University with a Difference

“University With A Difference”  Series

This video is the first episode in a cadet-inspired series which aims to share glimpses of College life with the RMCC community, while helping spur continuous personal growth and teamwork among cadets who have been granted unique officer-training and educational opportunities.

HEADS UP!

Word has been buzzing around NDHQ and elsewhere that there is an impending announcement coming soon concerning the traditional officer cadet dress at both military colleges – Royal Military College of Canada and Royal Military College St Jean. We do not have the exact details but it sounds like it has something to do with changing the headdress. No other details are available at this time. We do not have any reason to believe it has something to do with the Federal budget which is to be announced this week.

We will continue to try to track down the facts and once they become clear we will post all we know on the subject in e-Veritas ASAP – likely late Saturday night or even early Sunday morning next week.

Careers | Carrières

In This Issue 13:

Cadets Get a Glimpse of what lies ahead…

Electrical Engineers Strut Their Stuff

Incoming Command Team Showcased / Spit and Polish the Order of the Day

Navy “Grads-to-be” Mess it Up!

Hardware Galore

IM Warriors Honoured

Qu’est-ce qui se passe au CMR Saint-Jean

Class Notes & Hiring doesn’t have to be an uncertain process!

Extraordinary Ex-Cadets: 18798 Steven Beggs

What are these 24 Up to these Days

Spotlight on Professors: LCol Joy Klammer

Opinion: Rugby VIIs & the traditional 15-a-side rugby

“It will be pure hell if I flunk out. What would I do next year…?”

Deaths | Décès

Chief of the Maritime Staff to Cadets – “It’s all about your people…”

Article by 25366 NCdt (IV) Mike Shewfelt

MOC weekend is a chance each year for the Cadets of RMC, as well as their Civilian University counterparts at Queen’s, to see the world beyond their training. Briefings from officers in their respective elements, both junior and senior, give them a glimpse of the world they will one day join. They get the strategic view the senior officers of the elements, and then they get the tactical view from officers only a few years removed from where the Cadets are now.

For the Naval Cadets, their presentation from the Chief of the Maritime Staff typically revolves around what an exciting time it is to be coming into the Navy as junior officers. As Vice Admiral Paul Maddison explained to the Cadets this past Saturday morning, with all of the new equipment and ships on the horizon, this is truly the case. This is even more so now, the Admiral said, with the increased naval focus on Canada’s north. “The Navy’s not getting smaller,” he said.

With all of that exciting new technology on the way, it is important, though, as the Admiral said, for the Cadets to remember the importance of their people. “Yes, we may be technology heavy,” he told the assembled Cadets, “but it’s still about leadership. It’s all about your people. As a young officer, you have to look after them, make sure they succeed. And if you do it right, they’ll do the same for you. That is perhaps the greatest compliment you can be paid as an officer.”

The Admiral also underscored the importance of the time spent at RMC. “When you get out to the fleet,” the Admiral said, “you’re going to be part of a team. You will be working with, and in some cases for, people sitting in this room with you right now. If you use this time well, when you get out there, that level of trust and respect will already be there. Use this time poorly, and it won’t be there. You’ll have to work all the harder to make up for it.”

More photos from the day:

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Air Force Briefs Give Cadets “The Bigger Picture”

 Article by 25725 OCdt (III) Christopher Lane, CWPIO

After an excellent Meet and Greet in the Senior Staff Mess the evening prior, cadets took their seats in the new Gym at 0715 as they awaited the arrival of the day’s VIP Air Force Officer speakers. The lectures got rolling with an outlook of the Air Force by LGen André Deschamps, the Chief of the Air Staff. He discussed the RCAF’s busy year, and the likelihood of increased RCAF presence in operations abroad with the world’s current unstable climate. He explained that the Air Force was in a stage of growth, and as always, “It’s a great time to be in the Air Force.”

The LGen’s brief was followed by brief on past, current and future operations, which highlighted the exciting events of the past year and the promising future that lies ahead for the RCAF, despite unease on the coming budget. After a brief on th Air Force’s strategic plans, the lecture series transitioned into the overviews of each AF Officer trade: Construction Engineer, Aerospace Controller, Communications and Electronics Engineer, Air Combat Systems Operator, Logistics Officer, Aeronautical Engineer and Pilot.

The afternoon’s briefs saw cadets split off into their respective trades and receive trade-specific briefings about their training and future careers.

Briefings officially ended at 1630, and AF cadets were invited to hop on a bus to Kingston Airport, where a CF-18 Hornet had landed. The static display attracted a great deal of excited cadets (mostly pilots), wide-eyed at the opportunity to sit in the cockpit of one of Canada’s fighter jets.

As always, MOC weekend gave us cadets an opportunity to step back from our lives at RMC and see the bigger picture. It was a nice refresher reminding us that life does not begin or end with a high average or whether or not you get a bar position, and that there is much to look forward to upon graduation from RMC.

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Army MOC Weekend Begins In Typical Army Style

Saturday of the MOC Weekend for all Army cadets began characteristically with PT at 0600. Following an enjoyable circuit, shower and breakfast, RMCC’s green-bereted cadets assembled in the Kingston Military Community Sports Centre’s fieldhouse for a keynote briefing by LGen Peter Devlin, Chief of the Land Staff.

LGen Devlin’s insightful briefing was structured around cadets’ questions, and ranged from topics such as future operational vehicles (LAVups and TACVs), soldier systems and kit upgrades, and potential areas of CF involvement.

Following this discussion, different branches of the Army took centre stage to introduce their respective focuses for the afternoon briefings, which would be isolated sessions. Among those presenting were the Infantry, Armoured, Artillery, Logistics, Signals, Combat Engineers, and EME – a crew of which disassembled and reassembled a jeep in under four minutes!

Following lunch, the Army cadets broke off into their respective branches for trade-specific briefings across campus. The infantry cadets in particular were treated to a detailed briefing on Phase Three and Phase Four by Infantry School staff.

Overall, it was a very insightful day for those cadets headed off to the trenches this summer!

RMC Annual 4th Year Electrical and Electronics Engineers Competition

Article and Photos by Capt Cynthia Kent, RMC Public Affairs

On March 22nd, the Annual International Institute of Electrical and Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Internal Competition was held at the Royal Military College of Canada. Six 4th year teams from within the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department competed and were evaluated on the demonstration of the project, the implementation and the technical difficulty. 25814 OCdt (IV) Jeffrey Campbell, M0962 NCdt (IV) Jeremy Hamilton and 25492 OCdt (IV) Mohamad Iskandarani (photo above) won first place for their project, “Quad-Rotor Autopilot.” The project involved setting up and testing in flight a quad roter UAV autopilot.

