is recommended to maximize use and save on products. This can lead to infections such as toxic shock syndrome, a potentially fatal condition.”The first beneficiary of the donations will be The Sooke Transition House Society, a non-profit that provides shelter to women and their children who have experienced trauma resulting from family violence. For more information about...

DNDWhen Major Shannon Archer went back to work in June nine weeks after the birth of her son, there was a room in her building she could have used to pump her breast milk. But it was a public space with clear windows that didn’t provide adequate privacy. Instead she would go to her car to pump her breast milk several times a day.With CANFORGEN 116/21,  Support to Members Pumping and/or Nursing (information accessible only on the National Defence network) being issued July 28, all that changed in a matter of days.“I came back to work after the August long weekend, and they had a dedicated lactation room set up that was adequate and appropriate, with a chair and a desk, and just around the corner from a washroom and the kitchen area,” she says. “My chain of command was very supportive. The CANFORGEN lays it out clearly.”The CANFORGEN directs Commanding Officers to put in place a lactation plan that includes a minimum of one lactation room for every 400 personnel. Potential secondary spaces for future use will also be considered, as well as how this need can be met in a field or operational environment.Designated lactation rooms should be located in safe, central, and accessible areas, and supervisors must make every effort to accommodate as much time as is needed by the member. Each designated room must have a locking door and should include a comfortable chair with arms and in close proximity to an electrical outlet. Other requirements include a cooler or mini fridge in which to store the milk, cubbies or drawers to store pumping materials, and a sink located nearby to wash hands and pumping pieces.While some units have promoted the use of offices, provided they meet some or all of these criteria, bathroom facilities are not considered appropriate.Once...

[caption id="attachment_26762" align="alignnone" width="591"] Jessica Miller, pictured, and her husband Steve Murgatroyd operate the Veteran Farm Project in Hants County, Nova Scotia. [/caption]Joanie VeitchTrident Newspaper__T he property Jessica Miller and her husband Steve Murgatroyd bought in 2018 and now operate as the Veteran Farm Project in Hants County, Nova Scotia, had been abandoned for several years. The farmhouse was dilapidated and the seven acres it resided on was overgrown. They cleared the debris to make space for vegetable boxes and garden beds, and Murgatroyd built a small potting shed for Miller to plant seeds. She laughs now at the memory of the ramshackle property they saw that spring day at Sweet’s Corner, not knowing at the time what it would become.“I knew it would be a lot of work, but I fell in love with it pretty much at first sight.”Released from a 21-year career in the military, Miller was struggling with injuries, both physical and mental, and was hoping to find a place to heal and recover.She had worked as a medic with Canadian Forces Health Services Centre (Atlantic), served on Royal Canadian Navy ships, and completed a tour in Afghanistan. Murgatroyd had also served in Afghanistan, and Bosnia before that, but it was in 2015 at home in Nova Scotia, on a highway near Truro, where he lost the lower half of his left leg after a car sideswiped him on his motorcycle.They began to experience the healing and recovery that comes from being outdoors working on their farm. It was the early seeds of the Veteran Farm Project.The idea took root after hearing about veterans and their families struggling financially and not being able to buy nutritious food. So, they harvested from her garden and created food packages of vegetables for delivery to veterans.She reached out to Valerie Mitchell-Veinotte, executive...

[caption id="attachment_26757" align="alignnone" width="591"] Lt Aaron Niles and his little brother Sean, who is now 11.[/caption]Emily NakeffBorden Citizen__The number 30 holds a special significance for Lieutenant Aaron Niles from CFB Borden. It’s how many days his little Sean brother was given to live in 2010. At four months old his younger brother was diagnosed with infantile acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The aggressive cancer attacks the blood and bone marrow. Those diagnosed at under a year, like Sean, have a survival rate of 20 per cent. After three years of constant treatment at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), three years of Lt Niles and his family holding onto hope, they got the news they feared most. The treatment wasn’t working. There was nothing more they could do. The then three-year-old Sean was given 30 days to live. Hearing those words, Lt Niles was overcome with dread. “Everything sort of slows down. You stop comprehending time, you just get lost in your own thoughts.”While the family tried to wrap their heads around giving Sean the most joyful, pain-free experience with the time he had left, his care team continued to work behind the scenes. As a last resort, doctors suggested a treatment that, at the time, was still experimental and primarily being used in the U.S. Sean underwent a kind of chemotherapy he hadn’t received before that tricked his body into fighting the cancer. The chances of it working were low. But it was still a chance. Miraculously, the treatment worked. They weren’t out of the woods. But after finding a match Sean underwent the painful bone marrow transplant that would ultimately save his life. Today, 11-year-old Sean is cancer-free. The Fifth Grader likes video games and spending time with his family, though he is still coping with the physical effects of...

