Canada

5 Wing members providing relief in Haiti

Tuesday, 09 March 2010 09:45 Written by d.n.d.

Master Corporal Joe Arsenault helping a little girl out of the helicopter, during one of his missions in Haiti. Credit: DND.

The devastating effect an earthquake has left the country of Haiti struggling with the task of getting back on its feet. Support has flooded in from around across the globe and Canada has played its part as well.

Master Corporal Joe Arsenault, of 444 Squadron, and six others stationed at 5 Wing Goose Bay, are currently in Haiti, providing relief. His 5 Wing comrades are Captain Dean Vey, Captain Chris Hill, Sergeant Rod Smith, Captain Dan Gillis, Sergeant Dave White and Master Corporal J.F. Parent.

MCpl Arsenault left for the battered country on Jan. 14 by helicopter and arrived on Jan. 24.

He said in his 25 years with the armed forces he has never seen anything like it.

His position with 5 Wing is flight engineer on the CH-146 Griffin helicopters, but since his arrival he has taken on multiple roles.

MCpl Arsenault said he has worked search and rescue missions, medevac flights, passenger transfer and the moving of materials required.

He has also involved with humanitarian aid.

"Our aircraft alone have moved seven or eight thousand pounds of food and tarps (for tents)," he said.

Two weeks ago his helicopter picked up four orphans, all less than three years old, that were adopted by Canadian residents and flew them to the Canadian embassy so they could be united with their new parents.

With the rescue mission over the country now has to look at rebuilding and MCpl Arsenault said it's pretty devastating.

A lot of the homes were built poorly and about one out of every 20 have fallen, with the remaining homes suffering earthquake damage, he said.

MCpl Arsenault doesn't get much time to talk with residents of the country because he is spending a lot of time in the air, but said the people he has talked with are very appreciative of the Canadian Forces effort.

"They (the people of Haiti) are really appreciative of everything that is going on because they recognize how much effort is being put into trying to get them back on their feet," he said.

The efforts of the Forces have been non-stop he said.

By rule, he pointed out, for each person the forces looks at 85 hours of flying time in a 30-day span with wavers for four hours per day up to the 100-hour mark.

"I've got about 65.5 hours in the last 20 days, so I'm almost at the point where I'm one of the low time guys," he said. "There are people here already that have been up around 90 hours."
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HMCS Halifax returns from Haiti

Friday, 05 March 2010 14:07 Written by d.n.d.

HMCS Halifax, with a Griffon helicopter from the Joint Task Force Haiti Air Component flying overhead, steams at sea off Jacmel, Haiti.

A banner reading “Welcome home, Nova Scotia heroes” was part of the rousing reception that greeted HMCS Halifax as she returned to Halifax from Haiti on March 2, 2010.

Despite bitterly cold weather and wind, a large and noisy crowd of friends and family was on the jetty waving Canadian flags, cheering and applauding as the frigate came alongside.

Halifax departed Halifax on Jan. 14, two days after a severe earthquake devastated Haiti, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 200,000 people. Together with HMCS Athabaskan, Halifax formed a task group to undertake a humanitarian mission on behalf of the Government of Canada.

“We arrived on-station off the coast of Jacmel on the south part of the country, five days later,” stated Commander Josée Kurtz, Halifax’s Commanding Officer.

Jacmel suffered significant damage from the earthquake, according to Cdr Kurtz. “The local population was in dire need of water, food, shelter, medical care and compassion.”

Working with the Disaster Assistance Response team (DART) and local representatives of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, CIDA, non-government organizations and the UN, Halifax made a solid contribution to the relief effort, delivering basic comfort amid fear, destruction and distress, according to Cdr Kurtz.
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Natural disasters put training to the test

Wednesday, 03 March 2010 11:25 Written by d.n.d.

Capt Chris Horner (centre) at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Credit: Holly Bridges.

Natural disasters such as the earthquake in Haiti can sometimes launch members of the CF into unexpected, uncharted territory, rapidly and without warning. Often in a race against time, where lives are at stake, personnel find themselves en route to an emergency they barely know anything about.

Captain Chris Horner, a Canadian Air Force aerospace controller serving on the E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft at the 552nd Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., knows exactly what that feels like. He and fellow Canadian controller Major Bob Anderson led the first AWACS crew to fly in reaction to Hurricane Ike September 13, 2008.