As the top finishers, the team will compete in the IEEE Eastern Competition in Ottawa against five other universities at Algonquin College on March 27th. 25183 OCdt (IV) Feliz Belzile and 25407 NCdt (IV) James  Jessup (photo above left) won second place for their project, “Riffex Guitar Effects Control.” 25230 NCdt (IV) Justin Anderson and 25333 NCdt Victoria Libongco (photo above right) won third place ($50) for their project, “Controller Base First Person Combat Simulator.”

Other entries from the competition included:

2012 Fall Semester Bar Slate Announced

Article and Photos by 25366 NCdt (IV) Mike Shewfelt

As each semester at the College comes to an end, speculation always runs wild about what the next semester’s bar slate will look like. Who will have what position…? Who will be CWC…? Who will be our new CSL…? These questions were put to rest this past Friday as, following the IM Awards Ceremony, 25314 OCdt (IV) Jacqueline Forbes, current DCWC, announced the bar slate for the 2013 Fall Semester. The new command team, lead by incoming CWC 25586 OCdt (III) Brenden Clarke, as well as the incoming Cadet Division Leaders and Cadet Squadron Leaders, lined up across the Parade Square to the applause of the Wing. As DCWC OCdt (IV) Forbes said, “Each one of you has worked hard to get where you’re at. You are all deserving of your positions.”

Here is the full incoming leadership team:

Command Team

CWC – 25586 OCdt (III) Brenden Clark, 2 Sqn

DCWC – 25390 OCdt (III) Isabelle Allain, 7 Sqn

CWOpsO – 25533 OCdt (III) Veronique Trépanier, 8 Sqn

CWTO – 25663 OCdt (III) Dmitri Sapeguin, 11 Sqn

CWAdO – 25676 OCdt (III) Joshua Bloess, 4 Sqn

Cadet Division Leaders

CDL A – 25715 OCdt Gardner, 2 Sqn

CDL B – 25859 NCdt Deutsch, 7 Sqn

CDL C – 25804 NCdt Holtken, 8 Sqn

CDL D – 25553 OCdt Beauchamp, 12 Sqn

Cadet Squadron Leaders

CSL 1 – 25820 OCdt (III) Jennifer Allan

CSL 2 – 25703 OCdt (III) Giovan Arzoz

CSL 3 – 25268 OCdt (III) Marc Grenier

CSL 4 – 25786 OCdt (III) Brennan Roche

CSL 5 – 25743 OCdt (III) Stacey Cusan

CSL 6 – 25902 OCdt (III) Nigel Mahon

CSL 7 – 25801 OCdt (III) Paul Goddard

CSL 8 – 25871 OCdt (III) Khuong-Duy Tang

CSL 9 – 25574 OCdt (III) Maxime Rivard

CSL 10 – 25849 OCdt (III) Andrew Chapman

CSL 11 – 25717 OCdt (III) Eric Hawn

CSL 12 – 25708 OCdt (III) Anthony Everitt

CSL 13 – 25749 OCdt (III) Turner Hibben

CSL Otter – M0990 OCdt (III) Melissa Warnke

2012 Commandant’s Inspection

 Article and Photos by 25366 NCdt (IV) Mike Shewfelt

Inspections are a staple of Cadet life at the College, and twice a year the Cadets turn out in their finest to be inspected by the top leadership of RMC. This year’s Commandant’s inspection was held over the course of four mornings this past week, instead of the one morning typical of the event. This allowed the Commandant of RMC, BGen Eric Tremblay, to briefly inspect every cadet in the college. On Wednesday morning, it was A Div’s turn. BGen Tremblay spent an hour inspecting Cadets and their rooms, while the inspection party (senior Cadet Wing positions and members of Otter Squadron) did a more detailed inspection. It was a solid performance for A Div in general and 4 Sqn in particular, one of which they can justifiably be proud.

More photos of the action:

2012 4th Year Navy Mess Dinner

Article and Photos by 25366 NCdt (IV) Mike Shewfelt

It is tradition at RMC that, as graduation approaches, the Fourth Year cadets of each element gather together one last time as a group. The Fourth Year naval cadets, although the smallest of the three elemental groups and the last to gather, were by no means the least of the three elements. Lead by 25294 NCdt (IV) Sean Catterall, some fifty soon-to-be officers spent the evening with the senior staff of the College and a number of naval officers who were in town for the MOC weekend, including the Guest of Honor, Commodore John Newton. It was night of tradition, drink, and good company. As one Naval Cadet said after the night was over, “It was only the second mess dinner I’ve ever been to, but it was great. I was really looking forward to it, and I’m glad I went.”

Photos from the night:

Royal Military College Honours Varsity Athletes at Annual Ceremony

Layout and Photos by 25366 NCdt (IV) Mike Shewfelt

The achievements and successes of RMC varsity athletes were highlighted throughout the annual Varsity Awards Ceremony, which took place on Wednesday, March 21st.

Kingston native 25419 OCdt (IV) Melissa McCoy, 22, won her first Kelly Gawne Memorial Cup as RMC Female Athlete of the Year. McCoy helped guide the women’s volleyball team to their second consecutive OUA playoff appearance. The fourth year Psychology student was also named OUA 2nd Team All-Star for her efforts this past season.

25815 NCdt (III) Jason Song, 20, a third year Chemical Engineering student from Maple Ridge, BC, was named recipient of the Tommy Smart Cup as RMC Male Athlete of the Year. Song, who was also named Top 3rd Year Athlete at the college, was a member of the 2011 Canadian national Universiade team that competed in Shenzhen, China this past August. He is currently ranked 5th in Canada in the male lightweight division.

25440 OCdt (IV) Landon Lavictoire, 24, from Kirkland Lake, ON, has been a leader on the men’s hockey team as well as at the college over the past four years. Having served as team captain this past season, the Honours Business Administration student also filled the role of Cadet Wing Commander this past fall. Lavictoire was named recipient of the H.R.H. Prince of Wales Cup for his excellence in all four components throughout his college years.

25508 OCdt (IV) Thegne Rathbone, from South Slocan, BC, has been a vocal leader of the men’s volleyball team over the past four years and was the recipient of the Captain Matthew Dawe Memorial Cup. The Aeronautical Engineering student was also able to balance the demands of varsity volleyball, while being heavily involved with both the rowing and swim clubs at RMC.

Other athletes to be honored this evening were defenseman 26547 OCdt (I) Alex Pym from the men’s hockey team, who earned the Top 1st Year Athlete award, while midfielder 26019 OCdt (II) Michelle Hamilton of the women’s soccer team was named Top 2nd Year Athlete. OUA East 1st Team All-Star 25397 OCdt (IV) Jhordan Dorrington, keeper of the men’s soccer team, was named Top 4th Year Athlete, while fellow senior 25484 OCdt (IV) Aaron Barry of the men’s rugby team was named Top Team Captain.

