959 replies to this topic

[Bingo]

I'm sure there are cold war era plans that could be dug up somewhere.

 

Those cold war era plans probably recommended heading up island over the Malahat, I think that might still be a bad idea.

[Wayne]

Don't run?  Really... lol.
[/quote]

Exactly.

Not going outrun a blast/shockwave. The goal is minimize exposure.

[AllseeingEye]

A big conference was/is at the confernce centre this last few days.  Fairly high security, with VicPD police at many exits and military guards at all others.

 

Some photos here...

 

http://victoriabctod...ce-in-progress/

 

I did not take any photos of the police officer themselves.  Across the street at the museum, I saw two young police officers, on the back of their uniform it said POLICE in big block letters, but on their shoulder patches it read "Greater Victoria..." and I could not read the rest.  I decided not to spin them around to read it all.  Do we have a regional police unit with uniforms like that?

 

After we ran that piece a reader submitted these photos of a US plane parked at 443 Squadron.

 

image1.JPG

image2.JPG

....and here would be the answer to the question: 

 

http://www.timescolo...ence-1.22441319

[VicHockeyFan]

Well I'll be darned, they only told the TC after they left.  Or the National Post or the Ottawa Citizen.

 

http://nationalpost....sis-intensifies

 

I guess I was the only mainstream media guy working the streets this holiday weekend.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 05 September 2017 - 08:02 PM.

[Bingo]

I guess I was the only mainstream media guy working the streets this holiday weekend.

 

If you saw anybody goose-stepping around town, that would have been the North Korean military delegation.

[57WestHills]

There's a well done Open House showing off all the Army units at Ashton Armoury today until 2pm if you're looking for something to do!

[Citified.ca]

Visible in the top-left of this aerial photo of CFB Esquimalt, the Pacific Fleet Club social and entertainment venue will shut its doors by mid-2018 due to issues with the building's structural itegrity.

 

CFB Esquimalt's Pacific Fleet Club to relocate after 40 years at the foot of Esquimalt Road

https://victoria.cit...esquimalt-road/

[Bingo]

Visible in the top-left of this aerial photo of CFB Esquimalt, the Pacific Fleet Club social and entertainment venue will shut its doors by mid-2018 due to issues with the building's structural itegrity.

 

CFB Esquimalt's Pacific Fleet Club to relocate after 40 years at the foot of Esquimalt Road

https://victoria.cit...esquimalt-road/

 

The building in the top-left is the Chief & Petty Officers Mess. The Pacific Fleet Club is to the right of that, south of the six story Wardroom building.

[AllseeingEye]

We all love poking ridicule at the CAF - me above all although my beef is the chronic under-funding of the Forces seemingly regardless who is in power in Ottawa, and certainly not with those actually serving. Seems only fair then that the guys and girls in uniform especially get the kudos and recognition they deserve when they undertake a successful operation, particularly involving the much maligned Victoria-class subs. Good job folks:

 

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...cific-1.4512960

[lanforod]

We all love poking ridicule at the CAF - me above all although my beef is the chronic under-funding of the Forces seemingly regardless who is in power in Ottawa, and certainly not with those actually serving. Seems only fair then that the guys and girls in uniform especially get the kudos and recognition they deserve when they undertake a successful operation, particularly involving the much maligned Victoria-class subs. Good job folks:

 

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...cific-1.4512960

 

Thank you for that. Very interesting!

[AllseeingEye]

Thank you for that. Very interesting!

For sure; goes to show what a well funded and trained force can do.

 

I laugh when I hear some people, typically on the Left, bemoan the fact we have (all of 4 submarines) and wonder what good they are. I usually suggest they pick up a good book on strategic relations, with a healthy dose of economics thrown in for good measure, the kind that talk about the need for open sea lanes to facilitate international trade. Toss in binding alliance obligations (NATO, NORAD) and sovereignty protection and intelligence-gathering functions in support of the national interest for good measure and a pretty good picture should emerge...

[jonny]

The good times have rolled for a long time. People get complacent. People like me really have no memory of danger or war time. Nobody wants to go to war, but there are so many things that we as Canadians can't control. We need to at least be somewhat prepared. 

 

You aren't a real country if you don't have a military.

[spanky123]

We all love poking ridicule at the CAF - me above all although my beef is the chronic under-funding of the Forces seemingly regardless who is in power in Ottawa, and certainly not with those actually serving. Seems only fair then that the guys and girls in uniform especially get the kudos and recognition they deserve when they undertake a successful operation, particularly involving the much maligned Victoria-class subs. Good job folks:

 

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...cific-1.4512960

 

What the article doesn't say is that the sub was towed across the Pacific! :-)

[Bingo]

What the article doesn't say is that the sub was towed across the Pacific! :-)

 

While submerged so no one would know. 

