November/December 2011 The Brigade Lest we Forget Remembrance Ceremonial and Community Deployments Training Honours and Awards ARCG Takes the Plunge The Brigade Editor-in-chief Col Nic Stanton Articles appearing in The Brigade reflect the opinions of the writer and are not Editor Lt Donna Riguidel necessarily those of 38 Canadian Brigade Group. For submission or letters to Layout design Daniella Ponticelli the editor please send to [email protected] Check out, and bookmark Cover photo Cpl Bill Gomm our 38 CBG Website http://www.army.gc.ca/38cbg/ 38 CBG Commander’s Message As we come to the end of 2011 and reflect NCO’s, WO’s, and Officers, as well as a skill- on the past year it is obvious that we have at-arms competition. Five person teams from accomplished a great deal this year, and we each Brigade unit will demonstrate their have done very well as a Brigade. We now mettle in a stand oriented one-day event, and have the opportunity to take a tactical pause the winning team will be awarded with the for the Holidays, and I encourage you to take “T. Eaton Co Cup” - not to mention bragging a break and spend time with your family and rights for the next year. Details of the Brigade friends, before we engage in a busy New Year. weekend will be distributed in the near future. Looking forward into 2012, we have some We also have the opportunity to participate excellent opportunities starting with the in the 34th Infantry Division (USNG) Top ARCG heading north of 60 to join 1 CMBG Soldier competition, where we will send a at Exercise Arctic Ram. North of Yellowknife, team of two junior and two senior NCO’s to they will become an integrated part of the compete at Camp Ripley in February 2012. tactical exercise under command of 1 PPCLI. The Brigade Sergeant-Major is working with Next on the agenda will be the return of our the Unit RSM’s to organize and select the 38 own Brigade exercise (Ex Bison Warrior CBG team. 2012), taking place at CFB Shilo 28 April In closing, I wish you all the best for the - 6 May 2012. I encourage everyone in the Christmas holidays and the New Year, and I Brigade to plan on attending this exercise look forward to visiting your units with the which will include soldiers from our affiliated Sergeant-Major in 2012. US National Guard units. For the first time in many years we Progredere Ne Regredere will conduct a Brigade weekend, 16 - 18 March 2012. This weekend will incorporate Colonel Nic Stanton professional development sessions for Senior Commander 38 Canadian Brigade Group 38 CBG Brigade Sergeant-Major’s Message The Brigade was busy over the past few The CO and RSM of WATC briefed us months, with the start-up of the BMQs and and stated that if summer instructors wanted enduring nice weather, most units got out to courses like Mountain Ops, Rappel Master the field and worked on real soldier skills... and Close Quarter Combat - WATC would SHOOTING. The Commander and I have put them on. Check with your Chain of had the pleasure of passing out the newly Command about these opportunities. minted Command Team Coins, and we look With the Holiday season fast approaching forward to giving out many more over the I would like to take this opportunity from next year. my family to yours to wish a very Merry The New Year is looking very interesting Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New with the ARCG going North of Yellowknife Year. Of course, the “mom” statement that all for Arctic Ram 12 (a combined exercise RSMs like to say is: If you drink, don’t drive, with 1 CMBG), the prospect of the Soldier find that sober person or grab a cab. of the Year competition with our American counterparts in Minnesota, the possibility of CWO Al Rishchynski a Nijmegen team being put together, and of Brigade Sergeant-Major course the opportunities of summer courses 38 Canadian Brigade Group or taskings. Giving Thanks By 38 CBG PA Staff MBdr Alexander, Mrs. Lacroix and St. Eaustche School grade three class Each year, from November 5 to 11, Canadians join together to celebrate Veterans’ display the mementos they received Week - this year was no different. During this week, hundreds of commemorative during Veterans Week presentations ceremonies and events were held at places across the country to recognize the at their school. Photo by MBdr achievements of our Veterans and honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Alexander. 