 Newsletter on line. This newsletter, and previous editions, are available on the RUSI Vancouver website at: http://www.rusivancouver.ca/newsletter.html NOTE: My new email address:[email protected] Wednesday Lunches The 15 Field Officers Mess holds weekly lunches, serving a 5 course, ‘homemade’ meal for only $15- you won’t find a better meal - or a better deal, anywhere. If you are in the area on a Wednesday, drop in and join us for lunch. Note: A contractor will be coming in to remove asbestos tiles from the bar area. This now scheduled for mid to late October and will mean a shutdown of lunches for one to two weeks. NOABC Speaker Program Wednesday September 30th The RCMP National Shiprider Program presented by Sgt James Jesmer, E Division NCO in charge Lower Mainland Shiprider Program. The Canada-US Shiprider program involves vessels jointly crewed by specially trained and designated Canadian and US law enforcement officers who are authorized to enforce the law on both sides of the international boundary line. Working together, armed Canadian and US law enforcement officers are able to transit back and forth across the border to help secure it from threats to national security, as well as prevent cross-border smuggling and trafficking. World War 2 - 1940 John Thompson Strategic analyst quotes from his book “Spirit Over Steel” Sept 2nd: The Lend Lease deal is ratified and the US cedes 50 old destroyers (all of First World War vintage) to the UK in returning for basing rights in West Indies, Newfoundland and Bermuda. Sept 3rd: The Sealion date for the invasion of England is now scheduled for 21 Sept, with Hitler’s final decision due 11 Sept. Elements of 11 divisions will make the assault, with two airborne divisions and 6,700 airborne troops to land on D-Day with 250 tanks on beachheads near Folkestone, Eastbourne and Brighton. At this time, the UK has four fully equipped and eight reasonably equipped divisions, with 350 cruiser/heavy tanks and 500 anti-tank guns, plus many mobile brigade groups. Sept 4th: The US warns Japan to keep its sticky fingers out of French Indochina. So far in Sept, the RAF has lost 120 planes in the air (and more on the ground) while the Luftwaffe has lost 148. Sept 5th: Romania’s Parliament dissolves and the constitution is suspended; General Antonescu is gathering the reins of power. Sept 6th: Under pressure from strongman Ion Antonescu, Romania’s King Michael abdicates in favour of his 19 year old son Prince Michael. Sept 7th: As Britain braces for invasion, the Luftwaffe starts day-bombing London to draw out the RAF’s fighters. 1,150 Sorties over London do much damage to the east end, while the Luftwaffe loses 41 aircraft to 28 aerial losses to the RAF. The British field their first radar-equipped night fighters over London. Albert George Dolphin has volunteered for service in a London Hospital as an emergency porter; and is on hand when a bomb lands in the hospital kitchen, killing four nurses and injuring many others. He starts trying to dig one trapped nurse out of the rubble when a weakened wall gives way. Dolphin doesn’t hesitate and throws himself over her. He is killed, but the nurse survives thanks to his sacrifice and Dolphin posthumously receives Britain’s highest award for civilian courage – the George Cross. What's up with loans to Canadian Forces personnel? David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen A while ago a couple of Canadian Forces members wrote Defence Watch about their attempts to get a CFPAF loan (Canadian Forces Personnel Assistance Funds). They were told such loans had ceased and they needed to apply to the Bank of Montreal for a line of credit. They also noted in their quest for a loan they shopped around, pointing out that BMO had poorer interest rates than other banks. They also pointed out that BMO will deny military personnel a loan if they’ve been out of the country for a time. (BMO says the person has to re-establish their credit rating, they were told). These Defence Watch readers also question where the Non-public funds, previously used for the loans, had gone? So on their behalf Defence Watch submitted questions. Here are the answers from Lt(N) Michèle Tremblay, Public Affairs Officer, CF Morale & Welfare Services: Question 1. Why was the Canadian Forces Personnel Assistance Fund’s Education Loans ceased? Answer 1. As part of an overall modernization process which begun in 2013, the Canadian Forces Personnel Assistance Fund’s Education Loans was replaced with a similar program under the Canadian Defence Community Banking Program through BMO Bank of Montreal. The Canadian Forces Personnel Assistance Fund’s Education Loans had only been available to currently serving members, former members of the Regular Force and their families; currently serving and former Reserve Force members and their families were not eligible for this benefit. In