[caption id="attachment_26751" align="alignnone" width="591"] The ship’s company stand for a group photo in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, on March 30 while the ship was deployed on Operations Projection and Artemis. Photo by Corporal Lynette Ai Dang.[/caption] Lt Jeff KlassenHMCS Calgary__After seven months away from home, HMCS Calgary returned to Esquimalt Aug. 30 after two successful Operations: Artemis and Projection.“For most of the ship’s company this was the most challenging deployment of their entire career. The success we had is a testament to their resilience,” said Commander Mark O’Donohue, Calgary’s Commanding Officer.In January, the ship’s company went into quarantine before participating in intensive pre-deployment workups on Task Group Exercise 21-01 throughout February. Calgary left Esquimalt for their deployment on Feb. 28. Deploying under COVID-19 conditions was challenging. The typical shore leave, crucial for sailors’ morale on long deployments, was reduced to restricted port visits, mostly confined to the ship or small isolated sections on the jetty.From February to April, the ship journeyed through the Indo-Pacific on Op Projection, making restricted port visits in Hawaii, Guam, Brunei, Vietnam, and Singapore. During this time, the ship conducted cooperative deployments with the Bruneian Navy, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the Royal Australian Navy, and the United States Navy, and transited through Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. Op Artemis began in late April in the Arabian Sea under the Canadian-led Combined Task Force 150, who are under the 34-nation Combined Maritime Forces. The ship was more successful in the counter-terrorism mission than any other ship in the operation’s history. Ships on the operation perform maritime interdictions, stopping smugglers of illicit cargo that is intended to fund regional crime and terror. For Calgary, this involved using their embarked Cyclone helicopter air detachment and other assets to survey waters for suspicious fishing-type vessels, known as dhows,...

[caption id="attachment_26747" align="alignnone" width="591"] Cadets in Victoria learned about the challenges of injured Canadian Armed Forces members by participating in some Invictus Games paralympic sports. Photo by Capt Tim Townley[/caption] Capt Melodie Fallah and Capt Tim Townley Regional Cadet Support Unit (Pacific)__Resilience is all about adapting to changing circumstances and that’s exactly what the Cadet Program did this summer in the delivery of its summer training. All across B.C. cadets gathered at Cadet Activity Programs (CAP) site locations to experience in-person training, many for the first time since the pandemic began last year. Usually cadets in B.C. attend summer training at one of our four Cadet Training Centres in Vernon, Albert Head, Comox, and HMCS Quadra. With health restrictions in place over the past two summers, the Cadet Program adapted first to a virtual training program and then to CAP, maximizing the use of DND and community facilities across the province. Offering a variety of activities close to home meant more cadets could participate overall, and more staff were able to support the program. Senior cadets had the added benefit of leadership opportunities without giving up weekend jobs or other summer activities. CAP offered a one-week basic course in the form of day-camps, as well as junior and senior levels of marksmanship, fitness and sports, and drill and leadership. Courses were one to two weeks long and each CAP site operated for one to six weeks depending on the population density at each location. Cadets were able to participate in more than one course, or both levels of a program. Over 820 cadets, 112 staff cadets, and 68 adult staff across British Columbia had the opportunity to return to in-person training. For some cadets this was their first time experiencing in-person training and some of the unique aspects of the program such...

