[caption id="attachment_18868" align="alignnone" width="581"] Security Commissionaire Bruce McShannon, an 84-year-old retired navy veteran, displays his impressive collection of military medals, hat badges, photographs and other artifacts that he has been collecting since the Second World War.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~If you frequent the front gate of Fleet Diving Unit (FDU) (Pacific) you likely know security Commissionaire Bruce McShannon as the friendly guy who checks your military ID.But what you might not know about the 84-year-old retired navy veteran is his impressive collection of military medals, hat badges, photographs and other artifacts that he has been collecting since the Second World War. Earlier this month, Master Seaman (Retired) McShannon transformed from security guard to historian and lecturer when he showed off his collection to FDU members in the cafeteria of the firefighting trainer building. “Collecting has always been a passion of mine because it’s a great way to learn about history and to meet new people,” said McShannon as he addressed the gathering.During his one-hour presentation on May 10 he presented a variety of 19th and 20th Century photographs, numerous war medals dating back to the Battle of the Nile and Boer War and First World War, and lead bullets from the Battle of Gettysburg and other civil war battle sites. As he circulated the items around the room for closer inspection by the sailors, McShannon gave detailed accounts and historical references about each item. He pointed out that 40,000 Canadians served for both the Union and Confederates during the bloody civil war conflict. He also gave a brief history lesson about British Admiral Horatio Nelson and the defeat of the French at Aboukir Bay.“Every item I collect seems to have a compelling story behind it which makes collecting so interesting,” said McShannon. “Many of these artifacts help me uncover some of the...

[caption id="attachment_18887" align="alignnone" width="582"] Photo by Caporal-chef Pat Blanchard, Imagerie 2 Div CA, St-Jean/Montréal[/caption]PO1 Evan Beaton, a Canadian Armed Forces Clearance diver, observes during Exercise Tradewinds 18 at the Royal Bahamas Defense Force base in Nassau, Bahamas, June 4.

[caption id="attachment_18890" align="alignnone" width="582"] Photo by Corporal Tony Chand, Formation Imaging Services[/caption]Canadian Armed Forces members pose for a group photo on the flight deck for Canada Day on board HMCS St. John’s during Operation Reassurance in the Mediterranean Sea, May 28.

[caption id="attachment_18863" align="alignnone" width="581"] HMCS Vancouver (left) and Her Majesty’s Australian Ship Toowoomba (right) align during Operation Projection Asia Pacific in the Timor Sea, May 28. Photo by MCpl Brent Kenny, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]SLt Kyle Deveau, HMCS Vancouver ~HMCS Vancouver recently concluded a visit Changi Naval Base, Singapore, during Operation Projection Asia-Pacific from May 16 to 23. “Vancouver had a very successful port visit to Singapore,” said Commander Christopher Nucci, Vancouver Commanding Officer. “It was a great experience for the crew and I’m proud to have helped make connections with counterparts and others in Singapore that will help to promote peace and security in the region.”The ship hosted a variety of events, including ship tours for Canadian military and government workers whose families are currently posted to Singapore. Canadian High Commissioner, Nancy Lynn McDonald, dropped by for a visit. The crew hosted a reception for the High Commissioner and her entourage, and other VIPs and dignitaries.Approximately 30 members of the crew participated in an outreach program with MINDS (Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore) that took place at Eunos Training and Development Centre. During this day-long event, the crew joined students and staff to sing songs, play games, cook food, and enjoy each other’s company.“Our sailors had a very enjoyable visit with the clients and were well received by members of the public who approached us and thanked us for our involvement in their community,” said Petty Officer First Class Stephen Rownd. “Knowing they can make a difference in the lives of others empowers our crew to pursue volunteer opportunities abroad as well as at home.”Vancouver and its crew are in Australia in order to resupply, refuel, and get ready for the next stretches of Operation Projection.

[caption id="attachment_18860" align="alignnone" width="581"] Lieutenant-Commander (Retired) Mark Cunningham (left) and Master Corporal (Retired) Lutz Stelzner take their new tandem bicycle for a test drive through the parking lot of the Naden Athletic Centre on May 31. The two cyclists were reunited in Victoria last week and took part in the Navy Bike Ride on June 1. Inset: Invictus Games cyclist Master Corporal (Retired) Lutz Stelzner. Photos by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~When Master Corporal (Retired) Lutz Stelzner cycles he puts complete trust in his friend Lieutenant-Commander (Retired) Mark Cunningham to be his guide for their bike ride. Stelzner, a former Invictus Games athlete, is blind as a result of his multiple sclerosis. Last year he teamed up with Cunningham as his pilot on a specially designed two-seater tandem bike to prepare for Invictus Games Toronto 2017.The two cyclists were in Naden last week trying out their new tandem bike in the June 1 Navy Bike Ride. Cunningham pedals and steers the bike and also acts as brakeman during both training and competition, while it’s Stelzner’s job to pedal as fast as he can. That’s where the trust and faith part comes in, said Cunningham.“Imagine yourself riding your bike at 40 kilometres per hour but you can’t steer and have no brakes. Now close your eyes and imagine it again. That’s what it feels like for Lutz as a blind cyclist sitting in the back of a tandem. I wish I had his courage.”Stelzner, 57, retired in 1994 as a Canadian Army Fire Control Systems Technician. He uses a stationary bike at his Oliver, B.C., home to combat his MS symptoms and to stay in shape. Cunningham, who lives in Victoria, has an athletic background with experience in both cycling and triathlons. He first heard about the Joint Personnel Support Unit’s...