The women’s volleyball team was again named RMC Team of the Year, following their second consecutive OUA playoff appearance.

Fantastic finish for Kingston volleyball player – Kingston Whig Standard

Pre-Ceremony Festivities

The Award Winners

TEAM MVP’s

Basketball (M) James Byun

Basketball (W) Sandy Edmison

Cross Country (M) Richard Hayes

Cross Country (W) Émilie Béland

Fencing (M) Steven Morris

Fencing (W) Diane Malo

Rugby (M) Riley Saliken

Soccer (M) Jhordan Dorrington

Soccer (W) Michelle Hamilton

Taekwondo Jason Song

Track (M) Félix-Olivier Cordeau

Track (W) Isabelle Allain

Volleyball (M) Jeff Fillmore and Tyler Leknois

Volleyball (W) Melissa McCoy

Hutton Trophy (Best 1st Year Cadet): Awarded to the first year cadet who makes the most outstanding achievements in athletics during the current College year.

Recipient: ………………………………………………………………..…… Alex Pym, Men’s Hockey

Hutton Trophy (Best 2nd Year Cadet): Awarded to the second year cadet who makes the most outstanding achievements in athletics during the current College year.

Recipient: ………………………………………………………… Michelle Hamilton, Women’s Soccer

RMC Military Club of Canada Trophy (Best 3rd Year Cadet): Awarded to the third year cadet who makes the most outstanding achievements in athletics during the current College year.

Recipient: …………………………………….…..…………………………….Jason Song, Taekwondo

RMC Military Club Canada Hamilton Branch Cup (Best 4th Year Cadet): Awarded to the fourth year cadet who makes the most outstanding achievements in athletics during the current College year.

Recipients: ……………………………………………………………… Melissa McCoy, Women’s Volleyball

Fair Play Award: Presented to the student athlete who demonstrated to the coaching staff and his/her teammates an attitude of fair play towards opponents, officials and everyone else that he/she comes in contact with both on and off the field of play.

Recipient: ……………………………………………..……….…………James Sarsons, Men’s Volleyball

The Kelly Gawne Memorial Cup: Awarded annually to the female athlete of the year.

Recipient: ……………………………..…………………………. Melissa McCoy, Women’s Volleyball

The Tommy Smart Cup: Awarded annually to the male athlete of the year.

Recipient: …………………………………..…………………………………………… Jason Song, Taekwondo

The Douglas Massey Cook Memorial Cup: Awarded annually to the Team of the Year.

Recipient: ………………………………………………….……………………..…. Women’s Volleyball

The Whitaker Cup: Awarded annually to the RMC Officer-Cadet who has been the best team captain of an RMC team sport.

Recipient: …………………………………………………………………… Aaron Barry, Men’s Rugby

The H.R.H. The Prince of Wales Cup: Awarded annually to a Fourth-Year Cadet in recognition of excellent athletic performance and strong performance in the four pillars (academic, military, physical fitness and bilingualism) throughout their entire college years.

Recipient: …………………………………….……………………… Landon Lavictoire, Men’s Hockey

The Captain Matthew Dawe Memorial Cup: Awarded annually to the outstanding male or female ROTP varsity athlete, of any year, who excels in all aspects of College life at RMC.

Recipient: …………………………………….……………………… Thegne Rathbone, Men’s Volleyball

The Outstanding Athlete Award: Awarded to those cadets whose athletic performance has been clearly recognized as outstanding not only against the immediate intercollegiate competition, but also at the national intercollegiate level or its’ equivalent in provincial, national or international events.

Katie Porter – Fencing

Nicholas Lightbody – Swimming

Jason Song – Taekwondo

Dr. Ian Crawford Memorial Award: Presented to the Athletic Trainer who embodies Dr. Crawford’s characteristics of commitment, professionalism, sacrifice and passion for RMC sports.

Recipient: …………………………………….……………………… Catherine Buethe

Academic All-Canadian Honour Roll Recipients

Academic Achievement Awards

OUA All-Stars 

OUA Special Recognition 

24647 OCdt (IV) Paul Lystiuk, right, was awarded the Commandant’s Athletic Achievement Award, and received a College Coin from BGen Eric Tremblay. 

Post-Ceremony Festivities

Deserving Cadets Recognized at Early Morning Parade

Article & Photos by 25366 NCdt (IV) Mike Shewfelt

On the morning of Friday, March 23rd, the Cadet Wing turned out on the Parade Square to recognize the deserving cadets from the 2012 Winter Intramural season, which ended this past Thursday night with the final play off games. BGen Eric Tremblay, Commandant of RMC, and most of the senior leadership of the College were on hand to pass out trophies and congratulate the winners. The results are as follows.

25885 OCdt (III) Karan Malhan was the winner of the IM Squash competition, which was offered as an optional intramural activity.

25985 OCdt (II) K.F. D’Souza was acknowledged as the best referee for Volleyball.

25930 OCdt (II) Taylor Webber was acknowledged as the best referee for Basketball.

The Most Sportsmanlike Players for each league were:

25765 OCdt (III) Victor Banerjee, Dodgeball

25067 OCdt (IV) Jonathan Campos, Volleyball

25833 OCdt (III) Elise Gammeljord, Basketball

25114 OCdt (IV) Darren Rioux, Ice Hockey Tier A

25884 OCdt (III) Matthew Sukstorf, Ice Hockey Tier B

The Most Valuable Players for each league were:

25038 OCdt (IV) Gervais Morin, Dodgeball

25482 OCdt (IV) Michael Baskey, Volleyball

25123 OCdt (IV) Jamie Brittain, Basketball

25660 OCdt (II) Jean-Francois Richer, Ice Hockey Tier A

26252 OCdt (I) Mitchell MacDougall, Ice Hockey Tier B

The winning teams of the 2012 Winter IM Season were:

The R.R. Bongard Trophy (Dodgeball) went to 13 Sqn for Tier A and 10 Sqn for Tier B.

The General Thimaya Cup (Volleyball) went to 10 Sqn for Tier A and 7 Sqn for Tier B.

The Bexhill Cup (Basketball) went to 4 Sqn for Tier A and 1 Sqn for Tier B.

The Osler Cup (Ice Hockey) went to C Div for Tier A and and for Tier B.

The Most Sportsmanlike Male and Female Players of the Year were:

26361 OCdt (I) Roderick Manderson, and

25833 OCdt (III) Elise Gammeljord 

The Most Valuable Players of the Year, Male and Female, were:

26315 OCdt (I) Jean-Philippe Dubuc, and

26214 OCdt (II) Annie Kerr

BGen Tremblay also took the opportunity to present “450 Club” t-shirts to those cadets who achieved a score of 450 or higher on the recent PPT test. 25937 OCdt (II) Michael Lachance (score of 450), 25628 OCdt (II) Jeremiah Eastwood (score of 452), 25465 OCdt (IV) Michael Roeterink (score of 459), and 25720 OCdt (III) Cindy LaVine (score of 462) all received t-shirts.