[caption id="attachment_26741" align="alignnone" width="591"] Carol Stapleton’s Grade 5 class at Fish Creek School in Calgary pose for a photo after receiving hats from HMCS Calgary’s Petty Officer Second Class Joseph Chisling, who did regular video conferencing calls with the class while deployed in 2021. Image supplied.[/caption] Capt Jeff KlassenHMCS Calgary__In the middle of the night during their deployment, in the midst of a counter-terrorism mission in the Arabian Sea, sailors on board HMCS Calgary took a pause from their work, or got out of their racks mid sleep, to video conference grade school classrooms back in Canada.The video chats were part of the Ship to Shore program, established to connect the warship with school children in their namesake city. “Essentially, we got up in the middle of the night while deployed to do video conferencing calls with students in Grades four to six from four different public schools around the City of Calgary,” explained Sailor Second Class (S2) Audrina N’Guessan. “We also talked to them by email and they sent us questions and we answered them on the call. We sent them imagery and videos of the ship; it was just a way for the children to learn about what their navy does.” S2 N’Guessan, 26, a boatswain by trade, was one of 20 sailors that participated this year.The program started in the 2019-2020 school year as a collaboration between the Royal Canadian Navy, the Calgary Board of Education, and other stakeholders, with the intention of giving children a unique opportunity to learn about what their navy does. A success in its first year, the program continued into 2020-2021, and satellite internet on ship permitted them to continue while on deployment.“Trying to find the perfect time to do the phone calls was the biggest challenge,” said S2 Patrick Pilon, a Marine...

[caption id="attachment_26729" align="alignnone" width="591"] Corporal Francis Ross, an aircraft structures technician in Greenwood, spent his off hours during the pandemic building to scale a A10 Warthog from scratch. Photo by Sara White, Aurora Newspaper[/caption]Sara WhiteAurora Newspaper_When 2020 brought about a lockdown, it also brought about plenty of spare time, which meant people rediscovering unfinished projects. For Corporal Francis Ross, he always wanted to build a model of an A10 Warthog, his favourite aircraft, but he knew it would take a massive amount of time.“And it was,” he admits. “Right at the start of the pandemic in March 2020, I dragged my piece of plastic up on the kitchen table, with all the little squares marked on it for scale, and started. It was on the kitchen table for months. It sat on the table, then on a stand. I’d work on it for 15 minutes and then leave it to let the glue dry.”Cpl Ross spent 13 years at 14 Wing Greenwood as an aircraft structures technician. As the pandemic took hold, he was working at 14 Air Maintenance Squadron. He spent a few initial days of the first lockdown at home, and then worked all the way through 2020’s upheaval. He was even a member of the wing’s Operation Laser team, one of several dozen personnel tasked to train and be on call in case of need anywhere across Canada. He most recently transferred to 405 (Long Range Patrol) Squadron.His model A10 Warthog was built with hundreds of Popsicle sticks, white glue, bits of wood and toothpicks, and even the springs from inside ballpoint pens to act as wheel shocks. Total cost, $100.There are moving parts – the wheels, the engine compression blade, a chute pack compartment at the plane’s tail end, and hatches where you can peek in...

[caption id="attachment_26725" align="alignnone" width="591"] Lt(N) Will Sarty[/caption] Joanie VeitchTrident Newspaper_Despite physical setbacks, Lt(N) Will Sarty is going to the World Arm Wrestling Championships in Orlando, Florida, next month, representing Team Canada for the fifth time. He is a top medal-winning athlete at the regional, national, and international level and has his sights on winning again.“I’m going to the podium this year. I feel super healthy and confident going in,” he says. “I’m feeling strong and I’m just getting stronger every day.”The championships usually draws between 2,500 to 3,000 athletes, competing in many weight classes, but due to COVID-19 restrictions participation numbers are down this year. He will be one of about 40 athletes representing Team Canada in both right and left arm matches.He has come a long way since 2015, when he attended  the World Arm Wrestling Championships in Malaysia. He placed fourth, but an injury from the 2013 world championships in Poland was still giving him trouble. He underwent physiotherapy and the Personnel Support Programs’ (PSP) reconditioning program, and recovered enough to win gold at both regional and national championships in 2014 and 2015. He took another gold at the regional level in 2016, but knew he wasn’t anywhere near full recovery as his pain was getting worse.He had a UCL tear, and years of arm wrestling had left him with osteoarthritis from shoulder to fingers, along with bicep tendonitis, both radial and carpal tunnel syndrome, and bone spurs.“I knew I had to retire from the sport but it was devastating for me. It took me two days to write my retirement message and it took another week for me to be able to hit send. It had a huge emotional impact.”Not one to give up, he made some big changes. He began intensive rehabilitation with PSP and at home began...

