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[caption id="attachment_2202" align="alignnone" width="300"] Brigadier-General (Ret’d) Jeffrey Brace was pilot to the Royal Family during his career.[/caption] He’s flown the Royal Family, a pope and the late Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, but for Brigadier-General (Ret’d) Jeffrey Brace, his time spent with people facing cancer is one of the most rewarding experiences of his life. A distinguished member of Canada’s Air Force, Brace had a long and exciting career before being diagnosed with prostate cancer 10 years ago. “Bitten by the flying bug” as a young air cadet in Montreal, Brace rose through the ranks quickly. He served as a crew member on the 1973 Trudeau mission to China, commanded 437 Transport Squadron where he flew members of the Royal Family and Pope John Paul II, and served not only as base commander at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, but also as commander of Canada’s military air transport and search and rescue forces. He took early retirement from the Canadian Forces in 1996 to become executive director of the National Air Force Museum of Canada in Trenton, a position he held until 2002. That year, he opted to take part in a clinical trial for the early detection of prostate cancer. The doctors found something. Brace admits it was “jaw-dropping” to discover he had cancer, but he quickly realized he needed a plan. “When you face something like this you don’t run around in circles, you sit down and you lay out a plan and you follow it,” Brace says. “I know the military and its regimented ways gave me the planning skills I needed to deal with something that, at the time, was a crisis in our family’s lives.” After assessing the risks with the help of his wife June, and on the advice of his doctors, Brace underwent surgery....

[caption id="attachment_2198" align="alignnone" width="300"] Cpl Grant Mackay holds up a radar gun assessing speeds of motorists near Macaulay Elementary School. Motorists are reminded to slow down and respect playground zones and school zones now that school is back after summer holidays.[/caption] It’s that time of year again, when students of all ages head back to school. With this comes heavier traffic on our streets and highways, and an increase in small children walking independently to their school or bus stop. Children by nature are very impulsive and often do things before they have a chance to think about it, which puts them at a greater risk of being involved in a serious accident. Motorists need to be aware of the increased risks and adjust their driving habits accordingly. As a reminder, the posted speed limit in most school zones is 30 km/h between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. when students are in school and 30 km/h in playground zones from dawn to dusk. It is the driver’s responsibility to use extra caution in these areas to prevent a tragedy from occurring. Safety Tips for Drivers• Always come to a complete stop at posted stop signs; this will enable you to see more potential hazards.• Pay extra attention to children walking on medians, streets and curbs.• Refrain from using cellular phones or handheld devices while driving.• Obey the posted speed limit. It’s there for everyone’s safety.• Always stop for school buses when their flashing lights are activated. Safety Tips for Students• Refrain from using headphones while walking to school. It reduces the ability to hear approaching dangers.• Do not use your cellular or mobile phone while crossing intersections, it  distracts from potential dangers.• Always cross at posted crosswalks and activate the crosswalk lights when available.• Even though the...

MCpl Tim Patterson, a Flight Engineer with 400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, Borden, ON is seen through the rainy windscreen of a CH-146 Griffon helicopter at Mike Zubko Airport, Inuvik, NT during Operation Nanook 2012.

A student participates in the Patrol Pathfinder course. This course focuses on the conduct of various types of infantry operations including: airborne, airmobile, rugged terrain and amphibious operations in any kind of terrain.

A student participates in a portion of the Patrol Pathfinder course. The course is an advanced infantry course within the Canadian Forces.

Students participate in a portion of the Patrol Pathfinder course held in Halifax, Nova Scotia from July 11-13, 2012.

Ground crew personnel from 400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, Borden, ON gather beside a CH-146 Griffon helicopter prior to refuelling it at Mike Zubko Airport, Inuvik, NT during Operation Nanook 2012.

An old photo of the 140-year-old Captain Cook Monument at Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii.

[caption id="attachment_2145" align="alignnone" width="300"] Cpl Guillaume Trembly performs some general maintenance on a CH-124 Sea King helicopter while deployed on HMCS Regina[/caption] On Aug. 22, Cdr Jason Boyd, Commanding Officer of HMCS Regina reported to Commodore Mukhtar Khan, Pakistani Navy, then Commander of Combined Task Force 150, that Regina had arrived into the area of operations and was ready to assume its duties. This event marked the end of the Royal Canadian Navy frigate’s transit from Esquimalt, British Columbia, to the Arabian Sea, and the beginning of the work for which the ship was deployed to the Arabian Sea. “The crew of HMCS Regina has been busy preparing for the last several months for this moment,” explained Cdr Boyd. “Through plenty of hard work and superb support from training and maintenance facilities ashore, both the ship and the sailors, soldiers, air force personnel that sail onboard are ready for any challenges that this operational deployment may bring.”   Regina brings a distinguished mix of experience and innovation to the Arabian Sea. This deployment marks the third time the ship has been a member of the Combined Maritime Forces in the last decade. For many of the crew, this is not their first time serving in this area of the globe. PO2 Joe Dagenais, Regina’s Chief Quarter Master, says, “It is very important to have personnel onboard that have operational experience as there are going to be inevitably some unforeseen circumstances that are going to arise. It is during these times that our senior leaders will use their expertise to guide the more junior members of the ship’s company, so that they in turn can gather the necessary skills and operational experience to become the successful leaders themselves in future operations.” One of the new technologies Regina brings on this mission...