Highlights from the final playoff games

IM Final Wrap-up Report

Submitted by: 25742 OCdt. Choi

On Friday morning, 23 March, the Cadet Wing assembled on the parade square for the Winter IM Awards Ceremony.

The awards for best MVPs were given to 26315 OCdt Dubuc and 26214 OCdt. Kerr. The awards for the best MSPs were given to 26361 OCdt. Manderson, and 25833 OCdt. Gammeljord. The best referees of the season were: 25985 OCdt D’Souza (volleyball), and 25930 OCdt. Webber (basketball).

The following cadets achieved a score of 450 or higher on the PPT: 25937 OCdt. Lachance, 25628 OCdt. Eastwood, 25465 OCdt. Roeterink, and 25720 OCdt. Lavine. Congratulations to those outstanding RMC athletes mentioned above!

For the IM squash competition, 25885 OCdt. Malhan came in first place. For volleyball, 10 squadron came in first place in pool A and 7 squadron in pool B. For basketball, 4 squadron came in first place in pool A and 1 squadron in pool B. For ice hockey, C division came in first place in both pools. For dodge ball, 13 squadron came in first place in pool A, and 10 squadron in pool B.

After a long absence from the list of IM sports volleyball made a strong comeback this winter semester, replacing both water polo and handball. Despite reservations voiced by people upset with the change it was one of the sports to fill up the fastest when registration opened in January. Hockey enjoyed its customary success with more people wanting to play than spots available. The basketball season opened and finished with games that were both challenging and sportsmanlike. Dodgeball play was its usual boisterous and aggressive self with every member of each team thrilled each day to go out and play.

Another change instituted in the IM program this fall which continued this winter season is the tier system. The tier system was conceived to ensure the best possible play between teams. Despite enthusiasm and participation, there are always stronger teams and weaker teams which end up playing against each other to the satisfaction of neither side. For the first half of the season your ranking in either tier A or B is based upon last year’s results with the tiers changed at the midpoint of the season to reflect the team’s performance so far.

A big thank you goes out to all the individuals who were refs this year. The players in soccer, water polo, and ball hockey in the fall semester and volleyball and basketball in the winter semester all appreciate the time that you put in to ensure that the games were run on time, fairly and impartially.

Another interesting note is that 13 squadron’s dodgeball team has gone completely undefeated in the past two years of dodgeball IMs – and three years ago they only lost two games and tied one. When asked about the source of their success, one player replied: “we just show up and play – we just have a natural dodgeball enthusiasm.”

This concludes this year’s IM report. Congratulations to all the winning teams and individuals, and thank you for another excellent season of Intramural Sports!

Editor’s Note: The Final Winter Season IM Squadron Standings came in just before press time.

Ranking by SQN

1st Place – 2 Sqn

2nd Place – 10 Sqn

Tied for 3rd Place - 9 & 13 Sqns

Tied for 5th Place - 4 & 5 Sqns

Tied for 7th Place – 8 & 1 Sqns

Tied for 9th Place - 3 & 11 Sqns

11th Place – 7

12th Place - 12

13th Place - 6

RMC Saint-Jean to exercise Freedom of the City in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu on 22 April

Article by Capt Eric Le Marec, Public Affairs Officer

Royal Military College Saint-Jean (RMC Saint-Jean) will exercise Freedom of the City in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu at 9:30 a.m. on April 22. In keeping with tradition, the Commander of the Officer Cadet Wing will lead the officer cadets to City Hall where Mayor Gilles Dolbec will review the troops. The Mayor and the Commandant of RMC Saint-Jean, Colonel Guy Maillet, will each deliver a speech. The RMC Saint-Jean Officer Cadet Wing will then parade in the streets of the city.

Granting Freedom of the City is an ancient tradition by which a community recognizes a military unit and grants it the privilege of marching through the community with drums beating, Colours flying and bayonets fixed. It is a prized honour from a community that also enables a city to recognize the merits of a military unit and express the affection and esteem of its citizens for that unit.

The city granted Freedom of the City to Royal Military College Saint-Jean on 1 October 1977, and this right was exercised in 1992 and 1995.

RMC Saint-Jean is proud to invite the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu community to attend this ceremony, an event also celebrating the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the College. The Freedom of the City Parade will start at 9:30 a.m. in front of City Hall, located at 188 Jacques Cartier Nord.

Le CMR Saint-Jean exercera son Droit de cité à la ville de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu le 22 avril

Un article du Capitaine Eric Le Marec, Officier des affaires publiques

Le Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean (CMR Saint-Jean) exercera son Droit de cité à la ville de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu le 22 avril à 09h30. Comme le veut la tradition, l’Élève-officier Grégory Hamel, commandant de l’escadre des élèves-officiers, mènera l’ensemble des élèves-officiers à l’Hôtel de ville où le maire, M. Gilles Dolbec, passera en revue l’escadre. Le maire et le commandant du CMR Saint-Jean, le Colonel Guy Maillet, prononceront chacun un discours. L’escadre des élèves-officiers du CMR Saint-Jean défilera ensuite dans les rues de la ville.

Accorder le Droit de cité à une unité militaire constitue une vieille tradition selon laquelle une ville reconnaît une unité et l’autorise à défiler dans ses rues au son de ses tambours, drapeaux consacrés déployées et baïonnettes au canon. Il s’agit d’un grand honneur accordé par une ville qui lui permet également de reconnaître les mérites de ladite unité et de faire part du respect et de l’admiration que lui porte la communauté.

La ville a accordé le Droit de cité au Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean le 1er octobre 1977 et ce droit a été exercé en 1992 et en 1995.

C’est avec grande fierté que le Collège invite la population à assister à cet évènement, qui s’inscrit dans le cadre des célébrations du 60e anniversaire de la fondation du Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean. La cérémonie du Droit de cité débutera à 9 h 30 à l’hôtel de ville de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, situé au 188 rue Jacques Cartier Nord.

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Compétition d’exercice élémentaire et de garde aux drapeaux au CMR Saint-Jean le 14 avril prochain

Un article de l’Élève-officier Pascale Brouillard

C’est le samedi 14 avril prochain, au bâtiment C-16 du CMR Saint-Jean, qu’aura lieu la compétition d’exercice élémentaire et de garde aux drapeaux du Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean (CMR Saint-Jean), à laquelle le public est invité à assister. Les trois escadrons qui composent l’escadre des élèves-officiers sont l’escadron Tracy, Iberville et Richelieu, et ils seront tous représentés par une équipe pour ces compétitions.