[caption id="attachment_26721" align="alignnone" width="591"] S1 Marianne Mojica[/caption]Peter MallettStaff Writer_An HMCS Regina sailor says her passion for life and career is the reason behind her recent Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) Sailor of the Year award. S1 Marianne Mojica, a Weapons Engineering Technician, said the award came as a complete surprise, partially because she joined the navy less than three years ago, and because she has yet to be deployed. It was presented by Cdr Landon Creasy, Regina’s Commanding Officer, and Geraldine Hinton of the British Columbia Government House Foundation on June 21. Also in attendance was CPO1 Carl Dixon, Regina’s Coxswain. “S1 Mojica is one of the hardest working people I have ever met; she does her work with devotion and eagerness,” says CPO1 Dixon. The 27-year-old sailor joined the Canadian Armed Forces in January 2019. She was already technically adept with a background in electromechanical and mechanical engineering, and had previously worked at Chrysler’s casting plant near her hometown of Toronto, as well as Weston Foods, Magna Corporation, and Toyota/Lexus motors. But, she says, the work wasn’t fulfilling. “I think at a certain point in everyone’s life, you want a refreshing change and this was my ticket to a new adventure and new chapter in my life,” she says. After joining the navy she began work in Regina’s Combat Systems Engineering department, just the change she was looking for. “I truly do enjoy it. The test of life is to adapt, to overcome, and expect the unexpected,” she says. Besides her regular job, she is the editor of the ship’s newsletter, the Canteen manager, the Junior Ranks Mess Coordinator, and a bartender. She is also the ship’s representative for the National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign and participated in fundraising for Operation Freedom Paws Canada.If that wasn’t enough, S1 Mojica is...

[caption id="attachment_26716" align="alignnone" width="590"] Sailor Third Class Daniel Heath, a new HMCS Malahat recruit, practices throwing a line as part of summer training at the naval reserve unit. Photo by S2 Emma Stewart[/caption]SLt Donald DenHMCS Malahat_Throughout July, HMCS Malahat’s new recruits have been undergoing summer training at Victoria’s Naval Reserve Division, following all COVID-19 health and safety protocols. This latest batch of Naval Reserve recruits are currently under contract at Malahat through the Guaranteed Employment Offer (GEO) as outlined in Canada’s Defence Policy Strong, Secure, Engaged, which offers summer employment for Reservists. The main focus for the summer has been learning the basics of the sea, and giving recruits their first navy on-the-water experiences. This is something they will be immersed in throughout their navy career. “Allowing new sailors the opportunity to experience life in the navy is essential, not only for their training but for unit cohesion and morale as well,” says Sub-Lieutenant Eric Jakubowski, GEO Coordinator. “Having recruits go through activities based on the fundamentals of sailorship gives them something to look forward to in their future career as Naval Reservists.” Some navy duties recruits have been undertaking include knot-tying, person-overboard training, kisbee (life/buoy) ring tossing, nautical flag recognition, and, being able to drive a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) outside of Victoria’s Inner Harbour. “The idea in taking recruits out and letting them drive the boats is to get them familiar with how the throttle feels, how the boat goes, and what it is like to operate in a sea-based environment,” explains Sailor Second Class Emma Stewart, Acting Chief Boatswain Mate. Training culminated in Malahat’s first-ever Boatswain’s Olympics. Recruits competed in events based on their training, including flag recognition, seamanship trivia, and a kisbee ring toss, with both the recruits and current Malahat members of taking part....

