HMCS Regina and HMCS Protecteur pass each other while at sea.

[caption id="attachment_5654" align="alignnone" width="300"] Members of HMCS Toronto’s naval boarding party board a suspected drug smuggling vessel in the Arabian Sea region on Jan. 17 during Operation Artemis.[/caption] The crew of HMCS Toronto made yet another drug bust after intercepting a suspicious vessel in the Indian Ocean as part of Operation Artemis. Roughly 40 nautical miles off the coast of Tanzania, navy personnel boarded the vessel and found 265 bags of heroin weighing in at 280kg. Cdr Mathew Bowen, Commanding Officer of Toronto, credited the allied nature of Operation Artemis to the success of the seizure. “It is the ongoing collaboration with our multinational partners that enabled us to achieve a positive outcome in seizing illegal narcotics during our latest boarding,” he says. This latest seizure brings the total narcotics seized by Toronto to a staggering 8.5 metric tonnes in 12 months, including seizures of cocaine, heroin, and hashish. The seizures have all been a part of Operation Artemis, the Canadian Armed Forces’ current participation in counter-terrorism and maritime security operations in the Arabian Sea. Toronto has been deployed on Operation Artemis since January of last year; it has been a busy year for the Halifax-based patrol frigate. In March the crew seized 500kg of heroin valued at $100 million. A series of interdictions between May and June resulted in the seizure of an additional seven tonnes of narcotics including heroin and hashish. Then in October the crew made another bust, uncovering a shipment of 180kh of heroin off of Cape Horn. According to Rob Nicholson, Minister of National Defence, Toronto’s highly successful deployment has struck a heavy blow against narcotics smuggling. “I commend the crew of the HMCS Toronto,” says Nicholson. “Their tireless work with our allies in the Combined Maritime Forces has lead to the interception of tonnes...

[caption id="attachment_5651" align="alignnone" width="300"] Centre Ice puck drop at the Save-on-Foods arena during the Defence Team Appreciation Night where the Victoria Royals and the Kelowna Rockets played their second of a two game series on Jan. 18. In front (left to right): Kelowna Rockets team captain Madison Bowey and Victoria Royals team captain Jordan Fiansoo face off. In the rear row (left to right): PO1 Ian Biller; navy mascot Sonar; Sailor of the year LS Dale Armstrong with daughter (and puck dropper) Naomi Armstrong; Director of Civilian Human Resources at CFB Esquimalt Michael Holt; Base Commander Capt(N) Luc Cassivi; Victoria Royals representative Darren Parker, and Victoria Royals mascot Marty the Marmot.[/caption] The Victoria Royals hit the ice of the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre last Saturday Jan. 11 against the Kelowna rockets, and from the stands the Defence Community cheered them on.The event marked the 2014 Defence Team Appreciation Night, where the “Boys in Royal Blue” offered discounts, prizes, and activities to the community they hold so dear.“Victoria is a military town. It always has been and always will be,” says Darren Parker, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales for the Victoria Royals. “We want to honour the connection and heritage while giving something back to our fans in the community.”For CAF Appreciation Night the Royals offered 250 complimentary and discounted tickets to military and civilian defence personnel, 50/50 raffles, interactive displays and a bit of military flair.The Royals wore special Defence Team Appreciation Night jersey during the game, which were auctioned off to raise money for the Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC).“Organizations like the MFRC are the lifeblood of the military community. It’s important to support something which supports so many people,” says Parker. “The jerseys also serve to highlight the connection our players feel towards the military, and they...

