VOLUME 45, ISSUE 8 G MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2011 A sailor’s baptism by fire By Darlene Blakeley she had learned on a two-week wounded. “You don’t think about Senior Editor and Writer Navy course prior to deploying. it, you just do it,” she says. “If I Public Affairs LS MacLean was at work in an thought about it, it would be over- FOB when word came that a civil- whelming. So you just keep going.” t was baptism by fire for a young ian bus loaded with Afghan civil- The triage process was complet- Inaval communicator working at ians had run the gauntlet of an am- ed in about 20 minutes, but it was a forward operating base (FOB) in bush nearby and rolled over. Other over three hours before the casual- Afghanistan. Afghans, witnessing the scene, be- ties were treated and then mede- On May 12, 2009, after just one gan pulling people from the bus, vaced by three US Blackhawk hel- month in-theatre, LS Kimberly loading them into vehicles and tak- icopters to either Afghan hospitals MacLean (née Peterson) found her- ing them to the FOB, where they or Kandahar Air Field. By the time self in a situation she could never knew there was a small hospital it was over LS MacLean was “ex- have anticipated when she joined with expert medical care available. hausted”, having endured temper- the Navy just a few years earlier. Afghan police contacted the base, atures up to 45C and hours covered Nevertheless, her decisive and self- and LS MacLean and two others in blood during the emotionally less actions that day, a long way had five minutes’ notice before car- draining experience. “When it was from her usual sea-based duties, led loads of casualties began to arrive. over I could not get the blood from LS Kimberly MacLean shakes hands with an Afghan child while on to the CDS Commendation an- “We had to pull casualties from my arms in the small field sink,” patrol in Afghanistan. nounced recently. out of the cars and triage them,” LS she remembers. “I had to get one of LT(N) JON MONAGHAN LS MacLean served in Afghan- MacLean says. “It was very in- the guys to pour bottles of water secure phone as her “saving grace”. RAdm Gardam is quick to point istan from April to November tense. We put the dead aside, and over my arms to get them clean.” In March she received a phone out that LS MacLean is a fine exam- 2009, working with a Civil-Mili- some of the Afghan army acted as Overall, LS MacLean said every- call from the commander of Mar- ple of the outstanding people serv- tary Cooperation (CIMIC) team as stretcher bearers as we tried to get thing went smoothly and that she itime Forces Atlantic, RAdm Da- ing in today’s Navy. “It’s great to an information management clerk. the injured into the hospital, which was impressed by the calm attitude vid Gardam, telling her she would see that she has been acknowledged Her broad spectrum of duties in- is enclosed inside the FOB.” of everyone involved. “They just be receiving a CDS Commendation in this way for her actions in the volved everything from data entry, Working with interpreters, LS got on with it,” she recalls. And for her efforts. “My first thought high-stress environment of the Af- to meeting with Afghans and gath- MacLean immediately took charge while it was a bit difficult to put it was ‘why is the admiral calling me, ghanistan mission,” he says. ering information about them. On of the situation, triaging more than all behind her, she says the ability did he have a wrong number?’,” she LS MacLean, currently an in- that day in May, an incident oc- 20 casualties and staying with them to speak to her then-fiancée (they laughs. “I was shocked and over- structor at the CF Naval Operations curred which would test the basic until they received medical care. married in May 2010), deployed to whelmed. It’s nice to have recog- School in Halifax, will be promot- tactical combat casualty care skills Many of them were seriously Afghanistan at the same time, via nition for the things you’ve done.” ed and posted to a ship this summer. Plaque commemorates Royal visit of 1959 By Virginia Beaton dedicated to the Canadian Navy,” Party travelled to HMCS Shearwa- Trident Staff said Durrell. “Many of our em- ter and boarded the Royal Flight ployees have had experience in back to the United Kingdom. The fter many years of neglect, a building the surface fleet.” Admiral at the time, RAdm Hugh Abrass plaque commemorating HMCS Halifax is currently in the Pullen, Flag Officer Atlantic Coast, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Irving Shipyard for scheduled work considered this event to be historic 1959 visit to Halifax has been re- and Fredericton and Toronto soon and designated the landing point in discovered, restored and returned