38 Canadian Brigade Group’s participation was instrumental in the success of recognizing and honouring our Veterans. Every year units of 38 CBG send members to local schools to participate in their Remembrance Day Ceremonies, most presentations occurred on 10 Nov. This year was particularly special for one member of 38 ATG, 13 Battery, 26 Field Regiment. Remembrance MBdr Alexander volunteered to speak at St Eustche School on 10 Nov 2011 for The Brigade focuses on Remembrance, Veterans week. When MBdr Alexander was deployed to Afghanistan the St. sharing how we remember, and why. Eustche School Grade One class sent a care package, which touched him deeply. “When the opportunity arose to speak, I immediately volunteered for the task; this was the perfect opportunity for me to thank them” said MBdr Alexander. Formerly Book of Remembrance 4 grade one, now grade three students accepted some small mementos he gave to the class as a token of his appreciation and gratitude. Proud Fallen 5 Young Veteran 7 Valour Road 8 Portraits of Honour 9 (Guy McGimpsey, great nephew of Corporal Leo Clarke, lays a wreath at the end of the Valour Road ceremony. Photo by cpl Bill Gomm. Full story on page 8. On August 26, 2011, members of the Regina, Sk area had a chance to see the seventh Book of Remembrance outside of Book of Parliament Hill, coupled with a visit from the Portraits of Honour tour. Photo by Remembrance Cpl Bill Gomm. By Cpl Bill Gomm Regina, SK – On August 26, 2011, a chance to see the seventh which Colonel Geoffrey Stephen Parker is commemorated, a Book of Remembrance outside of Parliament Hill, coupled with page that I was to find requested several times that day. This a visit from the Portraits of Honour tour gave Regina a rare op- member with his son by his side waited while I turned the pages portunity to view both tributes. to find page 237, all the while explaining why the Book wasn’t in alphabetical order.” The Seventh Book of Remembrance display and presentation, located in the Regina Garrison, was seen by hundreds of visitors, “I could see the young lad smirking some, changing feet, obvi- and with the Portraits of Honour display just next to the Ar- ously feeling awkward with his father by his side but a few mo- moury, people were able to see both with ease. ments later, his father shoulders started to shake and standing in front of him on the opposite side of the display table, I saw his Catherine Tremblay, Senior of Officer of Canada Remembers tears stream down his cheeks. I don’t think the young lad knew Ottawa explained the significance of the Books of Remembrance, what to do, he looked away, looked behind him, looked at me turning the pages to the names of the fallen upon request, and and I lowered my eyes. He never said anything, just waited with also the Page of the Unknown. patience while his father collected himself and then thanked me.” “All the Books of Remembrance have a Page to the Unknown. “They walked away towards one of the doors leading outside As soon as I know there is a service-related death, I create a into the sunlight. A while later, I happened to see them again, Commemorative Record in our database,” said Mrs. Tremblay. the young lad was getting his father a hot chocolate and when he “In the field where you would record the page number on which handed the cup to his father, their hands touched and the young the deceased is commemorated, the page number of the Page to lad looked up into his father’s face and he father looked down the Unknown is entered online until their name can be entered at him. I was watching to see how they interacted. The young in the appropriate Book.” lad was now physically relaxed and he was more animated and speaking with his father. You could see the dynamic of their For Mrs. Tremblay the inspiration to take the Books of Remem- relationship had changed. I don’t think the boy had ever seen the brance on a tour of Canada came to her during a “Take Our Kids man cry. An Officer, strong and proud, brave and yet sensitive to Work Day”, at the Connaught Ranges in Ottawa. enough to cry at the loss of a friend - I think they became friends “That morning started slow enough,” said Mrs. Tremblay. that day. Nothing I’ve seen like that before moved me in the same “Around 9:00 a.m., students, accompanied by their parent(s), way. I knew it was the Book that had bridged the years between started to arrive. One of the parents finally came by the Book and them.” I jumped in to explain the Book, who was in the Book, the dates of Book and finally eligibility to be commemorated in the Book.” Even though the Book contains the names of too many who were not ready to leave this earth, they are not forgotten by any of us.