Trident Nov 14 2005 - Tridentnews.ca

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6 TRIDENT, NOVEMBER 14, 2005 Succès en mer pour NCSM WINDSOR NCSM WINDSOR se préparant à arriver au port d’Halifax le 26 octobre. Par Ens2 Stéphan Boivin Trident Le NCSM WINDSOR est revenu à Halifax le 26 octobre 2005 après avoir réussi avec succès les essais en mer. « Le Groupe d’instruction en matelotage sous-marin nous a fait passé toute les phases afin de s’assurer que l’équipage maîtrise les techniques de lutte contre les avaries. Nous nous sommes préparés pour nos tâches futures en faisant de la cuillette de renseignements [afin de] s’assurer que notre équipe garde son habilité et puisse fonctionner le plus rapidement possible, » a commenté le Capitaine de Corvette Luc Cassivi, Officier Commandant du NCSM WINDSOR. Lorsque le groupe d’instruction en matelotage sous-marin est à bord, cela se traduit généralement par de longues et intenses heures de travail. « [Nous avons] passé de longues heures dans des espaces resserés à faire différents exercices de simulation d’incendies, d’inondations et de défaillances électriques. L’équipe de lutte contre les avaries a donc été mis à l’épreuve et a dû trouver des solutions et les mettre en application afin de faire face à n’importe quelle situation possible, » a dit le CapC Cassivi. L’absence de la Marine Canadienne dans des exercices opérationnels, causée par l’achat et le transfert des sous-marins du Royaume-Uni, a créé un vide et, par conséquent, un grand défi pour les sousmariniers. « Nos grands défis sont du côté opérationnel, on a mis beaucoup d’emphase dans les dernières années au niveau de l’entraînement de lutte contre les avaries. On n’a pas été vraiment aussi loin au niveau des opérations, que se soit surveillance, intelligence, etc, » a confié Le CapC Cassivi. « Pour beaucoup de nos jeunes sous-mariniers, c’était la première fois qu’ils voyaient ce genre d’activités. Alors notre défi c’est de continuer dans les prochaines années à ramener ce niveau d’expérience à travers la flotte de sous-marin et répondre à une demande que le chef de la défense a mis dans sa vision [qui est] de remettre les sous- marins A/SLT STEPHAN BOIVIN sur la carte, »a-t-il ajouté. Quant à l’incident du NCSM CHICOUTIMI, il a eu très peu d’influence sur l’équipage. «C’était très malheureux de voir la situation avec le CHICOUTIMI. Néanmoins, on est très fier de voir la façon dont [son équipage] a pris charge de la situation et a représenté la qualité de la communauté des sous-mariniers. Nos gens ont un bon niveau d’entraînemnent, ils comprennent la plate-forme, ils comprennent les systèmes. Ils savent ce qui se passe, ils sont capables de prendre les articles qu’il y a dans la presse, ou dans les médias, et de voir ce qui est important et ce qui ne l’est pas, » a confié le Commandant. Le NCSM WINDSOR sera en mer au cours des prochains mois et joindra la flotte afin de participer a des opérations et ainsi gagner l’expérience opérationnel recherché. « WINDSOR va être très heureuse de continuer à voir leurs confrères de la flotte de surface à travers leur périscope, » a conclu le CapC Luc Cassivi. Team reviews Sea Duty Allowance Levels By Virginia Beaton Trident staff The Sea Duty Allowance Level Review is in its final stage and should be concluded in approximately one year, according to Master Warrant Officer (MWO) Gille Saucier. MWO Saucier leads a team of five people, mandated by the Chief of the Maritime Staff, to review the pay records of Canadian Forces (CF) personnel who received the Sea Duty Allowance during their careers. This review is necessary because in the past, there were discrepancies in calculations of this allowance that resulted in overpayments and a few underpayments to some personnel. For example, frequently the official posting dates to a ship differed from the actual reporting dates, so that personnel appeared to have served more time at sea than they actually had. Consequently, they moved to the next level of sea pay sooner than they should. When this problem was first recognized in 1999, there were some personnel who were faced with repaying thousands of dollars after their pay histories were re-evaluated. However, a recent Canadian court decision based on the Markovich ruling stated that the Crown may not ask anyone to repay more than six years’ worth of overpayment. MWO Saucier stated that he and his team must review the files of personnel who received the Sea Duty Allowance. “It is being fixed by us