[caption id="attachment_15668" align="alignnone" width="560"] Photo by MCpl Pat Blanchard, CF Combat Camera, DND[/caption]Members of the Christian Young Adult Fellowship of Sierra Leone go for a ride aboard a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat during a visit of HMCS Summerside during Neptune Trident 17-01, Mar. 22.

[caption id="attachment_15639" align="alignnone" width="425"] HMCS Scotian, located on the Halifax waterfront, has been home to Naval Reservists for the past 70 years.[/caption]Lt(N) Sean Ritchie, HMCS Scotian ~Friends old and new are invited to share in the celebration of HMCS Scotian’s 70th year of service to the Royal Canadian Navy and the Halifax region this April.With a storied and rich history, the celebratory weekend will be one of fond memories as we honour our past and look towards our future.The 70th Anniversary weekend will be highlighted by a gala held in the newly christened Tribute Tower at CFB Halifax on Saturday, April 22. The evening will begin with cocktails at 6 p.m. followed by a dinner at 7 p.m. Diners will enjoy their meal while the music of the Stadacona Band satisfies their eardrums.At 9 p.m. there will be a dance with music provided by Halifax’s own Satori.Tickets went on sale March 15, at a cost of $60 per person. If you are interested in attending contact SCO70th@forces.gc.ca by April 1 in order to secure your spot. Dress is semi-formal with an option to wear Mess Kit.A limited edition coin will be also be sold to commemorate the milestone. Further updates will be provided on the HMCS Scotian Facebook page, which will highlight the unit’s history each Wednesday leading up to the event. We hope to see you there.

[caption id="attachment_15665" align="alignnone" width="560"] Photo by Cpl Carbe Orellana, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]HMCS Winnipeg prepares to recover LS Frank Abbot and LS Jeffrey Dunlop as they return on the Zodiac with the training dummy used for a man overboard drill during Poseidon Cutlass, Mar. 17.

[caption id="attachment_15633" align="alignnone" width="425"] Lieutenant-Commander Paul Smith, Commanding Officer of HMCS Summerside, hands out donations to students from St. Edwards Primary School in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Photo by MCpl Pat Blanchard, Canadian Forces Combat Camera, DND[/caption]Alex Calder, MARLANT ~While off the west coast of Africa on Neptune Trident 17-01, HMC Ships Moncton and Summerside came alongside Freetown, Sierra Leone, for a port visit.The two Kingston-Class ships set sail for Africa Feb. 18. While deployed they will work with regional allies and partners by contributing to maritime security, capacity building and enhancing mutual understanding in the Gulf of Guinea region, off the West Coast of Africa.“This is a new mission for the RCN (Royal Canadian Navy) to send two of our patrol ships to Africa to work with a number of partner countries,” said Rear-Admiral John Newton, Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic, before the ships departed. “We do this kind of business with the United States and with our allies in NATO, and I think these young sailors and ships are perfect for the mission of helping the zones along the African coast of reaching a higher level of competency.“We are asked by the government to respond to world crises on a regular basis. What has changed is our ability to communicate, and our ability to put things into the context of capacity building worldwide, helping other navies, like this mission, and responding to humanitarian disasters.”The visit to Freetown was one of many strategic engagements the ships will make during their deployment.“The City of Freetown was settled by Nova Scotians. Freed slaves from the American Revolution that migrated to Nova Scotia lived here, and then in 1792 1,500 of them headed out on two ships to settle Freetown,” said LCdr Paul Smith, Commanding Officer of Summerside.“To be a part of that history,...

In this episode, the Canadian Army embarks on Exercise NORTHERN SOJOURN, we update you on Canada’s renewed commitment to Operation UNIFIER, and we also highlight exercise POSEIDON CUTLASS.

[caption id="attachment_15662" align="alignnone" width="560"] Photo by Cpl Carbe Orellana, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]Crewmembers of HMCS Winnipeg conduct casualty training during Poseidon Cutlass, Mar. 11.