[caption id="attachment_26711" align="alignnone" width="591"] Photo by Corporal Braden Trudeau, Canadian Armed Forces Imagery Technician[/caption]Peter MallettStaff Writer–Beneath the icy blue water off Belle Island, Newfoundland, are the remnants of naval wartime history – sunken ships. It’s a favourite spot for recreational divers, but with any sunken warship, there are dangers associated with unexploded ordnance and ammunition.In July, a team of clearance divers from Fleet Diving Unit Pacific and Atlantic, and Combat Divers from 4 Combat Engineer Support Regiment spent three weeks finishing the removal of these items, which began in 2019.Clearing the site of hazards will allow the Government of Canada to declare the shipwrecks a national historic site. The sunken relics are freighters SS Saganaga, SS Lord Strathcona, SS Rose Castle, and Paris-Lyons-Méditerranée 27. In the Second World War, they were equipped with weaponry and explosives for protection against German U-Boat attacks during the Battle of the Atlantic. They were tasked with carrying iron ore from Belle Island’s mine to steel mills in Nova Scotia as part of the war effort. Over 60 sailors died when German submarines sunk them.Military divers were tasked with removing the final 60 pieces of 4.75-inch deck gun rounds and small arms from the hulls of the four sunken freighters. A similar operation by clearance divers in 2019 removed and destroyed 140 pieces of ordnance.With this mission, divers operated from the deck of HMCS Moncton, with support personnel from Naval Reserve Unit HMCS Cabot in St. John’s, Nfld.“Visibility underwater on most days was near perfect, and from a sightseeing angle it is easy to see why the site is such a popular tourist attraction; the colours and sea life around the wrecks is spectacular,” says MS Joseph Falletta, Mine Countermeasure Maintenance Supervisor with FDU(P), one of four divers from Maritime Forces Pacific who took part in the...

[caption id="attachment_26702" align="alignnone" width="591"] Patrol Pathfinder candidates on a Black Mamba inflatable boat. Photos by SLt Wilson Ho[/caption] SLt Wilson HoHMCS Vancouver_For two days in August, 24 Patrol Pathfinder candidates rehearsed their beach assault skills on the shores of Vancouver Island during the maritime phase of their course, run by the Canadian Advanced Army Warfare Centre.Over three grueling months, candidates are exposed to a variety of insertion and extraction techniques by air, land and sea.To become a Patrol Pathfinder, one must be in top physical and mental form as members are expected to withstand the hardships of long-range patrolling and working long hours with minimal rest.Once qualified, these Patrol Pathfinders will be the ones establishing drop zones, landing zones, beach sites, and tactical airstrips, securing them for follow-on forces to arrive.From Aug. 24 to 27, the Patrol Pathfinder candidates practiced helicopter casting, which entailed being dropped out of, and being recovered by, a CH-148 Cyclone.Additionally, candidates planned and prepared their missions on board Grizzly 60, an Orca-class Patrol Craft Training vessel, before jumping off and securing a nearby beachhead. This is one of the many joint operations the Canadian Army, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Royal Canadian Navy regularly conduct together. “The ability to conduct joint operations is a critical skill for a Patrol Pathfinder, as it enables them to lead the way for their army formation,” says Captain Dufour, Officer in Charge of the Patrol Pathfinder course. “We are very thankful for the support the program has been receiving from MARPAC units over the years.”Once these candidates complete the maritime component of the course, they will move on to Quebec for their final phase of training, which includes time spent at CFB Valcartier and around Quebec City.Upon completion of the final exercise, successful graduates will conduct a torch ceremony...

[caption id="attachment_26695" align="alignnone" width="591"] Panoramic aerial landscape taken on Aug. 11 of the Tremont Creek Wildfire in Kamloops, B.C. Photo by Lieutenant-Commander Tony Wright, MARPAC/JTFP[/caption] This summer, the wildfire situation in British Columbia escalated to extreme levels due to unseasonably dry conditions, lightning strikes, and weather patterns unusual for the season.So far this fire season, more than 861,523 hectares have burned. To date, there is about 240 fires still burning. Headed by Joint Task Force Pacific (JTFP), Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force personnel and equipment are supporting the BC Wildfire Service in supressing the fires in British Columbia’s interiorThree Requests for Federal Assistance from the Province of British Columbia were made throughout July, which resulted in an Air Task Force of two CH-147 Chinook and two Ch-146 Griffon helicopters headquartered in Kamloops. A CC-130 Hercules tactical airlift fixed wing aircraft based out of 19 Wing Comox, also a part of the Air Task Force.  Plus a Land Task Force of over 300 soldiers headquartered in Vernon. One company of approximately100 soldiers is conducting type three firefighting, which is suppression of hot spots and fire line monitoring under the supervision of BC Wildfire Service at the Thomas Creek fire near Oliver. Another company of approximately 100 soldiers have the same task at the Flat Lake fire near 100 Mile House.Land Task Force personnel drawn from across 3rd Canadian Division are comprised of Regular and Reserve Force soldiers from 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, and 38, 39, and 41 Canadian Brigade Groups. Canadian Armed Forces assistance complements and enhances provincial and local resources with unique capabilities, including military personnel and equipment. The military’s primary objective is to help provincial and local authorities stabilize the situation and to reassure British Columbia residents in the affected areas.The air task force based out of...