When was the last time you took the stairs instead of an elevator? Or parked at the back of the lot and walked the extra 100 feet to the door?As small as it may seem, just walking those extra couple feet contributes to a person’s overall health.To get base employees into the “active living” mindset, the MARPAC Health and Wellness Team is launching the Base Administration Active Living pilot project from February to April. Everyone is invited to the launch party at the Naden Athletic Centre upper gym at 8 a.m. There will be prizes and a short active living demo to get people moving. Active Living champion Cmdre Bob Auchterlonie, along with the BAdmo, Cdr Wes Golden will discuss the benefits of developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for both the individual and their family. Each Base Administration employee will be given a log book to track their daily routine; the goal is to encourage change. A person should be active 30 minutes a day and every child at least one hour. The ultimate goal is to have families active every day of the week.Maryse Neilson, Health Promotion Director for Personal Support Programs, and Chair of the Active Living Working Group, says the families of civilian and military employees play a vital roll in the well being of those on the Defence Team, and therefore should be included in the project.“A healthy, happy family at home is a stronger and healthier front line,” she says. “It has been proven that exercise and a healthy lifestyle can give a person more energy, a clear mind and a longer life expectancy, reducing the chance of developing dementia or other life threatening conditions.”The idea is to create attainable goals that drive people onward to a healthier life. For those struggling to get...

A member from HMCS Toronto’s air detachment examines the rotor head while conducting a post-flight inspection on a Sea King helicopter during Operation Artemis.

Two crewmembers from HMCS Toronto perform a Close In Weapons System (CIWS) unload, taking live rounds and replacing them with dummy rounds during Operation Artemis.

A hull technician repairs a crack in a fuel drip pan onboard HMCS Toronto during Operation Artemis.

[caption id="attachment_5617" align="alignnone" width="300"] HMCS Winnipeg prepares to leave the drydock.[/caption] On Thursday, Nov. 28, HMCS Winnipeg emerged from the Esquimalt Graving Dock repaired and ready to take on the challenges of trials and an operational programme that commenced in the New Year.  Its five week and five days in the graving dock was related to damage sustained during the allision with “American Dynasty” in April. Winnipeg had just moved to dockyard from Victoria Shipyards Limited, having completed a docking work period, and was in the midst of its post docking extended work period when the allision occurred.  “American Dynasty” struck Winnipeg on the port bow causing it to strike the jetty, which resulted in further damage to the starboard side, starboard quarter and stern flap. On Oct. 25 it entered the graving dock to allow Victoria Shipyards Limited to conduct structural repairs suffered during the allision.     Concurrent to these repairs, Winnipeg received maintenance on its sonar, various underwater sensors, and completed a thorough cleaning of the props. Victoria Shipyard’s staff rectified damage to areas on the starboard side, just outside of the oparations room and the main cafeteria, while Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton had repaired the damage done to the port side and transom prior to entering the graving dock. In total, Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton and Victoria Shipyards Limited replaced nine vertical structural beams that form the structure of the ship, nine longitudinals that form the horizontal frames of the structure of the ship, three bulkheads and five sections of shell plating. As well they had to repair two sections of deck and three shock mounts.While the allision of April 23, 2013, setback Winnipeg’s original timeline for commencing sea trials, the exceptional flexibility and superb coordination between the Formation, Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton, Victoria Shipyards...

[caption id="attachment_5614" align="alignnone" width="300"] Changes to the base clinic operations will soon include the ability to book sick parade appointments online.[/caption] In the New Year, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members may notice a few differences at the Canadian Force Health Services Centre (Pacific) (CF H Svcs C(P)), colloquially known as the Base Medical Clinic.To increase the efficiency of unscheduled appointments, all unscheduled appointments will be moved to Care Delivery Unit (CDU) 3 in the Clinic’s main building, as opposed to being done separately under the previous Urgent Care model.The change comes following the Defence Reduction Action Plan (DRAP), a nation-wide restructuring program that imposed new funding pressures and resulted in the loss of several Public Service employees.“We had to look closely at how we deliver primary care to ensure it was as efficient as possible,” says LCol Joane Simard, Commanding Officer of CF H Svcs C (P). “Through collaborative consultation and review, we saw changes could be made so we took the steps toward the course we thought will optimize access to care and decrease wait times.”To this effect, CDU 1 and 3 staff swapped locations within the Clinic. CDU 3 and the old Urgent Care Clinic have combined into a Duty CDU to align support to the Fleet and look after unscheduled appointments.LCol Simard wants to assure people that there will be no noticeable difference in care at the Base Clinic, aside from some patients going to a different area of the facility to see their physicians.“We are still providing the same level and quality of care by the same physicians,” she says. “This is an efficiency and consolidation process rather than a restructuring.”Changes are also on their way for how CF H Svcs C (P) handles its day-to-day appointments. Currently, CAF members arrive at the hospital at 7:30...