[caption id="attachment_15630" align="alignnone" width="425"] Team Canada captain Bruno Guevremont (centre) holds the Invictus Games flag at the conclusion of the 2016 Invictus Games in Orlando, Fla. The flag was passed to Guevremont to introduce the 2017 Invictus Games, which will be held in Toronto in September.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~Next week 90 athletes for Canada’s 2017 Invictus Games team will use CFB Esquimalt as their preparatory training camp.The athletes, along with 11 coaches and support staff, are preparing for the international athletic competition for ill or injured current and former military members, to be held Sept. 23 to 30 in Toronto.The third Invictus Games Toronto 2017 will bring together 550 athletes from 17 nations to compete in archery, athletics, indoor rowing, powerlifting, road cycling, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, and golf.Team Canada athletes will be housed in Work Point barracks for the duration of their stay.“The team is really excited to be gathering at CFB Esquimalt for the first time as Team Canada to meet their peers, coaches and other members of the support staff,” said Greg Lagacé, Team Canada Manager. “We’re eager to get going and Victoria is the ideal location in Canada at this time of the year to provide necessary training opportunities for these incredible athletes.”Naden Athletic Centre, the Pacific Institute of Sports Excellence, Commonwealth Pool, Victoria Bowmen Archery Club, and four area golf clubs will serve as training venues for the athletes.Morning and afternoon fitness evaluations and training sessions will take place in the gymnasiums along with team practice sessions for power lifting and sitting volleyball.Lt(N) Krista Seguin, a Naval Logistics Officer who works in the Clothing and Small Arms Office in Dockyard, will be competing in her first Invictus Games. Lt(N) Seguin will compete in the sitting volleyball and power lifting events. In...

In this episode, we commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, highlight a recent CAF search and rescue mission, discuss the landmark Child Soldier Doctrine, and recognize the Mercury Global project team’s successful military satellite communications test.

[caption id="attachment_15587" align="alignnone" width="560"] Photo by Cpl Carbe Orellana, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]Members of the boarding party from HMCS Winnipeg prepare their weapons before an exercise on the flight deck during Poseidon Cutlass, Mar. 15.

Since 2014 the Government of France has been awarding their highest medal, the Legion of Honour, to Canadian veterans that participated in the liberation of France in 1944.Many veterans have now received this great honour; however, many veterans may not even know it’s available.The Legion of Honour is a significant official medal equal to the Order of Canada. Living Canadian veterans who saw service in France or directly supported the liberation campaign between June 6, 1944, and Aug. 30, 1944, may be eligible.There is no cost or fee involved. If you would like to apply there is a one-page application form on the Veterans Affairs Canada website or you can contact Guy Black at korea19501953@yahoo.com and use the subject, Canadian Veteran, or send a letter addressed to Legion of Honour C/O 515 – 95 Moody Street, Port Moody, BC V3H 0H2.

[caption id="attachment_15584" align="alignnone" width="560"] Photo by Cpl Carbe Orellana, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]HMCS Winnipeg sails behind HMCS Ottawa as it fires its 57mm gun as part of a firing exercise during Poseidon Cutlass, Mar. 17.

[caption id="attachment_15562" align="alignnone" width="425"] LS Spencer Baldwin is at the helm of Sea Smoke, a Bavaria 38 Cruiser, during the Route Halifax Saint Pierre Ocean Race in 2016.[/caption]Ryan Melanson, Trident Staff ~Being out at sea in HMCS Charlottetown is normally easy-peasy for LS Spencer Baldwin.But change out the warship for a racing sailboat, and then add 40-knot winds and a shorthanded crew to the mix, and easy-peasy is gone with the wind.That was the case last summer when LS Baldwin joined Skipper Captain Mike Evans, a weapons tactics analyst at CFB Halifax’s Trinity, and sport sailing veteran, on his Bavaria 38 Cruiser Sea Smoke to compete in the Route Halifax Saint Pierre Ocean Race.The world-class event is held every two years, with participants racing 365 nautical miles from Halifax to Saint Pierre and Miquelon, a set of French colony islands off the coast of Newfoundland.LS Baldwin is a second generation Royal Canadian Navy sailor, and he’s taking after his father, PO1 (Retired) Dean Baldwin, who has also been active in the offshore racing community.LS Baldwin said he’s been sailing recreationally since he was a child, and had been planning for years to try his hand at an ocean race. When he came back East after a posting to Esquimalt, the timing was right and he linked up with Capt Evans.“I’ve been doing harbour races all my life and I was just dying to do an offshore race,” he said.Unfortunately, a number of factors added difficulty, and nearly cancelled the race entirely for Capt Evans and his crew. An injury forced a highly experience civilian crewmember out at the last minute, forcing them to take on a sailor who wasn’t familiar with the boat, and during the race itself, seasickness rendered another veteran crewmember unable to play a large role.This left...

[caption id="attachment_15581" align="alignnone" width="560"] Photo by Cpl Carbe Orellana, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]Crewmembers onboard HMCS Winnipeg discuss the refuelling at sea procedure, Mar. 9.

