Operation LANCASTER - Canadian Navy

T R A I N I N G
New and Improved Officers’ Course
By CPO2 Dennis Oliphant
As another summer of basic officer
training comes to a close, it seems
appropriate that the Link bear testimony
to the countless hours of mentorship,
education and friendship that have been
witnessed this past spring and summer at
the Basic Officer Training Centre (BOTC).
April saw ten Petty Officers and four officers
arrive at NOTC Venture in Esquimalt, B.C.,
ready for the instructor indoctrination period.
Lasting approximately two weeks, this
period of time is used by the school to
demonstrate, assess and familiarize the
instructor cadre with BOTC policies and
standard operating procedures, small party
task assessments, inspection routine, student
files, drill, fieldcraft and weapons and ranges,
to name but a few areas of instruction.
This year, all but two of the instructors had
instructed with the program in years past –
and even those two Petty Officers had
in-depth experience with basic recruit
training in Borden and Saint-Jean. As the
O ff i c e r- I n - C h a rge of BOTC, Lieutenant-
Commander Shawn Connelly, put it: “it
makes sense that an institution that teaches
officership is taught by officers” (the principle
of leading by example). Accordingly,
two more officer positions were added
to the BOTC instructional and divisional
mix; these four officers taught the bulk of
leadership and management theory – no
small feat.
The year 2006 also saw the instructional
organization at BOTC shift from a divisional
cadre to a subject cadre. All the instructors
were pooled into one resource and divided
into an area of expertise, drawing upon
their strengths to the advantage of the
students. Such cadre areas included: drill,
weapons, inspections, fieldcraft, task training,
military knowledge, leadership theory
and military writing. Other subjects that
were taught by outside agencies included:
first aid, harassment prevention, conflict
resolution, Chemical, Biological, Radiation
and Nuclear training (formerly NBCD), and
physical fitness. The cadre system was well
embraced by the instructors, as it allowed a
limited amount of time off – something not
previously seen in past years. This approach
12 LI N K Vol.15, No.3, December 2006
to instruction also saw the instructors
become very conversant with their subject
matter and parlay this to the students
through confidence.
The Initial Assessment Phase (IAP) began
on April 30 and ended seven weeks later.
The Basic Officer Training Period (BOTP)
began immediately afterward and ended on
July 11. Out of 61 hopeful students at the
commencement of IAP, 42 were ultimately
successful. The Commanding Officer of
the Naval Reserve, Commodore Robert R.
Blakely, attended the graduation parade
as the Reviewing Officer and personally
congratulated every student on their accomplishment,
while reminding them that the
most challenging times in their careers were
still ahead. Sixteen Naval Cadets were commissioned
on parade while an all-time high
number of family members, friends and
peers looked on, pride evident in their faces
and in their tears.
BOTC would like to again congratulate all
the graduates and wishes them much luck
in their future endeavours as Canadian
naval officers. Further congratulations are
extended to Naval Cadet Robin Whitney
(top student), Naval Cadets Mallory Ackland
and Markus Delves (academic achievement),
and Naval Cadets Daniel Bernard, Jorim
Disengomoka and Karen Lee (personal
achievement). Petty Officer 2 nd Class Dale
Warren earned the BOTC Instructor of
the year Award. BZ to all!
CPO2 Dennis Oliphant was the BOTC
Company Chief Petty Officer.