|
|
| Issue 022/2005 |
Numéro 022/2005 |
|
|
 |
“I don’t know. I was never a real soldier. I didn’t like following orders, being told how to do things. I couldn’t play the part. But I have a genuine respect for professionals, including professional soldiers. I always felt like a bit of a fraud, wearing the uniform.” “Doesn’t everyone have to follow orders at some time or another in their lives?” “Yes. Yes they do. But I wanted a job where no one told you how to do it. Finally figured out I had to earn that privilege by learning to take orders. Many years ago when I was in the military, I was afraid they could destroy my individually, break me down and mold me into something else. Wasn’t true, but I didn’t know that at the time. I fought it.” Excerpt, (p 195 – 196): from Last Light – A Novel by 4129 Gerald Bethell (RMC ’58) Ed note: Last Light, a good read for most people. An especially great read for those over 55! A better read for most RETP & ROTP Ex Cadets – all ages! The Foreword for this novel and how to obtain Last Light was detailed in the last e-Veritas 021. |
|
|
Trivia
|
|
|
|
Who Is It? 1. He entered RMC in 1965; 2. He served as an Armour Crewman, Infantry Officer,and Personnel Selection Officer; 3. He was an avid jogger for most of his CF career until his “knees” finally gave out; 4. He has been an Assistant-Professor at RMC for ten years;
5. Following the Obstacle Race during his recruit term, he had a lot to say about it. Click here to read what he had to say. |
|
Ode to Rook Term
|
|
Former Army Captain Derek Hines Killed in Afghanistan |
|
|
Compiled by USCHO Staff
Derek Hines, an Army Ranger and First Lieutenant, who was a four-year starter and alternate captain of the 2002-03 Army hockey team, was killed in a firefight with insurgents in Baylough, Afghanistan, on September 1, 2005 as reported by the Times Herald-Record. He was 25.
"He was a great guy, more than just a hockey player," Army senior Seth Beamer told Ken McMillan of the Times Herald-Record. "You couldn't ask for a better kid."
Hines has 12 goals and 20 assists in his career at West Point and scored a goal in his first game.
"He wasn't big in stature, about 5-foot-8, but he was able to create a lot of things with his speed," head coach Brian Riley told McMillan. |
"He wasn't the biggest guy, but from a coaching standpoint he played big. He had a big heart. He came to play every game. He never wavered on anything."
The Times Herald-Record reported that Hines sent an e-mail to Riley dated two days before his death, in which Hines continued to encourage the cadets at West Point, urged them to start hitting the books hard and was looking forward to following the team over the Internet.
"He turned into somebody who was so proud of the uniform that he wore," Riley told McMillan. "The guys he was leading were heroes and he was just so proud to be around those guys, and ultimately he paid the ultimate sacrifice and he's a hero."
According to the Time Herald-Record, Hines' commanding officer told Steven Hines, Derek's father, that Derek kept firing at the insurgents, even after he had been fatally shot.
|
|
LINKS
|
|
2005 Legacy Dinner Reminder |
|
6523 Former Canadian Ambassador Terry Colfer (RMC '65)
to be Guest Speaker at the |
H7543 Senator, The Hon. Joseph A., LL.B., LL.M., P.Eng. (Saint John – Kennebecasis) (RMC ’68) Legacy Dinner Master of Ceremonies. |
|
All indications are that the Legacy
Dinner will be well attended this year. Consequently,
readers planning to attend are advised to make arrangements
to obtain their tickets early. The Poster detailing the
costs and timings etc, follows this article. Readers who are
considering attending may also consider sponsoring an
Officer Cadet. Those of you who wish to support the Dinner
but are unable to attend may wish to “sponsor” a Cadet. |
|
|
|
Friday,
September 30th
See
www.glenlawrence.com for directions to the Club
Click
here for more on the Reunion Golf
Classic. |
Reunion Weekend Club Executive Director, Peter Dawe, has been hard at work over the past year ensuring the 2005 Reunion Weekend is a winner for all returning Ex Cadets. The Dinner and Dance (Field House) plus the Old Brigade Dinner (SAM) will be catered at a level never before experienced for these type of functions. We have assembled a support staff to help take care of the mundane, behind the scene but essential tasks if these types of events will be successful. We are confident that no stone will be left unturned, thereby, guaranteeing all those in attendance a great time.
