How the “brain of the ship” thinks – the Ops Room demystified

Operations Room Officer Lt(N) Eric Dignard briefs officers of the watch preparing to begin their bridge watch on the tactical situation onboard HMCS OTTAWA during Operation PROJECTION.

By Captain Jenn Jackson

Located two decks below the bridge of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Ottawa is a room with restricted access cloaked in mystery. 

It’s called the Operations Room, and it never sleeps.

Working at its stations are dedicated sailors who maintain a 24/7 watch at sea ensuring the ship is ready to fight.

“When you think of a ship, the Bridge is the eyes, the Machinery Control Room is the heart and the Operations Room is the brain,” explains Lieutenant Commander Will Chong, HMCS Ottawa’s Operations Officer.

“All data from our sensors and communications flows to the Operations Room where it is analysed so decisions can be made to determine the best course of action to support the current tactical situation.”

In the centre of the room is the Operations Room Officer (ORO) who has overall responsibility for running the Ops Room. They work in parallel with the Officer of the Watch to maintain the operational tempo.

“You have a team around you that makes sure no information gets missed, and an Ops Room Supervisor that makes sure everyone is on the same page” says Lieutenant (Navy) (Lt(N)) Eric Dignard, Ottawa’s Tactics Officer and an ORO.

A Naval Combat Information Operator (NCI Op), the Ops Room Supervisor (ORS) acts as the bridge between the port, starboard and front rows to ensure the tactical picture is maintained and that the intent from the back row (the ORO and Warfare Directors) is communicated forward.

“As an ORS, you are in the middle of everything. You answer to the ORO (and no one else) to ensure that everyone is, for lack of a better term, on the same song sheet” explains Petty Officer Second Class Hugh O’Neill.

“Directors will operate with their respective sides to brief the ORO for the next course of action or plan.”  

Divided into two sides based on function, the starboard, or right side focuses on underwater warfare. The Under Water Warfare (UWW) Director maintains control of firing torpedoes and overseeing the Sonar Operators. The port, or left side belongs to the Above-Water Warfare (AWW) Director and includes fire control for the guns, Close-In Weapons System and Electronic Warfare.

Working at the port-side systems are Naval Electronic Sensor Operators who use their equipment to keep eyes on the sky and water surface surrounding the ship. The front row NCI Ops build and maintain the common operating picture to ensure that the information on the screens monitored by the ORO, Directors, Bridge, and ultimately the Commanding Officer accurately reflect the often quickly evolving situation.

The final piece of the Ops Room is the Information Management Director who operates outside of tactical operations and maintains the flow of information on and off the ship. This role is even more crucial when the ship is working in a task group and several ships work together, all requiring a steady information flow.

“The most challenging aspect of being an ORO is balancing the current tactical picture, while managing the program, scheduling future legs of the deployment, producing external reports and progressing departmental administration,” says Lt(N) Dignard.

These challenges are similarly echoed by the ORS.

“You have to be calm, controlled and self-disciplined during stressful scenarios and ensure the information is flowing in an orderly fashion,” adds PO2 O’Neill.

One aspect of the Ops Room that is apparent to any who have the opportunity to observe it is the level of teamwork involved, and the mentorship conducted which contributes to professional development. This exists outside of the Ops Room as well.

“As an ORO in Ottawa, I have been lucky enough to have had countless command development opportunities, from having control for multiple Replenishments-at-Sea, along sides and departures of foreign ports, and having control overnight while chasing vessels of interest,” explains Lt(N) Dignard.

“But really, my favorite thing about being an ORO is being part of Ottawa’s Starboard Watch Operations Team. We have been together since the start of the pre-deployment Tiered Readiness Program, and we have made it through Op NEON and PROJECTION together.”

HMCS Ottawa will return from a deployment to the Asia-Pacific region on Operation PROJECTION on 18 December, 2019.

The ship and its crew have been conducting forward naval presence operations in the region as well as conducting cooperative deployments and participating in international naval exercises with partner nations since August 6, 2019.

During their deployment they also supported Operation NEON, Canada’s contribution to a coordinated multinational effort to support the implementation of United Nations Security Council sanctions imposed against North Korea.

RCAF members receive first-of-its-kind award

From left, Dick Brakele, Lieutenant-Colonel Mark Hickey and Colonel Dave Moar receive the Assistant Deputy Minister (Infrastructure and Environment) Indigenous Relationship Awards presented by Colonel Mark Rancourt (right) at 4 Wing headquarters on December 10, 2019. PHOTO: Cliff Kenyon

By Cliff Kenyon

It’s the first of its kind, and an important award for 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta.

On December 10, 2019, recipients met at 4 Wing headquarters to receive prestigious Assistant Deputy Minister (Infrastructure and Environment) Indigenous Relationship awards. Colonel Marc Rancourt, from Canadian Forces Real Property Operations Group Command, presented the awards on behalf of ADM(IE).

The awards were presented individually to 4 Wing commander Colonel Dave Moar, Lieutenant-Colonel Seane Doell, and Lieutenant-Colonel Mark Hickey, all former 4 Operations Support Squadron (OSS) commanding officers; Major Christopher Horch, 4 OSS deputy commanding officer; and Dick Brakele, 4 OSS range activities officer.

Colonel Moar said the awards recognize the efforts by wing leadership to build such relationships. “4 Wing Cold Lake is very proud of our efforts and results in improving our relationship with Cold Lake First Nations, Canoe Lake Cree First Nations, and a number of other local Indigenous communities,” he said, adding that the recipients have led the way in fostering positive relationships with these aboriginal communities, and are honoured to have received the award.

Cliff Kenyon is with The Courier, 4 Wing’s base newspaper.

Junior Sonar Operators learn how to hear and track a submarine

PO2 Sebastien St-Pierre monitors the Senior Sonar Operator console aboard HMCS Ottawa while at sea on Operation PROJECTION.

By Capt Jenn Jackson

For Sonar Operators, listening is an art form. Not only do they have to listen, but interpret what they hear to determine what is occupying the surrounding waters – particularly if the “what” they hear may be an enemy submarine.

“Being a Sonar Operator means I have to always be looking beyond,” said Petty Officer First Class (PO1) Joseph Rempel, Senior Sonar Operator in Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Ottawa, and a former instructor.

“You have to set yourself up for success. Know where you think the submarine is and, if you locate it, be able to anticipate its movements to track it.”

Ordinary Seaman (OS) Trent Smith and OS Donald Legg are two of HMCS Ottawa’s junior Sonar Ops, having completed their basic trade course prior to joining the ship.

Ottawa’s deployment on Operations PROJECTION and NEON have given both the opportunity to practice their skills during three multinational cooperative deployments – all of which had large anti-submarine warfare components.

“The exercises during this deployment brought everything together for me,” said OS Legg.

“I realized how prepared I was when all of a sudden a line popped up out of nowhere on my screen. I recognized its significance and it was shortly after confirmed as a submarine we were looking for.”

“It was a big adrenaline rush to switch from searching to hunting and knowing my work contributed to success.”

“It is very rewarding and a huge sense of accomplishment when you find something,” echoed OS Smith.

“We are always looking for a needle in a huge haystack, but once you find it, the trick is not to lose it again in the hay – you have to track it.”

Both agree that the most interesting part of their basic trade course was the focus on acoustic analysis, even if it was the most challenging aspect.

“There is a lot of information to digest when it comes to learning acoustic analysis,” said OS Smith.

“In a way, it is like learning a code language – from the sounds you hear and see on your screen you learn to analyse it to determine what type of vessel it is based on things like how many propellers you hear and even what type of engine it is running.”

“Acoustic analysis meant taking a whole bunch of lines and transforming it into a picture of what is in the ocean around you,” added OS Legg.

“It is like picking out a specific voice in a crowd.”

Acoustic analysis starts with first gaining a basic understanding of oceanography – a little-known aspect of being a Sonar Op.

“Listening is one thing, but before we can listen we have to know and understand where to put our sensors, and what limitations they will have,” said PO1 Rempel.

“Knowing how sound will travel through the water where we are located involves analyzing factors such as the type of ocean floor, depth and seawater temperature. An interest in oceanography is an asset for a Sonar Op.”