Les escadrons débuteront la compétition en se faisant d’abord inspecter par le commandant et l’adjudant-chef du Collège. Après un tirage au sort, la Compétition d’exercice élémentaire débutera, suivie de la Compétition de garde aux drapeaux.

Pour assurer l’impartialité, les juges ont été recrutés à l’extérieur de l’unité. Les juges désignés seront l’Adjudant-maître Turcotte (du 5e Groupe de Soutien de Secteur), l’Adjudant-maître Morneau (de l’École de leadership et de recrues des Forces canadiennes) et l’Adjudant Deslauriers (du Collège des Forces canadiennes – Détachement Saint-Jean).

En plus de se voir remettre un trophée, l’équipe gagnante de la Compétition de garde aux drapeaux sera désignée comme garde aux drapeaux officielle du CMR Saint-Jean, garde qui aura notamment l’honneur de porter les drapeaux lors de la Cérémonie du droit de cité qui aura lieu à l’hôtel de ville de Saint-Jean sur Richelieu le 22 avril prochain ou encore lors du défilé de fin d’année. Quant à l’équipe gagnante de la Compétition d’exercice élémentaire, elle se verra remettre le trophée Navy Bowl. De plus, ces épreuves font partie de la Compétition annuelle inter-escadron dont le gagnant sera couronné lors du défilé de fin d’année par le Trophée de la classe de 1978. Pour toutes ces raisons, chaque escadron se prépare méticuleusement afin de mettre de l’avant un produit de la plus haute qualité. Être choisi au sein de son escadron pour participer à cette compétition est donc un privilège qui revient aux meilleurs. Tous les élèves-officiers seront présents lors de l’évènement, soit comme spectateur ou comme participant. Le tout se terminera par une allocution du commandant et l’annonce des gagnants.

La mission du CMR Saint-Jean est de former les futurs leaders des Forces canadiennes. Cette compétition contribue à ce noble but en inculquant certains principes de leadership aux élèves-officiers. Ainsi, ils apprendront par cette activité le souci du détail, le travail d’équipe, la rigueur et d’autres compétences de base que tout bon leader se doit de posséder. Cet événement promet d’être spectaculaire. À qui reviendra donc la première position? Que le meilleur gagne…

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Les élèves-officiers du CMR Saint-Jean remettent un don à Opération Anciens Combattants

Un article du Capt Guy Despatie

Le 21 mars dernier, le Major Archambault, directeur des élèves officiers du CMR Saint-Jean, et trois élèves-officiers du Collège ont présenté un don en argent au Dr Paul Kavanagh, président-fondateur de la campagne de levée de fonds Opération Anciens Combattant. Les Élèves-officiers Benjamin Harvey, Victoria Reeves et Boris Trudel ont amassé un montant de 1353.77 $ qui permettra de payer des repas aux anciens combattants en visite au Musée canadien de la guerre ainsi qu’à financer les activités éducatives du Musée.

Opération Anciens Combattants a été fondée en 2009 par le Dr Paul Kavanagh, en collaboration avec le Musée canadien de la guerre, et vise à rendre hommage aux hommes et aux femmes qui ont servi notre pays. Un des aspects important de la campagne de levée de fonds Opération anciens combattants est qu’elle cible avant tout les étudiants d’écoles partout à travers le Canada pour sensibiliser la nouvelle génération de canadiens et canadiennes aux sacrifices de ceux qui ont servi leur pays.

Depuis la fondation de cette campagne, les élèves-officiers du CMR Saint-Jean en étaient à leur première participation. Grâce à la générosité des donateurs, tous les anciens combattants peuvent obtenir un repas au Mess, la cafétéria du Musée de la guerre. Depuis la création de l’organisme, plus de 2 000 d’entre eux ont pu bénéficier d’un repas. Par l’entremise de son volet éducatif, Opération Anciens Combattants crée des ponts entre les générations en soutenant les programmes éducatifs du Musée. Il permettra aussi d’enrichir le choix déjà important de ressources et d’activités présentées sur le site Web du Musée en soutenant la création de modules en ligne sur la diplomatie et le maintien de la paix. Il s’agit d’une autre façon d’encourager les jeunes à explorer davantage l’histoire militaire du Canada et le rôle essentiel qu’ont joué ces hommes et ces femmes.

Le succès de cette campagne au CMR Saint-Jean revient vraiment aux Élèves-Officiers Benjamin Harvey, Victoria Reeves et Boris Trudel qui ont déployé les efforts sur le terrain, auprès de leurs confrères, pour amasser les fonds en une dizaine de jours.

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Class Notes:

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3954 William Hughes, Class of ’57 spent a little over a month on an enjoyable vacation in Hawaii; their winter break started slowly because his wife Eleanor was recovering from an attack of Shingles. The two guide books, which he highly recommends, are “Oahu Revealed” and “Hawaii The Big Island Revealed”. William & Eleanor last spent 5 weeks in a rented condo in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii during Jan – Feb 2010.

4976 Reg (Mike) Watts Class of ’60 and wife Patricia spent the month of February in Florida this year. Reg is still working as a management consultant, but he wrenched himself away from that and RMC Club projects for this treat. They rented a private residence in a gated community and spent most of the month visiting state parks, conservation areas and wildlife refuges. Hooked on wildlife, Reg and Patricia are buying a spotting scope and heading south again next year. Both are still active in photography and videography, so wildlife, look out! Anyone interested in renting the excellent property they used can see it at:

http://www.ganpano.com/sarasota.htm

The only sad note to the vacation was the passing of two close classmates, Bob Billings and Bill Claggett. Reg is the President of Kingston Branch, and he invites you all to join the branch luncheon at the SSM, first Wednesday of each month.

8056 John McCormick, Class of ’69, recently changed jobs or more accurately he has changed companies. John left ALT Software, Inc. and now works for Core Avionics & Industrial LLC s – Director of Embedded Graphics. CoreAVI is setting up an office in Kitchener where the former star all-round CF ball player expects to work three days a week and from his home office the other two days.

8060 Harry Mohr, Class of ’69: Managing Director and CEO at EODC Inc. His career experience includes: Twelve year’s Project Management, ten year’s managing EODC, 35 years in the military including reserve time (32+ Regular). He follows the Ottawa Senators faithfully and is currently holding his breath and hoping that the “Sens” can hold on to a play-off spot.

8360 Dave Shaw, Class of ’70, is owner, manufacturing & operations management consultant; owner Taurus Stampings Inc. in Guelph, Ontario – a metal stamping company specializing in deep drawn stampings.

9982 Christian Lépine, Class of ’75, was recently  appointed Archbishop of Montréal. At the time of his appointment, Bishop Lépine was Auxiliary Bishop of Montréal. Born in Montréal on September 18, 1951, the Most Reverend Christian Lépine was ordained to the priesthood on September 7, 1983. He studied Theology at the University of Montréal and Philosophy in Rome.