Every year, Department of National Defence’s (DND) shelter charges (rents) must be revised to ensure they reflect local market values for similar homes in the local market. This guarantees fairness and equity for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and their families regardless of whether they choose to live in the private sector or in DND housing. The Canadian Forces Housing Agency (CFHA), a Special Operating Agency of DND, manages Crown housing on its behalf and therefore administers the rent adjustment process annually in accordance with governmental and departmental policies and regulations. Historically, rent values for DND housing have been appraised by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) annually. The appraisal was based on a number of factors, such as type, size, age, access to amenities, and general condition of the units. In 2013, CMHC announced it would no longer provide appraisal services for residential Crown housing. CFHA and other government departments affected by this change worked with Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) to establish an interim, fair solution for this year’s rent adjustment exercise. An indexed value for the housing units was determined by PWGSC, based upon the three previous annual increases. Based on the indexed values provided by PWGSC, the recommended average 2014 rent increases for occupants in B.C. DND housing was 2.2 per cent. CFHA then reviewed the provincial rent control legislations to determine each province’s maximum for rental increases this year to ensure families living in DND housing will not experience a rent adjustment that is too large.For 2014, rental increases in B.C. are restricted to the lowest of the provincial rent control legislation limits of 2.2 per cent, or a maximum of $100 per month regardless of the CMHC appraisal value or PWGSC indexed value. In Esquimalt, this translates to an average increase in rent of...

HMCS Victoria is welcomed back to CFB Esquimalt after the completion of Operation Carribe 2013.

HMCS Regina passes by Fisgard Lighthouse as it sails from CFB Esquimalt on Jan. 6 for Operation Artemis in the Arabian Sea region where it will replace Halifax-based HMCS Toronto.

Cmdre Bob Auchterlonie, LGov Judith Guichon, Gen Tom Lawson and RAdm Bill Truelove salute HMCS Regina as the ship leaves for Operation Artemis.

PO2 Lisa Davidson hugs her husband PO2 Tony Davidson as he prepares for his deployment onboard HMCS Regina Jan. 6 for Operation Artemis in the Arabian Sea region.

Chief of the Defence Staff Gen Tom Lawson crosses the brow of HMCS Regina prior to the ship's departure on Jan. 6 for Operation Artemis in the Arabian Sea region.

Lieutenant Governor of B.C. Judith Guichon poses with the Drum Major PO1 Cadet Clark, Lt(N) Jamie Webb and drummers of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps Rainbow for the corps' 95th Anniversary.

[caption id="attachment_5576" align="alignnone" width="300"] MCpl Chris Downey treks along the icy Antarctic landscape with his pulk. In the distance is a member of the U.K. team and the film crew.[/caption] When MCpl Chris Downey stepped from the plane into the icy, hostile environment of Antarctica Nov. 25 there was only one thing on his mind: closure.Along with fellow Canadian Armed Forces member Cpl Alexandre Beaudin D’Anjou and other wounded veterans from the U.K., the U.S. and Australia, he landed at the South Pole to tackle Walking with the Wounded 2013 - South Pole Allied Challenge.A week later three teams embarked on one of the most high profile and toughest expeditions of modern times -  walking 330 kilometres to the geographic South Pole in a treacherous environment. But for MCpl Downey, it was also about remembering and saying good-bye to a fallen comrade. “When I initially heard about the expedition through Solider On I couldn’t pass it up,” says MCpl Downey. “I’ve always had a thirst for adventure and after my time in Afghanistan I had a debt to repay, even if it was a personal one.”Three years ago, on May 3, MCpl Downey witnessed the death of his friend PO2 Douglas Craig Blake. The two were assigned to dispose of an improvised explosive device (IED) located 25 kilometres from Kandahar, Afghanistan. The terrain was so rugged they had to leave their vehicle and hike to their destination. When the mission was complete, they began the walk back to their vehicle. For PO2 Blake one step would be his last. A nearby IED detonated and killed him. MCpl Downey was severely wounded. He suffered shrapnel wounds, burns and lacerations to his thighs, upper body and face, a collapsed lung, a broken and shattered jaw and right hand, two aneurysms, the loss...