Upgrades to the underwater warfare suite in the Navy’s Canadian Patrol Frigates were announced in early 2019, a change that will further enhance Sonar Op capabilities.

As a Sonar Op’s work is intricately related to underwater warfare tactics, the majority of it is classified, meaning members are unable to go into details of their work with friends or family. Operators make up for that by sharing their knowledge and lessons learned amongst those in their trade.

“We are a small trade, but a big community,” says PO1 Rempel.

If you would like to know more, or are interested in the becoming a Sonar Operator check out https://forces.ca/en/career/sonar-operator/ or contact your local Canadian Armed Forces Recruiting Centre.

First USAF members complete Sentinel Program

From left, Staff Sergeant Sierra Rathbun, Technical Sergeant Sheryl Ubando and Master Sergeant Jonathan Miller are the first U.S. Air Force members to complete the Canadian Armed Forces Sentinel Program Course, offered by 22 Wing/Canadian Forces Base North Bay, Ontario. PHOTO: Staff Sergeant Patrick Bisigni

By Staff Sergeant Patrick Bisigni

The goal of the Sentinel Program, a growing initiative within the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), is to use wingmanship and tactical-level supervisors as mental health advocates. The program is designed to empower junior leaders to be the first line of defence against real and serious threats such as mental stress, work-centred exhaustion, and suicide.

Staff Sergeant Sierra Rathbun, Technical Sergeant Sheryl Ubando and Master Sergeant Jonathan Miller are the first United States Air Force (USAF) members to have completed the Sentinel Course. They were nominated for the training by their leadership to represent the USAF and build relationships, bringing our two countries closer together. 

“I am honored to have a chance to serve side-by-side with my Canadian military family,” said Master Sergeant Jonathan D. Miller, a Detachment 2, First Air Force, operations superintendent. “This opportunity is truly unique, one that I will cherish for years to come. This training opportunity is a bridge between the USAF Resiliency Program and the CAF Sentinel Program, and is a huge step toward bi-national integration.”

Offered by the 22 Wing/Canadian Forces Base North Bay, Ontario, chaplains, “The Sentinel course is a valuable asset for strengthening the spiritual resiliency of our forces,” explained Captain Justin Peter, a wing chaplain.

During training, the volunteers were asked to remember how important it is to “just listen”, to ask open-ended questions, and to be an extension of the chapel as “eyes in the lines”.

The Sentinel Program was introduced at 22 Wing in 2018 by Lieutenant (Navy) Timothy Parker, also a 22 Wing chaplain. Currently, the wing boasts 66 trained Sentinels who must undergo a full day of training every year to maintain their readiness.

Staff Sergeant Patrick Bisigni serves as public affairs representative and unit photographer with Detachment 2, First U.S. Air Force Unit.

Aviation community says goodbye to Fern Villeneuve

Fern Villeneuve sits in Hawk One, an F-86 Sabre restored in 2009 to mark the centennial of powered flight in Canada. It was painted in the livery of the Golden Hawks aerobatic team, which Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) Villeneuve founded and led. PHOTO: Eric Dumigan

By Eric Fern

Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame inductee and first leader of the RCAF Golden Hawks Demonstration Team, Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) Joseph Armand Gerard Fernand “Fern” Villeneuve, passed away on Christmas morning 2019.

Born in what is now Gatineau, Quebec, on July 2, 1927, Villeneuve joined the Air Cadet training program in 1943. He earned his private pilot license in 1946 and obtained his commercial pilot license in 1948. In 1950, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and served for 32 years as a fighter pilot. His first posting was with 441 Squadron, flying F-86 Sabres at St. Hubert, Quebec.

In 1952, while serving in England, Villeneuve commanded the squadron’s demonstration team and performed several demonstration flights. In 1954, with 431 Squadron at Bagotville, Quebec, he formed a four-ship demonstration team that performed across Canada. In 1955, he began instructing at the Advanced Flying Training School at Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, on T-33s. Two years later he was posted to the Central Flying School at Trenton, Ontario, where he worked on procedures to make forced landings safer. He was also appointed Jet Flight Examination Officer.

In 1958, Villeneuve was directed to form an official RCAF Demonstration Team by the Chief of Air Staff to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the RCAF and the 50th anniversary of flight in Canada in 1959. He personally picked the members for the team, dubbed the Golden Hawks, led the training and choreographed the routine. Villeneuve led the team for two years and performed 134 air displays across North America. On November 7, 1960, during a routine night training flight, the engine failed in the F-86 he was flying. To ensure the safety of people on the ground he remained with the Sabre and did not eject, instead opting for a crash landing. For his courage in avoiding a more tragic event, Villeneuve was awarded the Air Force Cross.

In 1965, he was appointed commanding officer of 434 Squadron operating CF-104 Starfighters at Zweibruken, Germany. Two years later, at the height of the Cold War, Villeneuve was promoted to wing commander. By 1970, he was in Ottawa commanding 414 Electronic Warfare Squadron and, in 1972, was appointed head of the Accident Investigation Branch, an area in which he excelled. He was not only charged with investigating the causes of accidents but also researching human and aircraft factors to prevent them. In 1976, Villeneuve was posted to Bagotville as base operations officer and flew CF-101 Voodoos. He retired in 1982 after an assignment as base administration officer at Canadian Forces Base North Bay, Ontario.

Villeneuve accumulated over 8,000 hours of jet time in an Air Force career that spanned three decades.

In 1983, to support the Air Cadet training program, he joined the Reserve Force and became the operations officer of the Central Region Gliding School. His Air Force experienced allowed him to improve and update training standards in the program. From 1984 to 1987, Villeneuve also served as commanding officer of the Regional Cadet Gliding School at Canadian Forces Base Trenton.  He retired from the Reserve Force in 1992, but continued as a civilian instructor with the Air Cadets for another 10 years.

In 2006, Fern Villeneuve was inducted into Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame.

“Fern”, as he was known to many, regularly flew his Globe Swift until he passed away at the age of 92 from injuries sustained in a car accident.

This article is translated and reproduced with the kind permission of the author and of Skies Magazine, on whose website it originally appeared.

Obituary

Oshawa Funeral Home, Oshawa, Ontario

July 2, 1927—December 25, 2019

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of RCAF Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) Fernand Gerard Villeneuve at the Hamilton General Hospital on December 25th. Fern was in his 92nd year and succumbed to his injuries suffered as a result of a car accident.

Fern was predeceased by his loving wife Lynda Villeneuve (Estlin). Fern had two passions in his life, his wife Lynda and flying.

Fern started his aviation career in 1946, where he obtained his private pilot’s license in Ottawa and then moved on to attain his commercial license in 1948. Fern then joined the RCAF in 1950 where he amassed thousands of hours flying piston aircraft and fighter jets. Fern was the first leader of the famed Golden Hawks demonstration team where he led the team during the 1959 and 1960 seasons.

Fern was also awarded the Air Force Cross as a result of his actions during a night mission in an F-86 Sabre that suffered an engine failure. Fern maneuvered his jet away from a village, chose not to eject and deadsticked the jet to the runway, suffering a serious back injury.

Fern continued to fly fighters after his recovery and eventually retired in 1982. Fern then took his experience and talents and joined the Reserve Force and became the commanding officer of the Central Regional Gliding School for the Air Cadet Program.

At the age of 65, Fern had to hang up the uniform and became a civilian instructor with the program for a number of years, where he continued to mentor new and old pilots.

Fern continued his aviation endeavours where he flew numerous home-built aircraft and actively flew his Globe Swift until the day of his car accident on December 22nd. Over the course of his aviation career, Fern amassed over 14,000 of flying in fighter jets and piston aircraft. Over 6,000 of those hours was in the air cadet Bellanca Scout tow plane and in his Globe Swift.

Fern was inducted into Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame in 2006 and was one of two living people to have their faces on a Canadian coin in 1997 – the other was Queen Elizabeth II.

A private cremation has taken place. Interment at the Beechwood Military Cemetery in Ottawa will be on June 6th, 2020.