[caption id="attachment_18857" align="alignnone" width="582"] Left to right: Outgoing Formation Chief, CPO1 Gilles Gregoire; Rear-Admiral Art McDonald, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific; and Incoming Formation Chief, CPO1 Dave Steeves, sign the certificates during a Change of Appointment ceremony at the Chiefs’ and Petty Officer’s Mess on May 31. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A Change of Appointment ceremony last Thursday welcomed Chief Petty Officer First Class David Steeves to Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) as Esquimalt’s new Formation Chief.In a formal acknowledgement of the changing of the chiefs, CPO1 Steeves signed his appointment certificate during the May 31 ceremony in front of a standing-room only crowd at the Chiefs’ and Petty Officers’ Mess. CPO1 Steeves replaces CPO1 Gilles Gregoire, who is moving to Ottawa later this month to take his new post as Command Chief of Canadian Joint Operations Command.In his farewell address CPO1 Gregoire thanked all sailors in the formation for their hard work throughout his tenure.“You always go above and beyond expectations,” he said to them. “I dislike goodbyes, as sailors we are used to them but it’s always a heartfelt moment,” he added. “These goodbyes never happen when you want, but they are also the start of new beginnings.”CPO1 Gregoire, enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in November 1986 as a Naval Weapons Technician, and participated in multiple operational deployments aboard Canadian warships including Operations Forward Action, Sharpguard, Apollo, Unison and Reassurance. He also found success as a training officer, eventually becoming a Naval Weapons Training Chief in Sea Training Atlantic, and Chief Petty Officer of the Chief of Force Development Organization, before his appointment to MARPAC Formation Chief in September 2016.Rear-Admiral Art McDonald, Commander of Maritime Forces Pacific, presided over the ceremony and noted the important responsibilities of the Formation Chief, who is the senior most non-commissioned...

[caption id="attachment_18854" align="alignnone" width="581"] HMCS Oriole departs Halifax for the 2018 Great Lakes Deployment on May 29.[/caption]Ryan Melanson, Trident Newspaper ~The latest ship to join Canadian Fleet Atlantic also happens to be the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) longest serving commissioned vessel. HMCS Oriole, Canada’s navy tall ship, was inducted into the fleet with a small ceremony at HMC Dockyard on May 29, just minutes before the ship and its crew departed Halifax for the St. Lawrence Seaway and the 2018 Great Lakes Deployment.Oriole, built in 1921, was donated to the RCN and commissioned in 1952. It is essentially an ambassador ship for the navy, used for public outreach and training junior sailors. The 31-metre tall sailing ketch was previously based at CFB Esquimalt, and the goal in transferring it to the East Coast is to give a different segment of the Canadian population a chance to enjoy the history and heritage that Oriole offers. This began in 2017, when the ship first made the daunting 16,000 sail to Halifax for the Rendez-vous Tall Ships Regatta, and continues now with the ship as an official member of the Fleet, led by Commanding Officer, LCdr Drew Foran.“The Great Lakes is an outreach mission, and we’ll be conducting 14 different port visits as we sail from Halifax all the way to Windsor, Ontario and back,” LCdr Foran said.Deployments to the Great Lakes region in the summertime have been a regular RCN activity for decades, often involving port visits, community activities, and day sails on larger ships, and other methods of introducing Canadians who live away from the East or West Coasts to their navy and its highly-trained personnel. “This ship is really a means of delivering the sailors who are part of today’s Royal Canadian Navy to Canadians, to allow them to tell their...