11026  Kerry Watkin, Class of  ’76, is living in Kingston on the waterfront these days! The former RMC Club/Foundation staffer now works for a firm called OntarioMD overseeing the funding and installation of Electronic Medical Record systems.

12985 Yvan Lavallée,  Class of ’82, recently retired after more than 34 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Forces. Following graduation from CMR he then proudly served aboard HMCS Ships Athabaskan, Iroquois, Protecteur, and Provider. In between and after his postings to the fleet, Yvan was posted ashore to CFB Halifax, Marlant HQ, NAVRES HQ, the Trump program and CMS. Yvan will be moving to the Québec Eastern Townships.

13805 Claude Van Ham, Class of ’82 spent seven years in the CF following graduation mostly involved in engineering positions with the CF 18. He later spent a year at Campus Computing Centre Head at University of Hawaii. Over the past dozen years or so he has been deeply involved in various engineering positions and currently is Senior System Engineer – Integrated Tactical Network at General Dynamics Canada C3ISS in Calgary.

14428 Don Fisher, Class of ’84,  is the Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Vancouver. He married in ’84, and has three grown up children.  The 1980 Kamloops senior secondary graduate took FRP in ’95, and went to the seminary soon after. His passions are coaching baseball and fishing the rivers of BC.

14293 Gilles Larocque, Classe de ’85- Directeur – Projet d’agrandissement et de réaménagement de l’hôpital Fleurimont at Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke.

 M0424 Ray Idzenga, Class of ’89, Comp Eng. With 30 years service, retired in 2007 upon returning from Afghanistan and now works on a Reserve Class B contract at the Canadian Defence Academy.

17393 Michael Sullivan, Class of ’91, has been the  Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery School Commandant, CFB Gagetown since June 2010. On his 1991 graduation from Artillery training, was posted to 1 RCHA in Lahr Germany. Since that time he has had numerous tours in and out of Canada. He is an amateur historian who enjoys photography and bike riding.

18685 Pierre Lalancette, Class of ’93 completed 21 years of service as a Tactical helicopter pilots flying missions in all parts of the world including, Haiti, Kosovo, Bosnia, Lebanon and Afghanistan. Recently retired, he is now focused with partners on building Britelynx, an IT enterprise that delivers Air Operations Management Systems for the Aviation, Defence and Security market.

19798 Sean Carscadden , Class of ’95 recently left the regular force to provide more long-term stability to his family. He is currently exploring various post-military career options while thoroughly enjoying a return to his piloting roots with 400 Reserve Squadron at CFB Borden. Besides flying he is busy in a variety of other roles with including standards and instructing, where his previous experience is serving him and the Squadron well.

20760 Brock Heilman, Class of ’97, is the J3 at Canadian Material Support Group. The former Redmen goaltender in the Jacques Tremblay & Andy Scott eras now lives in Orleans just outside of Ottawa. He is originally from Sherwood Park, Alberta.

24446  Jackie Power, Class of ’09, is the quarter master of 2 Service Battalion in Petawawa and loving it! The I Term 2008 RMC Cadet Wing Commander got engaged to another CF officer this past November; the wedding is scheduled to take place next summer (he is deployed on Op ATTENTION right now). Over the past year, Jackie also competed in the Petawawa Iron Man and travelled to Brazil with the C.F. fencing team for the CISM world games.

M0994 Brandi Sarmazian, Class of ’13 and wife Varant welcomed baby Hovaughn Maxwell Sarmazian, born 15 March, 2012 at 1:44pm, 6 pounds, 3 ounces, 46cm. Hovaughn is the couple’s first child (Photo left -  a sure fire future soccer star – likely with the Paladins). Brandi spent many years with the First Battalion the Royal Canadian Regiment (1 RCR.). He is now an aspiring intelligence officer. OCdt Sarmazian is a III year Otter Squdron student majoring in economics. He is a varsity soccer player and the Squadron’s Sports Officer.

9143 Bruce McAlpine, Class of ’72 – sends along these tips:

Hiring doesn’t have to be an uncertain process!

1. Who am I REALLY looking for?
2. Where am I going to find him/her?
3. How am I going to evaluate him/her?
4. How am I actually going to hire him/her?
5. How am I going to successfully “on-board” him/her?
6. How am I going to retain him/her?

Question 1 – Who am I REALLY looking for?

In our 40 years of experience we have found that a successful long term hire must start with identifying who you REALLY are looking for. It is also our experience that this step is usually either overlooked, or simply assumed.

You need to start by asking the question “What do I need to get done?” (the “Job Specification”) before you can determine “What kind of person could do this?” (the more traditional “Job Description”).

Once you are crystal clear on the task, you then need to identify educational background, work experience and personality/character traits necessary for someone to be successful in the role.

It’s all about the fit!

Actually, once you know who you are looking for, you will easily be able to screen prospective candidates in terms of education and experience right from their resumes. What you can’t get from a resume is this fuzzy construct called “fit”. Consequently, firms often hire on the basis of education and experience, and fire 6 months later on the basis of fit – “Smith just didn’t work out, although I don’t know why”.

2 Tricks to figure out “Fit”

Here are 2 techniques to help you get a handle on “fit”. First, think back to the best person you have ever had in that role, and identify what you liked about him/her. Similarly, think back to some of the failures, and identify why they just didn’t make it. The other technique is to imagine yourself writing your successful new hire’s glowing first annual review, and complete the following thought: “Smith worked out really well because.”, and think about the underlying character traits that made him/her so successful.

Need help?

Fulcrum Search Science Inc. is a Toronto-based search firm with global reach that brings professional search and assessment rigour to the critical $100-250K compensation band. To get our team working for your team contact Bruce McAlpine at 416.847.4989 (toll free 866.409.4990) or Bruce.McAlpine@FulcrumSearchScience.com and start looking forward to your next hire.

Varied Career for Ex-Cadet

Article by 25366 NCdt (IV) Mike Shewfelt

18798 Steven Beggs graduated from RMC in 1993 with a degree in Honours Economics and Commerce. He headed to the Armoured School at the Combat Training Centre after graduation, but a serious knee injury early on in the course saw him back at the College while he waited for the career managers to figure out what to do with him. “This happened to be during the period impacted by the FRP (Force Reduction Plan),” Beggs recalls, “so instead of being reclassified I was given a golden hand shake and released from the Regular Force.” That move lead to a varied career for Beggs, both in the civilian world and as a Reserve officer.

