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[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...

[caption id="attachment_26614" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Photos by Mona Ghiz, MARLANT Public Affairs[/caption]Ryan MelansonTrident Newspaper––Years of preparation and training came to a head on Aug. 2 in Halifax, as the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) newly commissioned Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), HMCS Harry DeWolf, set sail on its first operational mission to Canada’s north. The ship begins a four-month deployment with participation in Operation Nanook in the Arctic region and will carry on by sailing through the Northwest Passage, something that hasn’t been done by a Canadian warship in more than 60 years. From there, Harry DeWolf will complete the circumnavigation of North America before continuing through to Operation Caribbe in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea. “This is a mission that fully demonstrates the capabilities of our ship and the new capabilities of the RCN. This goes far beyond just focusing on sovereignty in the north – we’ll be doing all that this class of ship can do,” said RAdm Brian Santarpia, Commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic and Joint Task Force Atlantic, as he saw the ship and crew off from the jetty in Halifax. Testing and trials over the past year for Harry DeWolf have demonstrated the ship can successfully operate year-round in both the frigid conditions of the Arctic and in warmer southern waters, which is a unique feature. “HMCS Harry DeWolf now has thousands of miles on its odometer, and we’re about to embark on a patrol that hasn’t been done in more than 64 years. It’s no small feat,” said Cdr Corey Gleason, the ship’s Commanding Officer. Op Nanook is a signature annual exercise focused on preparing Canada to respond to any crisis or security issue that may arise in the north, and Harry DeWolf will be conducting surveillance patrols and other activities alongside HMCS Goose...

[caption id="attachment_26611" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Cyclists from Team HMCS Donnacona pose for a group photo before their Navy Bike Ride trek in Mont-Tremblant on July 22. From Left: Team members Gabriel Fontaine, Mikey Colangelo Lauzon and Philippe Gagnon are joined by Maj (ret’d) Pierre Carron who was there to wish them good luck on their journey. Photo by Mikey Colangelo Lauzon[/caption]Peter MallettStaff Writer––A naval reservist is among the top money earners for the 2021 Navy Bike Ride’s fundraiser after completing a scenic cycling trek through the Laurentian Mountains. Sailor First Class Mikey Colangelo Lauzon, a 28-year-old Naval Communicator with HMCS Donnacona of Montreal, currently occupies second place in the ride’s individual leaderboard, raising $2,620 and counting. This year’s virtual Navy Bike Ride, entitled The Harry DeWolf Challenge, used the nautical miles travelled by the Artic and Offshore Patrol Ship during its inaugural deployment through Canada’s north. Approximately 30,000 cyclists from coast-to-coast-to-coast rode in support of military non-profits Support Our Troops, Soldier On Canada, and the Royal Canadian Benevolent Fund. While many cycling teams logged their kilometres individually on their own time, S1 Colangelo Lauzon and three civilian friends formed Team HMCS Donnacona and transformed their fundraiser into a cycling adventure. It was a scenic 222-kilometre four-day ride in July along the Parc Linéaire Le P’tit Train du Nord, an old Canadian Pacific Railway now turned into a multi-use recreational trail. Riders covered an average of 55 km per day and paid their own out-of-pocket expenses such as hotels and meals. It didn’t take long for exhaustion to set in, along with the typical cyclist’s pain and discomfort in the thighs and lower back. “The distance and the mountainous course made me push myself to the maximum every day and by the third day was quite a challenge because of the elevation between...