Reservist joins Op IMPACT with ‘a strong sense of duty’

By Steven Fouchard, Army Public Affairs

Surrey, British Columbia — Canadian Army Reservist Sergeant Amelia Chia recently bid farewell to the fifth-graders she teaches in her civilian career.

“It's a bit emotional for me,” she said, recalling her final days at Riverdale Elementary in Surrey, British Columbia before departing for pre-deployment training. 

From mid-December until July 2020, Sgt Chia will be part of Operation IMPACT (Op IMPACT), Canada’s training mission in the Middle East. In the role of supply technician, she will work in Kuwait to ensure soldiers receive necessary equipment and supplies before they move on to other Op IMPACT areas of operation in Iraq, Lebanon, or Jordan.

“They get their mission-essential kit in Kuwait,” she explained. “One example would be the frag vest. They come into theatre with a green cover on their ballistic fragmentation vests and they get issued tan covers.”

Sgt Chia is a member of 39 Signal Regiment, which has four squadrons in Vancouver, Kelowna, Victoria, and Nanaimo British Columbia. Pre-deployment training will be her first exposure to the supply trade in several years, she noted, and she welcomes the opportunity to be in the position of student rather than teacher.

“I feel very accomplished in my civilian career but I do like being in a place where I am a learner, where I am humbled.”

Difficult as it may have been to leave her students, Sgt Chia took the opportunity to impart an important lesson in civics and democracy.

 “I shared the seriousness of being a soldier before Remembrance Day, before I had to leave for pre-deployment training” she said, “and how that relates to what we’d talked about in terms of government and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that we stand for. They understand that not all people have the same kinds of rights and privileges that we do. Some of them have come from countries where those rights are infringed upon.”

Reservists are not obliged to deploy internationally but Sgt Chia decided, having completed a Master of Education earlier this year, that it was time to give more attention to the military side of her career.

“I told my chain of command, ‘I want to go on a tour.’ I'm still a pretty young person - I'm only 31 - and I don't have any dependents right now. I have parents who are in really good health, so I think this is a great time to deploy.”

“A life of service to Canada and her people, especially young people, is the strong sense of duty in my heart,” she added. “In both regards, I feel like I'm not done yet.”

This will be her second time in the Middle East, following a six-month deployment to Afghanistan in 2011.

“Given my age and life experience at the time, I feel I really made a good experience of Afghanistan,” Sgt Chia said. “So now that I'm a bit older I’m more resilient and with a lot of civilian experience to contribute, I am really looking forward to making my Kuwait experience a really good go. Not just for myself but also for my deployed colleagues.”

Sailor discusses being deployed during the holidays

Petty Officer First Class Jeff Carter getting ready to dive off the coast of Boracay, an island in Malay, Aklan, Phillipines.

Article courtesy of the Royal Canadian Navy

Most people find it hard to be away from friends and family during the holidays. Although Petty Officer First Class Jeff Carter is no exception, he noted that being “at sea and away from home brings out the camaraderie of the ship’s company and provides a much-needed relaxing break from the operational routine,” said the Naval Communicator.

“One of the great customs of the Navy is the Junior Ranks Christmas Dinner. The Chiefs and Petty Officers, as well as the Officers, decorate the Junior Ranks’ dining area and serve them as a way of saying thank you for all they have done throughout the year,” explained PO1 Carter.

“The tradition also has the youngest sailor exchange rank and position with the Commanding Officer.”

As is tradition, the new ‘Commanding Officer’ presides over the festivities and the new ‘Ordinary Seaman’ serves them their meal prior to anyone else being served.

Though the crew’s thoughts are with their families back home, the focus is on each other in the ship.

“For many, this is their first time being away from their significant others or children during the holidays. For others, it is a change in routine that they need to adapt to. But the crew are amongst some of the best people they will meet in their lifetimes, and many they may not see again throughout their careers,” said Carter.

“Helping people focus on this and the fact that the mission that they are on is assisting in providing a more peaceful world goes a long way to bringing meaning and joy during a holiday deployment.”

This time of year also provides opportunities to be touched and surprised in ways you may not anticipate. Canadians often choose this time of year to express their gratitude for our service members and all of the work that they do to keep them safe at home and abroad.

“As silly as it may seem, the most meaningful gift I have ever received was a letter. While posted to the Naval Reserve unit in Regina, HMCS Queen, I was deployed to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as part of a Forward Logistics Site, (and) I received a hand-written letter and card from Lynda Haverstock, the Lieutenant-Governor of Saskatchewan,” he recalled.

“She took time out from her busy schedule to send a note wishing me a happy holiday season and to thank me for the sacrifices I was making on behalf of the province and the country in order to serve in the military. On investigation, I discovered that she did this for every CAF member of the Regular and Reserve force that was deployed from the province at this time. I still have this letter sitting on my desk at home.”

HMCS Ottawa returned to Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, B.C., on December 18, concluding a four-and-a-half-month deployment in the Asia-Pacific region, so PO1 Carter will be home this year with his family for the holidays. However, he will be thinking of those he has spent so much time with over the last months.

“I will arrive a week before Christmas, so I will be home with my family and friends. But I will miss everyone that I spent so much time with over the last year.”

http://www.navy-marine.forces.gc.ca/en/news-operations/news-view.page?doc=sailor-discusses-being-deployed-during-the-holidays/k42zfslf

Holiday traditions in the Royal Canadian Air Force

By Joanna Calder

As do all military organizations, the Royal Canadian Air Force treasures and maintains a number of special traditions associated with the holiday period.

From Christmas dinners to “sticky floors” to New Year’s levees, many of these traditions are shared with the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Army.

The highlight of holiday celebrations is a Christmas dinner that features all the usual trimmings: turkey, dressing, gravy and dessert. But in the Canadian Armed Forces, the most senior personnel serve the most junior. The officers and the senior non-commissioned members don cook’s hats and aprons and serve the junior non-commissioned members who keep unit activities humming along on a day-to-day basis. 

 During the dinner, and perhaps for the whole day, the most senior and most junior members of the unit trade places. This means that a wing or squadron commander will switch jobs and ranks – including exchanging tunics – with one of the newest or most junior members of the unit. The wing or squadron chief warrant officer also trades with a junior member – although in some cases he or she trades with the oldest non-commissioned member. The handover of responsibilities may even be formalized with the signing of certificates recognizing the honorary – and very temporary – appointments.

Did you know?On December 25, 1944, 402 Squadron was stationed in Belgium. The squadron’s Spitfires were out on a late mission when the pilots realized that they would not be back in time for Christmas dinner. Returning late in the evening, the pilots went to the mess hall, expecting to find cold leftovers. To their amazement and delight, they found the entire squadron waiting for their arrival. The dinner did not begin until everyone in the squadron was there.

The officers and non-commissioned members often mix and mingle during the holiday season during what are called “at homes”. Normally, officers, senior non-commissioned officers and junior non-commissioned members socialize and dine in their own messes. But during the holiday season, messes may invite the members of another mess to visit them. Protocol is relaxed a little and airmen and airwomen of all ranks have a chance to see how the other half lives.

Bands and music have always been part of military heritage and tradition, and that comes to the fore during the Christmas season during events ranging from small sing-alongs to full-blown public concerts. It’s an opportunity to showcase the amateur and professional musical talent that exists throughout the Canadian Armed Forces and share some Christmas musical cheer with others.

Up in the far North, the world’s most northerly supply section at Canadian Forces Station Alert in Nunavut has a secret mission – supplying Santa Claus. While Santa and his elves work feverishly to create toys and other gifts, the raw materials have to come from somewhere. Although no-one talks about it much, those raw materials come through Alert – which is after all only 817 kilometres from Santa’s home at the North Pole. A sign has been spotted at Alert that reads “We supply Santa Claus”. Could it be true?

Santa Claus himself often comes to call during the days leading up to Christmas. He may visit serving members in their workplace or spend time with their families – often at the local Military Family Resource Centre.

Or the jolly old elf may show up during a unit’s “sticky floor”.  The origins of “sticky floors” are murky, but the tradition may have started in the 1970s at Building 155 at Canadian Forces Base Rockcliffe in Ottawa. (Building 155, which was demolished in 2003, was home to the Director General Aerospace Equipment Program Management organization and the logistics centre for the forces' aircraft fleet.)