Click
here to get a glimpse of the menu for the two
Reunion Weekend 2005
Class Events |
Class of 1995 - Looking to Honour Their Three Fallen Comrades Reunion Weekend
|
|
Click here to visit the Club Home Page to find out more, including Financials, Ballot announcements and links. |
|
What We Remember |
|
|
How do we ensure that young Canadian children understand the significance of Remembrance Day? How will they learn to appreciate the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom? What will whet their interest in Canada's history and heritage? The answer is What We Remember - a collection of gently told true stories about children who were affected by war. Children aged 4 to 9 can learn about the price paid for our freedom through the eyes of children. There are strong ex-cadet links, one of which is that the author is the daughter of 5793 Bill Bawden. In recent years, there have been renewed efforts to educate our youth about our military heritage and the importance of remembrance. Conveying the same message to younger children is difficult and, in Canada, traditionally deemed too upsetting. What We Remember provides teachers, parents and grandparents a means of addressing the issue without frightening or overwhelming the young audience for whom the book is intended. |
|
What We Remember conveys simple messages about Canadian wartime history. It contains six illustrated true stories about young children’s experiences of war. Each story has associated historical facts and questions for teachers and parents. Together, the stories are intended to convey several messages — children were at risk, women played important roles, some fathers were away for many years, some fathers were changed forever, and some fathers never returned. The principals in two of the stories are 4860 John de Chastelain (who, with his sister and mother in 1943, travelled in an Eastbound convoy from Halifax to England) and 5793 Bill Bawden (who was almost six when he first met his father). The back cover of the book has commendations by 3528 Paul Manson and 5105 Jack Granatstein. Never before has there been a Canadian book about war and remembrance designed for children of this age group. As a result, the Canadian Battlefields Foundation has a special Year of the Veteran project aimed at distributing a copy of What We Remember to every elementary school in Canada. (A French version of the book is now “in translation” as part of this project.) What We Remember sells for $12.50 and is available on-line from General Store Publishing House, www.gsph.com, from Chapters Indigo, www.chapters.indigo.ca/, and on-line or in-person from the RMC Club Panet House Gift Shop, www.rmcclub.ca/GiftShop/GiftShop.htm |
|
|
4,889 WALKERS RAISE $16 MILLION TO FIGHT BREAST CANCER |
|
Well done Ladies! |
|
|
|
Catching Up With the News! |
|
Snowbirds Welcome To Celebrate 35th Anniversary Season |
|
|
By Lieutenant (Navy) Petra Smith
MOOSE JAW, SASK – The Canadian Forces Snowbirds are celebrating their 35th anniversary season in 2005. Current and past members of 431 (Air Demonstration) Squadron are welcome to attend the 35th anniversary celebrations scheduled for October 13 to 16, at 15 Wing, Moose Jaw. “This is an exciting year for the Snowbirds with the 35th Anniversary and the 2,000th show for the Team,” said Major Ian McLean, commanding officer and team lead, Canadian Forces Snowbirds. “We encourage all Snowbirds to join us in celebrating our Team’s history of professionalism, dedication and teamwork.” The 35th anniversary weekend will include a meet and greet, the year-end Snowbird show, a hangar party, and the Red and White Ball. Squadron members wishing to attend must register by September 13. “The Air Force is proud of the Snowbirds’ history of excellence and of their important role as ambassadors for the Canadian Forces and Canada,” said Lieutenant-General Steve Lucas, Chief of the Air Staff. “The 35th anniversary is a tribute to the legacy of all Snowbirds who have represented the men and women in uniform so honourably.” The Snowbirds have performed in front of more than 116 million spectators across North America during their 35-year history. To the credit of the technicians, the Snowbirds have never missed a show due to mechanical problems. The 35th anniversary season is dedicated to the memory of our friend and fellow Snowbird, Captain Miles Selby, who died December 10, 2004 during a training accident. For more information or to register for the 35th anniversary weekend, please visit the 35th anniversary website at www.snowbirds35.com or contact Mrs. Marg Fowler, operations support administrator, at (306) 694-2431. |
|
|
427 Tactical Helicopter Squadron to Host "Gathering of the Lions' |
|
By Cpl Rick Donnelly & As each year passes by, so too does our ability to reach back and touch the past in a material way. Each year, 427 Tactical Helicopter Squadron seizes the opportunity to celebrate its past, along with the present. ‘The Gathering of the Lions’, so named because the Squadron Mascot and overall identity is associated with a lion, is an annual reunion weekend held in Petawawa, Ontario, the current home of 427 Tactical Helicopter Squadron. Members of the Squadron from all eras of its existence re-unite to celebrate past victories, honors, and deployment achievements. 