Dan DempseyGuest Contributor––Fifty years ago, on July 11, Canada’s newest airshow team took to the air for their first major airshow at CFB Moose Jaw. The newly named “Snowbirds” - following in the footsteps of such eminent predecessors as the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Siskins, Royal Canadian Navy Grey Ghosts, RCAF Golden Hawks, and Canadian Armed Forces Golden Centennaires - were destined to become Canadian icons with millions of fans across North America. The team adopted its name on June 25, 1971, following a “name the team” competition at the base elementary school. We now know that two young students both independently chose the name “Snowbirds” - Douglas Farmer and Cathy Tiller.The “Saskatchewan Homecoming Air Show” that day was billed as the largest single day airshow in North America that year - and so it was. A total of 52 Canadian Forces aircraft participated in the show supported by 65 technicians with another 15 aircraft from the US Air Force on display. Also performing were some of the top civilian acts in North America who became good friends with the team - Art Scholl, Al Pietsch, Joe Hughes, and his wing-walker Johnny Kazian to name a few. A torrential downpour the evening before the show reduced parking spots to the extent that while 45,000 folks made it onto the base that day, another estimated 40,000 did not, being stuck in a traffic jam that stretched 16 miles back through Moose Jaw and down the highway towards Regina when the show started at 1 p.m.Led by Major Glen Younghusband, the team’s performance that day was the first major airshow of the approximately 2,700 official airshows the team has now flown over the last 50 years across North America. Hundreds of flypasts have also been flown, including those flown last year and this year under “Operation Inspiration.”[caption id="attachment_26605" align="aligncenter" width="189"] Snowbirds founder Colonel O.B. Philip[/caption]Proudly watching from the ground that day was the team’s founder, CFB Moose Jaw Base Commander, Colonel...

CFMWS––Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) has partnered with a research team from the University of Ottawa, led by Drs. Benoit Séguin and Milena Parent, to perform an in-depth review of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) sports program. The objective of this research is to help CFMWS demonstrate the value, contribution, and impact of sport on the operational readiness of the CAF and thereby make the necessary strategic decisions regarding the future directions of the program. To achieve these goals, they have already interviewed CAF members who are involved in CAF sports. They are now embarking on a series of interviews with members who do not participate in the sport program. Representation from commands, ranks, sex, locations/bases, and languages (French/English) will be ensured. The objective of this qualitative research study is to help guide decision-making when it comes to program elements, governance, and resource allocation, while helping further quantify the impact of the program within the CAF. This will have a specific focus on the impact of sport participation on the social, mental, and physical dimensions of wellness. If you are a current CAF member who has not participated in the CAF sports program, or a current CAF member who has previously participated in the CAF sports program but for various reasons are no longer participating, researchers want to hear from you.Personnel interested in participating are asked to contact either of the lead researchers: Benoit Séguin and Milena Parent, at bseguin@uottawa.ca and milena.parent@uottawa.ca––––

[caption id="attachment_26597" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Left to right: Harold Leduc, former President of the CVPA; Heather Parry, Chair, Broadmead Care Board of Directors; Denise May, Broadmead Care Interim CEO; and Ron Lloyd, Director, Broadmead Care Board of Directors.[/caption]Broadmead Care––On National Peacekeepers’ Day,  Aug. 9, the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association’s (CPVA) Outstanding Service Award was given to Broadmead Care’s Veterans Memorial Lodge and Veterans Health Centre, both located at 4579 Chatterton Way in Saanich. “The CPVA annually presents awards to its members that have made a significant contribution to our veterans’ wellbeing,” said Retired Brigadier General Joseph Gollner, CPVA Patron. “Sometimes CPVA receives a nomination that identifies a veteran’s facility that has provided, over decades, outstanding care and support to a large number of veterans and their families. Such is the case of the Broadmead Care Society’s Veterans Memorial Lodge and Veterans Health Centre. Through these, Broadmead Care has cared for our veterans in an outstanding manner. They deserve our recognition, and we are proud to present the CPVA Outstanding Service Award to them with our thanks and best wishes for the future.”Veterans Memorial Lodge residents Murray Edwards and Ted Vaughan were on hand for the festivities. At 101 years of age, Edwards is one of the oldest surviving Canadian Peacekeepers from the Second World War. He joined the Queen’s Own Rifles in Toronto in 1942, serving with distinction in the war, and was also in the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry during the Battle of Kapyong, as well as peacekeeping in Cyprus. Edwards is one of less than a dozen survivors of Kapyong. Vaughan, age 97, served as a pilot during the Second World War, flying multiple missions in support of the liberation of France, for which he was presented the Légion d’Honneur, French Legion of Honour Medal in...