addition, loans were limited to $4 000 per student per year, to a maximum lifetime per student of $16 000. Given the need to expand the eligibility for Education Loans and the desire to increase the loan amounts to those more commensurate with the actual cost of attending post-secondary institutions, Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services leveraged its existing relationship with BMO as a potential source of support. This effort was successful and now, through the program, loans are available for full and part-time students, including reservists and their families, to meet the financial demands of post-secondary education today. For the academic year starting September 2014, BMO began extending their Student Line of Credit to the CAF Community at a reduced interest rate. Q2. Where have the non-public funds previously used for the loans under Canadian Forces Personnel Assistance fund gone? A2. In 2013, Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services was asked to modernize the Canadian Forces Personnel Assistance Fund, originally established in 1967, to ensure that it met the current and evolving needs of the entire CAF Community of One Million Strong. As part of this process, the Canadian Forces Personnel Assistance Fund’s Education Loans program was replaced with a similar program under the Canadian Defence Community Banking Program through BMO Bank of Montreal. Also, the Canadian Forces Personnel Assistance Fund and Support Our Troops were recently combined into one source of charitable support to better meet the needs of the broader defence community that is One Million Strong. Thus, the funds previously allocated to the Canadian Forces Personnel Assistance Fund’s Education Loans remain within the broader CAF support program and continue to benefit the broader CAF community. Q3. Are the interest rates for student loans obtained under the Canadian Defence Community Banking competitive compared with BMO Bank of Montreal? A3. For the academic year starting September 2014, BMO began extending their Student Line of Credit to the CAF community at a reduced interest rate. The rate charged is in line with or better than those of other financial institutions, especially when all the costs of borrowing are included. Q4. If a CAF member is denied a loan under the Canadian Defence Community Bank Program due to their credit rating, is their alternative resources under the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services? A4. As per industry standards, a CAF member’s or student’s credit score is the key factor in confirming eligibility for a BMO Student Line of Credit. When a military member fails to qualify for a BMO loan, or any other education loan program at another financial institution, loans are still available through the Support Our Troops Program. This provision includes those military families who have returned from being posted outside of Canada.  Marines Put ONR Augmented Reality System to the Test Katherine H. Crawford, Office of Naval Research Public Affairs 8/31/2015 ARLINGTON, VA (NNS) -- Marines enrolled in the Infantry Officer Course were able to use Office of Naval Research (ONR)-developed augmented reality technology for the first time as part of live-fire training exercises, ONR officials announced Aug 31. The Marines, as part of the Infantry Officer Course, had the opportunity to try out the Office of Naval Research AITT (Augmented Immersive Team Trainer) system on Aug 5-6 at a test range on the southern edge of Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. The AITT system-which is comprised of a laptop, software and battery pack, and a helmet-mounted display-can support a wide array of live, virtual and cutting-edge training scenarios. It uses augmented reality, which means that virtual objects are superimposed onto a real environment-like the yellow first-down lines added to television broadcasts of football games for the benefit of viewers at home. This differs from virtual reality, which is a wholly computer-generated environment in which users immerse themselves. "The AITT system is like the Marine Corps itself: lean, agile and adaptable," said Brig Gen Julian Alford, vice chief of naval research and commanding general of the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory. "This affordable lightweight system can be taken anywhere-turning any environment into a training ground-and could be used to prepare Marines for real-world situations and environments they will face." QUANTICO, VA (Aug. 5, 2015) A Marine is fitted with the AITT Trainer from the Office of Naval Research during on-going testing at Quantico, VA. The AITT allows Marines to transform any location into a dynamic training ground by injecting virtual images, indirect fire effects, aircraft, vehicles, simulated people, etc., onto a real-world view of one's surroundings. (US Navy photo by John