SAVE on your Home and Auto Insurance with Exclusive rates for the Canadian Forces Community 1-844-999-7687 Compare your current rate with MyGroup’s and receive a free $5 Tim’s Card. mygroup.ca/caf 150355 Monday, May 14, 2018 Volume 52, Issue 10 www.tridentnewspaper.com Four of a kind The Stadacona Band trumpet section says farewell to two of its own. PO2 Tim Elson, PO2 Raef Wilson, PO2 Eric Sproul and Lt(N) David Jackson celebrate PO2 Wilson’s and Lt(N) Jackson’s last perfor- mance with the Stadacona Band. PO2 Wilson is retiring and Lt(N) Jackson, the band’s chaplain, has been posted. LS TRENT GALBRAITH, FIS Sailor of the Quarter CF Aboriginal Entry HMCS St. John's continues PSP instructors set high at FDU(A) Pg. 3 Program Pg. 6 Op REASSURANCE Pg. 15 bar for fitness Pg. 20 CAF Veterans who completed Basic Training and are Honorably Discharged are eligible for the CANEX No Interest Credit Plan. (OAC) CANADA’S MILITARY STORE LE MAGASIN MILITAIRE DU CANADA Canex Windsor Park | 902-465-5414 150351 2 TRIDENT NEWS MAY 14, 2018 Concert pays tribute to Battle of the Atlantic By Virginia Beaton, Leafs jersey and carrying a hockey Trident Staff stick, led the audience in singing the song and skidded across the front of The Stadacona Band’s 20th annual the stage several times in his con- Battle of the Atlantic concert, held stant efforts, not unlike the Maple at the Halifax Central Library on Leafs, to score a goal. We’re going to Sunday, April 29, was a bittersweet miss not only PO2 Wilson’s trumpet- afternoon. playing talents, but also his gifts as a As always, it was a tribute to the comedian. CAF personnel and members of the In a tribute to the merchant navy, merchant navy who participated in guest soloist Liz Rigney sang Kings- the battle, the longest campaign of the fold, a hymn composed by Horatius Second World War. Bonar and arranged by former band But this year’s concert was also a conductor LCdr (now ret’d) Ray farewell event. Trumpet player PO2 Murray. A suite of two Canadian folk Raef Wilson is retiring after more songs Marianne S’en Va-t-au Moulin, than 40 years in the CAF, 32 of them and J’entends le Moulin was next, con- with the Stadacona Band, and Lt(N) ducted by band member PO1 David Patrice Arsenault, Commanding Of- Mouton. ficer and Director of Music, has been The Tri-Service Salute, comprised posted to CFB Borden. VAdm (ret’d) of Heart of Oak, Great Little Army, Duncan Miller, who shared hosting and the RCAF Marchpast, gave all duties with Olga Milosevich, acknowl- serving and former members of the edged and thanked both PO2 Wilson three services a chance to stand and and Lt(N) Arsenault for their service, be recognized. and noted that Lt(N) David Jackson, a And it wouldn’t be the Battle of the padre who regularly played trumpet Atlantic concert if we didn’t have a with the band in addition to being Second World War singalong. their chaplain, had also been posted Retired CBC Radio host Olga Mi- out. losevich and Duncan Miller led the Miller stated that the concert was singing, but Miller took a solo turn in sponsored by HMCS Sackville, the the second to last number. Canadian Naval Memorial. As the Well known for his musical and audience watched a video describ- theatrical appearances, Miller ap- ing the work currently being done to peared in costume as Ko-Ko, a char- maintain the corvette, Miller noted acter from the Gilbert and Sullivan that the project would ensure that the operetta The Mikado. Though he is ship would remain a focal point for Lord High Executioner, Ko-Ko has Canadian naval history and in par- never actually executed anybody but ticular, as a reminder of the Battle of nonetheless, he sings, “As some day the Atlantic. it may happen that a victim must be During the afternoon of music, found / I've got a little list / I've got a Lt(N) Patrice Arsenault’s appearance with the band at the Battle of the Atlantic con- PO2 Wilson demonstrated his tal- little list.” cert is his last performance with them before his new posting to CFB Borden. ents not only as a musician, but also Earning laughter and applause, LS TRENT GALBRAITH, FIS as the band’s resident comedian. Miller sang a little list of his own For the Post Horn Gallop, composed with contemporary and local refer- by Hermann Koenig, PO2 Wilson ences. Top of his list? Trump and played the solo part on an instru- Putin. Not on the list? PO2 Wilson ment consisting of a garden hose, and also Lt(N) Arsenault, with Miller a plastic funnel, and a trumpet noting that both would be much mouthpiece. missed. Then it was on to the Stadacona Big The concert ended with a lively Band, led by PO2 Massé. Their perfor- rendition of the wartime