Totem Times Newspaper––The Comox Valley Art Gallery is featuring Shelley Vanderbyl in their current exhibition Under One Sky. The exhibit integrates creative research, relational practice, and collaborative production, and is at the gallery until Sept. 4. Vanderbyl’s work incorporates signal fires and is directly connected to the search and rescue experience of her partner Maj Daniel Vanderbyl, now posted to the Search and Rescue Test and Evaluation Flight at the SAR Centre of Excellence in CFB Comox. “I have often drawn connections in my work between the lengths search and rescue teams will go to in searching for someone who is physically lost, and the attention that we put into seeking out those who feel mentally distanced,” she says. “Signal fires have been a recurring theme in my work for many years, representing the desire to be found, or to let oneself be seen, as well as a way to improve one’s own morale when lost.” Prior to the exhibition, she engaged in a creative residency at the gallery. The experience is documented at www.comoxvalleyartgallery.com/events/offsite_onsite-research-production-residency/. She was onsite at the Project Room Studio between December 2020 and March 2021 when a fire started outside the gallery doors. “I think one of the interesting elements of this story is that a fire set outside the gallery had a huge impact on Shelley’s work,” says Glen Sanford, executive director of Comox Valley Art Gallery. “She has incorporated that impact into the presentation of her work.” CVAG is located at 580 Duncan Avenue in Courtenay, and open to the public, in accordance with public health measures, between Wednesday and Saturday. To learn more about the exhibition visit comoxvalleyartgallery.com––––

Peter MallettStaff Writer––On HMCS Winnipeg’s flight deck on Monday Aug. 16, dressed in their Salt and Peppers (N3B), three Sailor First Class were promoted to Acting Master Sailor (MS) by Commodore David Mazur, Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific. While it might seem an ordinary promotion, it was anything but that.S1 Venkarlo Cornes and S1 Nicholas Sanders received the promotion after qualifying as Shipbourne Air Controllers (SAC). S1 Shelby Andrews, also a SAC, was promoted to Acting Lacking MS after successful completion of her RQMS course. MS Cornes and MS Sanders are heading off on a six-month deployment with Winnipeg and its embarked Cyclone helicopter this week. MS Andrews currently attends Naval Fleet School Pacific.On Aug. 16, S1 Nelson Holland, from HMCS Vancouver, will be promoted on board his ship. Qualified Shipbourne Air Controller sailors of Maritime Forces Atlantic are also being promoted. The promotions are a reward in a new incentive program by the Royal Canadian Navy to generate interest in air control when posted to SAC billets on HMC ships.Shipbourne Air Controllers are responsible for the tactical air control of helicopters and fixed wing maritime aircraft, as well as international aircraft, excluding fighter jets. Their job and title is a NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) qualification granted to Combat Operators from the naval trades of Naval Combat Information Officer, Naval Electronics Sensor Operator, and Sonar Operator that complete the voluntary course.The fast-track promotion and substantial pay hike are sanctioned by the navy to address the shortfall of Shipbourne Air Controllers on warships. The goal is to entice other Combat Operators to follow suit and take the additional training. Combat Operators can request the course once they attain the S1 rank, and have the recommendation from their Commanding Officer and career manager, says CPO2 Warren Beattie, Chief NCIOP with Sea Training...

[caption id="attachment_26586" align="aligncenter" width="595"] A view from HMCS Calgary of USS America, an amphibious assault ship and the lead of her class from the United States Navy, and HMAS Parramatta, an Anzac-class frigate from the Royal Australian Navy, as the ships maintain their position in formation with other ships in the Coral Sea on July 22 during OPERATION Projection and Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021. Photos by Corporal Lynette Ai Dang, Canadian Armed Forces Photo[/caption]Capt Jeff KlassenHMCS Calgary––HMCS Calgary operated with partner navies off the coast of Australia late July during the Australian and American led Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021. During this two week-long massive multi-element joint exercise, Calgary honed a variety of task force skills and improved interoperability with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the United Sates Navy (USN), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and the Republic of Korea Navy.The ship, along with its embarked Cyclone helicopter, participated in anti-submarine warfare, air defence, communications, and surface-to-surface warfare exercises. Talisman Sabre 21 culminated in a multi-day simulated war scenario where Calgary acted as an escort for Expeditionary Strike Group 7 as other ships performed an amphibious assault ashore.“By taking part in Exercise Talisman Sabre, Calgary is helping to ensure Canada is ready and able to work with our allies to promote peace and maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Commander Mark O’Donohue, Calgary’s Commanding Officer.Calgary’s participation in the exercise occurred while it makes its way through the Indo-Pacific on Operation Projection, an operation focused on Canada’s commitment to global peace and security and building ties and interoperability with partner nations.On Op Projection since February, Calgary has visited Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, and Guam, and after visiting Australia made its way to New Zealand. Because of COVID-19 protocols, the ship has not been able to conduct regular port visits and this...