F. Williams/Released) The field portion of the "call-for-fire" training included aircraft and munitions, which are costly and time-consuming to set up, staff and equip, but an important part of the training experience for the student officers. The wait time for a test range can be six to 12 months, rain can cancel the testing and it can be difficult to get assets in place, since equipment can break down. The AITT completely bypasses these challenges by using virtual ground vehicles, aircraft and munitions. "The system makes the training easier and eliminates the maintenance issues or weather-related restrictions that can pare down or cancel training," said Maj. George Flynn, director of the Infantry Officer Course. "For instance, this system can use virtual air support, so even if it's raining, the students can still be training, getting confidence and learning the points of employing aviation assets." "The system will enable the student officers to use virtual assets to complement live training or to get additional practice repetitions without having to use live assets," said Dr. Peter Squire, a program officer with ONR's Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare and Combating Terrorism Department who's leading the AITT effort. "And instead of using your imagination, now you can see virtual effects from the blasts, like smoke." Flynn emphasized that seeing virtual effects makes it much easier for the student to picture the situation. "Rather than having the instructor paint a picture to the student without anything happening, now the student can get a visual of the aircraft they've been controlling in support of a maneuver on the deck," he said. Flynn envisioned more potential uses for AITT in the future: "For example, as part of a company training event, a rifle platoon could be conducting a live-fire attack on a range at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, while the Fire Support Team could be on the hill practicing employing fires in support of maneuver, using virtual effects." The AITT program-part of the ONR Capable Manpower Future Naval Capability-will wrap up its fifth and final year with a large-scale demonstration at Quantico, scheduled for October. Pending the results of a Marine Corps assessment in October, the program will transition to the Marine Corps Program Manager for Training Systems for further testing and development.  Royal Roads Recognizes Alumni for Leadership, Positive Change Herb Pitts believes if you ask others to do a tough job, it has to be something you are willing to do yourself. He applies that leadership principle in all aspects of his life: on the collegiate soccer field, the battlefield and in the board room. As a result, his inspired command and his teambuilding efforts have earned him a legacy of deep respect and honour. During a 30-year career in the Canadian Armed Forces, Pitts saw active duty in several critical conflicts including the Korean War and the 1956 Suez Crisis (as part of Canada’s peacekeeping force for the UN). Pitts was also posted to Germany and the US as well as cities across Canada, rising to the rank of major-general in his last role as chief of army operations, from which he retired in 1978. He served with some of Canada’s most storied groups and was named Honorary Colonel of the Canadian Infantry Corps, Canadian Airborne Regiment, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. As a new lieutenant in the Korean War, Pitts led a dangerous night mission to set barbed wire barricades near enemy lines. After losing two of his men, his calm leadership as a platoon commander earned him the Military Cross for bravery. “If I sent them somewhere, I told them I would be with them all the way,” he says. World War II helped shape Pitts even though he was just a child when the fighting began. Many men, including his own father, were away from home in the services, and so Pitts became a self-described “community leader kid,” actively involved in many groups in his hometown of Nelson, B.C. He entered Royal Roads (then called the Canadian Services College) in 1948, earning the Captain’s Cup as the outstanding senior term athlete. Pitts completed his bachelor’s degree in history at the Royal Military College (RMC) in Kingston where he continued to excel, winning the Harris Bigelow Trophy (graduate with the best combination of athletic and academic ability) and the Victor Vander Smissen-Ridout Memorial Award (voted on by fellow cadets as the best all around). He received the honorary Doctor of Military Science (Honoris Causa) in 1984 from RMC. After he hung up his uniform, Pitts went from soldier to farmer, raising beef cattle in Ontario and working as president of the Ontario Safety League. Now retired and living in Victoria, Pitts, 86, has devoted himself to community service with the same zeal he displayed in the military. He has volunteered