standard, mance of Billy Strayhorn’s Take the A Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Com- Train was followed by the full concert pany B. Bandmembers PO2 Krisanne band’s performance of Londonderry Crowell, PO2 Courtney Lambert, and Air, in a jazz-tinged version of the LS Chelsea Alexi stepped up to the traditional folk song, arranged by mike to sing three-part harmony, and Sammy Nestico. were joined by PO2 Wilson, wearing a This was followed by The Hockey Second World War army uniform and Song, Stompin’ Tom Connors’ an- playing the famous bugle solo at the them to our favourite sport. PO2 start of the song. Wilson, wearing a Toronto Maple PO2 Raef Wilson joins PO2 Krisanne Crowell, PO2 Courtney Lambert and LS Chel- sea Alexi to perform Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy during the Stadacona Band’s Battle of Visit www.nstattoo.ca/dnddiscount the Atlantic concert on April 29, 2018. 150372 LS TRENT GALBRAITH, FIS MAY 14, 2018 TRIDENT NEWS 3 FDU(A) sailor awarded for engineering expertise, leadership skills By Ryan Melanson, Trident Staff While Fleet Diving Unit (Atlantic) is known for their ability to conduct complex dives in some of the world’s most unforgiving environments, the unit’s skilled clearance divers don’t do it alone. FDU(A) is also home to a highly-trained staff of former elec- tricians, hull techs and engineers, now amalgamated under the Mar Tech trade, who keep things running behind the scenes. One of the key members providing those support services, LS Patrick Piekarz, was recently recognized for his contributions to the unit, receiv- ing the second Sailor of the Quarter Award of 2018. Cmdre Craig Skjerpen, Commander CANFLTLANT, and Fleet Chief CPO1 Dan Mercier, visited the unit on April 23 to make the official presentation. The award is presented for out- standing dedication and contributions above regular duties to Canadian Cmdre Craig Skjerpen, CCFL, presented LS Patrick Piekarz with the Atlantic Fleet Sailor of the Quarter award on April 23. From Fleet Atlantic. For LS Piekarz, this left, FDU(A) Coxn CPO1 Chris Belanger, Cmdre Craig Skjerpen, LS Patrick Piekarz, CPO1 Douglas Currie and Fleet Chief CPO1 means working above the expected Dan Mercier. skill level of his rank as the Senior RYAN MELANSON,TRIDENT STAFF Engineer on Dive Tender CFAV Sech- elt, often putting in long hours on the His engineering expertise, which trade is mainly a result of the on-the- become difficult in extreme tempera- ship, and jumping at any potential has allowed him to train and pass fly learning opportunities that pres- tures. Sometimes your equipment leadership role that comes his way. on knowledge to his colleagues, has ent themselves during exercises and just doesn’t cooperate when it’s -35 “I’m thrilled to get the award. I feel resulted in the unit’s senior officers operations. C.” like I work hard and I also put a lot of having a confident and competent “It just comes from being in the In addition to his regular duties, he extra time in when works needs to be engineering crew that can be relied weeds, and getting that experience. also recently applied to and success- done, so it’s nice to get recognized for on. While also crediting the many If something breaks when you’re fully completed the Clearance Diver that,” said LS Piekarz, who grew up mentors and colleagues he’s learned by yourself, and you have to figure Assessment Test, finding time to get the city of Port Alberni on Vancouver from through his career so far, LS out how to fix it yourself, you get it through the complex administrative, Island. Piekarz said his proficiency in his done.” medical and fitness requirements He was posted to FDU(A) in the fall with no decline in performance of of 2016, deployed to Operation OPEN his normal duties. And outside of his SPIRIT in Latvia in 2017, and for his work with the RCN, LS Piekarz was most recent deployment, Operation also lauded for his community in- Spring cleanup at CFB Halifax NUNALIVUT in Cambridge Bay, NU, volvement with Autism Nova Scotia, LS Piekarz again received high praise frequently pitching it to help with for his preparations ahead of the de- venue setup and tear downs for the parture. He worked overtime to collect organization’s fundraising and aware- and verify every piece of engineering ness events. equipment needed to support the op- “LS Piekarz is an excellent ambas- eration, and once on the ground in the sador of FDU(A) and the RCN as a North, he supported his colleagues’ whole,” wrote PO2 Walker, the super- ice dives by ensuring all necessary visor who recommended the sailor for equipment stayed warm enough to the award, in a nomination letter.