reviewing every member’s pay record, to ensure that all the time that they were paid Sea Duty Allowance is used to calculate their next level in their entitlement, and confirming that what they did receive, is appropriate.” Following the court decision, the review is continuing, “but we are applying that six years rule, and not recovering anything more than six years ago.” However, MWO Saucier added, the six years rule does not apply to incidences of underpayment. “We always have to pay the member if we have underpaid them.” As well, MWO Saucier added “We are also doing all people who did receive Sea Duty Allowance, contrary to the original directive, which was, only people going to sea, who are being affected by this review.” The errors were chiefly made in the 1970s and 1980s, MWO Saucier observed. Some discrepancies were a matter of a few weeks, but others were more significant. He noted that when a ship was in refit, sailors might have been given a credit, receiving Sea Duty Allowance when they were not in fact at sea, “so some discrepancies were as big as two years. They got their next level too early, compared to what they were entitled to.” Many of these people had inquired to their pay office or to Ottawa to confirm their time, “and because everybody was working under the same assumption, that the administration documents were correct, people were confirmed as having spent that much time on a ship.” The team comprising MWO Saucier and his colleagues was created in September 2005. “Our mandate is to be finished by November 2006. It is to review all the MAR- LANT and the Air Force people who did receive Sea Duty Allowance higher than Level Two.” According to MWO Saucier, the estimate was that approximately 2,600 CF members in the Halifax region would be affected by the review. A second team is working at CFB Esquimalt, where approximately 2,800 people may be affected. Naval Reserve Headquarters will also be setting up a team to evaluate all Reserve members who drew the Sea Duty Allowance during the time period in question. The office will be contacting all CF members who are affected by the review, stated MWO Saucier. “We will explain the effects it has on them. If they were already recovered, the effect of the Markovich legal decision will be explained to them. All the new people who did not get recovered will have a chance to acknowledge in writing that they have been informed of the status of their file, and why it is that way, with a proper explanation as to why there is that discrepancy.” MWO Saucier stressed that anyone who is uncertain about his or her status is welcome to call the Sea Duty Allowance Review office. “They can call us for more information. We just hope that they may give us some time to process some of the paperwork before they try to contact us.” ROSE BRINE (902) 471-2934 rbrine@sutton.com FREE Real Estate Report Reveals 10 Best Buys Just visit www.halifaxhomeprices.net Posted to Halifax Call or email me for your FREE RELOCATION KIT www.halifaxhomeprices.net FUN FAMILY AND FRIENDS Year round scenic horse trails Youth Day Adventures (gr.3-12) BBQ ,Tennis court, Parties by arrangement New January 2006 Indoor pool and Hot tub 40 mins from Metro, 30 mins from Falls Lake in Ardoise 10 % Military discount www.boulderwood.com • 1-866-499-9138 • (902) 499-9138 1/2 price for MARLANT members for MARLANT members (off ticket price) • ALL LEATHER JACKETS & COATS • SHEARLINGS & FURS come see our new styles and stock. ALTERATIONS FREE! Furs & Leathers by SEYMOUR over 30 years experience • 5491 SPRING GARDEN RD. 422-3151
TRIDENT, NOVEMBER 14, 2005 7 DART in Pakistan to help victims of October 8 earthquake By A/Slt Stephan Boivin Trident Staff On the morning of October 8 2005, an earthquake, that registered 7.6 on the Richter scale, hit the northern part of Pakistan. Three days after the devastating earthquake, Canada sent a ninemember evaluation and assessment team that included Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC), the Canadian International development Agency (CIDA) and the Canadian Forces (CF) to the area. The task of the interdepartmental team was to identify the best action Canada could take in support to the relief and recovery efforts. On October 14, Prime Minister Paul Martin announced the deployment of the CF Disaster Assistance Relief Team (DART) and Operation Plateau. Lieutenant-Colonel (LCol) Mike Voith, Commanding Officer spoke during a teleconference October 28. “I would like to tell you how proud we