with Scouts Canada (President, International and National Commissioner), Big Brothers & Big Sisters, Broadmead Care Society, the Royal Canadian Legion (Honorary President of the B.C. and Yukon division), and numerous veterans’ committees. An example of his dedication to humanity occurred at the Scouts Jamboree in Korea in 1992, when one of his contingent injured an ankle. While Pitts was visiting him in the hospital, he heard about a Korean toddler who had just had both legs amputated after a car accident. Pitts set up a fund through Scouts Canada to pay for surgeries and prosthetics in Canada as she grew up. The girl, who entered university at age 15 and graduated summa cum laude, credits Scouts Canada with giving her the opportunity to achieve. At the very beginning, it was Royal Roads’ campus and spirit that nurtured him, Pitts said, recalling moments of creekside quiet reflection during brief respites from the hectic cadet schedule. “It wasn’t a sausage factory, it was a testing ground where the value of teamwork was reinforced,” he says. This year’s honour is especially significant, he says. “The Royal Roads Alumni Award is the culmination of everything I’ve been working toward.”  Star Trek Actor Was a Gunner Star Trek star shot two snipers on D-Day and was shot seven times in WWII James Doohan was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the youngest of four children of William and Sarah. The family moved to Sarnia, Ontario, and Doohan attended high school at the Sarnia Collegiate Institute and Technical School (SCITS), where he excelled in mathematics and science. He enrolled in the 102nd Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps in 1938. At the beginning of the Second World War, Doohan joined the Royal Canadian Artillery. He was commissioned a lieutenant in the 13th Field Artillery Regiment of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. Doohan went to England in 1940 for training. His first combat was the invasion of Normandy at Juno Beach on D-Day. Shooting two snipers, Doohan led his men to higher ground through a field of anti-tank mines, where they took defensive positions for the night.  While crossing between command posts at 1130hrs that night, Doohan was hit by six rounds fired from a Bren gun by a nervous Canadian sentry: four in his leg, one in the chest, and one through his right middle finger. The bullet to his chest was stopped by a silver cigarette case. His right middle finger had to be amputated, something he would conceal during his career as an actor. Doohan trained as a pilot (graduating from Air Observation Pilot Course 40 with 11 other Canadian artillery officers), and flew Taylorcraft Auster Mark V aircraft for 666 Sqn, RCAF, as a Royal Canadian Artillery officer in support of 1st Army Group Royal Canadian Artillery. These three Canadian RCAF Squadrons were manned by Artillery Officer-pilots and accompanied by non-commissioned RCA and RCAF personnel serving as observers. Although never actually a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Doohan was once labelled the “craziest pilot in the Canadian Air Force”. A story from his flying years tells of Doohan slaloming a plane—variously cited as a Hurricane or a jet trainer—between mountainside telegraph poles to prove it could be done, which earned him a serious reprimand. (The actual feat was performed in a Mark IV Auster on the Salisbury Plain north of RAF Andover in the late spring of 1945). After the war, Doohan returned to Canada. He worked in radio before making his way to New York City. Joining the Neighborhood Playhouse in 1946, Doohan studied with Sanford Meisner and performed with the likes of Tony Randall, Lee Marvin, and Leslie Nielsen. Commuting between the United States and Canada, he reportedly did more than 4,000 Canadian radio programs and appeared some Canadian and American programs during the 1950s. Doohan’s credits included The Twilight Zone, GE True, Hazel, The Outer Limits, The Fugitive, Bewitched, Fantasy Island, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964, 1966) and Bonanza. In the Bonanza episode “Gift of Water” (1962), he co-starred with actress Majel Barrett who would later play Star Trek’s Nurse Chapel. He played an assistant to the United States president in two episodes of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. He had an uncredited role in The Satan Bug (1965), appeared in an episode of Daniel Boone (TV series) “A perilous Passage” (1970), appeared as a state trooper in Roger Vadim’s 1971 film Pretty Maids All in a Row (which was produced by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry), and played opposite Richard Harris in the 1971 movie Man in the Wilderness, which was filmed in Spain In his later years, Doohan’s health began to decline. He developed Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, and lung fibrosis. Around 2004, Doohan