“The same day that I released from the Regular Force, I joined the Reserves, rebadged Logistics, and started working with Reserve (now 762) Electronic Warfare Squadron. At the same time, I went back to school, working toward an MA in War Studies at the College,” he says. Beggs graduated with his MA in War Studies from RMC in 1996 and, with a research focus on ethnic conflict and refugee management issues, he transferred to 1st Canadian Division Headquarters as a Civil-Military Cooperation Officer (J5 Ops 2). Beggs spent a year there before going back to the Armoured world as the Quartermaster of the Governor General’s Horse Guards in Toronto. He left the Reserves in 2002.

Beggs moved to Mississauga in 1997 to join a boutique sales and leadership training consultancy, where, he says, ” I had the privilege of working with some amazing companies, helping them create world class selling organizations.” He spent six years there before moving to American Express, where he served in a variety of roles, including call centre training, before ending up with the responsibility for establishing and managing a sales training and certification program for one of the card member acquisition channels that operated in 18 countries.

In 2009, Beggs joined Home Depot as the Senior Manager, Learning, where he currently leads one of the instructional design teams responsible for non-store operations (merchandising, supply chain, etc) and in-store product knowledge and specialty department training.

There are bound to be a number of highlights from such a varied career. “Qualifying to deploy and “fight” an Electronic Warfare Squadron was one of the highlights of my military career, as that is something normally reserved for officers in Signals or Intelligence, not Logistics,” Beggs says. “It was also rewarding to be able to use the research from my MA during OP Assurance, the operation to repatriate Rwandan refugees, in 1996.”

He also has a number of highlights from his time in the civilian world. “The first opportunity that I had to lead a multi-national team, when I took over responsibility for Amex call centre training in Mexico, Brazil and Argentina, was a high point for me. While working for Amex, I was also able to achieve consensus among 18 different countries regarding the requirements to certify a sales-person. I also helped lead the re-launch of a card member acquisition channel for Amex Sweden.” More recently, he lead the the launch of a new Learning Management System for Home Depot Canada.

This varied career began with four years at RMC, and Beggs has plenty of memories from those years. “One of the memories that is burned in my mind,” he says, “was refereeing an IM soccer match in the Old Gym. In walked one of the Commissionaires. He asked us what we were all doing there, didn’t we know that the Coalition forces had just started bombing Iraq? Needless to say, the game ended rather abruptly and I recall squeezing myself into the 8 Sqn lounge to watch the same CNN footage replay over and over until 3 or 4 in the morning.”

While he didn’t play any Varsity sports during his time at the College (he calls himself an “IM Warrior”), Beggs did represent RMC as a member of the debating team. “I was particularly proud to represent the College, along with 18418 John Turner at the 1992 World Debating Championship in Dublin, Ireland. I was also part of the team that beat West Point twice, once in 1992 with 18418 John Turner and again in 1993 with 18803 Michael Black.”

Beggs had his share of lighter moments, too. “18419 Paul Turner and I were the only 2 survivors in the Hons Ec and Comm program,” he recalls. “At that time, we were “discouraged” (actively) from taking coffee from the Mess over to our classes… something about not being able to salute while carrying a briefcase in one hand and a coffee in the other. Being undeterred in this, Paul and I began an informal competition to see who could bring the largest cup of coffee to class. It started with normal mugs, quickly progressed to extra-large travel mugs, and ended when Paul showed up one day with a West Point “mug” that was intended to hold drinks for an entire family while attending a football game. It easily held 3 or 4 liters, which he had filled by draining at least one (possibly two) of the coffee urns in the Mess.”

These lighter moments also included, from time to time, his professors. “4824 Dr Jack Treddenick (Class of ’60) was one who stood out. I don’t think 18419 Paul Turner, 18898 Maryellen Seguin and I will ever forget the infamous maroon sweater, or celebrating the day Dr Treddenick actually showed up to our Quantitative Analysis class wearing a different sweater. It only happened once that I recall; perhaps we made too big a deal of it at the time.”

“I remember Dr. Jim Finan as well, who I also did Post-Grad Studies with. While doing my MA, with much respect (and never to his face) we knew him as “Dr Doom” because “We’re all going to die… horrible, fiery deaths.” A brilliant man, who challenged us to look at every side of an issue, despite what we perceived at the time to be his somewhat pessimistic outlook. He’s also the only prof that I recall who ever gave me an A for one of my papers, and he did it twice. How could I forget that?”

“Dr. Bill Hurley was another prof that I remember. Dr Hurley introduced Paul and I to Kuhn-Tucker Conditions. Despite the fact that we were unable to solve a single problem using these, Dr Hurley generously provided us with 2 (possibly 3) scenarios on our final exam that required us to use them. He was also a defensive line coach for the Queens football team, which may have been why he was interested in using the Kuhn-Tucker conditions to determine the optimal price for Argos tickets. (If you’re interested, despite our best efforts, the answer, it turns out, is not -$1000.)”

Steven and his wife Judy, who were married in 2003, currently live in Richmond Hill, Ontario and are active members of their church, Upper Room Community Church in Vaughan. He serves on the Board of Elders and they both help to teach Sunday School. They have one daughter, Danya, born in 2007.

1. Veteran marathoner, social entrepreneur, philanthropist, Business Professional and Marketing Consultant

2. Experienced Executive, Project and Organizational Change Manager – Learning and Development

3. Vice-President, Business Development Defense & Space

4. Partner at Durward Jones Barkwell & Company LLP

5. Vice President, Marketing at Enstoa, Inc. – Greater New York City Area Real Estate

6. Canadian Defence Attaché in Brazil

7. President at GPS Global Professional Services Inc

8. Operational Analyst at NATO

9. Interconnect Design at Apple iPod PD

10. President at Aviation Performance Solutions LLC, Phoenix, Arizona Area

11. Managing Consultant at JML Associates International

12. Senior Instructional Systems Designer at CAE

13. Director Racing Programs at Nakkertok Ski Club; Director at Innovapost

14. Global Markets Professional

15. Vice-President at Zycom Technology Inc. and Owner, Zycom Technology Inc.

16. Information Assurance Engineering Manager at General Dynamics Canada

17. Member for RMC Club of Canada at Conseil des Gouverneurs CMRSJ

18. Olympian

19. Business Resilience Practice Leader at MNP ; Executive Board Member at Treble Victor Group

20. Writer and Public Servant

21. Director (Leader), Government Programs, Research and Development, and Intellectual Property at CAE Inc.

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24. Travailleur indépendant du secteur Associations et organisations sociales et syndicales

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First Female Tactical Navigator A “Role Model for Cadets”

Article by 25752 OCdt (III) Christopher Lane, CWPIO

Before enrolling in PSE 401, Military Professionalism and Ethics, I had never been exposed to LCol Joy Klammer, the Deputy Department Head of the MPL Department. This course has proven to be unlike any I have taken before, where classes are typically dictated by class discussions on what it means to be a leader, on ethical dilemmas and the values and ethics we must embody as future leaders. Few would assume from LCol Klammer’s modest demeanor that she has experienced these elements of military professionalism through a truly remarkable career, which has given me a better appreciation to the huge variety of opportunities open to us as soon-to-be junior officers in the CF.

