First my apologies for the problems on the previous Blog. Somehow the Cyber Gods left out the BEST WISHES to PEI’s own Captain Terry Hunter who was severely injured in a Motorcycle accident in NY State while on leave.
Terry we wish you a speedy and full recovery. Stay your old Positive Self and come home to your Island for some R & R. From your friends Cohorts and Buddies.
Greetings from the West where we are enjoying balmy seasonal temperatures. I feel that Mother Nature sending Humidex ratings as high as 50C is her way of sharing Afghanistan summer weather for the folks who have yet to visit Afghanistan or Libya.
Sadly in Libya Moammar Ghadaffi and his henchmen are still hanging in. HMCS CHarlottetown continues to patrol the Med seeking out contraband cargo, and perhaps her crew are counting the days till they are relieved by HMCS Vancouver.
Meanwhile HMCS Ottawa has arrived in Australia to carry out exercises with members of SATO or the South Atlantic Treaty Organisation. They expect to be away from their home port approximately 6 months. Leaving behind loved ones. Members of "Canada's Invisible Army"
Recently HMCS Protecteur one of Canada aging supply vessell returned from a voyage that took 100 days.
After spending 81days at sea and nearly 100 days away from home, HMCS Protecteur returned to Esquimalt.
Protecteur left Esquimalt February 2 for the Hawaiian operating areas in the company of HMC ships Vancouver and Winnipeg. Together with ships from the US Navy, they helped to train prospective submarine commanding and executive officers. Before returning to Esquimalt in mid-March, Protecteur stayed on-station as the mid-Pacific supply ship providing fuel and provisions to allied ships in the area.
After a period of maintenance during April, Protecteur supported the multinational Canadian-led exercise TRIDENT FURY off the West Coast of Vancouver Island May 2–13, before heading to South America. Protecteur then provided re-fuelling services to ships attached to Joint Interagency Task Force South. The ship was operating in direct support of the ongoing US-led, multinational effort to interdict drug trafficking in the Caribbean Basin and the East Pacific.
“The ship has represented Canada well at home and with our international partners in the mid-Pacific and in South and Central America,” says Commander John Tremblay, Protecteur’s CO. “I am very proud of the entire ship’s company. Since February, Protecteur has sailed nearly 22 000 nautical miles and completed multiple replenishment-at-sea operations for 16 different ships, transferring almost 18 million litres of fuel.”
So although our Combat Troops are returning from Afghanistan for a much needed rest Our NAVY and Airforce are serving around the world.
"Ready Aye Ready" The lead Photograph is:
Amphibious assault ship USS Boxer approaches HMCS Protecteur for refuelling.
by A SLt 2 Matthew Chunn
The PDF IS a complimation of e mails from 2 Apprentices who were Jumpers Joe Drouin and John Martin Thanks Guys.
So as we swelter in Canada please remember our troops wherever they may be.
Nil Sine Labore
Robby