[caption id="attachment_18850" align="alignnone" width="582"] LS Sarah Trull, LS Jason Rupke, and LS Dan Bussel, members of the Naval Security team, supervise the loading of their equipment into a C17 Globemaster.The plane transported the equipment and members to Fiji for their Force Protection role in Operation Projection. Photo by Lt(N) Melissa Kia[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Canada’s Naval Security Team (NST) have commenced a five-week deployment to provide force protection for HMCS Vancouver on its upcoming port visit to Fiji. Approximately 54 members of the NST will fly to the South Pacific’s scenic archipelago from Victoria International Airport aboard a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) air bus this week. Their deployment is part of Operation Projection, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) operation to conduct training, exercises and engagements with foreign navies and other international security partners.The NST provides naval reservists opportunities for real-world, expeditionary operations around the world. Their primary activities will be supporting the security needs of Vancouver and its crew, at sea and on land, by providing protection from threats with the Republic of Fiji Navy at controlled access points, said Lieutenant (Navy) Kay van Akker, NST Executive Officer. “The mandate of the NST is mission dependent based on identified security needs of Canadian warships going into foreign ports,” said Lt(N) van Akker. “We work across multiple units and branches of the Canadian Armed Forces to achieve this goal.” Prior to their deployment, the NST completed five weeks of training in Victoria. The group is comprised of six full-time reservists based in Esquimalt, with the remainding 65 made up of Class ‘A’ Naval Reservists representing 18 Naval Reserve Divisions across Canada. The CAF already has boots on the ground in Fiji, with a CAF advance party of 15 navy logisticians and army engineers who set up accommodations for the NST, including...

NCdt S.L. Delaney, Contributor ~Two weeks ago, representatives from the cyber security industry visited Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC). They began their day by exploring Venture Division’s training facilities and engaging in a series of information sessions. Staff in the Navigation and Bridge Simulator (NABS) described the training system capabilities to the visitors, and aspiring naval warfare officers brought the NABS to life with a real-time training exercise. Venture instructors and the cyber security specialists discussed the cyber security requirements unique to naval fleet operations. “When it comes to cyber security, it’s going to take everyone,” said Gary Perkins, the Government of British Columbia’s Chief Information Security Officer. “In order to protect our networks, we have to proactively address threats. The Government of B.C. alone sees 240 million unauthorized access attempts per day.”After a few briefs at MARPAC, visitors boarded HMCS Calgary for a tour with the crew who highlighted the communications and monitoring equipment throughout the ship. “When I transitioned to the civilian side of cyber security, my military background provided me with a holistic perspective of security,” said Christine Wilson-White, a Telus security consultant and a former communication electronics engineering officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force.  “Because of my experiences, I’m able to consider physical and cyberspace threats as different pieces of the same system.”The future of cyber security within the Canadian Armed Forces is a focus of Canada’s new defence policy - Strong, Secure, Engaged - which names cyberspace as a critical component of modern military operations and a recognized domain for operations, comparable to air, sea, land, and space. Canada’s cyber security considerations extend beyond national initiatives. As Deputy Secretary General of NATO, Rose Gottemoeller shared at a convention earlier this year in Brussels that “NATO must be able to operate effectively in a new and constantly...

[caption id="attachment_18824" align="alignnone" width="582"] Rear Admiral John Martin, New Zealand Chief of the Navy, shakes hands with Leading Seamanship Combat Specialist Emily Maxwell during his visit to the Naval Boarding Party cell at Work Point. He was in town to see the progression of the Te Kaha refit.[/caption]SLt M.X. Déry, MARPAC PA Office ~Last week, 18 sailors graduated from the Naval Boarding Party (NBP) course at Work Point. The graduation number was unusually high this time around, but that stemmed from eight Royal New Zealand Navy completing the training.They are in Victoria as their ship HMNZS Te Kaha is alongside Seaspan Shipyard undergoing a midlife refit.The opportunity to undergo this highly sought after training was not to be missed. One of the primary roles of a navy during an operational deployment is maritime interdiction operations, and specially trained NBP teams are the ones to board and search commercial vessels of interest. The five-week intensive course covered small arms handling, close-quarters combat, search procedures, and interview techniques. Trainees spent days at the shooting range to improve their weapon proficiency, and weeks in the indoor trainer building scaling and searching sea containers and interviewing mock suspects.“Back in New Zealand they talk about this course as the bee’s knees,” said Leading Seamanship Combat Specialist (LSCS) Emily Maxwell. “Everyone wants to do this course, so they fight for the opportunity to come here and do it.”The course, she says, will help in the performance of her duties as boarding ships is a big part of her trade.“I feel a lot more confidant and competent in that aspect of my job,” said LSCS Maxwell.Even for seasoned sailors with boarding experience the course is not easy. She said it was tough physically, but more importantly trainees need mental toughness. “You need that mental fortitude of not giving up,”...