In that more free-wheeling era, contractors would show up near Christmas with lashings of liquor to celebrate the holiday and express their appreciation – a practice that is distinctly frowned upon today. The name probably refers to the condition of the tiled floor after beer, liquor and other libations were spilled on it.

This is not to be confused with sticky buns – any kind of sweet roll or pastry covered in icing, syrup or sticky sweetener – although sticky buns could be served during a sticky floor.

Nowadays, a sticky floor is generally a stand-up social gathering during the holiday period that is convened by or sanctioned by a senior officer. It’s a chance for folks to get to know one another better and perhaps share a glass of Christmas cheer. Mini-golf, played on a course that snakes through various section locations, may be a feature of sticky floors. Sometimes participants pay a fee to play, and the funds collected go to charity.

Other holiday traditions also focus on charity work and caring for others.  Many wings hold food drives or participate in local community food drives, visit the elderly in nursing homes, often bringing gifts and entertainment, share Christmas cheer with hospitalized children and support many charities. Since 2003, the RCAF’s tactical helicopter community has delivered gifts to children at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, and spent time with children who have to remain in hospital over the holiday season. In 2019, this tradition expanded to Kingston, Ontario, and Edmonton, Alberta.

The RCAF also supports the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in their “Toys for the North” program. Since 2010, the RCMP and other organizations have collected toys to be delivered to children in remote and northern areas near Thunder Bay, Ontario, and Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador. The Air Force gives the Mounties a helping hand by providing CC-130 Hercules transport for the toys and other gifts to the two locations.

In Winnipeg, a new annual holiday tradition was established in 2018 with the lighting of a large, outdoor Menorah at 17 Wing to celebrate Chanukah. At the time, Rabbi Captain Noteh Glogauer, a wing chaplain, said it was the first public Menorah lit at 17 Wing and possibly the first in the Canadian Armed Forces.

On a lighter note, the Royal Canadian Air Force shares a unique tradition with their colleagues in the United States Air Force – tracking Santa on Christmas Eve. Members of NORAD in both the United States and Canada follow Santa on his journey around the world, using high-tech surveillance equipment – including Santa Cams. Canadian fighter pilots vie for the honour of escorting Santa as he makes his journey through Canadian airspace.

Once Christmas festivities have passed, the next big event is New Year’s. In addition to parties and celebrations on New Year’s Eve, military personnel partake of another tradition on New Year’s Day – the levee. On January 1st, messes open their doors to visitors, both military and civilian, who greet each other, accept refreshments and wish each other the best of the New Year.

Although the tradition of levees began in Europe, holding a New Year’s levee is almost exclusively a Canadian phenomenon. Dating back to the 17th century, Canadian levees began as receptions hosted by government officials. As representatives of the Crown, commissioned officers were also expected to host callers. Today, however, officers’ messes, senior non-commissioned officers’ messes and junior non-commissioned members’ messes may all hold levees.

Government officials from the Governor General to town mayors still host levees, although these civilian levees are often held in the afternoon – or even shortly after January 1st – while military levees are almost always held on the morning of New Year’s Day.

“Moose milk” may be served at the levees or during other holiday occasions. It’s a distinctly Canadian festive drink served in military messes across the country and around the world. It definitely overshadows eggnog and is a revelation to non-Canadians who encounter it. The recipe varies from unit to unit, but it’s always prepared by the gallon and contains key ingredients such as rum and/or whisky, coffee liqueur, cream, milk, vanilla ice cream, sugar and nutmeg. The exact recipe may be a closely guarded secret, but the result will be thick and frothy – and deadly. Go to any Christmas or New Year’s celebration at an air wing, and someone will have mixed up a batch of this memorable concoction.

As well-loved as these holiday traditions are, Christmas during operational missions may be very different, of course. But efforts are made to spread holiday cheer and serve holiday meals no matter where Canadian Armed Forces members are deployed. Whether at home in Canada, in the deserts of the Middle East, or in the frigid snows of Canadian Forces Station Alert in Nunavut, the men and women of the Royal Canadian Air Force do their best to relax and enjoy holiday festivities – even if for only a few minutes.

All members of the Royal Canadian Air Force wish you and yours the very best of the holiday season.

Reservist Medical Tech says teamwork saved lives in Iraq

A door gunner from the Tactical Aviation Detachment keeps watch as a CH-146 Griffon helicopter flies over Iraq during Operation IMPACT in Iraq on April 23, 2019. Photo: Master Corporal Bryan Carter, OP IMPACT JTF-I ©2019 DND/MDN Canada.

By Steven Fouchard, Army Public Affairs

Al Qari, Iraq — A Canadian Army Reservist serving on Operation IMPACT (Op IMPACT) in Iraq says timely medical interventions that recently saved the lives of one American and two Iraqi troops demonstrate the professionalism of the multinational team he is part of.

“I'd like to reinforce that it's a whole team initiative here,” said Master Corporal Chris Behnke who has been posted to a forward operating base in Al Qari, Iraq, since mid-July. He will continue to serve there until late January 2020.

MCpl Behnke is a Reserve Medical Technician with Edmonton-based 15 Field Ambulance and an Emergency Medical Technician in the City of Edmonton.

He was part of a trauma team that was responding to a “mass casualty incident” on August 10. For reasons of both operational security and patient confidentiality, MCpl Behnke was unable to provide complete details, but the team treated an Iraqi Security Forces member and an American soldier, both of whom survived gunshot wounds.

“My colleagues and myself were able to respond to that situation effectively,” he said. “We had previously done some training with the Americans co-located here at the base, and that brought us to a standard that allowed us to effectively react.”

On August 28, MCpl Behnke was charged with assessing an Iraqi soldier in training who believed he was suffering a heat-related issue. Thanks to his determination that the soldier was in fact having a stroke, MCpl Behnke ensured he was given the proper, urgent care at the American-led emergency facility on the base.

“He presented as having something like a respiratory issue,” he recalled, “but upon further investigation, just going through our usual assessment as you would do on any ambulance call, there were findings to indicate a potential neurological emergency.”

“So we brought him to the American facility and the great team there was very professional and very well equipped,” he added. “They were able to provide any and all lifesaving arrangements. All we did was identify that there was an emergency. They provided definitive care for the gentleman.”

Reservists are not obliged to deploy but still provide highly-valued support on foreign operations. On average, they make up approximately 20 per cent of any deployed Canadian force.

MCpl Behnke is in Iraq to augment a main force drawn from 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry in support of Op IMPACT, Canada’s training mission in the Middle East.

Op IMPACT began as Canada’s contribution to the multinational coalition against Daesh (also known as ISIS) in Iraq and Syria. Canada is currently committed to Op IMPACT until November 2020 and is employed in a wide assortment of roles from operating an intelligence centre to training, advising and assisting Iraqi Security Forces, as well as the military forces of Jordan and Lebanon.

Training is also part of MCpl Behnke’s work on the ground.

“We teach Combat Lifesaver, which is similar to the Combat First Aid course that we teach in the Canadian Armed Forces,” he explained. “Things like use of a tourniquet, aggressive hemorrhage control, airway management, and controlling any kind of trauma to the chest. And also quickly packaging patients and getting them moved to a treatment facility so that they can get the definitive care they need.”

And, he added, the learning goes in two directions.

“We might be providing the course material but we’re also able to extract a lot of lessons. It's kind of an austere environment here so they rely upon improvised equipment for certain things - household items, like doors, curtains, rugs - things like that, that can be used as stretchers. It's been great to work with the other nations. We bounce ideas off each other learn from each other. There are a lot of professional development opportunities that come with this.”

Future soldier technologies: Laser sight trial

Soldiers demonstrate two of the four weapon-weight conditions examined. The soldier on the left holds a heavy configuration that includes an underslung grenade launcher and an LAD; the soldier on the right sports a lighter configuration with only an LAD. Photo: Jocelyn Tessier. ©2019 DND/MDN Canada.

By Internal and Corporate Communications Services in collaboration with the Toronto and Valcartier Research Centres

Over three weeks in August and September of 2019, Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) scientists and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) volunteers, came together at 2nd Canadian Division Support Base Valcartier for the Future Soldiers Technologies Trial 2019.