427 (Lion) Squadron was originally stood up on November 7th, 1942 as the eighth of fifteen Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Bomber Squadrons formed overseas. The Squadron flew Wellington aircraft out of Croft, Yorkshire, and then Halifax's and Lancaster’s out of Leeming commencing on May 3rd, 1943. Initially part of 4 Group, the Squadron was transferred to 6th Bomber (RCAF) Group where it remained until the end of the war. The Lion Squadron amassed an enormous amount of flying hours and won an impressive list of Battle Honours and individual distinctions. In 3,200 sorties, comprising 26,000 flying hours, the Squadron dropped an incredible amount of high explosives on Fortress Europe and its ports. During the war, a total of 415 personnel were lost, another 121 were shot down and taken prisoner, and 14 escaped to Allied lines. Indicative of the selfless bravery of the Lion crews were four Distinguished Service Orders, two Conspicuous Gallantry Medals, 16 Distinguished Flying Medals, and 147 Distinguished Flying Crosses. The squadron was initially disbanded in 1946, but on 1 August 1962 was reactivated as a Fighter Squadron flying F-86 Sabres in St-Hubert, Quebec. The squadron was moved to Zweibrucken, Germany, and subsequently served in France, Morocco, and Sardinia as ambassadors for Canada. In 1962, 427 Squadron became the first Canadian Squadron to be equipped with the CF-104 Starfighter and flew them for eight years until it was again disbanded on July 1, 1970. |
The Lions returned on January 1st, 1971, as a Tactical Helicopter Squadron based in Petawawa, Ontario, where the Squadron currently resides today. It began its new operations with the CH-136 Kiowa and CH-135 Twin Huey. While the Squadron is still enjoying its first permanent Canadian home, it has participated in numerous overseas operations including Norway, Egypt, the Sinai Peninsula (Operation CALUMET), as well as a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Central America (Operation SULTAN). In 1992, 427 Squadron switched to a uniform fleet of CH-135 Twin Hueys. Soon after, in March 1993, a flight of Lions deployed to Somalia in support of Operation DELIVERANCE where they distinguished themselves in day and night operations. Maintaining its versatility in deployed operations, 427 supported United Nations support missions in Haiti Operations PIVOT and STABLE (1995–1996). 427 Squadron retired the Twin Huey in July 1997, after receiving the last of the newly purchased CH-146 Griffon Fleet. The Lions have used the Griffon in a number of operations to date, including Operation RECUPERATION (1998 Ice Storm), Operation CENTRAL (Honduras 1998), Operation HURRICANE (Arctic 1999), Operation Palladium Roto 5 (1999-2000), Roto 7 (2000-2001), and Rotos 11 and 12 in Bosnia 2002-2003. On the weekend of 21-22 October 2005, 427 Tactical Helicopter Squadron will once again be holding it’s annual ‘Gathering of the Lions’. While the marquee event of the weekend is the gala-style mixed mess dinner, the weekend also features a meet-and-greet for returning members, as well as a full-colours parade. Along with the awarding of medals and other various presentations, the parade features the presentation of the prestigious ‘Lion of the Year’ award, given to the most deserving member based on his or her contributions to the Squadron. Throughout the weekend, members old and new can share their collective experiences, ensuring that achievements are looked on with pride and not forgotten. This year’s ‘Gathering of the Lions’ is poised to be the grandest one yet. Any former Lions wishing to attend can contact Capt Steven Aulenbach at 613-687-5511, Local 7609 or email: Aulenbach.SP2@forces.gc.ca. |
|
21490 Ex Cadet Kirsten MacDonell (RMC 99) Leads Multi-National Team
Maple Leaf, 24 August 2005, Vol. 8, No. 29 While European Space Agency (ESA) astronauts have been flying in space since 1983, ESA is in the early stages of developing its own unique astronaut training program. One of the most significant contributions the ESA is making to the International Space Station (ISS) Program is the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV). The ATV’s mission is to supply the ISS with critical pressurized cargo, water, gases and propellant vital to sustaining life onboard the ISS.This unmanned vehicle— scheduled to be launched by the European Ariane 5 launch vehicle May 2006. In 2003, the European Aeronautic Defence and SpaceCompany’s Space Transportation (EADS-ST) requested Canada's assistance to develop and deliver the astronaut trainingprogram for the ATV. Captain Kirsten MacDonell, an aerospace engineering (AERE) officer with two years experience as a Robotics Instructor at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), was selected to spearhead the initiative. Click here to read more. |
|
|
Two Former Members of RMC Glee Club Enjoying Life in Nova Scotia
Click here for more on 7809 Eric Ruff and 5472 James Colbeck |
|
Pushing the Physical Fitness Envelope – Ex Cadet 20973 Joe Box, (Entered RR ’93) Now with 443 MH Squadron Reservist Participates in International Military Pentathlon
|
|
What Ever Happened to 10068 Doug Acton, RMC Entry Year 1970? |
|
Ontario Principals' Council
led by Ex Cadet 10068 |
By Peggy Sweeney
OPC President Doug Acton shares his
leadership If the military really does provide the best training for life, then Doug Acton, as a graduate of the Royal Military College, may have received the most applicable training possible for a career in education. Born and raised in Sarnia, Doug decided to pursue one of his interests—history—when he entered the RMC in Kingston. Graduating first in his class with a degree in military history, he then had to decide whether to continue with that career path, or pursue his other interest—teaching. “It was one of those fork-in-the-road decisions for me. I continue to look back on that time and consider how different my life would have been had I stayed in the military as opposed to where I am now. But it’s a decision I have never regretted.” Click here for more. |
|
Où sont-ils?