was also experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer’s as his short-term memory began to deteriorate. He was, however, able to attend the ceremony held in his honor as he received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 31, 2004. On July 20, 2005, Doohan died at his home in Redmond, Washington. He was survived by third wife Wende, their three children, sons Eric and Thomas and daughter Sarah who was only five years old at the time. Doohan also had four adult children from his first marriage, Larkin, Deidre, Chris and Montgomery as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  THUNDER IN THE SKIES: A Canadian Gunner in the Great War An extraordinary, newly discovered account from an ordinary Canadian on the ground in the crucial battles of the First World War. As featured in the Jul 21st newsletter. What was it like to be a field gunner in the Great War? Drawing on the unpublished letters and diary of field gunner Lt Bert Sargent and his fellow soldiers, Thunder in the Skies takes the reader from enlistment in late 1914, through training camp, to the Somme, Vimy Ridge, Passchendaele, the Hundred Days Offensive, and home again with peace. Now available at: www.amazon.ca and ITunes  Who is it? Last Week: That was the Battery Observation Post at Ferguson Point in Stanley Park. It was demolished in the 1960s. All that remains is the concrete base. Just to the north is the Officers Mess and quarters building, which is still there. It had a couple of wings added and is now the Teahouse and Restaurant. Across the road is a big concrete pad, which is the top of the ammunition bunker and at the tip of the Point, if you are there at the right time of year, you can see the colour change in the grass where the gun platforms are, as seen this picture. The BOP was located between the big trees and Restaurant.  This Week: Sometimes, even in our well-organized, state-of-the-art museum, we come across surprises. Such was the case a couple of years ago when I found a collection of slides from the 1950s, hidden in a box of unsorted items, dead rats, live rounds, etc, deep in the subterranean cavern we call the storage room. The slides were of the dreaded “Anscochrome” variety, dreaded due to their propensity to fade to nothing. They were also held in aluminium frames, with glass covers for the image. In theory this is great, protecting the photo from dust and finger prints. However, in this case, due to improper handling years ago, the frames served to hold in the dust and dirt, and made an excellent home for mould. Several weeks of careful (but amateur) conservation, which required removal of the slides from the frames, cleaning and remounting, allowed for them to be then scanned, with the resulting image manipulated so that it could be seen. What you see is a lot better than what I first found. So, all you military sleuths, what is this image of? Who are these properly bush-dressed, pukka-sahib, officer chaps (and one warrant officer)? Do you know any of them? Their regiment might be a no-brainer, but what of the gun upon which they are assembled? Do any of you know where we can get one? Ideas, guesses and curses can be sent to the editor (note new email: [email protected] - (the latter, especially), or the author (the two former, please), John Redmond ([email protected]). Thank you for your help. Think you recognise someone? Email the editor (see above) for a larger picture. From the ‘Punitentary’ Why did the pig stop sunbathing? He was bacon in the heat. Murphy’s other Laws Problems worthy of attack prove their worth by hitting back. Quotable Quotes The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything. Albert Einstein CIC Vancouver and the Royal United Services Institute present a Panel Discussion Canada’s Foreign Policy and the Federal Election 2015 with Dr. James A. Boutilier Dr. Michael Byers Ms. Jill Stirk Following a LIVE SCREENING of the MUNK DEBATES | Date: Monday, September 28th, 2015 | Time: 3:30pm Early Registration 4:00pm Live Munk Debates Screening 5:30pm Panel Registration Refreshments and Cash Bar 6:30-7:30pm Panel Discussion | Location: Law Courts Inn, 5th Floor 800 Smithe Street, Vancouver, BC | Tickets: purchase online here | Three weeks prior to one of the closest federal elections in recent Canadian history, a moderated panel of experts will present their views on the implications of the election outcome for Canada’s foreign and defence policies. This panel will follow a live screening of the Munk Debates, held in Toronto. Foreign policy is often neglected during campaign time. The CIC Vancouver Branch is partnering with the Royal United Service Institute (RUSI) to promote public discussion in our collective mission to inform our local community with respect to international affairs. | This year’s election is proving to be a unique one for our nation. The leaders of the