“We came in early the day before, did some briefings, some preparation, a lot of which was fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants,” Capt Horner recalls. “There wasn’t a whole lot of information because the hurricane hadn’t hit the coastline of Galveston, Tex., yet so it was difficult for us to say where we were going, how long we were going to be there and what we were going to do.”

In general, the crew knew that the AWACS would be supporting air traffic control, and search and rescue agencies, on the ground, and providing command and control in the air for the overall effort. By 5 a.m. the next morning, Capt Horner and his crew were airborne.

“We took off about 20 minutes before Ike made landfall and once we arrived over the Galveston area we found an area where the air was stable enough for us to operate so we could talk to civilian and military helicopters. It was an eerie scene because for the first time probably in my life on the AWACS, we turned the radar on, the systems on, and there was no aircraft, no radar dots, no friendly anything. It was just completely blank where the hurricane had gone through.”
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Chance encounter transforms Haitian orphanage, camp

Wednesday, 03 March 2010 11:28 Written by d.n.d.

Sgt Mathieu Nault shakes hands with CWO Gregoire Lacroix (left) after receiving a coin from the CDS, Gen Walter Natynczyk, in Camp Lynx, Leogane, Haiti.

Haiti, Léogâne — Sgt Mathieu Nault is a native of Maniwaki in the Outaouais and a member of B Company 3 Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment (3 R22eR), yet here in Santos, a small village in Léogâne, he is a great motivator.

While out February 8 on a presence patrol doing reconnaissance and information gathering, Sgt Nault was approached by a pastor who managed an orphanage.

Self-sufficiency and safety
The pastor wanted some advice from the Canadian military. Sgt Nault decided to take the orphanage under his wing. He gave the man advice to help the institution become self-supporting.

Since that first encounter, Sgt Nault visits the camp every couple of days. He sees to the well-being of the residents and ensures the camp is running smoothly. He recommended that sanitary facilities be built and that the debris littering the ground be cleared away. The villagers have followed his recommendations to the letter.

“We’ve seen an 80% improvement in conditions,” notes Warrant Officer Ouellet, second in command (2IC) of the platoon. “The residents are building latrines; they’re even sweeping the lawn.”

The pastor also complained about the lack of security and the looting taking place in the camp.

“If you don’t want to be robbed, you’re going to have to mount guard over your camp,” Sgt Nault responded; and the pastor did.

Recognition
With help from a non-governmental organization, some soccer balls were obtained and a match organized, which took place February 19. The villagers won by a score of seven to five.

WO Ouellet is impressed by his colleague’s achievements. “They even want a Canadian flag to fly from a pole in the village,” he said.

During a visit from Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) General Walt Natynczyk on February 17, Sgt Nault received a coin for his excellent work. All of the soldiers with 3 R22eR BG are working towards the common goal of bringing aid to the Haitian people and although major improvements are slow in coming, progress is being made.

Article by Capt Lyne Poirier

Photos by Cpl Johanie Maheu Add a comment

Nova Scotia International Air Show Returns to Shearwater

Tuesday, 02 March 2010 11:51 Written by dnd

The only known photograph of Lt Gray flying – or rather launching – from the escort carrier, HMS Rajah, in 1944. Credit: Major A.E. Marsh RM (Ret’d). Fleet Air Arm.

Lieutenant Robert Hampton Gray, a Second World War naval aviator, has the distinction of being the last Canadian to be awarded the prestigious Victoria Cross. This summer, an expected 30,000 to 40,000 spectators will have the rare opportunity to see an example of the type of aircraft flown by Lt Gray – the Corsair –buzzing the skies over 12 Wing Shearwater, N.S.

Colonel Sam Michaud, 12 Wing commander, recently announced that the Nova Scotia International Air Show will return to its original home on September 11 and 12, 2010. The last time the Air Show was held at Shearwater was the summer of 2004.

“Given that 2010 is the year of the Naval Centennial as well as the 65th anniversary of naval aviation, it is quite fitting that the Air Show return to the home of Canadian naval aviation in Shearwater,” explained Colin Stephenson, executive director of the Air Show.

Vintage Wings of Canada is slated to bring its “Robert Hampton Gray Corsair” to the show as part of their “Grey Ghosts” tour of Canada. The Corsair was flown by several Canadians in the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War. VWC is painting this aircraft in honour of Lt Gray and his legacy.
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Moving

Canada

5 Wing members providing relief in Haiti

HMCS Halifax returns from Haiti

Natural disasters put training to the test

Chance encounter transforms Haitian orphanage, camp

Nova Scotia International Air Show Returns to Shearwater

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