If you have been listening to news reports, there are now several areas where significant outbreaks of influenza have been recorded across Canada. It is not too late to get vaccinated against flu and it is highly recommended! Remember: just because you’ve had the flu shot in previous years or even been sick this year does not mean you’re protected. The flu shot does not contain flu virus and there is no way to get the flu from receiving the shot.Canadian Forces Health Services Centre (Pacific) – generally known as the Base Hospital – will continue to provide walk-in vaccination to any member who requests it. Because of the circumstances of this year’s H1N1 strain of flu, we will also provide travelling clinics to interested units. If your unit will be participating in this effort, you should hear from your Chain of Command on the dates and times. DND employees and civilian family members are also encouraged to use local public health resources including flu clinics at community drug stores and public vaccine parades to receive this year’s flu-shot. Affects younger peopleThis year’s H1N1 strain of influenza has produced more sickness in adults aged 20-64 years of age than in the elderly. Youth is no protection from the flu and our close quarters environments – indoor offices; confined ships quarters, busy shops – are all perfect places for flu virus to spread from person to person. The influenza vaccine is an important part of reducing your personal risk of illness and reducing the risk of bringing sickness home to family members. Reducing risk of infectionFlu is contagious very early after a person is infected – sometimes even before the earliest symptoms start. Therefore, one of the best infection control strategies is to limit exposure to others when sick to prevent...

[caption id="attachment_5570" align="alignnone" width="300"] SLt Tyler Cole (centre) conducts routine preventative maintenance on the India Band radar with technicians MS Casey Clarke (left) and MS Nicolas Ferraro (right) on HMCS Protecteur.[/caption] A lot can change in seven weeks, as members of HMCS Protecteur learned during their recent task as the duty tanker for SOCAL Oiler 2013. There were the usual challenges of maintaining a 44-year-old ship, which the crew was up to managing; however, half-way through the trip the Combat Systems Engineering Department had to think outside the box to keep the ship navigationally safe due to the degradation of India and Foxtrot Band radars. While alongside San Diego, CA, SLt Tyler Cole, a Phase 6 Combat Systems Engineer (CSE), worked closely with the Logistics Department on board and at home in Esquimalt to procure and install a new X-Band Furuno radar. SLt Cole was particularly interested in this assignment. “It’s not every day that I have the opportunity to be involved in such a big project,” he said.He has been in the military for two years, but his interest and experience in naval engineering stems from his time as a session professor at Memorial University. “I was completing my last year of my Masters in Ocean Naval Architectural Engineering under Dr. Wei Qiu in hydrodynamics. I taught Advanced Marine Ocean Vehicles and Marine Propulsion,” he explained. Before returning to complete his Masters, SLt Cole worked as a Project Engineer at BMT Fleet Tech, where he worked on the Ice Breaking Emergency Evacuation Craft Project as a junior engineer. Once he finished his schooling, he then worked for the Sustainable Technology for Polar Ship Structures Project at Memorial University under Dr. Claude Daley and Dr. Bruce Colbourne. As a CSE, SLt Cole has the opportunity to use his educational background...

Keely Anderson bids farewell to husband Lt(N) Jeffrey Anderson along with children Troy, Nicole and Pierece, and Lt(N) Anderson's mother Heather Woods as HMCS Regina slips from the jetty at CFB Esquimalt.