[caption id="attachment_15559" align="alignnone" width="425"] Former Su Casa rescue dog Boots looks up from the front door of a playhouse built for him by his owner in his new adopted home.[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~A Canadian Armed Forces member who spends her spare time caring for abandoned dogs at her Shawnigan Lake home has been told she has to move.The homeowner is putting the house up for sale and Petty Officer First Class (PO1) Alana Power and her dogs have to be out by March 31.The sailor has helped rehabilitate approximately 200 dogs since she started her non-profit Su Casa Rescue in 2013.“My life revolves around the dogs and it doesn’t stop with this move, so this has been hugely disruptive for not only my personal life but the shelter too,” she says.The good news is she’s on the hunt for a house of her own. But she doesn’t have the funds to build a shelter on the property. So she’s turning to the community to help re-build Su Casa Rescue.“I immediately knew I needed help and couldn’t build a shelter myself,” said PO1 Power.In February PO1 Power started a Go Fund Me Campaign and increased posts on her SuCasa Facebook page to drum up the much-needed support.She has plans to build individual living quarters for each animal - “doggie-sized condo” with a window and sleeping area.The support from both the military community and general public has been overwhelming. By early March $7,000 of her $50,000 goal had been met. Two people, one anonymous and one from HMCS Regina, each donated $1,000 and this brought her to tears.“I cried because it made me feel that people value what Su Casa Rescue is doing,” said PO1 Power.It’s not just cash donations she is seeking, but building material donations and pet supplies.She became...

[caption id="attachment_15578" align="alignnone" width="560"] Photo by LS Gariepy, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]Rear-Admiral Art McDonald and Chief Petty Officer First Class Gilles Grégoire salute HMCS Winnipeg as she departs for Poseidon Cutlass, Mar. 6.

[caption id="attachment_15556" align="alignnone" width="425"] Members of the HMCS Ville de Québec ice canoe-racing team approach the finish line at the Québec Carnival Ice Canoe Race on Feb. 5. Photo by Cpl Eric Girard, Combat Camera[/caption]Ryan Melanson, Trident Staff ~A team of daring sailors from HMCS Ville de Québec recently competed in what is becoming an annual event for the ship, the Carnaval de Québec Ice Canoe Race.The unique event sees up to 40 teams of five traverse nearly four kilometres of the frozen Saint Lawrence River in their heavy canoes, pushing and paddling through freezing water and over large chunks of ice.HMCS Montcalm sailors, the Naval Reserve unit in Quebec City, have become veterans of the race, training through the winter and entering a team each year. Ville de Québec, however, entered their first five-person crew in 2015, and the team can only manage to squeeze in a couple days of practice each time before the main event.Despite the difficult and sometimes dangerous nature of the sport of ice canoeing, it’s proven popular with the crew over the last three years and sailors have to fight for a chance to be on the team and compete in the race.For the 2017 race, held Feb. 5, the team from Montcalm placed 10th overall, while the Ville De Québec crew were the last group to cross the finish line. But when it comes to ice canoeing, the competitive results are less important than the physical will and tenacity required to complete the frigid course. On that front, both navy teams can claim another successful performance at the Carnaval de Québec.

[caption id="attachment_15575" align="alignnone" width="560"] Photo by Corporal Eric Girard, CF Combat Camera[/caption]Members of HMCS Ville de Québec's ice canoe-racing team approach the finish line at the Québec Carnival Ice canoe race, Feb. 5.

[caption id="attachment_15553" align="alignnone" width="425"] LS Matt Corbett, a hull technician in Athabaskan, was presented the plaque from the ship’s Junior Rank Mess by CPO1 Fred McCrea, who came back to his former ship for the final day sail on Feb. 8. Photo by Cpl Tony Chand, FIS Halifax[/caption]Ryan Melanson, Trident Staff ~As the final crew of HMCS Athabaskan prepared to say goodbye to the storied ship, they took it out for a final day sail from Halifax Harbour with more than 100 special guests.Retired sailors, former personnel, and even a few former Commanding Officers took advantage of the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) invitation to spend the day with the crew and head to sea for a last time.This Athabaskan was the third RCN ship to bear that name, and all three ships were represented in some form during the final day sail.Second World War veteran David Stewart, now in his 90s, travelled from Ontario to be on board. A former naval communicator, he sailed during the war, but it was his brother, Signalman Bill Stewart (RCNVR), who was lost at sea when the first Athabaskan was sunk in 1944. He shared the sad memory of coming back to shore and being given the news that his brother’s ship had been downed by a German torpedo. But he said it was a very positive experience to step aboard a modern destroyer, meet some of this generation’s sailors, and feel the rocking of the sea once again.“I’ll remember this day for the rest of my life,” he said.Gordon Stewart, 82, left the navy as a Leading Seaman almost 60 years ago, and his final ship was the second ship to be given the Athabaskan name, a Tribal-class destroyer. Stewart was a Torpedo Anti-Submariner; he was excited to get a glimpse at the...