[caption id="attachment_26581" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Photo by S1 Sisi Xu, MARPAC Imaging Services, Esquimalt[/caption]Peter MallettStaff Writer––A lasting tribute to Second World War naval pilot Robert Hampton Gray was officially unveiled Aug. 8 at the BC Aviation Museum in Sidney.On Aug. 4, 1945, Lt Gray, flying Vought F4U Corsair, left British carrier HMCS Formidable with a fleet of Corsairs to attack Japanese naval vessels in Onagawa Bay. He sunk the Etorofu-class escort ship Amakusa before his plane crashed into the bay.The three-pillar monument show Gray in uniform, detailing a full list of his titles, awards, and citations etched in the stone. It includes a description of his life and military service, and a greyscale painting of Gray’s final battle by renowned Canadian aviation artist Don Connolly.To round off the monument is a stone bench with the names of committee members and key donors who worked to bring this monument to fruition.Despite the physical distancing and mask protocols in place, dozens of veterans, dignitaries, and high-ranking military personal were in attendance including Consul General of the State of Japan in Vancouver, Takashi Hatori; Commander Royal Canadian Air Force LGen Alexander Meinzinger; and Mary Collins, former Associate Minister of National Defence who represented Canada. Representatives of the Gray family included Dr. Anne George, Gray’s niece; Marcia and Mary George, his great nieces, and his great-great nieces Nyah, Niobe, and Nahla Clarke. Representing the Royal Canadian Navy was Rear-Admiral Angus Topshee.Flying overhead during the ceremony were six vintage aircraft.The unveiling of the pillars was emotional for Terry Milne and MS (Retired) Joe Buczkowski, who worked behind the scenes for years lobbying and fundraising to bring concrete honour to this war hero.“With few friends and family members left who knew ‘Hammy’ Gray, it was felt that if any lasting tribute was to be created for the only BC pilot ever awarded the Victoria Cross and the last Canadian so honoured, now was the time,” says Milne, who volunteers at the BC Aviation Museum.[caption id="attachment_26582" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Descendants of Lt Robert Hampton...

[caption id="attachment_26566" align="aligncenter" width="595"] HCapt(N) Debbie Eisan, centre, receives her scroll from RAdm Brian Santarpia at a ceremony on June 21. PO1 Katerina Stewart carries the DND/CAF Eagle Staff.[/caption]Joanie VeitchTrident Newspaper––Honorary Captain (Navy) (HCapt(N)) Deborah Eisan’s dream of becoming a nurse and travelling the world didn’t work out quite as she had envisioned. Instead, the Anishinaabekwe from the Batchewana First Nation in northern Ontario joined the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) at age 17.“It was the military that gave me the courage to stand up for who I am and to be proud of my culture and my heritage,” she said. “The military gave me the confidence to express my thoughts and opinions.”In her 36-year career, she travelled to more than 20 countries and played a key role in recruiting and mentoring Indigenous youth through the Canadian Forces Aboriginal Entry Program and various summer training programs, such as Raven and Black Bear. She retired from the military as a chief petty officer second class.On June 21, she was officially appointed Honorary Captain (Navy) at a scroll and pin presentation ceremony.  The event was held in the Admiral’s Conference Room at Maritime Forces Atlantic headquarters in Halifax with limited in-person attendance, but many watching on-line.Raymond Sewell, a musician from the Mi’kmaq community of Pabineau, N.B., drummed and sang the Mi’kmaw Honour Song, and Chief Dean Sayers, Chief of Batchewana First Nations, gave congratulatory remarks before Rear-Admiral (RAdm) Brian Santarpia, Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic, presented Eisan with her Honorary Captain Scroll and Pin.“Honorary Captains in the RCN are selected leaders who have distinguished themselves in their private or public life. They act as ambassadors for the navy to the Canadian people,” he said.He listed her many achievements, including the National Aboriginal Women in Leadership Award of Distinction, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal for her...

