For Posterity's Sake         

A Royal Canadian Navy Historical Project

Service information for: 

I joined the CAF (Navy) and went to CFRS Cornwallis in Nov 1982 for basic training.  On completion of basic training in Feb 1983 our course was sent to Halifax were we took basic sea environmental training (OSQ AB). From there I was sent to CFB Esquimalt for my first trades course as a Radioman - which was 6 months long.  In Nov 1983 it was back to the east coast and my first ship, HMCS OTTAWA 229.  The Ottawa had a busy sailing schedule from the get-go and in Jan 1984 she sailed on EXERCISE EASTLANT / NORTHERN WEDDING. We headed down to Florida for a two week short work period and then across the pond to Europe.  The transit was 36 days and then we had port visits in Sweden, Denmark, and England. Enroute back to Halifax the squadron stopped in the Azores for a port visit and fueling - and then we were homeward bound to Halifax. This trip was followed by a 5-month NATO deployment mainly along the US eastern seaboard and we were back home for Christmas.  January was down to Roosevelt Roads for CARIBOPS followed by a Great Lakes Cruise as as part of the 75th Anniversary of the RCN celebrations. 

Up until 1985 I was a Rad Sea 251 (Radioman) and at some point, I would have been sent on a tech course to become a radio maintainer.  However, in 1985 the trade was "MORPED" and split up and you were either an operator or a tech.  We were able to request which part of the trade we wished to remain in though there were no guarantees we'd get our choice. I chose to stay as an operator and thankfully got my choice - and became and NRAD OP (Naval Radio Operator) though after that I still used "RM" for Radioman (correct or not).

In the fall of '85 I was back in Esquimalt for my TQ5 trade course (and missed a trip to England and Ireland). Back on ship in December, and back to sea in Jan '86 for another CARIPOBS, followed up with another NATO deployment afterwhich I was posted off OTTAWA in Aug 1986 to CFS MILL COVE as a LS.

I spent 3 years at Mill Cove, promoted to MS while there, before being posted to HMCS IROQUOIS (shore office as the ship was in refit).  I volunteered for a NATO trip on HMCS SKEENA (spring/summer of '90), then further postings to HMCS PROTECTUER, CORMORANT, PRESERVER and back PROTECTEUR. While on PROTECTEUR in 1991, I was promoted to PO2, and then soon thereafter posted to HMCS MARGAREE as Training PO and Regulating Petty Officer for her final year until she was paid off.

In 1992 it was back to MILL COVE for a 2-year stint, then I was posted to HMCS TORONTO on 02 Aug 1994, sailing a few days later for the Adriatic and OPERATION SHARP GUARD, returning at the end of Jan 1995. Promoted to PO1, I was posted from TORONTO to the shore office for HMCS ST JOHN'S - and was part of her Commissioning Crew.  The following year I was posted to HMCS PRESERVER, taking her into refit, before heading to Valcartier, Quebec, for a year long French course.  On completion, in 1998, I was posted to NAVRESHQ Quebec, where I finished off my career, retiring on 05 Jan 2003 and returning to Winnipeg to spend some quality time with my family and watch my two sons, grow up, graduate and move on in life. After retiring from the Reg Force, I did a two year stint in the Naval Reserves at HMCS CHIPPAWA, to ease my transition from the Navy to the civilian world.