In three field experiments, they evaluated laser aiming device (LAD) and laser rangefinder (LRF) capabilities, as well as measures of soldiers’ mental workload. The 3rd Battalion, Royal 22nd Regiment – colloquially known in English as “The Van Doos” – took the lead in supporting this year’s trials and providing participants.

“We spent many months coordinating this event because we believe it is imperative that we evaluate first-hand the capabilities offered by the systems currently available,” said DRDC defence scientist Mike Tombu, who was overall coordinator for the trial.

“This was not about testing products, or evaluating shooters. We wanted to gather input from those individuals who will be using our research to gauge the value of LAD capabilities, including LRFs and visible lasers, the impact of weapon weight on shooting performance, and the cognitive workload of advanced navigational systems.”

This article is the first of a series of three.

Valcartier, Quebec — Scientific advances need real-world testing to demonstrate their worth, particularly when defence and security issues are at stake.

Laser-aiming devices (LADs) use visible lasers and near-infrared lasers – light emissions that are invisible to the naked eye – to provide soldiers with alternative ways of aiming their weapons when certain conditions render their primary optic sights ineffective. These conditions can include a low-light environment, or when protective equipment such as gas masks make using the primary sight difficult. The visible lasers on LADs generally come in either red or green, the latter being a relatively new innovation.

“We asked the questions: Are red or green lasers better for target engagement? How does the accuracy of visible lasers compare to optics? Our goal was to assess shooting performance as a function of distance to the target using both red and green lasers in order to assess the impact of laser colour,” said Mr. Tombu.

Anecdotally, he added, green lasers are thought to be more visible than the more traditional red lasers, but tend to draw more power, thereby reducing battery life.

“If the green laser were in fact more visible, one would expect soldiers to be able to engage targets faster and at greater distances than with the red laser,” said Mr. Tombu. “Such an advantage could provide our soldiers with an edge on the battlefield when they need it.”

Mr. Tombu and his colleagues are currently analyzing the data they gathered during the trial.

“If using a green laser instead of a red laser can significantly improve soldier effectiveness, either in terms of effective range or time to engage, we would certainly like to be able to pass this information on to our CAF partners,” he said.

A second task within this trial examined what impact the weight of other devices mounted on a rifle might have on marksmanship. Four weight scenarios were tested: a light LAD; a heavier LAD; an underslung grenade launcher with a light but simple sight and a LAD; and an underslung grenade launcher with a heavier sight with added capabilities and a LAD.

“Modern LADs can also be equipped with LRFs, more capable aiming lasers, and more powerful illuminators,” explained Mr. Tombu. “We intend to use our findings to provide an assessment of what costs – in terms of decreased marksmanship – may be associated with adding weight to the rifle.”

Canadian researcher investigating gender and peacekeeping

Sergeant Marnie Musson, a Medical Technician with Joint Task Force-Ukraine, mentors Combat First Aid training at the International Peacekeeping and Security Centre in Starychi, Ukraine on September 2, 2016 during Operation UNIFIER. Photo: Joint Task Force Ukraine. ©2016 DND/MDN Canada

By Steven Fouchard, Army Public Affairs

Toronto, Ontario — As the United Nations and militaries across the world work toward greater female representation in peacekeeping operations, a Canadian researcher is delving into this little-studied area to shed more light on the potential implications.

Andrea Lane, a PhD candidate at Dalhousie University, is on a year-long contract at the Canadian Forces College where she has been invited to teach as part of its National Security and Joint Command and Staff programmes.

As Director of Dalhousie’s Centre for the Study of Security and Development, she notes she has “long-standing research interests in Canadian defence policy and in particular women in the military.”

As she began research relating to Canada’s part in the UN mission in Mali – where Canadian operations ceased on August 31, 2019 – the federal government rolled out a pilot project announced in 2017 known as the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations, which seeks to increase women’s meaningful participation in peace operations.

While she is generally supportive of efforts to make male-dominated militaries more open to women, Ms. Lane said current thinking on women’s role in peacekeeping may not be entirely beneficial.

“There are a whole bunch of assumptions that are largely untested about women as better communicators, as people who are more likely to tone down conflict versus add to conflict – women being seen as warmer and more approachable by civilians,” she explained. “So it sets a different burden on women peacekeepers that is really about singling them out as different than the norm for peacekeeping, which is male.”

“On the surface, getting more women into peacekeeping is clearly a win for women,” she said. “How can you argue that’s bad? It's when you start looking at the reasons behind that inclusion that you realize that actually there are effects that may make it more difficult for their complete integration. It's not fully integrating them within the military and saying, ‘We want women soldiers because of everything they bring to the table.’”

The UN recently took the step of directing member nations to form peacekeeping engagement teams – soldiers responsible for outreach to civilian populations – with a minimum of 50 per cent female representation. The body of research into the effects of such initiatives on those they are designed to help, Ms. Lane noted, is small.

“Some evidence from the deployment of female engagement teams in Nordic militaries –  Sweden, Denmark – in Afghanistan found that the women who were involved were viewed by their male colleagues as women first and soldiers second and that they needed to be protected,” she said.

“But that was a small study. Rigorous evidence for some of these claims about female peacekeepers is really lacking and there's no Canadian evidence, so actually adding to the body of evidence is one of the main reasons I'm doing the research.”

The contract with Canadian Forces College, Ms. Lane explained, is not related to her research but is a “happy coincidence,” given that it will provide access to female military officers for interviews that will inform her dissertation.

At the time of writing, Ms. Lane was still waiting for a go-ahead from the College and Dalhousie before she could begin interviews. However, some media coverage is already attracting attention.

Word of mouth is also playing a part, and she is finding other potential subjects through her own personal networks and those of her spouse, a Royal Canadian Navy officer.

“What I have found, and I'm very grateful for this, is that women are interested in talking about this because of the way that it affects their professional lives.”

Queen’s Own Rifles coins ‘a sacred obligation’ to their Fallen

New members of The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, a Toronto-based Army Reserve regiment, are given Coins of Remembrance to mark Remembrance Day. The coins bear the names of past members killed in combat and serve as a reminder of the ultimate sacrifice soldiers are sometimes called upon to make. Photo: Provided by The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada. ©2019 DND/MDN Canada.

By Steven Fouchard, Army Public Affairs

Toronto, Ontario — A 20-year-old tradition of honouring 160 years of their Regimental Fallen with commemorative Coins of Remembrance is still going strong at the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada (QOR).

“Members of the Regiment are very enthusiastic and they embrace this sacred tradition as a Regimental obligation,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Lamie, current Commanding Officer of the Toronto, Ontario-based Army Reserve Regiment.

The tradition began with Chief Warrant Officer (Retired) Shaun Kelly during the Regiment’s 2001 Remembrance Day ceremonies when he was serving as Regimental Sergeant-Major.

“During the two minutes of silence, the intent is that you be thinking about the soldiers who had passed before you and your Regiment or Corps,” CWO (Retd) Kelly said. “At the time I had been thinking about former senior Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) who had passed away recently.”

Challenge Coins: a military tradition

Coincidentally, members of the QOR’s Parachute Company had also just taken it upon themselves to produce a set of Challenge Coins.

An informal military tradition, widely believed to have originated in the United States military, Challenge Coins are intended to foster morale and esprit de corps. When challenged by other soldiers, carriers must produce a coin or buy a round of drinks on the next appropriate social occasion if they are unable to do so.

“One of the Riflemen came up to me and asked why there was no coin for the non-jumpers in the Regiment,” CWO (Retd) Kelly recalled. “So I thought about that for a while and came up with the concept that every soldier in the regiment should be carrying some type of Regimental coin.”

Canada’s oldest continually-serving infantry regiment

With the encouragement of both current senior leaders and QOR veterans, the initiative moved forward, drawing on members’ efforts to thoroughly document QOR Fallen throughout the Regiment’s 160-year history. As Canada’s oldest continually-serving infantry regiment, the QOR’s existence pre-dates Confederation.

