The Guards Star Foot Guards Association, Box 1212, Station B, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5R3 Regimental Website: www.footguards.ca SEPTEMBER 2009 EDITOR: ESTELLE LANE Message from the LCol Comd Message from the President LCol Rob Foster, CD, ADC MWO Marty Lane, CD (Retd) This will be my last article for the Guards Star as the The Regimental Association Executive has been busy Lieutenant Colonel Commanding. In a few short weeks I will planning for the coming year’s events. The paperwork hand over to my successor a Regiment that is stronger than necessary for the name change of the Foot Guards Association when I started. to “The Governor General’s Foot Guards Regimental Association:” has been completed and is now in the hands of The completion of command is bittersweet as it means that I the responsible Government Agency. must move out of the Regiment and leave all that it means behind. A hard task after twenty three years of Tuesday and The Annual General Meeting of the Association will Friday nights. take place on Friday night September 11, 2009. The meeting will begin at 1900 hours sharp and this is your chance to let Over the last three years we have had some challenges and the executive know your ideas for events that can be planned exciting times. I was asked by a senior NCO at the Cutknife for the coming year. The meeting will be followed by a meet Hill Dinner what my legacy for the Regiment will be. I was and greet in the Officers mess, which all members of the stumped and waffled on the answer. I blame it on the scotch Association are encouraged to attend. The cost is $5.00 per which followed the port which followed the wine which person to cover the cost of refreshments. followed the beer. Now that I have had some time to reflect it is clear that my legacy will be the Regiment that is second to We are also finalizing arrangements for the reunion none in the Brigade. After all, everyone knows who the dinner to be held on Saturday September 12th, and we hope to Guards are. The other Regiments? Not so much. see a large number in attendance. The remembrance service will be at 1800 hours followed by cocktails at 1830 for dinner The challenges that we faced were very much a team effort. at 1900. Cost of the dinner is $45.00 per person and will be My command team understood my intent and were given the followed by dancing and/or reminiscing with your fellow latitude to make decisions to ensure good training and support Guardsmen. There will be a church parade at the Guards’ to the soldiers. My thanks to Sergeant Major McKenzie and Chapel (St .Bartholomew’s Church) at 10:30 A.M. on Sunday to Sergeant Major Carleton for their staunch support and September 13th. invaluable advice. To Major Cheff and Major MacLean holding ground as the second-in-command and being a We are currently in negotiations with the Chateau sounding board for the tough decisions that we faced. I am Laurier, which will be the venue for the Regimental Ball particularly indebted to Capt Hladik for filling the role of which will be held on Saturday February 20, 2010. More Adjutant for two years and as Operations Officer for the past information on this event will be forthcoming in the next issue year on top of being OIC Drill Hall. To the Officer’s of the Guards Star. commanding the companies and to the Director of Music, thank-you for a job well done. As always each and everyone Do not forget, this is you Association and the of you could be counted upon to support the Regiment. executive need to know what your interests are so that plans can be made to make things happen. At this time, we are For the Guardsmen of the Regiment it was my pleasure to be looking for some new faces to assist the various committee the recipient of so many accolades from the CDS, CLS, Comd chairs in carrying out their respective tasks. This is your LFCA, and the Comd 33 CBG. I think this quote from the chance to assist in the operation of your Association. Chief of Staff of 33 CBG following Exercise Digital Wolf (DW) in 2007 summed up the strength of the Guardsmen Hoping to see you all soon! UP THE GUARDS!! compared to other units, “I just wanted to send you a quick note to express my appreciation for the strong participation from your unit in DW this past weekend. GGFG was clearly out in strength and the exercise would not have happened without that involvement both in sp staff and PTA. I was impressed with their bearing virtually all of them spoke up with a morning greeting when I saw them even when not 2 The Guards Star solicited. This confidence must be something the unit teaches I am also looking forward to the Annual Regimental as it is somewhat unique.” Association dinner which is always a good time enabling the serving and retired members along with friends and family to The Regimental Family played a significant role in shaping get together to catch up on each others lives and honour our the Regiment and I would like to thank LGen Gervais and Mrs fallen comrades. I encourage all to attend this Guards Family Gervais for their wonderful support as the Honourary event. Lieutenant Colonel (and Mrs). Both provided me with advice and mentorship. I would also like to thank Marty Lane for Finally, I am putting out the feelers right now and warning all taking on the role of curator of the Museum and also President present and former Sgt’s Mess members that on May 1, 2010 of the Association. Both positions are demanding and Marty we will be celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Battle of excels at his support of the Regiment. By his side, Estelle is Cut Knife Hill at our annual Cut Knife Hill dinner. I have another key member of the Regimental family. As curator and instructed the mess committee to begin planning now and to archivist for the Museum and also as Editor of the Guards Star ensure that we properly commemorate such an important she provided me with insights on the Regimental Family that I event in the Regimental history. would not have otherwise. I wish you all the best success for the future. Guards Hockey Team 2008/09 Once a Guardsman, Always a Guardsman The GGFG Hockey Team won the Divisional Championship in Brockville in March 2009. Message from the RSM MWO A McKenzie, CD This summer proved to be very successful for our NCO’s. We graduated 8 Cpls from the Primary Leadership Qualification Course and they are now our newest additions to the rank of Master Corporal (MCpl). We also graduated 41 Gdsm on their DP1 Infantry course and 5 MCpls completed their DP3B course. The unit has received back their course reports and all graduates performed well and kept up the Guards tradition. Marksmanship 2008/09 Capt Sean Gagnon, CD With operations and training as busy as ever, soldiers from No 1 Company managed to find time to get out to the ranges. Soldiers took the time to refine and develop their marksmanship skills while in the pursuit of excellence. National Service Conditions Championships (NSCC) & 1 GGFG Newest MCpls with the LCC and RSM 4 Sep 09 Canadian Forces Small Arms Competition (CFASC): On the evening of September 22 we will be conducting our Change of Command from LCol Foster to LCol Cheff. Over half of the 34 soldier LFCA team was made up Though my time serving as Sergeant Major with LCol Foster of soldiers from the Regiment. The Team as a whole was very has been short, I also served as his Company Sergeant Major successful. Many of the individual soldiers performed to a and enjoyed a very good working relationship with him. I wish very high standard and results spoke for themselves. The him well in his future endeavours both at his Class B Team won almost all the events they were entered into and employment and as the Commanding Officer of the Territorial came in 2nd over all in the Soldier’s Cup event; the Soldiers Battalion Group. He is leaving the Regiment on a very solid Cup team for LFCA consisted of an 8 man team all from the footing. I also look forward to working with LCol Cheff over Foot Guards. Of the 12 individual rifle matches, the Team the next several years. won 10 of them and of those 10, 6 of those went to Foot September 2009 3 The Guards Star Guards. Capt Sean Gagnon also won his second Queen’s Medal for Champion Shot. Capt Sean Gagnon represented the Regiment as a member of the CFCST to Puckapunyal, Australia. Despite American Forces Skill At Arms Meet (AFSAM): numerous equipment failures Capt Gagnon still brought home a silver medal for an individual rifle event and a gold medal as The Regiment was well represented at this part of a four man pistol team. international event in Little Rock, Arkansas. For the first time the Canadian Forces Combat Shooting Team (CFCST) was completely comprised of soldiers all from the Governor General’s Foot Guards; 16 in total. International teams competing at this event have representation from throughout their respective countries with many years of shooting experience. Everyone took note that all competitors from Canada were all from the one Unit; The Governor General’s Foot Guards.