[caption id="attachment_2140" align="alignnone" width="300"] The Captain Cook Monument in Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii after undergoing restoration by the crew of HMCS Vancouver.[/caption] “Was it not for the pleasure which naturally results to a man from being the first discoverer…this service [the Navy] would be insupportable.” – Captain Cook That true mariner spirit was undeniably felt by each sailor as we rounded Cook Point and first laid eyes upon the pristine sanctuary of Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, also known as “pathway of the Gods.”   As the ship came to anchor, the crew of HMCS Vancouver knew we were not here for “R and R”, but to pay tribute to one of the Royal Navy’s greatest and renowned circumnavigators, Captain James Cook. Over a period of two days, the ship’s company was actively involved in the restoration of a monument built to honor Cook’s arrival on the Hawaiian Islands in 1778, as well as his death at the hands of a local tribe only one year later.   Mother Nature and time had taken their toll as the memorial itself had fallen into disrepair, so Vancouver took up the monumental task of scraping and repainting the simple white marker, polishing the cannons from the ship HMS Fantome that encircle it, and clearing the surrounding park lands. “A once in a lifetime opportunity to return a 140-year-old monument back to its former glory; a memory that will be one of the many highlights of my career,” said PO1 Don Anderson, Vancouver’s Senior Hull Technician. This was not HMCS Vancouver’s first visit to the heritage site. Our namesake has an honored and lengthy history that goes back to 1792 when another Royal Navy navigator, Captain George Vancouver, a young midshipman on Cook’s fatal voyage, returned to Kealakekua to recover his Captain’s remains. Fast forward to...

[caption id="attachment_2136" align="alignnone" width="300"] (L-R) Cpl Joel Merrifield, Kelly Dean, Cpl Phillippe Burney, and Cpl Jason Abel of the BIS line shop take a skyscraping break at the top of a telephone pole at Work Point.[/caption] Inside the small trailer where Cpl Joel Merrifield works in Dockyard, the walls are plastered with plans, blue prints, and schematics. Every corner holds some manner of equipment, be it bolt cutters, spools of cable, or harnesses. As a part of the Line Workshop in Base Information Services, Cpl Merrifield is constantly installing, repairing, and replacing the spider web of communication cables that run over and under every building, shed, and workshop on the base. It’s a big task, but Cpl Merrifield would rather spend his days at the top of a pole figuring out a line break than doing anything else. “I feel like I was made to do this job,” he says. “You’re always solving problems, whether they’re mental or physical. I love the challenge.” Those problems usually take him to the top of a telephone pole or underneath CFB Esquimalt in one of the base’s many maintenance corridors. Low height, cramped space, and creepy crawly residents don’t bother him. It’s par for the job. As is staying vigil about safety. Linemen wear gas metres when they go underground, which they monitor to ensure the air is breathable. Also, as part of their safety practices, whenever a member of the line shop goes on a call, someone trained in rescue procedures goes along as well. Cpl Merrifield has been a lineman since he joined the army in 2004. After completing basic training on the Island, he then completed an apprenticeship before shipping off to CFB Petawawa, ON, in 2005. During his six years in Ontario, he deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, completing a...

Canadian Rangers from Fort McPherson, NT listen to a Flight Engineer give a safety briefing prior to boarding a CH-146 Griffon helicopter from 400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron from Borden, ON.

Canadian Special Operations Forces board the vessel of interest, Strait Explorer, during a demonstration exercise.

Crewmembers from Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Regina, performing an emergency flying stations drill.

An officer from the Indian Navy (right) welcomes Commander Jason Boyd (left), Commanding Officer of Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Regina to Kochi India.

Master Seaman Pierre Lacombe (foreground) and Leading Seaman Matthew Denis load CHAFF Launchers on Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Regina

HMCS Oriole's past and present crew members, as well as honoured guests, gather for a group photo.