Jon Chabun, MFRC ~If you are a parent experiencing a deployment this summer, the Esquimalt Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) invites you to participate in a new online pilot program. Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) Online is for parents wanting more parenting tools and strategies but need a flexible format that fits their schedule. This pilot program marks the first time Triple P will be delivered online to support a deployment.    “Triple P is helpful for those day-to-day parenting challenges,” said Pauline Sibbald, social worker at the MFRC. “If you have concerns about behaviour and want to maintain a healthy, positive relationship with your child, you can benefit from the program.”    The MFRC is specifically looking for families experiencing a deployment such as the upcoming RIMPAC exercise or HMCS Vancouver’s current deployment.“We really want community members to help us evaluate the effectiveness of the online version,” said Sibbald. “It will help inform future programming and a flexible service delivery model.”In collaboration with Triple P Canada, MFRC has access to 20 licenses available for Triple P Online for parents of children aged four to 12. An additional five licenses are available for those wanting to take the course in French and another five for parents of teens age 13 to 16. Each participant will receive a unique login and password to access the program. Material in the Triple P online course is separated into eight modules that take between 60 to 90 minutes to complete. You can start a module one day and pick up where you left off at a later time. The pilot program is giving each parent 16 weeks to complete the coursework. Triple P Online will start the week of June 18 to 25 and run until October 8 to 15. Once an account is created, participants will have two weeks to activate...

[caption id="attachment_18815" align="alignnone" width="581"] Security Commissionaire and Royal Canadian Navy veteran Gerry Ratchford at his post at the Fleet Maintenance Facility security booth. The 90-year-old recently celebrated his 90th birthday. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~If you are passing by the Fleet Maintenance Cape Breton security gate don’t forget to wish Commissionaire Gerry Ratchford a Happy Birthday. Major (Retired) Gerard Lawrence Ratchford celebrated his 90th birthday last Thursday. Instead of opting for retirement Ratchford still works his regular full-time Monday to Friday security job. “I love the interaction. Going to work gives me something to look forward to and keeps me busy,” said Ratchford. He and his security booth co-worker Corporal (Retired) Austin Henneberry, 81, have been working together for six years. The two are kept busy checking identifications and monitoring the comings and goings at CFB Esquimalt’s industrial complex in HMC Dockyard. Henneberry enjoyed a 13-year career in Canada’s army and marvels at Ratchford’s health and level of fitness. “When I first met Gerry he took me for a tour around the base, and I was panting,” said Henneberry. “As I was busy catching my breath after my third set of stairs he joked to me and said ‘We don’t take elevators’.” While his longevity may seem remarkable to most and a cause for celebration, ahead of his birthday Ratchford said he really wasn’t expecting much of a fuss over milestone marker Number 90. “No special plans, it’s just another day to me because I don’t make a big deal about birthdays,” he said. “If someone gives me a card or a slice of cake I would be pleasantly surprised.”His humble, down-to-earth outlook may have something to do with his military career that spanned more than 40 years and included service to Canada’s Merchant Navy, Royal Canadian Navy,...

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Two naval officers from CFB Esquimalt have captured three of five achievement awards in the Royal Canadian Navy category for the Canadian Armed Forces sports awards program.The 2017 RCN Sports Achievement Awards were announced May 18 in Ottawa and Lieutenant (Navy) Krista Seguin, who works for Base Administration, made it a double play when she was named Female Athlete of the Year and Coach of the Year. Also capturing top honours is Lt(N) Nicholas Lightbody of Base Information Services, who took the title for Male Athlete of the Year. Lt(N) Seguin was being recognized for her participation on the sitting volleyball team and her gold-medal performance in powerlifting at Invictus Games Toronto 2017, and for her coaching of the CFB Esquimalt Tritons women’s volleyball team. The Base Accommodations Officer suffers from a medical condition in her right leg coupled with many complications and is in the process of being medically released from the Canadian Armed Forces. “Being acknowledged with two awards was very surprising and also inspiring for me since I am someone who has had an injury and lots of setbacks along the way in my recovery,” said Lt(N) Seguin. “I don’t play for recognition like this, but instead for my passion and efforts to help others achieve their goals.” She was named Invictus Games 2018 sitting volleyball coach earlier this year by the Soldier On program. This week she is off to Ottawa to coach the Invictus team in a display match at a Volleyball Nations League tournament where her team will face Canada’s Paralympic team. Lt(N) Lightbody - a successful long-distance runner, swimmer and triathlete - is a former Combat Systems Engineer. He currently working for BIS and is posted to the Naval Reserve Unit HMCS Discovery in Vancouver. Last October, he finished 26th...