Each Remembrance Coin honours one of the unit’s Fallen

The first Coins of Remembrance were ready to be handed out on Remembrance Day 2002. The front is an image of the QOR emblem and motto – In Pace Paratus (In Peace Prepared) – and the back is inscribed with the Fallen member’s name and the date the supreme sacrifice was made.

New members are given Coins of Remembrance selected at random, CWO (Retd) Kelly explained, which is symbolic of the equality of Soldiers and Riflemen on the battlefield, regardless of rank.

“The Officers and Senior NCOs don't get privileges. They are out there and in as much danger as the soldiers are. In battle, we all live in the same conditions.”

Successive Commanding Officers carry two significant Coins

There is an exception to the rule in that the unit’s Commanding Officer and Regimental Sergeant-Major always carry the coins, which are passed on to their respective successors. The commanding officer, in fact, carries two.  As LCol Lamie explained, however, this is not a matter of privilege.

One bears the name of Ensign Malcolm McEachern, the first QOR casualty, killed in 1866 during the Battle of Ridgeway in present-day Ontario – part of the larger fight against Irish-American insurgents known as the Fenians.

The second coin honours Major-General Malcolm Smith Mercer, who was killed June 2, 1916 in Belgium and remains the highest-ranking Canadian to be killed in action.

“Carrying both coins is a message to the Officer Corps, and particularly the Commanding Officer, that you must always embrace the obligation of leading from the front and endure the risks of the regiment’s Riflemen,” said LCol Lamie. “And it also serves as a perpetual reminder that your sacrifice and contribution to the Regiment and nation may be ultimate. That level of liability – ultimate liability – is largely unique to the profession of arms.”

Successive Sergeants-Major carry Second World War hero’s Coin

Successive QOR Regimental Sergeants-Major, meanwhile, carry the coin of Sergeant Aubrey Cosens, who was killed in February 1945 near the German hamlet of Mooshof. The Regiment had suffered heavy casualties, leaving Sgt Cosens to take command of the four other surviving members of his platoon.

He sought help from a nearby tank platoon in confronting a group of Germans occupying a farmhouse, CWO (Retd) Kelly explained.

“He actually killed 20 Germans and captured 20 Germans that day,” he added. “The unfortunate part is he was later shot by a sniper. He had a problem and he found the solution was to get help. It’s a lesson for Sergeants-Major: you have senior NCOs – men and women who are talented – and we need to call on them once in a while for help.”

Giving out Remembrance Coins each November 11 is a solemn event

LCol Lamie, who took over command of the QOR in 2017, said entrusting Coins of Remembrance to new members of the Regiment each Remembrance Day is a moving experience.

“It's a powerful moment when these men and women look you in the eye. They sincerely see this as a sacred obligation and duty not only while they’re serving, but throughout their lives.  With each Coin of Remembrance I convey, and with each name of our Fallen that I read to them before I give them their coin, my own sense of service is re-inspired.” 

Italian Campaign a bond for soldiers in Kuwait

Canadian Army Reservist Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Nonato and Italian Army telecommunications tech Master Sergeant Salvatore Corvo (centre) became close friends while serving together in Kuwait. MSgt Corvo’s hometown of Ispica was liberated by Canadians at the start of the Second World War Italian Campaign, and he said the bond formed in part because of that history. Photo: Sergeant Carl Pepin.

By Steven Fouchard, Army Public Affairs

Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait — Italian and Canadian soldiers working side by side in Kuwait have formed a lasting friendship thanks in part to a little-known piece of Second World War history.

Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Nonato is Commanding Officer of the Royal Regiment of Canada, a Toronto-based Army Reserve unit, currently serving in Kuwait as part of Operation IMPACT, Canada’s training mission in the Middle East.

Master Sergeant Salvatore Corvo is an Italian Army telecommunications technician who was, until recently, on his first deployment in Kuwait. His hometown is Ispica, a community of about 15,000 on Sicily’s Mediterranean coast.

Ispica is notable in military history for being the first town Canadian troops entered during Operation HUSKY, the invasion of Sicily in the summer of 1943. It was just the start of the Italian Campaign, Canada’s longest of the Second World War.

Another notable part of the story is that a Canadian officer, Lieutenant Sydney Frost of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, was appointed interim mayor of Ispica, which was heavily damaged by the shelling and bombing that preceded the invasion.

Lt Frost would return to Ispica decades later and assist the townspeople in establishing a monument that still sits in the town centre. It was completed in 1991 and new additions were added in 2000.

MSgt Corvo, speaking through a translator, said he first learned of the town’s history from his mother, who experienced the events first hand at age 12. Ispica residents, he added, gathered at the site to mark the 50th and 60th anniversaries of the invasion. Another commemorative event, attended by Lt Frost, was held there in 2013.

“When I heard about working with Canadians I was really excited,” said MSgt Corvo. “The Canadians helped us and I'll never forget.”

LCol Nonato said that connection has resulted in a friendship both men say will continue beyond their time together in Kuwait.

That first contact came after an American padre tasked with leading English-language Catholic Masses was suddenly unavailable, LCol Nonato explained.

“I asked, ‘Can I come to your camp?’ And they said, ‘Yeah for sure,’ and all of a sudden the smiles broke out and then we ended up starting a friendship. They took the time to translate the entire Mass for me into English from Italian. So I felt very welcome.”

The relationship went many steps further when the pair decided to take part in a “shadow” Canada Army Run event – one of many organized by Canadians on foreign deployments in conjunction with the main Army Run held each year in Ottawa.

“We had people from all across the coalition running in something that was distinctly Canadian,” said LCol Nonato. “You hear about the Army run happening in Ottawa all the time but the shadow run happening over here also created unity. And then seeing that members of the coalition wanted to do it as well was especially touching.”

MSgt Corvo said his participation was a matter of being “thankful for what the Canadian Army did for Italy and Ispica.”

LCol Nonato said the friendship has had wider, positive implications for the multinational force in Kuwait.

“I think that after I started having this friendship with Salvatore, the other guys working with me felt a little more comfortable about approaching other coalition members and I hope that it keeps on going.”

MSgt Corvo, who will be back in Italy by the time of publication, said he has appreciated all facets of his time in Kuwait.

“This has been a professional experience and also a human experience,” he said. “I want to continue the friendship with the LCol. He is welcome, to visit me in Ispica any time.”

Honouring those who have served before

Members of HMCS Ottawa committing a veteran’s ashes to sea during a ceremony on November 10, 2019.

By Captain Jenn Jackson

When Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Ottawa departed Esquimalt, B.C., for Operations NEON and PROJECTION on August 6, it carried the ashes of seven veterans – two who served in the Second World War – that had been entrusted into the care of Ottawa’s crew by their families.

“When we departed, along with our own families, present among the crowd were the loved ones of the ashes we carried, saying a final farewell knowing their loved one’s remains would be committed to sea during the deployment,” says Lieutenant (Navy) Andrew Klinger, Ottawa’s padre.

Committal of Ashes to Sea are coordinated through Esquimalt’s Chaplain Office and are conducted an average of two to three times a year. The ashes are always those of former Canadian Armed Forces members, and families provide the container, as well as a short biography, that is read during the ceremony as Words of Remembrance.

“I am humbled to be able to honour the wishes of these veterans and their families,” said Padre Klinger.

In keeping with the spirit of Remembrance Day, the ceremony will take place on Ottawa during a pause in its deployment in the Asia-Pacific region.

“I cannot think of a more fitting way to offer a final farewell to deceased navy veterans than to commit their ashes to sea from a vessel conducting operations similar to those that represented a significant and dedicated period in their lives,” says Padre Klinger. “As I read through the Words of Remembrance for each set of ashes, I am struck by the commitment each made to their country through their service – just as I am serving now.”

The ashes to be committed to sea are those of John Gilbert Lundy, William Gillison, Frank Charles Moore, Ursala Dorothy Vondette, Norman Allan Ridout, Stanley Raynham and Sherwood Fredrick Charles.

May they rest in peace.

Canadian Army Combat Engineers helping ‘bridge the gap’ in Ukraine

Members of Ukraine’s 2nd Battalion, 72nd Mechanized Brigade and Canadian Armed Forces members conduct direct fire training with the 2S3 artillery armoured vehicle at the International Peacekeeping and Security Centre near Yavoriv, Ukraine during Operation UNIFIER on April 11, 2019. Photo: Aviator Stéphanie Labossière, Joint Task Force-Ukraine. ©2019 DND/MDN Canada.