[caption id="attachment_26563" align="aligncenter" width="595"] This 7/8 scale replica of the Nieuport XI, located at Canadian Forces Base Trenton.[/caption]Emily LindahlD Air PA––It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s…well…it’s a bi-plane.At NDHQ (Carling) in Ottawa, the Battle of Britain Building houses Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) staff, both military and civilian, and a VIP – a very important plane, a Nieuport XI. This 7/8 scale replica of a Nieuport XI, C-IPOR comes with the nickname ‘Pokey’ and is on a long-term loan from the National Air Force Museum of Canada, located at Canadian Forces Base Trenton. The aircraft itself was donated to the museum in 2017 by a private collector from British Columbia.This Nieuport XI participated in a commemorative flight at the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge in France, in 2017. The biplane also took part in the “Birth of a Nation Tour” across Canada for #Canada150. The aircraft was flown by currently serving pilot, Captain Brent Handy.‘Pokey’ moved into the Battle of Britain - Building 7, March 27 when it was re-assembled and painstakingly hoisted to hang from the ceiling in the building’s three-story atrium a week later.The process to hang the biplane securely without compromising its structure was an incredibly delicate process. Metal frames were built to take the aircraft’s weight safely.The project was coordinated by LCol Jean-Pascal Paris, who is responsible for the Air Staff RCAF Artefacts aircrafts project, working in concert with the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff Carling Campus Project Director, Mark Ross, and BGIS Manager, Dave Sprung, as well as a team of aviation technical experts. The Nieuport XI is also a tribute to Alan Duncan Bell-Irving of Vancouver, a Canadian who fought with the Gordon Highlanders during the First World War. In 1915, Bell-Irving was seconded to the Royal Flying Core (RFC) where he was...

Peter MallettStaff Writer––Three HMCS Regina sailors have banded together – literally. Sailor First Class Marianne Mojica, Master Sailor Justin Grant, and S3 Giovanni Bellosillo have combined their musical talents to form the 3 Deck Band. They play in the ship’s junior rank’s mess and other locations on board where sailors gather during special occasions and events.“A lot of people have been excited to hear us play and will join in and sing or even bring their own instruments and jam along with us,” says S1 Mojica, who plays tenor saxophone. “I started the band because I wanted to make things a little bit different on board during the pandemic and boost people’s moods. It is a morale booster and sweet escape for us and something our ship can be proud of.” The 27-year-old has been interested in music since she was four; she also plays piano, oboe, guitar, drums, Ukulele, and does vocals. She has been involved in orchestra bands, concert bands, and choirs, some of which were paid gigs. The favourite genre of 3 Deck Band is jazz, but they are not opposed to taking requests on anything from rock, pop, country to R&B. When Regina was stationed at the West Coast Firing range in Nanoose Bay for Canada Day to test its 57mm guns, the band assembled in the ship’s hangar to mark the holiday with a stirring rendition of O Canada. Joining S1 Mojica’s saxophone is MS Grant on Baritone saxophonist and S3 Giovanni Bellosillo on the violin. When S1 Mojica isn’t playing music or performing her Naval Weapons Technician job, she is looking for art projects. On the wall of the junior rank’s galley she painted city skylines of places the ship has visited in recent years. She also helped make and paint a plaque, which served...