[caption id="attachment_18809" align="alignnone" width="581"] A clearance diver from the Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) conducts a final kit verification during Operation Open Spirit, May 21. Photo: Cpl Desiree Bourdon, Operation Open Spirit[/caption]Capt Matt Zalot, Operation Open Spirit PAO ~During the First and Second World Wars, thousands of naval mines were laid by military forces in the Baltic Sea, and in waters around the world. It was a tool to cripple shipping and hinder ship movement in order to gain a strategic advantage in the conflict. This, combined with aerial bombardment and naval gunfire, resulted in potentially dangerous pieces on unexploded ordnance (UXO) being left off the shores of the three Baltic nations – Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. These relics of war still pose a risk to commercial shipping and fishing.Operation Open Spirit works to lessen that risk. The annual operation is in the spirit of NATO’s Partnership for Peace. Although it has been conducted since 1997, this is Canada’s fifth year participating. It is also the second time the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN’s) clearance divers have worked jointly with their Allies off the coast of Estonia. Along with divers from Estonia, Latvia, Poland, the UK, and the US, the Canadians—largely drawn from Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) (FDU(A)), based out of Halifax—spent two weeks searching for, marking, and detonating UXOs to increase safety in the region. They also gained valuable experience in a very challenging environment.Lieutenant (Navy) James “JR” Gallant, Commander Operation Open Spirit Task Force, is no stranger to Estonia, and certainly no stranger to ordnance disposal. A member of FDU(A) for nine years, this was his fifth time in Estonia and his third anti-mining operation. He previously deployed on Operation Open Spirit in 2014 and 2015. Along with the clearance divers, his team of 12 also includes a supply technician, a...

SLt M.X. Déry, MARPAC PA Office ~Bike to Work Week (BTWW) has wheeled its way into Victoria this week. Commuters are greasing their bicycle gears and riding to work rather than driving; increasing their fitness, reducing pollution, and improving their overall wellness. Last year, CFB Esquimalt was named BTWW champions, with 407 employees cycling to work. That’s up from 267 participants in 2016. Captain (Navy) Jason Boyd, Base Commander, sees no reason not to win it this year.“I told them last year, you might as well put our name on the trophy now,” said Capt(N) Boyd, who makes the seven-kilometre bike ride to his office each day part. “It’s no first leg of the Tour de France, but it is enough in the morning to wake me up on the way in. Plus, I find it is a good way to decompress on the way home, blow off some stress after the end of a long day.”With new bicycle lanes in downtown Victoria, and the recent upgrades along Admirals, not to mention the ample bicycle parking throughout the base, it has never been easier to skip the drive and cycle instead. “You can choose to ride your bike over driving your vehicle into work, and you can choose to eat healthy. Choose to make time in your schedule to go over to the gym at lunch, choose to take every opportunity to make good choices, to do something more active.”Making those choices is critical to maintaining physical fitness, he says, which has a marked benefit on operational effectiveness and readiness.Last week’s weather in Greater Victoria was pristine and this pattern should hold through BTWW, making every morning ride a joy. “That’s why I love biking,” said Capt(N) Boyd. “I love it in the morning. It’s beautiful, the sun is coming up,...

[caption id="attachment_18802" align="alignnone" width="580"] Chief Boatswain Mate, Chief Petty Officer Second Class Horne instructs members of the refueling team on proper procedures during a fueling layout on board HMCS Vancouver. Photo: MCpl Brent Kenny, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]SLt M.X. Déry, MARPAC PA Office ~Since leaving Esquimalt Harbour April 2 on Operation Projection, HMCS Vancouver and crew have charted a course throughout the Asia-Pacific region, making ports of calls along the way in support of Canada’s desire to strengthen relationships with partners in the region.The ship is currently en route to Darwin, Australia, having left the last port in Singapore. While alongside in Hong Kong, and then Singapore, ship and crew hosted round table discussions with local delegates about regional challenges, and while at sea, they conducted exercises with these nations to perfect working together should an emergency arise.This was the third time since 2007 that a Royal Canadian Navy warship has visited the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. During the six-day port visit, Canadian sailors hosted tours of Vancouver, visited schools and charity events, partook in a friendly sports competition, and laid wreaths at the Sai Wan War Cemetery to honour Canadian soldiers who died defending Hong Kong from Japan during the Second World War.Operation Projection is part of a renewed navy strategy. During the FELEX mid-life ship refit program, Royal Canadian Navy presence in the Asia-Pacific diminished, and now that the program is over, the navy is ramping up its presence in the region. “We’re getting to know these partner nations before we’re working with them in a crisis, because it is too late once a crisis has happened,” explains Capt(N) Steve Jorgensen, chief of staff for operations at Maritime Forces Pacific.Vancouver will handoff the operation to HMCS Calgary at the end of July. “Our mandate is to have a steady...