After completing her BA in Psychology at Simon Fraser University, LCol Klammer started her career as an Air Navigator, spending 12 years flying in the CP140 Aurora out of 19 Wing Comox. She distinguished herself as the CF’s first female tactical navigator, standing out in a male-dominated group. To this day, there is no doubt in LCol Klammer’s mind that the West Coast is still the best coast.

LCol Klammer was delighted to learn that she was applicable to take on a Masters in Psychology as an air navigator, and took on her two year program at the University of Calgary. She focused on team psychology and group dynamics, which she would later build on during her PhD in industrial organizational psychology at University of Western Ontario.

After a short 3-year stint teaching at RMC, LCol Klammer moved into the field she would pursue for the rest of her career: personnel selection. Highlights from this stint in her career are numerous. She took part in a research unit in Ottawa designed to adapt the selection system of Military Police personnel, with the goal of revamping the negative perception of MPs at the time. She had a great experience with JTF2, working on their selection process and also getting involved in conduct after capture training.

After another stint with the MPs and completing her PhD at UWO, LCol Klammer returned to the conduct after capture center. She worked on the methods of teaching psychological techniques to those with valuable information at risk of being captured. She was then unexpectedly sent as a CF representative with the Department of External Affairs to Somalia for 6 weeks as the OIC of the recuperation of Amanda Lindhout. Lindhout was a Canadian journalist who had been captured and held ransom under extremely oppressive conditions for 15 months, and LCol Klammer takes pride in her role of transitioning her back to normal life.

LCol Klammer would eventually return to RMC in January 2010, and was welcomed with open arms by Commodore William Truelove back to the RMC team: “She brings tremendous operational and professional experience and we are thrilled to have LCol Klammer at the College and look forward to working with her,” he said.

LCol Klammer leaves a mark on all cadets who she is exposed to with her positive attitude, enthusiasm and genuine interest in her job and in the students she teaches. Most of all, LCol Klammer is a team player, and understands the importance of her role in shaping us into professional and ethical leaders of the CF. Her classes are a pleasure to attend, and her modesty and selflessness make her a great role model for us to strive for.

I recently had the pleasure and privilege of joining the RMC Rugby team at the Rugby Canada National Invitational University Sevens tournament in Victoria BC. Played March 2-3, the tournament featured 12 teams from across the country, including traditional powerhouses such as University of Victoria, The University of Western Ontario and the University of British Columbia. Seeded 12th coming into the tournament, RMC finished 9th.

This was RMC’s first year participating in the tournament, which is in its second year. Rugby Sevens, while demanding the same athleticism, skill and controlled aggression as the more traditional 15-a-side rugby, is a different game altogether. In military terms, having only 14 players on the pitch makes for a much lower force density, and consequently, there are greater opportunities for attacking line breaks. Rugby Sevens games are shorter, at 14 minutes, but with so much space to cover, even the fittest athletes are usually completely gassed by the end of the match.

I had coached and/or played against most of the RMC players before, but seeing them in a Sevens context was something altogether different – frankly I was blown away by this team. Canadian rugby legend Gareth Rees wasn’t wrong when he commended the RMC players on their extremely high level of fitness, but that was only the start point. This was probably the most demanding rugby that RMC had played: both University of Victoria and The University of Western Ontario featured players who have gone to the World Cup with the Canadian XV, and have also starred with the national Sevens team. Lining up against players of this calibre is no easy task, but in their match against UVic, RMC defended tenaciously.

Ultimately, I think was impressed me most was the structure and discipline with which the team performed, particularly considering these young men are the future leaders within the CF. A successful Sevens side must be animated by a unifying purpose, there must be a structure to their game, particularly on defence, and the players must have the discipline to play within this structure, otherwise gaps will open in the line that will be exploited by an opponent. On offence, the players must have the initiative to seize the fleeting opportunities afforded by gaps that may open in the opposing line. Moreover, RMC had to learn and rehearse this unfamiliar Sevens structure while training in a Field House, while their west-coast opponents could train outside all winter. Rugby may not strike the casual observer as a cerebral game, but make no mistake; you can’t play sevens effectively without a couple of brain cells to rub together. All in all these are exactly the qualities – discipline, the ability to work as a team, initiative and intelligence – we are looking for in our officers, and the RMC team showed them in spades, winning both their matches on Saturday to bounce back from an 0-3 Friday. It was a real treat for me to be a part of this, even just for a weekend, and it certainly reinforced my pride in the cadets that RMC is developing.

18404, LCol John Reiffenstein class of ’92.

Base Commander, CFB Edmonton

First Year / Winter Term @ RMC, March 1950 – 3069 W.A. McColl

28 Mar 1950

On Saturday I all but completed the year’s draughting. I was promoted to no. 1 drill squad with Sgt. MacConnell. Yesterday we got in some more revolver shooting. I spent most of last night working on a physics lab report. We are finished the labs for the year. Today the exam time table schedule was posted. Palle Kiar called a meeting about nuts and & bolts which are being taken from the seats in room 200. What a skit! They are thinking about having classroom orderlies to inspect classrooms for damage. Goldie got beefing again tonight. He kept me laughing for quite a spell. He’s about the funniest guy here. We ran the 300 yd run today. I did it in 42.2 secs.

29 Mar 1950

The exam timetable has been posted. Spent the afternoon revolver shooting and at a math tutorial with Dr. Fryer. I think I like Calculus the best of the maths now, although it will be a tough exam. Now that we parade outside each day I find that my drill has improved immensely. I find myself marching around as if I was proud of myself. Well, I am, to a certain extent. It will be pure hell if I flunk out. What would I do next year…?

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3208 FANJOY, George Robert – Passed away peacefully at St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto on Thursday, March 22, 2012 at the age of 80. Beloved husband of the late Sheila. Predeceased by his parents William and Eva. Loving father of Robert (Lisa) Fanjoy, Suzanne (Robert) Chamberlain and Nancy (Jim) McGrorey. Proud Poppa of Holly (Blair), David, William, Sarah and Andrea and great-grandfather of Ava. Survived by 6 nieces and nephews, especially Brenda (Paul) Benson and their family. Friends may call at the Turner & Porter Butler Chapel, 4933 Dundas St. W., Etobicoke (between Kipling and Islington Aves.) on Monday from 7-9 p.m. Funeral Service will be held in the Chapel on Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 3 p.m., with visitation beginning at 2 p.m. Cremation to follow. For those who wish, donations to St. Joseph’s Health Centre Oncology Unit would be appreciated. Online condolences may be made through www.turnerporter.ca