February 2012 Issue $3.95 Cdn / $4.50 US Display until March 2, 2012 Publications Mail # 40069149 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Dept. 204-1066 Somerset St. W. Ottawa ON K1Y 4T3 february 2012 esprit de corps 1 HALIFAX SHIPYARDS NEW AD 2 volume 19 issue 1 e ON TARGET? Volume 19 Issue 1 Heaping medals on a Publisher Manager commander will not turn the Scott Taylor Julie Simoneau Scott Taylor publisher Libya mission into a success story Assoc. Publisher Circulation Avi Gavai Natasha Overduin Columnist Atlantic Rep I noted with interest that in the latest and air force flypast, a grateful Parliament Michael Nickerson Gord Crowe crop of Order of Canada recipients was acknowledged that Bouchard had been Contributing Editors none other than Lieutenant-General fast-tracked to receive the Meritorious Les Peate, Norman Shannon Charles Bouchard. All those who have Service Cross from the Governor General Reporters Jessica Campbell, Marlee Wasser hadI the honour to serve with Bouchard of Canada for his role in bringing down Special Events acknowledge that he was a capable the Libyan tyrant. Now, just one month Thérèse Darêche, Lale Eskicioglu helicopter pilot and competent com- later, he was named to the Order of Michèle Simoneau mander. Nonetheless, the sheer rapidity Canada for the same feat. Contributors in this issue of his nomination and selection gives his To provide just a little context, it must Col. Michel Drapeau, Joshua Juneau, Eric Leclerc, honour the whiff of a propaganda ploy. be noted that included in the same list Rick Leswick, Josh Libben, John P. Maclean, David Pugliese, Steven Staples, George Sweanor, Bouchard is the relatively unknown of recipients for the Order of Canada Donna Tillotson senior officer who shot to international was former chief of defence staff retired Regular Contributors prominence as the commander of the General Rick Hillier. Without a doubt, Paul Culliton, Vincent J. Curtis, Col. Michel Drapeau, Newell Durnbrooke, Eric Leclerc, Michael Hurley, NATO forces in last year’s Libyan Hillier is Canada’s most prominent John P. Maclean, David Pugliese, Steven Staples campaign. For ten months, Bouchard military figure since the Second World Esprit de Corps led the allied airstrikes from his com- War. A charismatic, tough-talking New- #204-1066 Somerset St. W., mand post console in Italy against the foundlander, Hillier first won the hearts Ottawa, ON K1Y 4T3 Tel: 613-725-5060 • Fax: 613-725-1019 Gadhafi loyalists, without suffering a of the Canadian Forces personnel, and single casualty. Following the capture then went on to charm the nation. www.espritdecorps.ca and murder of ousted Libyan President From February 2005 until July 2008, Toll-free: 1-800-361-2791 th Moammar Gadhafi on October 20 by Hillier was the face of Canada’s contro- E-mail: [email protected] rebel forces, Bouchard was hailed at versial war in Afghanistan. During that Subscriptions home and abroad for his tactical genius. tenure, he generated his own political $34.95 for 12 issues • $95.95 for 36 issues One could argue that when techno- gravity in Ottawa. He emerged as one Esprit de Corps (ISSN 1194-2266) is published logical superiority enjoyed by the most of the very few individuals who dared twelve times a year (HST (no. 135453157) included). powerful air armada in the world is pitted to publicly stand up to Prime Minister Please send cheque, money order, Visa or MasterCard information with your subscription request. If you are against a tiny third-world nation which Stephen Harper. The rank and file adored moving or need to correct your mailing address, call lacked even a rudimentary air raid siren Hillier and awarded him the nickname us toll-free from anywhere in Canada. system, a monkey pounding a target “The Big Cod” (Newfoundland folklore map with his paw would have eventually for the catch of a lifetime) because he prevailed. But I digress. made them proud to be soldiers again, As part of Canada’s attempt to pro- not peacekeepers. mote our intervention in the Libyan civil Following his retirement from the war as a victory for peace and democracy, Forces, Hillier penned two bestselling the Conservative government staged books on leadership and continues to elaborate Victory in Libya (VL-Day) criss-cross the country on speaking tours. In 2010 a port security unit of more than 100 celebrations on November 24 last year. specially trained reservists and 20 rigid-hulled inflatable boats took part in EX SILVER. CPL( In the midst of the marching bands PUBLISHER ... CONTINUED ON P. 46 RODERICK HOPP, IMAGING SERVICES, CFB ESQUIMALT) Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069149 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: #204-1066 Somerset St. W., Ottawa, ON K1Y 4T3 www.espritdecorps.ca