[caption id="attachment_18799" align="alignnone" width="580"] George Morris, left, and his wife Tanya are joined by their friends Elliott Roggers and Nancy Roggers on The Price is Right set at CBS Television Studios in Los Angeles. They attended a taping of the show on March 5 with Morris earning a spot in Contestant’s Row and on the main stage.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A Queen’s Harbour Master employee waited two months to hear the words “George Morris, c’mon down” echo from his television set. Last Thursday, friends and family gathered around the TV with Chief Petty Officer (Retired) George Morris to watch his appearance on The Price Is Right and win $9,400 (U.S.) in cash and prizes.The live show took place March 5 after Morris, his wife Tanya and two friends applied and received tickets to the show. They travelled to Los Angeles as part of a vacation. Morris eventually earned himself a spot in Contestant’s Row after passing a screening test from the show’s judges. He and the other contestants were interviewed by the show’s production staff prior to the taping but had no idea when or if their name would be called. “I have some hearing difficulties, so I had no idea my name was called. My wife and friends were jumping around, saying ‘it’s you, they called your name’,” said Morris, 55. “After I realized they had called my name I was taken aback and thought ‘Oh my Gosh, this is really happening! They actually called my name’ and from that point on the nervousness was gone and off to Contestant’s Row I went. Like a typical Canadian, I was in it to win it.”He would eventually find himself on stage after successfully bidding on a collection women’s watches valued at $1,400. He bid $1 over the highest bid to win...

[caption id="attachment_18781" align="alignnone" width="582"] Commanding Officer of the Naval Security Team, Lieutenant Commander Michael Wills (left), is congratulated by Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific, Commodore Jeff Zwick (centre) during a Change of Command Ceremony on May 11. LCdr Wills took command of the unit from LCdr Jeff Chura (right). Photo by LS Ogle Henry, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]By SLt M.X. Déry, MARPAC Public Affairs ~Lieutenant Commander (LCdr) Jeff Chura passed command of the Naval Security Team (NST) to LCdr Michael Wills on May 11. “I was honoured to be chosen for such a unique opportunity,” said LCdr Chura, “I look back in awe at what we have accomplished.”In his remarks prior to handing over command, LCdr Chura was thankful for all the hard work put in by the NST over the last two years.“I was impressed by the energy, enthusiasm and drive of everyone involved,” he said.Speaking as CO of the unit for the first time, LCdr Wills emphasized that he is open and ready to support them.“I look forward to the challenge of bringing to fruition the vision of NST,” he said. “Flexibility will be key to providing the Royal Canadian Navy with a deployable and capable security force.”LCdr Wills was, until recently, the commanding officer of HMCS Oriole, in which he sailed from CFB Esquimalt, through the Panama Canal to CFB Halifax, covering over 16,000 km.This year, the NST returned from Denmark where they supported the deployment of HMCS St. John’s on Op Reassurance. Members are currently training for deployments to Fiji and Greece in the coming months. NST members are trained to conduct local force protection operations to address asymmetrical threats in and around sea ports where RCN ships may be located.

[caption id="attachment_18791" align="alignnone" width="580"] Photo by MCpl Brent Kenny, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]LS Reves and LS Hofing operate the .50 caliber Heavy Machine Gun on board HMCS Vancouver as the ship prepares to enter Singapore during Operation Projection Asia Pacific, May 16.

[caption id="attachment_18788" align="alignnone" width="580"] Photo by MCpl Brent Kenny, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]Lieutenant Commander Gautreau, Executive Officer on board HMCS Vancouver, talks with a member of the Rapid Attack Team during an emergency stations training exercise during Operation PROJECTION Asia Pacific, May 23.

[caption id="attachment_18785" align="alignnone" width="580"] Photo by MCpl Brent Kenny, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]The “Battle Ensign” of the Royal Canadian Navy blows in the wind on board HMCS Vancouver as the ship prepares to enter Singapore during Operation Projection Asia Pacific, May 16.

[caption id="attachment_18778" align="alignnone" width="582"] Members of the 443 Helicopter Squadron Times Colonist 10K Run team.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Runners from 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron surprised everyone, including themselves, with a fifth-place finish in the Team category of the Times Colonist 10K race this year. The Hornets celebrated an average time of 46:36, the top finish in the Police, Fire and Military category and better than 172 other teams registered in the annual race through the streets of downtown Victoria on April 29.The North Saanich-based squadron took an unlikely path to the top of the race standings. They normally enter a team every year, but didn’t in 2017 after the previous team convenor transferred to another base. Hornets Team Captain Sergeant Richard Jomha agreed to take over team convening duties this year, but suffered an achilles tendon injury days ahead of the race. Those factors, coupled with a roster shortage, put their chances for success in doubt, said Sgt Jomha.“We had three members join  just days before the race, but we were finally able to put a team together,” he said. “We were hoping to have good results, but had no idea we would do so well in such a large field of teams.” Sgt Jomha’s wife, Nikki, and son, Spencer, a late edition to the 15-person team, were critical to the victory. Spencer was runner up for best time on the team, finishing the course in 44:29 while Nikki had the fifth best finish on the team, crossing the finish line at 46:20. Captain Brandon Philp had the top individual time for the Hornets at 42:10, good for 23rd place in the Male 25 to 29 category. The top male and female finishers from the Hornets, Capt Philp and Nikki Jomha, will have their names engraved on the squadron’s own race...