Peter MallettStaff Writer––Petty Officer Second Class Richard Beaumont’s retirement cake was made and decorated to showcase his 32 years of sweet success in the Royal Canadian Navy. The cake, shaped as an anchor and covered in a gold fondant, measured 17 by 49 inches - the age when he started and when he finished in the navy. Hand piped on the anchor shaft were the classes of ships he sailed in and the trade motto. “The symbolism on the cake told my naval story to a degree that became an interesting talking point,” he says. “Also included in the design was a compass, symbolic of setting a new course in life; a Kisbee ring, if the plan goes awry; a golden Turtle for crossing the Equator numerous times, and some rust colouring for being an old salt of the seas.” The 49-year-old now retired naval combat information operator (NCIOP) gathered with family, co-workers, and former shipmates for his Depart with Dignity Ceremony at the Chiefs and Petty Officers’ Mess on Aug. 5. A second cake was also made with the Naval Combat Information Operator trade badge on it. “I’m amongst the very few left to have signed up as a Radar Plotter before the trade changed names and MOC number,” he says. “There are still some RPs left but they are mostly promoted out of the trade.”17 to 49His sea legs started as a member of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps in his hometown of Edmonton. As soon as he turned 17, he joined the naval reserves and discovered finding his sea legs meant “ditching the Gravol.” Before he landed his last position as an instructor at Naval Fleet School (Pacific), he sailed on numerous deployments. “I went on four SAR [Search and Rescue] missions, participated in numerous missile shoots,...

[caption id="attachment_26665" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Corporal Frederick Schinck (second from the left) and Aviator James Schneider (centre, third from the right) apply the first coat of NATO standard gray to the underbelly of a fighter jet at Aerospace and Telecommunications Engineering Support Squadron. Photos by Stacey Payne, ATESS[/caption]Captain Bettina McCulloch-Drake1 Canadian Air Division Headquarters Public Affairs––When you want to paint your house, you can find the necessary paint in a variety of home hardware and paint specialty stores. When you want to paint a Canadian Armed Forces fighter aircraft, you need something that can survive speeds of more than 2,200 kilometres per hour or Mach 1.8.“It is a very specific type of paint that we have to order,” says Captain Jeff Chacko, a Workshop Support Officer with Aerospace and Telecommunications Engineering Support Squadron located in Trenton, Ontario. “The paint has specific properties that enable it to be effective in operations. Greater attention must be given when painting these aircraft. If there are imperfections in the painting, there can be losses in aerodynamic efficiencies that can have more significant consequences such as accelerated fuel burn and accelerated deterioration of the aircraft skin.”The Squadron has a dedicated team of 10 aircraft structures technicians who sand, prime, and paint each aircraft that comes into the squadron’s paint bays. They are tasked to paint the first six Australian fighter aircraft purchased by the Government of Canada to supplement Canada’s CF-188 Hornet fleet.Trained and authorized as aviation painters, these technicians follow procedures laid out by the original equipment manufacturer to ensure the highest quality of work.The first step to any paint job is to prepare the workspace, cover or tape any surface that is not to be painted (such as air intakes or exposed areas where controls exist), and put on personal protective equipment such as respirators and Tyvek suits.“The second step in painting an aircraft is to sand down the surfaces to remove old paint and markings,” explains MCpl Nick Fedele. “Sanding also reveals any...

