Maritime Engineering Journal
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National Defence 90 Maritime Since 1982 Engineering Summer 2019 Journal Canada’s Naval Technical Forum CNTHA News Special Feature Inside! A Canadian Naval Technical Exchange Experience in the American Deep South RAdm Simon Page Promotion Congratulations to former RCN Senior Naval Engineering Advisor Simon Page on his promotion to rear-admiral in May. Pictured here receiving his new epaulettes from his wife Sherrielynn Mullins and Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jonathan Vance, RAdm Page will take up a new appointment as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Materiel Group in Ottawa. News of his promotion made quite the splash during the Naval Technical mess dinner in Halifax in May. Maritime 90 Engineering (Established 1982) Journal Summer 2019 Commodore’s Corner The Importance of Mentorship and Knowledge Transfer by Commodore Christopher Earl, CD ..........................................................................................................2 Director General Forum Maritime Equipment Program Obituary — VAdm Robert St. George Stephens ..................................................................................4 Management Obituary — RAdm William Borden Christie ........................................................................................6 Commodore RCDS OutCan Experience Christopher Earl, CD by Capt (N) David Benoit ...............................................................................................................................7 Uniforms of Many Colours — My World of Sports and Navy by A/SLt Cassandra Labrie ...............................................................................................................10 Senior Editor The Royal Canadian Legion Veterans Services Network ..........................................................12 Capt(N) Sebastien Richard Feature Articles Chief of Staff MEPM Pascagoula Shipbuilding Exchange Experience NCM Editorial Advisor by LCdr Brennan Blanchfield ....................................................................................................................... 13 CPO1 Gerald Doutre Approach for a Combined Visual and Passive Acoustic Detection and Classification of DGMEPM Unit Chief Marine Mammals Capability in the Strait of Georgia at Nanoose Bay at CFMETR Project Manager by Stephen McCormick, David J. Moretti, Dawn Grebner and Dugald Thompson....................... 17 Lt(N) Shane Kavanagh Book Review Production Editor/Enquiries Allied Coastal Forces of World War II: Volume I – Fairmile Designs and Brian McCullough US Submarine Chasers Reviewed by Tom Douglas .................................................................21 [email protected] News Briefs Tel. (613) 831-4932 NETE 100th MWM Diesel Engine Test ...............................................................................................22 Associate Editor Mari-Tech 2019: Canada’s Marine Technical Conference ..............................................................23 Tom Douglas 2019 RCN Naval Architecture Conference a Success! ....................................................................24 Graphic Design Thank you Veterans!, Naval Large Tug Procurement, HMCSWindsor DWP ...........................25 and Production Services d2k Graphic Design & Web Awards ..........................................................................................................................................................26 www.d2k.ca CNTHA News Tel. (819) 771-5710 The records we keepby Pat Barnhouse ...........................................................................................27 The launch of USS Ralph Johnson (DDG-114) at the Huntington Ingalls Industries Shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. (Photo courtesy LCdr Brennan Blanchfield) Current and past issues of the The Maritime Engineering Journal (ISSN 0713-0058) is an unofficial publication of the Journal are available online at Canadian Armed Forces published by the Director General Maritime Equipment Program the website of the Canadian Management. Views expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect Naval Technical History official opinion or policy. Mail and requests for free subscriptions may be sent to: Association – www.cntha.ca The Editor, Maritime Engineering Journal, DGMEPM, NDHQ, 101 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A 0K2. Unless otherwise stated, Journal articles may be reprinted with proper credit. A courtesy copy of the reprinted article would be appreciated. MARITIME ENGINEERING JOURNAL NO. 90 – SUMMER 2019 COMMODORE'S CORNER The Importance of Mentorship and Knowledge Transfer By Commodore Christopher Earl, CD had an eye-opening opportunity in early May to travel to Calgary to represent the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) at Battle of the Atlantic ceremonies there. IHosted by the reservists, who represent the entire comple- ment of HMCS Tecumseh, the remembrance weekend was filled with activities that included a mess dinner, a visit to a Royal Canadian Legion branch south of the city, and numerous engagements with media, reservists, and several young cadet groups – followed by the Battle of the Atlantic remembrance ceremony itself. Several thousand Calgarians braved the snow and cold to show their support for the handful of Second World War veterans attending the ceremony and to honour those no longer with us. Although I come from the Calgary area, I was absolutely astonished and delighted by the level of support that our Navy has in that land-locked region of our country. Throughout the weekend, I was constantly asked by people in and out of uniform what it Moffat Kevin by Photo was like to be in the Navy, to be an engineer, and to spend time at sea in a submarine. These young reservists and knowledge now if we are to meet the demands that many cadets, some as young as eight or nine, were incredibly among us believe are already here. My challenge to you is enthusiastic about the Navy, but, not being near the to make mentoring a priority. ocean, they needed someone with first-hand experience Mentorship has long been recognized as an effective to answer their questions. They yearned for this informa- means of knowledge transfer. It’s a way to pass on skills to tion, prompting many of the discussions and interactions, the next generation, and to produce productive, highly and this led me to think about the topic of mentorship competent, and safety-minded individuals who can work in and knowledge transfer. a complex and dynamic environment. Regardless of your Depending on when you look at the statistics, the RCN background, or where you are in your career, many of the is somewhere between 10 and 15 percent under strength. skills that you currently possess are the result of the Within the technical occupations, shortages are approach- interactions, or mentorship, that you have received along ing 25 percent at some rank levels and, with the imminent the way. Mentors provide knowledge, experience, advice, arrival of HMCS Harry DeWolf, it should be no surprise and different viewpoints – often using examples from their that returning to authorized strength is a priority for the own careers. They can help you evaluate where you are RCN. While this means opportunities for many of the now, where you want to go, and how to get there. They can reservists and cadets I had the privilege to meet in Calgary, give you a broader insight and help you learn things that and advancement for young sailors already in uniform, it would probably take you longer to figure out on your own. also means a huge demand for rapid skills development in Thus, they ultimately can help you achieve your goals more all of our technical trades. One of our biggest challenges quickly and effectively than working alone – an important will be to transfer the expertise we have amassed during cog in the operation of any successful organization. our time in uniform. We must start downloading our Maritime Engineering Journal 2 Canada’s Naval Technical Forum MARITIME ENGINEERING JOURNAL NO. 90 – SUMMER 2019 Everyone reading these words has expertise that can be In closing, I would like to acknowledge that the naval passed along. A good mentor is interested in helping others technical community has recently lost two great mentors. I achieve their goals, is someone who takes the time to met VAdm Stephens when I was stationed in the United explain why, and is entirely honest and reliable when Kingdom and regularly chatted with RAdm Christie at the providing advice. With good mentorship comes trust and naval technical mess dinner held annually in Ottawa. Their with trust comes knowledge transfer. The opportunities are stories will be told separately in this issue but I wanted to endless and the concept can be applied anywhere. Whether mention that my interactions with them inspired me and at sea in a ship or submarine, within the Fleet Maintenance gave me some insight into Cold War shipbuilding/repair Facility, or in a technical support role in Ottawa, opportu- that otherwise I might never have understood. Let’s all nities are endless. So, reach out to someone, attend a commit to being the type of people they were and ensure seminar or conference, or simply just decide to learn that the knowledge we have garnered over our careers gets something new by asking for some advice or help. Develop passed on to those that follow. yourselves so you can develop others. We will be a stronger organization because of it. "Mentorship has long been recognized as an effective means of knowledge transfer...a way to pass on skills