[caption id="attachment_18775" align="alignnone" width="582"] AB Bridgett Doucett, a NESOP in HMCS Montreal, is a mentor for this year’s Canadian Forces Aboriginal Entry Program in Halifax. Photo by Mona Ghiz, MARLANT PA[/caption]Ryan Melanson, Trident Staff ~When AB Bridgett Doucett signed up for the Canadian Forces Aboriginal Entry Program (CFAEP), she knew she was interested in a military career, but the CAF environment and culture were foreign to her. An introduction to the military, in the form of the paid three-week program, was a welcome way to ease that transition. Just a few years later, she’s now a trained NESOP and Fire Control Operator. She’s sailed overseas to NATO exercises, toured Cuba and South America, and recently got her first promotion to the rank of Able Seaman. There have been plenty of challenges along the way, but the experience of getting paid to travel the world, learn new skills and bond with shipmates has been an overwhelmingly positive one, she said.“It’s about the things you get to see and do, and the special moments that you experience at sea. It’s just something that I don’t think you can get with any other job.”Now, she’s giving back to the program that introduced her to the CAF, serving as a mentor with this year’s CFAEP participants, who are taking part in the program in Halifax from May 4-25.“I’m really happy to be a part of the program again,” AB Doucett said.“It helped so much in preparing me for basic training. We learned how to make our beds, we learned how to do drill, and we just started to get some understanding of the military,” she added.Participants also tour different units in the area and get a taste for each CAF environment with activities like day sails, helicopter and LAV rides, a day spent living in...

Greater Victoria Bike to Work Week (BTWW) is back May 28 – June 3! CFB Esquimalt is proud to be a part of this community initiative that supports healthy living and an active lifestyle. There will be an array of activities leading up to and during the week.28 MayBTWW begins!30 May PSP Recreation Celebration Stations at the Canex and MP gates from 6-8 a.m. Free breakfast. Velofix on site at Naden entrance for Minor bike adjustments31 May BTWW Celebration Station where you can stop for photos, snacks coffee and more.1 June Navy Bike Ride, join us for a fun community ride that ends at the Naden Drill Shed with food, coffee and prizes! Register for the Navy Bike Ride at http://navybikeride.ca/shadow_ride/hmcs-malahat.If that wasn’t enough free stuff for you, don’t forget to register yourself on the BTWW website for your chance to win a trip to Portugal! Make sure you choose MARPAC as your organization and then find your team. If your team isn’t listed, you can make one and encourage your coworkers to sign up. Full details and registration at https://www.biketowork.ca/victoria

[caption id="attachment_18767" align="alignnone" width="582"] HMCS Vancouver Commanding Officer, Commander Christopher Nucci, Coxswain Chief Petty Officer First Class Steve Wist and members of the ship’s company present Kids4Kids with a donation of $2,500, made possible by Boomer’s Legacy. Photo by MCpl Brent Kenny, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]SLt Jordan Bornholdt, HMCS Vancouver ~One of HMCS Vancouver’s objectives while deployed on Operation Projection is to contribute to outreach activities coordinated through organizations that empower children to make positive change in their community. During the ship’s port visit in Hong Kong, Vancouver was proud to make a donation to Kids4Kids, a non-profit organization that supports literacy development and youth empowerment. Kids4Kids has partnered with over 65 schools, 40 charity organizations, and has involved over 15,500 students.Vancouver’s contribution to Kids4Kids objectives was made possible by the Boomer’s Legacy Fund. Named after Corporal Andrew “Boomer” Eykelenboom, who was tragically killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan, the fund helps men and women in uniform have a positive impact on the communities they visit while deployed. The money provided by Boomer’s Legacy Fund helps ensure that Andrew’s humanitarian spirit lives on. Vancouver was proud to emulate Andrew’s example by creating a positive legacy with Kids4Kids in Hong Kong.While onboard to receive their donation, children and staff from Kids4Kids were given a tour of the ship with displays from the Naval Boarding Party, Ship’s Dive Team, and the Damage Control Organization.