Tel: (613) 725-5060 february 2012 esprit de corps 3 V O L U M E 1 9 I S S U E 1 F E A T U R E S HIDDEN IN PLAIN VIEW Developments in modern camouflage — by Rick Leswick — 8 16 24 SHIPS AHOY! THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO The Royal Canadian Navy forges ahead with its national Governor General Sir John shipbuilding program Colborne had a “talent for war” — by David Pugliese — — by Eric Leclerc — D E P A R T M E N T S 6 Posted In: Letters to the editor 14 Commentary: “It’s time to end the CDA’s military funding” by Steven Staples and Josh Libben; “Canada second, First Nations last,” by Michael Nickerson 20 Law & Order: “Judicial pardons and the Forces”: Why expunge a record?, by Michel W. Drapeau and Joshua M. Juneau 23 Incoming: Hits & Misses: News from the front lines and the backrooms 28 Profiles: “Keeping their memories alive”: The Memory Project, by Marlee Wasser 31 At Ease: Test your military knowledge against quizmaster Les Peate 32 Second World War: “In the skies over Libya”: James Edwards, by Donna Tillotson 35 One Soldier’s Story: RCAF photographer Irene Ogilvie, by John P. Maclean 36 The Old Guard: News and information for serving members and veterans, by Les Peate 40 In Memoriam: Saying goodbye to a friend, by Scott Taylor 41 On Review: A tactical police officer talks about PTSD, review by Capt. Rob Tyler 42 Perspectives: “Christmas Eve 1944 ... and afterthoughts,” by George Sweanor 4 volume 19 issue 1 4 esprit de corps february 2012 IRVING SHIPBUILDING NEW AD COMING february 2012 esprit de corps 5 e do the security at double and triple time plus magazine (Volume 18 Issue 12, January JUST BECAUSE EVERYBODY DOES IT their expenses. 2012), which I look forward to with great DOESN’T MEAN IT’S RIGHT The cost for the aircraft and aircrew anticipation. As usual the first page I turned expenses would have been paid by DND, to was the “Departments” section on page regardless of which cabinet member used the 4 to decide on which article I would read aircraft. DND aircraft operate at the preroga- first and, to my delight, Between the Covers tive of the government. promised an excerpt from Murray Brewster’s The time has long passed where Peter book The Savage War. To my dismay and should simply say, I wanted to see first-hand disappointment, when I turned to page 31 it what a rescue looked like and thought being was an advertisement for DEW Engineering. The CC-144 Challenger, DND’s twin-engine, hoisted up to the aircraft on a cable rescue Careful searching of the magazine failed to long-range executive jet, offers rapid air winch would be an interesting experience. turn up the excerpt so I can only assume it transportation to Canadian high-ranking government officials and foreign dignitaries The case can be made that Peter killed two was left out of my copy. with VIP air transportation worldwide. These birds with one stone: Case closed. Thank you very much for a wonderful jets have been used by many MPs for various Thanks to MND Peter MacKay, Generals magazine. types of travel. (BRUCE WAY, D AIR PA) Hillier and Natynczyk, the Canadian Forces’ Roy Track he Liberals had better remember that morale has never been so high; going back T they too live in glass houses. to the ‘dark days’ when Trudeau’s disastrous Editor’s note: You indeed have a keen eye During the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics unification in 1968 literally destroyed the CF Roy! The excerpt from Murray Brewster’s John Manley and Sheila Copps abused the and the RCMP. book ran in the previous edition (December DND aircraft system far more than did Peter Considering the damage to the national 2011 issue). But thanks to the computer MacKay with CF helicopters. John and Sheila fabric the Liberals caused during their time gremlins, it reappeared in last month’s table each used a separate Challenger jet to fly in office, Peter does not have to apologize of contents! Our apologies for any disap- themselves, their cabinet pals and depart- to anybody. pointment. ment insiders to Salt Lake City and back. Ernie Slump According to published reports, they stayed Penticton, BC SELF-RIGHTEOUS ARMCHAIR WARRIORS in $3,600-a-night hotel suites, the two of them BRING SUFFERING NOT BETTERMENT together bought with public funds $140,000 APATHETIC VOTERS Thanks for your putting into layman’s terms worth of trinkets and souvenirs to be distrib- After reading Scott Taylor’s editorial on the ‘victory’ in Libya. I fully understand your uted to “faithful Liberal party members.” The Defence Minister Peter MacKay’s jaunt on frustration with this peacock-strutting bunch of overall cost of that “joint trip” to the taxpayers the SAR helicopter (Volume 18 Issue 12), In post-Gadhafi Libya, many of the rebel fighters was a reported $902,000.