This week’s Defence Team News: Ex Southern Breeze, the Canada Army Run, and recognizing Defence Team GCWCC Recognition Award recipients.

[caption id="attachment_15572" align="alignnone" width="560"] Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption]The crew of HMCS Oriole participate in a Pre-Deployment Ceremony at Ship Point in Victoria's Inner Harbour, Mar. 10.

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~The Ottawa-based Directorate of Fitness Team (DFIT) is looking for 80 volunteers from Esquimalt to take part in a high-tech fitness study beginning next week.Armed with electrodes and heart monitors, members of the DFIT Team will study the heart beats and sleep patterns of approximately 600 Canadian Armed Forces members nationwide this year. It’s all part of an effort by the branch of Personnel Support Programs (PSP) and Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) to improve its current fitness strategy following a February 2015 directive from the Armed Forces Council.Dr. Michael Spivock, Senior Manager Health Promotion Delivery PSP and co-author of the study, is encouraging anyone interested in taking part to enroll during information sessions at Naden Athletic Centre March 28, 29 and 30. Spivock says the latest study is a huge departure from standard data collection methods by DFIT because this new study does not rely on self-reporting methods such as standard health and fitness questionnaires, but instead hard science.“It’s the first objective assessment of people’s true activity patterns,” said Spivock.He noted those participating in the study will do so anonymously. Instead of their name, rank and personal details being collected, they will be given a number when they register with the purpose being to gain a general snapshot of CAF member fitness.“Participants are being advised to be themselves and live their lives as they normally would,” said Spivock. “We tell them it is not a contest to see how physically active they are and how they stack up against others, but that we are trying to get a better sense of their heart rate, sleep patterns and how it relates to physical activity.”Studies have already been completed at bases in Comox, North Bay and Kingston, and one was underway aboard HMCS Montreal during a...

[caption id="attachment_15569" align="alignnone" width="560"] Photo by Ed Dixon, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]The naval community showed its support as HMCS Oriole departs HMC Dockyard Mar. 16 on her journey to Halifax, NS, to take part in the Canada 150 Celebrations.

[caption id="attachment_15547" align="alignnone" width="425"] The crew of HMCS Oriole participated in a Pre-Deployment Ceremony at Ship Point in Victoria’s Inner Harbour on March 10. Photo by Peter Mallett, Lookout[/caption]Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~An enthusiastic 20-person crew of tall ship HMCS Oriole has begun their historic voyage, setting sail for Canada 150 celebrations on the East Coast later this summer.The navy’s 31-metre ambassadorial sailing ketch departed Esquimalt Harbour March 16, the beginning of a journey southward down the Pacific Coast, through the Panama Canal and on to Charlottetown, PEI.The ambitious voyage is not only a chance to take part in the celebration of confederation and nationhood, but also Oriole’s first voyage to Canada’s East Coast in over 30 years. If all goes according to plan, Oriole will take 14 weeks to complete the voyage and cover 10,000 nautical miles (16,000 kilometres) says the vessel’s Commanding Officer, LCdr Mike Wills.“I have been an avid sailor for most of my life, so I’m extremely excited to be taking part in Oriole’s journey on the high seas. The most exciting parts of this deployment will be taking part in Canada’s 150 celebrations and also the tall ships festival.”Six days prior to their departure, the crew, senior Royal Canadian Navy leadership, representatives from local First Nations communities, and family and friends gathered for a Pre-Deployment Ceremony on March 10 at Victoria Harbour’s Ship Point. Elder Maryanne Thomas and Elder Elmer George of the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations offered a blessing and song ahead of the journey.The two Elders were then presented gifts of appreciation from LCdr Wills and Capt(N) James Clarke of Canadian Fleet Pacific. In naval tradition, Capt(N) Clarke wished the crew “fair winds and following seas”  while at the same time saying he was envious of the crew.“I am a wee bit jealous...