By Steven Fouchard, Army Public Affairs

Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ukraine — Under the banner of Operation UNIFIER, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel have been sharing their expertise in the name of building capacity within the Security Forces of Ukraine since 2015.

Op UNIFIER is a large, multinational effort that also includes Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, Denmark and Sweden.

There is one component of that CAF contribution, a team of Canadian Army (CA) Combat Engineers from Quebec City-based 5 Combat Engineer Regiment (5 CER), that is small in size but having a large impact.

These 17 soldiers have helped develop and are now instructing their Ukrainian counterparts in a course dubbed “Sapper Level 1” – Sapper being an informal shorthand name for Combat Engineer. It includes instruction on dealing with land mines – a necessity in a country where, according to the UN, 600,000 people live in areas with “extreme levels of mine contamination.”

The course, as 5 CER’s Master Corporal Daniel Lefebvre explains in the following interview, is also designed to align Ukraine’s military practices with the standards of NATO and bring it a step closer to membership.

And, MCpl Lefebvre notes, the experience is proving to be nothing less than “inspiring.”

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Q1: Describe the Sapper Level 1 course.

The Sapper level 1 course has been developed through collaboration between the Canadian instructors and our Ukrainian counterparts. It is designed to bridge the gap between the current Ukrainian Sapper course and the standards needed to work with NATO.

A lot of the course material derives from the original Ukrainian Sapper course. However, they have adopted a lot of our methods and training. The course is intended to be taught by both Ukrainian and Canadian instructors. This allows us to better integrate our training methods within theirs as well as allowing them to maintain their own standards.

Q2: Who else in on the 5 CER instruction team?

There is a total of 17 members who are Engineers as well as one Signaler and one Medic.

Most of the team is comprised of members who have specialized training such as Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (IEDD) or Conventional Munition Disposal (CMD) training.

Q3: What specific role do you have in the training?

My role is to work in conjunction with my Ukrainian counterparts in order to prepare the course and create courseware. We are here to act as peers to our Ukrainian counterparts. We work together to plan the course schedule and develop lesson plans.

During the course itself, I present lessons in conjunction with the Ukrainian instructors. This method allows them to learn from our methods as well as allowing us to observe and understand their methods.

Q4: Who is your audience?

The candidates came from all ranks from basic soldier all the way to full colonels. We have been able to work with Ukrainians from all different organizations, including members the National Guard of Ukraine and the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Members on the course come from many different trades, since here the Combat Engineer trade is separated into different qualifications.

Q5: What aspects of the course would you say are most relevant for the situation in Ukraine?

I would say the courses on mine and improvised explosive device warfare. We Canadians have a lot of experience with these topics due to our past experiences in other theatres.

The Ukrainians have shown a lot of interest and it has been inspiring for us to be able to transmit our knowledge to them. It is satisfying for us to know that we are able to help them better cope with the challenges they face.

Q6: Describe the experience of being in Ukraine.

Ukraine is a beautiful country and the people are welcoming. The weather here is more temperate than back home and we have had a really nice summer. The food here is great and the cost of living is lower.

There are many reasons that the experience here has been motivating and enriching for all members of our group.

Q7: What are the best and most challenging parts?

The most challenging part would be the fact that we have to work through interpreters. Simple tasks and conversations become far more complex and time-consuming, especially due to the fact that many people on our team are native French speakers and our interpreters speak English and Ukrainian.

I would say the best part would be the relationships we have built and the people we have met. Being able to interact with the Ukrainians in and outside a classroom setting has been a great experience for all of us.

RCN commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic

HMCS Haida and HMCS Athabaskan performing high speed manoeuvers circa early 1944.

On May 3rd, 2020 services and branches across Canada and internationally will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of action in the Battle of the Atlantic. This significant milestone provides Canadians and the world an opportunity to commemorate our navy’s proud past while celebrating its bright future.

Canada’s proud naval and maritime history could not be better represented than by the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN’s) success in the Battle of the Atlantic. For this reason, the annual celebration of naval and maritime service takes its name. Of course, the annual Battle of the Atlantic celebrations are far broader in scope, inclusive of the great people-delivered successes that populate our now 109-year (110 years in 2020) RCN history.

The Battle of the Atlantic -- the longest continuous battle of the Second World War -- raged from 1939 to 1945 and was and one in which Canada played a central role. During those 2,075 days, over 70,000 Allied sailors, merchant mariners, and airmen lost their lives, including 4,600 Canadians.

Canada entered the battle with six destroyers and 3,500 sailors, one third of which were reservists, and less than 40 merchant vessels. A massive ship building effort resulted in Canada fielding one of the largest navies in the world with over 400 warships, 400 merchant vessels, 95,000 sailors, including 6,000 members of the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service, and employing 12,600 civilians in industry by the end of the war.

Over 25,000 voyages were made during the war. The price of victory, when paid in full, cost the RCN 33 warships and over 2,000 lives, the Royal Canadian Airforce 350 aircraft and over 900 lives, and the Merchant Navy of Canada 73 ships and over 1,700 lives. One in seven serving in the Battle of the Atlantic, either at sea or in the air, lost their lives, the highest percentage of casualties across the Canadian Armed Forces.

The first Sunday of May is the traditional collective opportunity to honour all those that made the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of Canada and its interests in the North Atlantic. This year, in an effort to enhance our collective memory and to create a greater awareness of the important role Canada’s navy played in shaping our nation’s identity, events will occur throughout 2020.

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Moncton and HMCS Regina are honouring ships of the period and have been painted in a Second World War Admiralty Disruptive camouflage paint scheme. Sometimes colloquially referred to as ‘dazzle paint’, the heritage paint scheme is a poignant reminder of our naval history and a silent recognition to our shipmates both past and present.

Formal services will be held at monuments, memorials, and naval facilities across Canada on Sunday, May 3, 2020. Every Canadian is invited to attend a parade and take the time to reflect upon the sacrifices made by those before us.

While the RCN commemorates the efforts and sacrifices of all who served in this grueling conflict, it also takes the opportunity to salute those who served in the 75 years since the battle ended as well as those who continue to serve all across the Canadian Armed Forces today.

With the delivery of Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships, the bringing into operation of the Cyclone helicopter and Block IV Aurora patrol aircraft, and the preparations for our Joint Support Ships and Canadian Surface Combatants, the RCN continues to evolve to meet the dynamic challenges ahead with the same steadfast determination that the wartime RCN drew upon in its most challenging hours.

Second World War Discovery Box deals with ‘difficult history’

This authentic Second World War-era coat is just one example of the contents of the Canadian War Museum’s Supply Line Second World War Discovery Box. The resource is being made available to schools at no charge and includes many other artifacts from the era to enhance classroom instruction. Photo: Provided by the Canadian War Museum.

By Steven Fouchard, Army Public Affairs

Ottawa, Ontario — The Canadian War Museum (CWM) is bringing the Second World War to life for students across the country with a new “Discovery Box” of artifacts designed to stimulate discussion in the classroom.

The project is a follow up to the CWM’s Supply Line First World War Discovery Box, which has been borrowed more than 1,900 times since the museum launched the initiative in 2014.

This year, the museum is circulating 20 Second World War kits and 30 First World War kits, which will be loaned to schools free of charge for two weeks at a time. Both are aimed at students from Grades 4 to 12.

Sandra O’Quinn, a Learning Specialist with CWM, said the Second World War box contains 23 artifacts, some reproductions, others authentic. There are hands-on objects and clothing, photographs and documents. As was the case with the First World War version, she added, they were chosen to spark students’ curiosity.

“A big part of the current curriculum in most provinces is teaching historical literacy skills and inquiry-based thinking,” she said. “So by giving them things that are curious and cause them to ask questions, it opens up a whole line of thinking for the teacher to run with.”

Feedback from the first round of Second World War kit loans is still being gathered, but Ms. O’Quinn said she suspects students will be fascinated by two artifacts in particular: a lifeboat ration tin and a “sweetheart pin.”