Peter MallettStaff Writer––Organizers of the base’s newest employment equity group – the Defence Team Pride Advisory Organization -  say raising the Pride flag atop flag polls for Public Service Pride Week, Aug. 23 to 27, is satisfying, but their overall focus is the betterment of the Canadian Armed Forces. The Defence Team Pride Advisory Organization (DTPAO) officially stood up on Dec. 9, 2020, as the fifth Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) employment equity advisory group. The new group’s mandate is to offer guidance to the CAF leadership on matters relating to LBGTQ2+ members, both civilian and military. At CFB Esquimalt, the military and civilian co-chairs of the local chapter are MS Erin Rautenstrauch and Steven Cleugh. They say inclusive policy changes for LBGTQ2+ members will be key to enhancing military and operational success for everyone in the Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC).“Allowing members to serve and express who they are without systematic and cultural barriers enables them to focus on the task at hand and contribute to CAF operational success,” says MS Rautenstrauch.At last count, membership in CFB Esquimalt’s DTPAO totalled 90 members of varying ranks and jobs. Due to COVID-19 health and safety restrictions, the DTPAO meets on MS Teams, but that hasn’t dampened enthusiasm or demand for change among its members, adds MS Rautenstrauch.About the military co-chairMS Rautenstrauch joined the military in 2011. She grew up in Grande Prairie, AB, and is a member of the Pride community. She has experienced both discrimination in the workplace and support from the military community. She currently works for Canadian Fleet Pacific as a Battlespace Management Operator at the Maritime Regional Interface Control Cell.MS Rautenstrauch says she jumped at the chance to become involved in the DTPAO when it was formed.“I have been supported by [LGBTQ2+] advocates in the past and since I...

[caption id="attachment_26658" align="aligncenter" width="595"] HMCS Calgary arrives in Auckland, New Zealand, on Aug. 4. Photo courtesy New Zealand Defence Force[/caption]Capt Jeff KlassenHMCS Calgary––The strong relationship between Canada and New Zealand was highlighted recently when HMCS Calgary visited Auckland during a port visit on its Indo-Pacific deployment Operation Projection.The visit occurred after Calgary had been at sea for approximately six months, where it maintained a COVID-free bubble during port stops. In early August, after the ship’s company was vaccinated, New Zealand permitted Calgary’s crew several leave days ashore. This was partially returning a favour.In 2018, the Royal New Zealand Navy sent two Anzac-class frigates – Her Majesty’s New Zealand Ships (HMNZS) Te Mana and Te Kaha – to Esquimalt to have extensive upgrading on their combat systems and surveillance counter-measures, which will extend the ships’ operational life to the mid-2030s.HMNZS Te Kaha departed for New Zealand in December 2020 following successful harbour and sea trials. Te Mana is expected to return to New Zealand in early 2022.“The visit by HMCS Calgary to Auckland was a great opportunity for us to return some of the excellent support and comradeship the Royal Canadian Navy has provided the hundreds of RNZN sailors who have been in Canada over the past three years while their ships underwent an upgrade,” said Rear Admiral David Proctor, Chief of the RNZN.[caption id="attachment_26659" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Royal Canadian Navy sailors aboard HMCS Calgary stand at ease on the forecastle as the ship is escorted into Auckland by HMNZS Taupo. Photos by Corporal Lynette Ai Dang, Canadian Armed Forces Photo[/caption]In order to meet New Zealand’s maritime border laws, Calgary was at sea 18 days before coming to Auckland, and each of these days the entire ship’s company received a medical screening. As the ship came into New Zealand, COVID-19 tests of the entire ship were rushed off for review by a RNZN Seasprite helicopter. The tests came back negative and the ship’s company was allowed off the ship from Aug. 5...

[caption id="attachment_26654" align="aligncenter" width="595"] HMCS Shawinigan returned home to HMC Dockyard in Halifax on Aug. 9 after a successful Operation Caribbe deployment. Photo: MARLANT PA[/caption]Crewmembers commended for Operation Caribbe counter-narcotics effortsJoanie VeitchTrident Newspaper––There was much to celebrate as HMCS Shawinigan returned to Halifax on Aug. 9, such as their successful and historic counter-narcotics operation, and the ship arriving home to handmade signs and hugs from family and friends at one of the first in-person reunions since the beginning of the pandemic.“Everyone knows in the military we’re only who we are because of the strength behind us and that’s our families,” said Cdr Bill Sanson, Shawinigan Commanding Officer. “So, having everybody here to welcome us home like this gives you that tingle up your spine.” Since leaving its homeport on June 2, Shawinigan has been on a 10-week deployment in the Caribbean Sea with Operation Caribbe, Canada’s contribution to a US-led multi-national counter-narcotics operation under Joint Interagency Task Force South.Working with the Law Enforcement Detachment of the United States Coast Guard Southeast, the crew of Shawinigan intercepted nearly 2,800 kilograms of cocaine, worth an estimated $70 million USD in four interdictions in the Caribbean Sea. The first two raids took place between July 12 and 13 and resulted in the seizure of almost 1,350 kg of cocaine. Another 675 kg of cocaine was seized on July 18 after crewmembers boarded a small vessel, with an additional 774 kg intercepted in another raid on July 21.“As you can imagine, finding a small boat in the Caribbean that does not want to be found is like looking for a needle in a haystack,” said Cdr Sanson, speaking at a news conference held by US and Canadian officials on Aug. 5 at Port Everglades in Florida, where the drugs were off-loaded.“Four seizures in 10 days is extraordinary, as is the effort put forth by everyone on this team. But none of this surprises me, knowing what I know about all these sailors,” he added....