three major parties in Parliament have agreed to participate in the Munk Debates on Canadian Foreign Policy, currently scheduled to coincide with this event. Following the screening and refreshments, each of our speakers will provide expert commentary on foreign policy planks of the competing parties, along with informed speculation as to what foreign policy directions might emerge after the October 19th election. We urge members and non-members to attend and put questions to our excellent panelists. MEET OUR PANELISTS  Dr. James A. Boutilier Special Advisor, International Engagement Maritime Forces Pacific Headquarters Dr. James Boutilier is the Special Advisor, International Engagement at Maritime Forces Pacific Headquarters, Canada’s west coast naval formation, in Esquimalt, British Columbia. Dr. Boutilier attended Dalhousie University (BA History, 1960), McMaster University (MA History, 1962), and the University of London (PhD History, 1969). Dr. Boutilier has held posts at various universities throughout his career, including the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, Royal Roads Military College in Victoria, British Columbia and the University of Victoria. Dr. Boutilier’s field of expertise is Asia-Pacific defence and security. He published RCN in Retrospect in 1982 and has written extensively on maritime and security concerns. He lectures nationally and internationally on political, economic, and global security developments.  Dr. Michael Byers Canada Research Chair in Global Politics and International Law, University of British Columbia Michael Byers holds the Canada Research Chair in Global Politics and International Law at the University of British Columbia. He has been a Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford University, a Professor of Law at Duke University, and a Visiting Professor at the universities of Cape Town, Tel Aviv, Nordland (Norway) and Novosibirsk (Russia). Professor Byers is a regular contributor to the Globe and Mail and the National Post. His most recent book, International Law and the Arctic, won the 2013 Donner Prize for the best public policy book in Canada.  Ms. Jillian Stirk Former Ambassador to Norway, Head of the Afghanistan Inter-Department Committee; Assistant Deputy Minister for Europe and Africa in DFATD Jillian Stirk is a former Canadian ambassador and Public Service executive with more than thirty years experience in public policy, foreign affairs, international trade, and multinational negotiations. Until June 2013, Jillian was the Chief Foreign Policy Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister-Strategic Policy, Global Issues, and European Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Development. Jillian served as Canada’s Ambassador to Norway from 2005-2009. Jillian is a Dialogue Associate at the Simon Fraser University Centre for Dialogue and a Mentor with the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, where she is co-leading a project on Diversity, Pluralism and the Future of Citizenship. She currently sits on the Advisory Board of the Allam Advisory Group, a global trade consulting firm and she is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the West Vancouver Memorial Library. She volunteers with the Minerva Foundation for BC Women, and with several other academic and community organisations.  MEET OUR MODERATOR Cameron Cathart President, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) of Vancouver Cameron Cathcart is a former broadcast journalist with a career spanning 40 years, including 30 years with the CBC as foreign correspondent in Washington, parliamentary reporter in Ottawa, national correspondent in Canada, executive producer, and on-air presenter for the CBC radio and television networks. Following early retirement Mr. Cathcart became an active volunteer. In July 2015 he was recognized by the City of Vancouver with the 2015 Civic Merit Award for his leadership of the annual Remembrance Day Service at Victory Square which has become one of the largest and most respected ceremonies of its kind in Canada In 2012 he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for “dedicated service to his peers, the community and to Canada” and in 2009 was awarded the prestigious Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation for promoting awareness of veteran’s issues in Canada.   15th Field Artillery Regt Seeking Recruits Primary Reserve Artillery Information Session Monday October 19th, 2015 @ 6:00 PM and Monday October 26th, 2015 @ 6:00 PM at 2025 West 11th Ave, Vancouver BC Registration is mandatory for all information sessions To register, call 604-666-4371 or email [email protected] Be sure to include the following information: · Your name and address · Phone number (home, work, cell) · Email address · Date and time of presentation  |
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