Peter MallettStaff Writer––A team of Maritime Technicians - dubbed Y Jetty - are champions of this year’s Damage Control Olympics. The competition was held July 22 at A Jetty in Dockyard as a fun way to build Maritime Technician (MARTECH) hand skills while fostering morale and camaraderie for those who work in the trade. Approximately 80 participants from HMCS Regina, HMCS Vancouver, HMCS Ottawa, and team Y Jetty, who work in Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels, took on the challenge, being mindful of COVID-19 health and safety protocols. “The event was intended to build skills but also to get people out of the workplace and start conversations and friendships between members of the trade, and I think it worked well,” said CPO2 Lee Bickerstaffe, event organizer and Fleet Chief Engineer Marine Systems. “Those who competed seemed to be having fun and we are already looking at restaging this event next year with more teams and participants.”This year’s competition involved simulated emergency scenarios such as a simulated firefight and setting up an attack hose in a Kingston coil, flood response involving the repair of a burst pipe using band-it clamps, rescuing a casualty, performing a shoring by cutting in five specific areas of a pipe, filling a bucket with a firehouse until a piece of wood floats to the top, the knocking down of five targets with a fire hose, and the securing of bunker gear and a re-flake hose. CPO2 Bickerstaffe says COVID-19 safety protocols were followed throughout the event. Penalties were assessed to teams for any members not following protocol or wearing proper Personal Protective Equipment between events or maintaining  proper physical distancing. No awards or trophies were handed out during the competition; however, all participants were treated to a post-event, celebratory luncheon of hot dogs and hamburgers held at...

[caption id="attachment_26554" align="aligncenter" width="595"] The new garden is meant to be a space for anyone to come to reflect on nature, think, and remember SLt Abbigail Cowbrough. Photo by Jessica Miller[/caption]Joanie VeitchTrident Newspaper––A memorial flower garden in honour of SLt Abbigail Cowbrough was officially dedicated on July 30 at the Veteran Farm Project in Sweet’s Corner, NS, a veteran-run organization that grows farm produce for food packages delivered weekly to veterans and families in need.With about 25 attendees gathered under tents during heavy rain, Jessica Miller, who owns the farm along with her husband Steve Murgatroyd, began the ceremony by welcoming the guests, which included S1 Shane Cowbrough, father to SLt Cowbrough; other military personnel; Kody Blois, MP for the Kings-Hants area; representatives from the Royal Canadian Legion; and farm staff and volunteers.Miller said the idea of a creating garden in Sub-Lt Cowbrough’s memory seemed a natural fit as the Veteran Farm Project has evolved into a healing space for women veterans who volunteer at the farm.SLt Cowbrough died on April 29, 2020, when the CH-148 Cyclone helicopter she was on crashed into the sea off the coast of Greece, while returning to HMCS Fredericton after a training flight as part of Operation Reassurance.Five other CAF members also died in the Stalker 22 crash: Capt Kevin Hagen, Capt Brenden MacDonald, Capt Maxime Miron-Morin, Master Cpl Matthew Cousins, and SLt Matthew Pyke.Miller reflected on her own military experience as a former medic on board navy ships, serving 21 years with the Canadian Armed Forces. She said she felt a kinship with SLt Cowbrough and was deeply affected by the news of her death.“I had sailed those seas and I had flown in those helicopters. I knew what it was like to be there and I felt, as a woman, this would...

[caption id="attachment_26550" align="aligncenter" width="595"] S1 Ron Hiscock drew on wartime tradition and his artistic background to create a unique piece of gun shield art for HMCS Goose Bay.[/caption]Joanie VeitchTrident Newspaper––S1 Ron Hiscock has created a lasting legacy on HMCS Goose Bay, drawing inspiration from the ship’s name and old war movies he remembers seeing as boy with his father. He has made a striking piece of gun shield art, deploying a style of artwork that became popular during the Second World War, most notably on the Canadian Flower-Class Corvettes. Similar to the “nose art” painted on the fuselage of aircraft during the First and Second World Wars, ship’s crews, especially of the smaller vessels, such as the flower-class corvettes, began painting cartoon-style designs on the ship’s gun shield, often coming up with artwork that played on the ship’s name.“I have always liked the way the crew of military vehicles would paint a picture on them for luck, or to show how proud they were as a team,” says S1 Hiscock. “Being a person who likes to draw and paint, they always appealed to me.”Based out of HMCS Donnacona in Montreal, S1 Hiscock was posted to Goose Bay in September 2020 while he went through training for his Marine Technician trade A-ticket Roundsman qualification.Hearing the ship often referred to as “The Mighty Goose Bay,’’ an image of a cartoon version of the Canada goose image on the ship’s badge began to form in his mind. After thinking more about the history of gun shield art on board navy ships during the war, the idea of painting something in that style began to take shape.“I had lots of time to kill living in Tribute Tower in a pandemic,” S1 Hiscock says wryly. Drawing and painting has always been a part of his life....