will follow, according to Durrell. Dartmouth as the Queen’s Steps to the Canadian Navy. “We have been a neighbour of the and commissioned a brass plaque During an informal ceremony at Navy for 120 years. We want to to mark the event. the Maritime Command Museum make sure we do everything right, Over time, and with the develop- on Tuesday March 29, Steve Dur- so when we found this plaque, we ment of facilities in the vicinity of rell, president of Irving Shipbuild- wanted to return it to you.” the Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic), ing, presented the plaque to RAdm “I can think of no more fitting the steps were demolished and the Dave Gardam, Commander JTFA place to hold this ceremony than in plaque was removed and lost. and MARLANT. this building, and it’s a pleasure for RAdm Gardam acknowledged Irving Shipbuilding had tasked me to be here,” said RAdm Gar- the contributions of many people one of its employees to refurbish dam. Noting that the history of the who were instrumental in the re- the plaque, which had formerly Canadian Navy and before that the covery and restoration of the been located in Dartmouth but had Royal Navy dates back for many plaque. Among them was Maj Ul- been removed during a construc- years in Halifax, RAdm Gardam piano Honorio, XO of Formation tion period and was subsequently added that Irving’s connection with Construction Engineering. misplaced until Irving Shipbuild- the Navy has been both lengthy and RAdm David Gardam, Commander JTFA and MARLANT, and Steve RAdm Gardam also presented ing found it and realized its historic productive. During a recent visit to Durrell, President of Irving Shipbuilding, unveil the Queen’s Steps CNC coins to representatives from importance. New Brunswick, he observed “I plaque during a presentation ceremony at the Maritime Command Irving Shipbuilding, including To- In 2010, the Canadian Naval was reminded that Canada’s Navy Museum on March 29, 2011. ny Scallion, the craftsman who did Centennial year, Durrell informed was built in New Brunswick.” CPL FRANCIS GAUTHIER, FIS much of the restoration work. RAdm Paul Maddison that Irving Capt(N) Craig Walkington, On August 1 of that year, Her Maj- just presented the Royal Canadian The plaque, together with a had possession of the brass plaque MARLANT CNC coordinator, esty Queen Elizabeth II, accompa- Navy with her first Queen’s Colour smaller plaque outlining Irving’s and the company would like to re- gave a brief overview of the nied by His Royal Highness The and she was beginning her journey role in the restoration, will soon be turn it to the Navy in honour of its plaque’s history. Duke of Edinburgh, embarked in a home. on display on a stone foundation to centennial year. The plaque is the result of the naval barge in Halifax and crossed The naval barge landed in Dart- be located behind the Maritime “Our guys at Irving are all very Queen’s visit to Halifax in 1959. Halifax Harbour. The Queen had mouth and from there the Royal Command Museum. Fit to Battle of Skating fight the Altantic for silver CFNES officer wears Remembering the longest Mariners compete at INSIDE mess dress campaign Pages 9-12 men’s national hockey for EXPRES test Page 3 tournament Page 15 2 TRIDENT, APRIL 18, 2011 12 Wing member commended for achievements miere bush pilots. It is presented for Bazinet and 12 Wing were able to mote Canadian interests at home Aviation award outstanding display of initiative, augment surface surveillance capa- and abroad every day,” said Colonel ingenuity and practical skills in the bilities of the Sea King helicopter, Sam Michaud, 12 Wing Command- in memory of solution of a particular challenging assisting our servicemen and women er. “I’m very pleased to see that one problem or series of problems in to more efficiently conduct training of our own from the Maritime Hel- one of Canada’s aeronautics or space activities in and operations both at home and icopter community has been recog- Canada. This will be the second abroad. nized for the outstanding work that premiere bush time that this prestigious award in The ASP system by Maj Bazinet is he and all of our members continue Canadian Aviation is granted to expected to not only enhance capa- to do. Congratulations.” pilots Maj Bazinet. bilities of Sea King helicopter func- Maj Bazinet joined the Canadian “I’m appreciative to CASI for tions, but will also provide transi- Forces in 1986, and continues to By Lt Tyrone Grande considering me for a second recog- tional experience and processes for serve at 12 Wing Shearwater in the 12 Wing PAO nition in the area of aerospace de- the Wing’s future maritime helicop- Helicopter Operational Test and aj Dwight Bazinet, a 12 Wing velopment,” said Maj Bazinet.