[caption id="attachment_26669" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Canadian Ranger Instructor Warrant Officer Kirk McColl rides down from Groundhog Lake with the Quesnel Canadian Ranger Patrol.[/caption]Canadian Ranger Lindsay Chung4th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group––What would it look like if Canadian Rangers were asked to support a ground search and rescue operation using horses to get through difficult terrain?Members of the Quesnel Canadian Ranger Patrol in British Columbia’s Cariboo region set out to answer that question during an exercise in July.The purpose of Exercise Goldfield Sojourn, which took place July 15 to 18, was to run a rehearsal of the Quesnel Canadian Ranger Patrol deploying on horseback to assist in a ground search and rescue.“The exercise was to put all of the moving parts into play and establish patrol-level standard operating procedures,” said Canadian Ranger Sergeant Paul Nichols, Patrol Commander of the Quesnel Canadian Ranger Patrol. “I can say with confidence that it was a success. I think the major success was the emphasis placed on the scheme of maneuver versus just getting out and riding horses.”To be an effective asset to a search, the patrol needs to move quickly from its home location and self-sufficiently stage out of a new area; so, mobility and communications were a focus of the exercise. The patrol group loaded their trucks and trailers and drove in a convoy from Quesnel to Wells, where they set up a reception area and met with village residents, community officials, members of the local RCMP Detachment, and the Wells Volunteer Fire Brigade. From there, they drove to a new location and set up an administration area and camp in the village and spent the night.“From assembling, loading equipment, forming our convoy and vehicle packets to a road move and creating a reception area in Wells, the entire move was broken down into its...

[caption id="attachment_26651" align="aligncenter" width="595"] HMCS Winnipeg departed CFB Esquimalt for Operations Projection and Neon on Aug. 17. Photo by S1 Mike Goluboff, MARPAC Imaging Services, Esquimalt[/caption]Peter MallettStaff Writer––Last Tuesday, HMCS Winnipeg departed Esquimalt harbour on a four-month deployment in support of its allies in the Asia-Pacific Region. Friends and family of the crew and senior leadership were among the well-wishers gathered on A Jetty in HMC Dockyard to say good-bye to the 258 crewmembers. Winnipeg is taking over Operations Projection and Neon from HMCS Calgary, which is set to return home at the end of August.Under the mandate of Operation Projection, Winnipeg will conduct forward naval presence operations in the region to further strengthen Canada’s relations with partners in the area. Operation Neon is Canada’s contribution of United Nations Security Council sanctions imposed against North Korea. This mission includes conducting surveillance operations to identify suspected maritime sanction evasion activities. “Winnipeg is heading off to a part of the world where there are stresses, strains and great power competition, and certain international laws, human rights issues, and those evolutions in that part of the world are not necessarily going in a direction that is in Canada’s national interests,” said Commodore David Mazur, Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific, before the ship left. “As a tool of our national power, the navy has been asked to maintain a presence in that part of the world and Winnipeg is taking up that torch, which is very important.”Winnipeg’s Commanding Officer, Commander Doug Layton echoed the Commodore’s comments noting that Canada’s “unwavering resolve and commitment” to allies and partners is important to freedom and navigation rights in the region. “Winnipeg’s deployment will also be an opportunity to showcase [Canada’s] values of dignity and respect for all human life,” he added. “All of us enjoy this in this...