[caption id="attachment_26547" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Members of HMCS Yellowknife at Chatterbox Falls in Princess Louisa Inlet as they conducted an over-the-horizon boat mission for long range communications planning and a quick shore recce. Personnel from left to right are: S3 Herrington, A/SLt Boerger, S1 Krolikowski, S1 Saygnavong and S3 Belanger.[/caption]A/SLt Jonathan BoergerNWOIII Student––Getting to sail in an HMC Ship for the first time is one of those exciting navy experiences that, for Naval Warfare Officers (NWO), is generally reserved for when you have completed phase training at Naval Fleet School (Pacific) Venture. For the students of the Shawinigan NWO III course, we were able to experience this during our core skills sea phase aboard HMCS Yellowknife, HMCS Whitehorse and HMCS Saskatoon. Being a course primarily composed of Reserve Force members, the opportunity to sail aboard a commissioned warship was unique and invaluable to our progression in becoming Naval Warfare Officers.The core skills sea phase is the first time we were able to put into practice core bridge watch keeping, contact avoidance, and coastal navigation skills that we developed through two months of in-class learning and two weeks of practical introduction at the Navigation and Bridge Simulators (NABS). Although it was exciting and rewarding to put into practice everything we had learned ashore, the most memorable aspect of the sail was integrating into the crews of these three Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDV). Not only did the ships’ companies build a program to support the core skills sea phase requirements, they also included fun and interesting value-added evolutions that enhanced our training and gave us an early introduction to more complex naval operations that we normally wouldn’t be exposed to until later in our training. Over the course of the sail we were introduced to task group exercises, maneuvers and formation steaming,...

Peter MallettStaff Writer––Four candidates of the Raven program briefly left their flock to share their stories. The Raven program is operated by Naval Fleet School (Pacific) Seamanship Division Leadership Section and blends Indigenous cultures and techniques with military training. They have been on site at Work Point undergoing Basic Military Qualification (BMQ) training from July 8 to Aug. 13. After that, they will graduate and decide if a military career is for them.--[caption id="attachment_26539" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Photo by S1 Kendric Grasby, Canadian Armed Forces[/caption]Name: S3 Elijah GilmoreAge: 22Hometown: Brantford, Ont.First Nations Community: Six Nations, OnkwehonweSchool: North Park Collegiate, Grade 12Favourite Activities: Running, weightliftingHow did you hear about the Raven program? I was browsing the CAF website while also learning about the Great Wolf program in Ontario when I heard about Raven.Why did you join the Raven program? Because I thought it would be a fun way to challenge myself this summer while getting insight into a possible career.What do you miss most about home? I definitely miss my family, my dogs, and also having a little bit more leisure time.What benefits do you think a career in the CAF would provide you?My favourite aspect of the Raven program is also what is most difficult for me. The difficult thing is no matter how good I feel I have done at something, the staff will always push me and the rest of the platoon to do better. The schedule is very tight and very well run and they always work to get everything done between the hours of 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. I joined the Raven program to learn about the Forces, but I am also learning about myself and what it means to work as a unit, which is something I am not accustomed to.--[caption id="attachment_26544" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Photo by S1 Kendric Grasby, Canadian Armed Forces[/caption]Name: S3 Frieda HakkarainenAge: 18Hometown: Prince Rupert. B.C.First Nations Community: Gitxsan NationSchool: High School graduateFavourite Activities: Playing soccer, reading, writing and drawingHow did you hear about the Raven program? Through a family...