HMCS Regina crew members wave good-bye to family and friends as they head out on an eight to nine month deployment on Operation Artemis.

RAdm Bill Truelove, Commander Maritime Forces Pacific; Gen Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff; and Lieutenant Governor of B.C. Judith Guichon wave farewell to the crew of HMCS Regina as it sails past Duntze Head.

Aubrey (right) and Wyatt (left) Doerksen watch as HMCS Regina sails past Duntze Head, carrying their father PO2 Kurtis Doerksen away on Operation Artemis.

A Marine Engineer on board HMCS Toronto, performs his hourly check on the diesel generator located in the Forward Auxiliary Machinery Room.

A member of HMCS Toronto's air detachment walks away after doing pre-flight checks with the blades of the CH-124 Sea King helicopter.

[caption id="attachment_5528" align="alignnone" width="300"] Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton employees put in a combined 27,000 hours of work to ensure HMCS Regina would be ready for Operation Artemis.[/caption] It will be a point of pride for Fleet Maintenance Facility (FMF) Cape Breton when HMCS Regina leaves its homeport for international waters this week.Throughout the warship are the results of more than 27,000 hours of hard work preparing the ship for Operation Artemis, a major deployment to the Arabian Sea to participate in maritime security and counter-terrorism operations. “It is no small task preparing a ship for deployment,” says Lt(N) Mohamed Gudal, Deputy Program Manager for FMF. “It takes the combined efforts of many of our shops to get a ship technically ready, and it’s usually done under a very tight schedule. It’s the kind of work we pride ourselves on.”The FMF team prepared Regina for its operation during the ship’s Short Work Period from Oct. 21 to Nov. 29, 2013; 135 jobs were completed. These jobs ran the gamut of mission fits, new system installations, communications fits, system upgrades, diesel generator repairs and upgrades, and inspections and certifications.“Our ability to work together and provide all facets of a job together is our greatest strength,” says Lt(N) Gudal.One of the largest jobs was the upgrades to Regina’s diesel generators. These generators provide power to the ship’s system and are integral for its operation. “We conducted work on Regina’s diesel generators that implemented product improvements to ensure enhanced reliability for the generators,” says John Yardley, Work Centre Supervisor of the Diesel Shop at FMF. “Necessary materials were obtained, and in partnership with industry, the required work was carried out.” The Diesel Shop partnered with Wartsila Canada, a Finnish corporation that manufactures and maintains combustion engines. They split up work on the generators...

[caption id="attachment_5525" align="alignnone" width="300"] Christine Duggleby reads an Imagination Library book to daughter Ellorie and son Conall at the Colwood Activity Centre.[/caption] Since its start in August 2010, military families at CFB Esquimalt have signed up 329 newborns for the MFRC’s Imagination Library.  PO1 Jeremy Duggleby and his wife Christine’s son Conall has received over two dozen books from this program through the first two years of his life. “We know that reading is important,” says Christine, who describes her family as already having a love for reading. “A book is a gateway to imagination.”Conall is not the only child enjoying the books in the Duggleby house. His four-year-old sister Ellorie enjoys the monthly treat as well, often paraphrasing the stories to her younger sibling.  “My kids love feeling they are getting something special in the mail each month,” says Christine. “For them to have a new book is fantastic. It gives them a glimpse into a new world. It opens them to new authors and stories we might not gravitate towards.”She believes the books available through the Imagination Library act as “springboards” for growth in each of her children. She says it “helps facilitate dialogue” with their children and aids in their problem solving. It also spurs their curiosity. When they read the children a story of how Spot went to the library, they want to go to the library and check out more books featuring Spot.    Andrea Callaghan also sees the benefits of the program for her family. “We love the Imagination Library,” she says. “My oldest daughter associates receiving a book in the mail to reading with her father. This is great when he is home, but when he is away she stacks the books and looks forward to reading them with him when he gets back....