Three female sailors with HMCS Calgary were asked a series of questions in recognition of the March 8 International Women’s Day.Lt(N) Sara Kucher, MARS Officer How long have you been in the CAF/RCN?I have been in the CAF since July 1999; I was a CIC Officer in Alberta and B.C. prior to becoming a MARS Officer in 2011.What made you join the CAF/RCN?I wanted to support my local cadet corps in the best way that I knew how and in order to be the Training Officer for my cadet corps I had to become a CIC Officer. As time progressed I was able to foster my love for travelling and my desire to work on the bridge of a ship. After moving to Victoria I chose to become a MARS Officer and realize a dream that I’d had since I was a teenager.What is your favourite thing about serving in the military?As cliché as it sounds I love the opportunities I have to travel and get a glimpse of the world and other cultures. However, on a day-to-day basis I absolutely love the fact that I get to meet and work with so many new and interesting people. I’ve been able to grow as a person and as a leader from my experiences with the people that I work with; each person has taught me something new and I look forward to meeting many more people in the future.What is your biggest challenge?My biggest challenge is finding a balance between work and family. I love to sail, but I also love watching my children grow and helping them to become the amazing individuals that they are and will be.Do you have any advice for women joining the CAF?My advice to women is no different than my advice to anyone joining the CAF - just be you, everyone has something to offer and once you find what you’re good at and what makes you happy, keep at it. Never stop learning....

[caption id="attachment_15538" align="alignnone" width="560"] Photo by MCpl Brent Kenny, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]The crew of HMCS Ottawa make final preparations before departing on Poseidon Cutlass with HMCS Winnipeg, Mar. 6.

[caption id="attachment_15510" align="alignnone" width="400"] Photos courtesy Regional Cadet Support Units (Pacific)[/caption]Capt Peter Fuerbringer, RCSU(P) PAO ~For Johnathan Dimalanta and Matthew Lozhkin, there are few words to describe the wide ranging vistas and diverse landscape of Chile.Dimalanta and Lozhkin were among 18 army cadets from across Canada who travelled to  Chile in February as part of this year’s international expedition to the globe’s southernmost nation.“I experienced sights that absolutely left me with a sense of awe,” said Dimalanta, a Vancouver-based cadet from 72 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps.“I haven’t travelled too much in my life, but experiencing the culture and the terrain in Patagonia are experiences I won’t ever forget.”The International Expedition departed Feb. 10 from the Vancouver International Airport with the group spending 13 days in the country, starting in Punta Arenas and working their way through some of the world’s most beautiful terrain in the Torres Del Paine national park.Dimalanta and Lozhkin were among 18 of the most accomplished army cadets in Canada selected to make the voyage, along with Cadet Leaders Amelie Asboth (Ontario), Meghan MacNeil (Nova Scotia) and expedition leader Jeff Davis (British Columbia).The journey included cultural experiences, challenging hikes, kayaking, and field craft. Every day in Chile brought with it its own set of challenges, unforgettable moments and personal rewards for each cadet.“Chile definitely helped me define my path forward, what’s important to me and what isn’t — things like staying connected with people, nature, and the friends I made on this journey are certainly things that matter in life,” said Lozhkin, a B.C. cadet with 1867 Royal Canadian Cadet Corps in Delta.While the expedition took them to some of the most famous places on earth for outdoor adventurers, including the peaks of Las Torres and the glacial waters of Lago Grey, it was the conversations...

[caption id="attachment_15535" align="alignnone" width="560"] Photo by Ed Dixon, MARPAC Imaging Services[/caption]The Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy provides musical entertainment to those assembled awaiting the departure of HMCS Ottawa leaving on Poseidon Cutlass deployment, Mar. 6.

[caption id="attachment_15513" align="alignnone" width="400"] Little Ordinary Cadet Connor Tse couldn’t see over the heads of his Cadet friends until Rear-Admiral McDonald picked him up and held him high above his colleagues. Photo by Deborah Morrow[/caption]Deborah Morrow, Contributor ~This year marks the 100 anniversary of the Navy League in British Columbia, and to kick off the year of celebration cadets from the Navy League Cadet Corps Captain Rankin of Vancouver toured the base and dockyard, and had a sleepover in the Work Point barracks over the March 4 weekend.The weekend included a tour of HMCS Regina, Dockyard, and the base Naval and Military Museum, where the youth received lessons from Navy League Lieutenant Commander Cliff Mah about the history of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).A visit from Rear Admiral Art McDonald, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific, was an added bonus. He chatted with the cadets, asking about their program and giving them a sincere navy welcome. Nine-year-old Ordinary Cadet Connor Tse beamed with delight when RAdm McDonald held him up high so he could see over the heads of his colleagues and view the dockyard landscape.“The navy is now real to them,” says LCdr (NL) Mah. “Spending time with working members of the RCN is the only way to give them a firsthand glimpse inside the navy.”On Sunday the cadets travelled back to Vancouver with a lifetime of stories for their families and peers.Over their three days on the base they learned it takes a fleet of ships to make a navy, which not only includes warships, but other types of ships in support roles. The Navy League Officers gave ordinary kids extraordinary opportunities and will lead the path to the next hundred years of British Columbia’s Navy League.About the Navy League of CanadaThe Navy League of Canada was initially formed in...