[caption id="attachment_18764" align="alignnone" width="582"] Left: CWO (ret’d) Darcy Eggleston in his BC Sherriff’s Superintendent dress tunic and service medals. Right: Eggleston (left) paddles with his Maple Bay Ocean Canoe Club outrigger team during a March 4, 2017 race on the Gorge Waterway.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Despite being in the army for 22 years, Warrant Officer (retired) Darcy Eggleston is proving he’s as at home on the water as any seasoned sailor.The former military policeman has spent much of the past four years on the water to help manage PTSD symptoms he suffers following events he witnessed during peace keeping and overseas missions in the 1980s and 1990s.This week Eggleston will step up his water therapy another notch. He’ll be learning to sail in preparation for the Swiftsure Yacht Race. He and three other members of the Soldier On Program are part of Her Majesty’s Sail Training Vessel Goldcrest’s racing team for the annual event.Soldier On, a Joint-Personnel Support Unit-run program, provides athletic and recreational opportunities for ill and injured serving and retired personnel to assist in their recovery process.“The therapy for me is getting out on the water and the open ocean with its rolling waves. It has a calming effect on me,” said Eggleston who now works as the Vancouver Island Superintendent with the B.C. Sherriff Service.Eggleston, 58, was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder two years ago and says the sport of paddling has proved to be a sure-fire remedy for him. He’s convinced that introducing the new challenge of sailing into his life will help him continue to plot a course to better health. “Even before I had been officially diagnosed [with PTSD] I found that being out on the water in a boat calmed me and gave me a better sense of trust from being part of a...

[caption id="attachment_18761" align="alignnone" width="581"] Commanding Officer of HMCS Vancouver, Cdr Christopher Nucci, accompanied by ship’s Coxswain CPO1 Wist, lays a wreath at the Cross of Sacrifice at Sai Wan Cemetery on May 7. Photo by MCpl Brent Kenny, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]Lt(N) Tony Wright, HMCS Vancouver ~On May 6, during a recent port visit to Hong Kong, the crew of HMCS Vancouver spent time at the Sai Wan War Cemetery to pay tribute to Canadian soldiers who died defending Hong Kong from the Japanese in the Second World War. The island of Hong Kong fell to the Japanese on Christmas Day, 1941, following 17 days of fighting by British, Canadian, Indian and Chinese soldiers. Two hundred and ninety Canadian soldiers of the Royal Rifles of Canada and the Winnipeg Grenadiers lost their lives during the battle and most are buried at the Sai Wan War Cemetery in Hong Kong.Of the Canadians captured after the battle, 267 eventually perished in prisoner of war camps. The Sai Wan Memorial, at the entrance to the cemetery bears the names of more than 2,000 Commonwealth servicemen who died in the Battle of Hong Kong or in captivity, and have no known grave. Many of the names are Canadian.Twenty crew members from the ship travelled to the cemetery to visit the graves and lay a wreath in remembrance. Accompanying them were Deputy Commander, Royal Canadian Navy, Rear-Admiral Gilles Couturier; Commanding Officer, HMCS Vancouver, Commander Christopher Nucci; Vancouver’s COXN, Chief Petty Officer First Class, Steve Wist; Consul General to Hong Kong, Jeff Nankivell. The sailors were able to walk through the cemetery and were given a brief tour by historian Tony Banham. After some words of remembrance by RAdm Couturier, Cdr Nucci and CPO1 Wist laid a wreath at the Cross of Sacrifice, found in the Canadian section...

[caption id="attachment_18758" align="alignnone" width="581"] Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~School District 61 (Greater Victoria) students and sea cadets got down to work last week, taking care of some vital spring cleaning at God’s Acre Veterans Cemetery. On May 17, 30 Grade 7 students from nearby Rockheights Middle School fanned out across the National Historic Site armed with buckets of water and scrub brushes. They cleaned and polished the headstones of 120 military veterans who served Canada and Britain, removing moss and other marks left behind from winter. The students were continuing clean-up efforts that had been started on the weekend of May 12 by members of Esquimalt’s Royal Canadian Sea Cadets and Navy League Cadets. The efforts of the young volunteers were in preparation for this year’s Candlelight Tribute, which will be held on May 31 at 6:45 p.m. The annual ceremony normally has a theme and this year’s ceremony has two. It will commemorate both the end of the First World War and the 150th anniversary of the cemetery itself.The significance of the clean-up and the historical importance of the site had a personal connection for Rockheights student Drew Abercrombie, who’s great-grandfather was a gunner aboard Canadian warships during the Second World War.“It’s good for the community and a good way to honour the veterans. They worked hard for us and it’s time to give back to them,” he said.Classmate Brayden Barber’s parents are both members of the Canadian Armed Forces with many other family connections to the military.“I know the importance of this because I have a huge string of army relatives. Many of them fought in the Second World War and a few of them have recently passed away, so doing this reminds me of them,” he said.Some of the cadets and students who took...