|
Where
are they now?
|
|
|
|
We get e-mails . . . Bill, Hello, wow and thank you. It is great to be reminded of 25 years ago and what an experience it was to be one of the first lady cadets at such a great institution. Thank you again,
Sincerely Bill, Bill, a suggestion on lost members or life members. Google is a fantastic tool now. I know that Mike McKean from my class works or worked at the Canadian Space Agency in Montreal, and I believe Pat Cormier works or worked for Bombardier Aerospace in Montreal. If Tim Larson used Google and the other class secretaries used Google they may get hits to track these guys down. Canada 411 also works for people in Canada. Assuming they haven't had sex or name changes. Regards, 13766 Konrad Mech |
"Many Hands - make the burden light". « L’aide de plusieurs rend la tâche facile » S125 Bill & S134 Rolande Oliver |
| The eVERITAS electronic Newsletter reaches over 5,000 readers . It is a service provided by the RMC Club for Members in good standing with current addresses in the data base. It is designed to provide timely information on current events at RMC and to keep Members "connected". Occasionally, it will be distributed to non-members to entice them to join or renew their membership. Membership information is available at www.rmcclub.ca Newsworthy articles from national or local papers that may not have been available to the majority of our readers may be reproduced in e-VERITAS. We will also publish articles in either official language as submitted by Cadets and Staff, on "current life" at RMC. Other short “human interest stories" about Cadets, Ex-Cadets, Alumni and current and former Staff at the College will appear from time-to-time. Readers of e-VERITAS are encouraged to submit articles in either official language to william.oliver@rmc.ca. In particular, up-to-date “Where are they now?” articles on Ex-Cadets, Alumni and current and former Staff would be most welcome.
eVERITAS
is intended as a supplement and not a replacement of Veritas, the
highly popular magazine of the RMC Club printed and distributed three
times a year to Members by mail.
|
Chaque édition du bulletin électronique e-VERITAS rejoint plus de 5,000 lecteurs. C’est un service fourni, par le Club des CMR, aux membres dont les adresses sont à jour dans notre base de données. Son but est de fournir des renseignements à point nommé sur les actualités au CMR et de garder en communication les membres du Club. Occasionnellement, il sera distribué aux membres qui ne sont plus en règle espérant qu’ils renouvelleront leur carte de membre annuelle ou qu’ils deviendront membres à vie. Les renseignements sur l’adhésion au Club sont disponibles au www.rmcclub.ca. Articles d’intérêt national ou local qui ne sont pas disponibles à la majorité de nos lecteurs seront reproduits dans e-VERITAS. Nous produirons aussi des articles dans l’une des deux langues officielles soumis par les élèves officiers et le personnel du Collège sur la vie actuelle au CMR. Nous offrirons de temps à autre de courtes anecdotes sur les élèves officiers, les Anciens et les membres du personnel d’hier et d’aujourd’hui. Nous encourageons les lecteurs de e-VERITAS à soumettre des articles dans l’une ou l’autre des deux langues officielles à Rolande.Oliver@rmc.ca. En particulier des articles récents sur « Où sont-ils présentement? » seraient grandement appréciés. e-VERITAS est un supplément et NON une substitution pour VERITAS la revue populaire du Club des CMR imprimée et distribuée aux membres en règle, par la poste, trois fois par année. |