“It's a real ration,” Ms. O’Quinn said of the former. “We filled it with epoxy so that it won’t spoil. It’s got chocolate tablets, some crackers. You open it up and it still smells like chocolate.”

“Sweetheart pins were often given by a service person to their loved one,” she added. “They really capture the daily lives of Canadians at home during the war.”

Difficult history themes

One big take-away from the user feedback received, Ms. O’Quinn noted, was that teachers wanted more focus on the experiences of women and visible minorities in wartime. The museum has responded by incorporating the story of Japanese-Canadians who were forcibly relocated over concerns about their loyalty.

The product also deals with the Holocaust.

“Teachers don't want to shy away from difficult history so that's why we felt it was important to include those,” Ms. O’Quinn said.

Also among the artifacts is a helmet of the sort worn, not only by soldiers on the front, but also by Canadian Women’s Army Corps members and civilians volunteers on the home front.

“We have an image of a group of African-Canadians in the Dartmouth area and they're all wearing the helmets,” said Ms. O’Quinn. “It shows the diversity of those affected and of those participating in the war.”

The museum has also created supplementary materials to aid teachers, and they include first-hand accounts from Canadians who lived through the period to deepen the experience for students.

“I think there are a lot of opportunities to link those people with the objects and have even more depth of learning,” said Ms. O’Quinn.

Bookings for both First and Second World War kits begin November 1

Bookings were completely filled by schools in all regions of Canada for the first school term.

Reservations for the winter school term can be made beginning November 1.

Cyber Operations an enjoyable puzzle, says first female

Corporal Andrea Pixley is Canada’s first woman Cyber Operator. She says the trade is a welcome challenge – one she likens to having a new series of puzzles to solve each day. Photo: Steven Fouchard, Army Public Affairs. ©2019 DND/MDN Canada

By Steven Fouchard, Army Public Affairs

Ottawa, Ontario — A Canadian Army (CA) member is Canada’s first female Cyber Operator. She says she prefers to stay focused on the pleasures of the job rather than dwell on her place in the ongoing history of female advancement in the military.

“In all honesty I don't think it really changes much,” said Corporal Andrea Pixley, who works out of the Canadian Forces Network Operations Centre (CFNOC) in Ottawa.

“There is no difference between a male or female – or others – who qualifies for this trade and has a passion for it. At the end of the day were all wearing the same uniform so I don't really see it as a big deal. It’s interesting little footnote I guess.”

Cyber Operators are a relatively new, and necessarily secretive, addition to the Canadian Armed Forces who work to protect both military and civilian computer networks from attack as well as conducting cyber operations against adversaries.

Cpl Pixley joined the CA more than a decade ago, taking on the role of Communicator Research Operator, which involves the interception and analysis of electronic transmissions.

The Cyber Op trade, she explained, requires skills from her previous job and several other trades. She called Cyber Op a “weird hybrid” of skillsets both technical and creative.

“I have more of an analytical background but then my IT colleagues understand how things are physically put together and so we build a much better bigger picture together. You need to take from all these different areas and that's why over time Cyber became a trade in itself.”

A native of Alberta, Cpl Pixley holds an arts degree - background she said is helpful in communicating with colleagues. And communication is vital to her role in the unit’s Operations Cell, where she acts as a co-ordinator to ensure the right tasks go to the right people or re-direct issues elsewhere as needed.

“We have to filter out what actually needs to be dealt with at our unit and what needs to be done with other areas,” she said. “I have to be able to take whatever technical data I have and translate it to get people to work on things, resolve issues or in some cases even just a help a user understand something.”

A passion for technology is a definite pre-requisite for the tasking, Cpl Pixley noted. While her civilian educational background may not suggest such an interest, she is extensively self-taught in the DOS and Linux operating systems, as well as other aspects.

“I fix my friends’ and family’s computers in my spare time and, since I never had any formal training in how to fix hardware, it has been a fun side adventure. I also play video games.”

Cpl Pixley said one of the pleasures of the job is that she is effectively solving a new series of puzzles each day.

“It doesn't matter if it's a technical puzzle or if I'm dealing with a weird email that comes in - I need to figure out what happened. What is this person actually trying to say? What actually happened to the computer system? It’s just trying to bring the whole picture back together. That for me is really rewarding.”

Cyber Operators

• Collect, process and analyze network data;

• Identify network vulnerabilities;

• Manage a computer network environment;

• Conduct defensive and active cyber operations;

• Apply security and communications knowledge in the field of information technology.

Great-great-granddaughter of Oriole builder amazed during visit

The descendants of HMCS Oriole builder George H. Gooderham and family had a special visit to the ship on August 9, 2019. From left: Lt(N) Eric Poon, Courtney Nadherny, Charles Gooderham Nadherny (great-great-grandson of George H. Gooderham), Victoria Gooderham (great-great-granddaughter of George H. Gooderham), Margaret Gooderham (great-granddaughter of George H.), PO2 Adam Flegel, Peter Gooderham (great-grandson of George H.), Douglas Nadherny, and Sarah Nadherny (great-granddaughter of George H.).

Her only connection to her great-great-grandfather was an old desk. Then Victoria Gooderham, 29, ancestor of Oriole builder George H. Gooderham, recently reunited with her past through a specially-arranged family visit to the ship.

In the fleet since 1952, HMCS Oriole is the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) longest commissioned ship. It was originally built in 1921 for the Royal Canadian Yacht Club in Toronto under the order of the club’s Commodore George H. Gooderham.

George H. Gooderham died in 1942 but his family is still proud of its ancestral connection. On August 9, 77 years after his death, the RCN welcomed several of Gooderham’s descendants for a tour aboard Oriole in Milton, Ontario.

“It is a really great piece of history that we got to share,” said Victoria Gooderham who visited the ship for the first time that day. “It’s just a stunning, amazing sailboat.”

Victoria Gooderham doesn’t really know a lot about her great-great-grandfather. She knows he had a moustache and she knows he was dedicated to sailing. Visiting Oriole was an amazing opportunity to connect with her personal history, she said.

“I was amazed at how nice the furnishings were down below,” she said. “Thank god it’s in the military because they take care of it so well.”

Sailing must be something in the blood. Amazingly, all of George H. Gooderham’s descendants who visited Oriole that day were at one point in their lives sailors.

Oriole is currently used as a ‘sail training vessel’, teaching naval cadets and other sailors about both rigging and life at sea. The ship also participates on the annual Great Lakes Deployment, aiding in recruitment and spreading the message of the RCN throughout Quebec, Ontario, and the United States.

From Junior Canadian Ranger to Doctor

Dr. Dylan Vatcher on the job in 2019. Photo: Provided by Dr. Dylan Vatcher.

By Yves Bélanger, Le Servir newspaper

Saint-Jean, Quebec — Just 10 years ago, Dylan Vatcher was a member of the Junior Canadian Ranger (JCR) patrol at La Tabatière on the Lower North Shore of Quebec. In the spring of 2019, he completed his doctorate in medicine at McGill University.

It was at the age of 12 that he became a Junior Canadian Ranger. “I participated in this program for five years, until the end of my high school years. That's when he decided to go to medicine. I did not really know what I wanted to do in early adolescence. I loved nature and animals, but nothing more. But at 17, I really understood that I wanted to become a doctor.”

He explains that his time as a JCR has been crucial in his life. “It gave me access to wonderful opportunities. Actively involved in this program, I had the chance to participate in various camps and a humanitarian trip to Peru in 2011, not to mention the various trainings.”

The Lord Strathcona Medal, the highest award that can be presented to a JCR or Cadet, was awarded to him in recognition of his outstanding performance in physical and military training. “When I enrolled in the medical program, many of the activities I did with the Rangers were in my curriculum vitae.”

Far from home

His studies forced him to live far from home. He does not regret his choice. “There was an opportunity for me and I took it. That does not prevent me from returning to La Tabatière from time to time.”

He encourages teenagers in the outlying regions not to hesitate to leave their environment for a few years to study, even if they should return once their degree is obtained.

“We are fortunate, particularly in Quebec, to try different programs in CEGEP before deciding on a career choice. Aboriginal people have significant support from the government, particularly in medicine.”