are to contribute to the government of Canada’s humanitarian efforts to bring relief to the people affected by the disaster. Our presence here has been welcomed by the Kashmires,” he said. The DART is located at Gahri Dupatta, where their camp is established and where most of its 216 military personnel work. The DART team includes the headquarters, Capt Christine Matthews from Grand Bank, Nfld., a nursing officer with the CF DART Mobile Medical Team, treats a local boy with a head laceration in the mountains near Bandi Tagian, Pakistan. engineer troops, a medical platoon, a logistic platoon and a defense and security platoon. “We are about 140 kilometres north of Islamabad and that translates into about a nine-hour drive on the roads that have been destroyed and now extremely congested due to the earthquake,” said LCol Voith. The DART provides essential needs to the victims by delivering primary medical care and the production of potable water. They also work closely with local government and other organizations. “During this operation, we have been working in close quarters with the Pakistani army, local officials and nongovernmental agencies to provide the necessary relief,” LCol Voith stated. “Additionally, the team, for the first time, is incorporating the three D approach where we have included in our team, a member from Foreign Affairs Canada, and also a member from Canadian International development Agency (CIDA),” he added. The DART has three Pakistani Canadians who speak Urdu, one of the official language, and 15 interpreters to help them communicate with the victims. “We have hired 15 interpreters form the local area and some of them, in fact, are Pakistani Canadians that are in the area right now. They have been outstanding by providing assistance to our medical technicians, doctors and nurses, and dealing daily with the patients,” said LCol Voith. The DART is based on a 40 day mandate but will make sure the proper supports are in place before they leave. “We have determined, from previous disaster, that after about 40 days there are significant Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) [in place]. Also, the host nation is able to muster their abilities to deal with the disaster. Obviously we are going to be here as long SGT FRANK HUDEC, CF COMBAT CAMERA as the government of Canada thinks we should be here,” said LCol Voith. “When it’s time for us to leave, we don’t just pack up our equipment and go home. We make sure that any capability that we have brought into the theater is substituted with an NGO as required. The biggest challenge faced by the emergency team is mobility. The earthquake has caused enormous damage to the road network and some areas are now inaccessible by roads. “Medical teams drive as far as they can into the mountain and then we are sending them on foot with medical supplies, walking two, three, sometimes four hours to reach casualties,” said LCol Voith. “In addition, we have been cooperating very closely with the Pakistan army and we have been using helicopters to ensure that medical teams enter areas that are inaccessible,” he added. “OPERATION PLATEAU is not an easy mission but I can let you know that the morale of the men and women of the DART is extremely high because we know we are making a difference. The Dart is deployed because Canadians care and the soldiers are extremely proud to represent Canada,” he commented to conclude the interview. As of November 7, the DART has distributed 990,468 litres of safe drinking water and given medical treatment to 3525 sick and injured people. OPEN HOUSE Bikeway connection to the ALM bridge Do you want to have a say on how it is designed Do you currently ride your bicycle across the bridge Would you ride across the bridge if there was better access to it on the halifax side If you said yes to any of the above, please join HRM and CBCL Limited to review the options for the connection to the MacDonald Bridge. This is your chance to have input into this very important connection. Please join us on Monday November 21, 2005 At the George Dixon Centre, Multi-purpose Room 2501 Gottingen Street From 6 to 8 pm For further information, please contact: 00234815 Roxane MacInnis TDM Planner Halifax Regional Municipality 490-4160 macinnr@halifax.ca Gordon Smith Project Manager CBCL Limited 421-7241, ext. 2488 gordons@cbcl.ca
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Trident Nov 14 2005 - Tridentnews.ca

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