[caption id="attachment_2056" align="alignnone" width="300"] On August 28th, 2012, Her Majestyís Canadian Ship (HMCS) ORIOLE marks 60 years of service in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).[/caption] It was a double celebration for HMCS Oriole last week, as she celebrated 91 years since sliding into the water for the first time, and 60 years serving Queen and country. Festivities unfolded at the Naden boatshed Aug. 28 with veterans, current serving members and past shipmates, friends of the navy and the media to hear stories and honour the 31-metre sailing ketch. “This is a joyous, historic and important occasion,” said the ship’s Captain, LCdr Jeff Kibble to the crowd. “Today we celebrate the many junior officers and sailors who developed as professionals starting their career in Oriole. We also celebrate the ship’s involvement with sail training, public relations, and the ship’s value to the navy as an international ambassador.” To honour 60 years service to the Queen, a Diamond Jubilee coin was specially crafted from the brass of an old stern light and features the Oriole bird. The special Diamond Jubilee coin can be purchased for $25 through the ship’s canteen or shore office. In attendance were three great grandchildren of the ship’s original builder and owner George Horace Gooderham. “Our families are very proud that this wonderful sailing ship is healthy, busy and continues to serve with all her soul,” said great granddaughter Tawny Maclachlan Capon, who travelled from Gabriola Island. “I remember my grandmother telling me they used to swim and fish off the deck in Lake Ontario, but if there was anything official like a sail past, all the women would have to go below. She would be happy to see the men and women of the Canadian Forces all stand together on deck today.” Modern day stories also surfaced...

[caption id="attachment_2051" align="alignnone" width="300"] Military spouse Crystal Maxwell is dressed as The Black Widow, as portrayed by Scarlett Johansson in Iron Man 2 and the Avengers. On Sept 13 she will rapel off the CIBC tower to support children with disabilities who want to attend Easter Seal's Camp. Maxwell is looking for donations to help the kids.[/caption] Last week military spouse Crystal Maxwell stepped into her homemade Black Widow superhero costume and took the spotlight for a photo shoot with a towering building as backdrop – one that she will rappel down on Sept. 13. The scene on the corner of Douglas and View Streets garnered attention as she struck similar poses to that of Scarlett Johansson, The Black Widow superhero in Iron Man 2 and The Avengers. Maxwell’s incentive is to raise money for the Easter Seals Drop Zone, which sends more than 300 local children with disabilities to Easter Seals Camp Shawnigan each summer. “I came across this and it sounded like a great idea,” said Maxwell. “How many times in your life do you get to dress up as a superhero and jump off a building? It seemed like a great way to supports B.C. kids,” she said. So far she has raised $300, but in order to rappel from the building and be the superhero she wants to be, she must fund raise $700 more. Although she’s not fond of heights, she says the kids matter most and she will face her fear as she scales down the 13-story CIBC building to a crowd of wellwishers and media. The Drop Zone is held in locations across Canada and this year will be the 7th annual Victoria Drop Zone. The charity destination, Camp Shawnigan, is unique from other summer camps. “They have special climbing walls and special...

[caption id="attachment_2047" align="alignnone" width="300"] Cpl Sheldon Crawford shows Junior Tour de Rock Rider Matt Williams around HMCS Vancouver during a tour of CFB Esquimalt[/caption] Military Police Officer Cpl Sheldon Crawford will remove his beret and strap on a bike helmet for this year’s Tour de Rock. Clipping into the pedals of a carbon fibre racing bike, the 25-year-old Central Saanich native will ride with a team of local police officers, media, and special guests on a 13-day, 927 kilometre bike ride down the length of Vancouver Island from Sept. 22 to Oct. 5. The ride is in the name of the Canadian Cancer Society and Camp Good Times, a special summer camp at Loon Lake in Maple Ridge for kids with cancer. “It’s an opportunity for them to forget the illness and surgeries and just be kids,” says Cpl Crawford. “These kids are the real heroes. They’re what this is all about.” For Cpl Crawford, the opportunity to take part in the Tour de Rock is a childhood dream come true. “Every year there would be mass head shavings and the team would ride by the school. It was such a big event,” he says. “I’m really honoured to be able to finally take part.” In preparation for the rigours of the ride, the team undergoes a lengthy training process, working on distance, speed, and endurance. Much of the route is through hilly and mountainous terrain, so training can be pretty demanding. “We rode up Mt. Washington, right from the lights on the highway, all the way to the top. I’d never done anything like that before,” says Cpl Crawford. “I figure if I can do that, I should be ready for anything.” Every rider in the Tour de Rock is partnered with a Junior Rider that they represent for...

Raven aboriginal youth program from Lookout on Vimeo.

RIMPAC 2012 from Lookout on Vimeo.

CFB Esquimalt's Green MSE Fleet from Lookout on Vimeo.

Surface supply dive course from Lookout on Vimeo.

Minister of National Defence Peter McKay from Lookout on Vimeo.

Base Commander's Change of Command from Lookout on Vimeo.

HMCS Regina Deployment from Lookout on Vimeo.

Civilian ammo tech among first deployed from Lookout on Vimeo.

National Aboriginal Day from Lookout on Vimeo.

MARPAC Change of Command 2012 from Lookout on Vimeo.