[LJ]

For sure; goes to show what a well funded and trained force can do.

 

I laugh when I hear some people, typically on the Left, bemoan the fact we have (all of 4 submarines) and wonder what good they are. I usually suggest they pick up a good book on strategic relations, with a healthy dose of economics thrown in for good measure, the kind that talk about the need for open sea lanes to facilitate international trade. Toss in binding alliance obligations (NATO, NORAD) and sovereignty protection and intelligence-gathering functions in support of the national interest for good measure and a pretty good picture should emerge...

Now if only we were meeting those obligations........

[AllseeingEye]

Now if only we were meeting those obligations........

Agreed; last time I checked I believe at that time only Luxembourg spent less GDP on military preparedness per the soft NATO ideal of of 2.0%.

 

I would certainly not expect that to change under Le Petit Justin's watch. Although I confess when the Libs appointed Sajjan as MoD I had some hope at last here was a guy who had worn the uniform and therefore had a good grasp of the challenges faced by the serving force members. Alas,at least IMO, he's been a disappointment in that regard.

[Mike K.]

Let's just say the overall impression of the Trudeau Government by our armed forces is not particularly positive.

 

Did you hear what Trudeau said to a severely injured veteran at one of those town halls? When the veteran asked why veterans are struggling to come to a funding deal with Ottawa, Trudeau responded:

 

"Why are we still fighting certain veterans groups in court? Because they're asking for more than we are able to give right now," Trudeau said, answering a question from a veteran, who said he lost his leg to an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan, during a town hall meeting on Thursday evening in Edmonton.

 

We expect the men and women of our armed forces to put their lives on the line and defend our country, and when they come home and need society's help our Prime Minister says sorry, but you're asking for too much.

[spanky123]

Sounds like #metoo is alive and kicking in the Military.

 

https://www.theglobe...rticle37895684/

 

 

One of the men he represents is a medical assistant who taught battlefield procedures to soldiers. While explaining how to properly insert a breathing tube into a patient's nose, some students took exception to the language he used including his instructions on how to "lubricate the tip," Col. Drapeau said. He was accused of harassment and discipline is now being considered, he said.

Another man, Col. Drapeau said, purchased a games table for his unit to use during their down time and, during banter with subordinates, made a spanking motion with his racket. Harassment complaints were made and he is undergoing a career administrative review that could lead to his release from the military.

A third, he said, was posted abroad when he complimented a subordinate on the pendant she was wearing and said he would like to buy one for his wife. She filed a harassment complaint saying he was staring at her breasts and he was repatriated immediately without knowing the details of the allegations against him or being able to make representations until his return to Canada. A subsequent investigation cleared him of any wrongdoing.

[AllseeingEye]

While perusing an online CBC story this week outlining the rather startling fact that the RCN's newest leased fleet replenishment ship - back in the day they were referred to as "Oilers" - won't actually be capable or permitted into a hostile theatre of operations - as it isn't actually, um..."armed"! - I stumbled on the National Post story below from fall 2016.

 

Although written in part with a tongue in cheek approach it nevertheless chronicles in painful and embarrassing detail just how inadequate the RCN (and by extension the CAF as a whole) actually is.

 

Imagine: we have new/"leased" naval vessels that are unarmed and hence unable to enter a combat zone - odd, I sort of imagine that is, you know, the actual purpose of a naval ship, to get into and operate in harm's way if necessary; in addition the navy will be getting Arctic offshore patrol vessels - but even those will only be capable of operating during the summer. I certainly do hope in that case if the Russians decide to start something up there in the Land of the Polar Bear it isn't during the roughly nine months of "winter" or we're fooked....! Somehow I would've expected an Arctic patrol vessel would be designed and built with Arctic conditions in mind.....

 

The good news as indicated in this article is that if we include the CGS we actually have a credible overall fleet in terms of size - too bad the CGS isn't actually under the jurisdiction of the Navy nor are our CG ships armed with anything bigger than a sidearm. 

 

Ultimately on the Good News front however if we really had to, our navy could "probably" take on and defeat the likes of New Zealand or possibly even Azerbaijan....

 

http://nationalpost....ian-navy-really

[57WestHills]

Let's just say the overall impression of the Trudeau Government by our armed forces is not particularly positive.

I think you're right, but I also think it speaks to the bubble military members can live in - I say this as a medical pensioner from the CAF.

The amount of investment in the military right now is the best it's been in years. Pay increases, returns of benefits cut by the Conservatives, several "efficiency" projects ended that made no sense, sorted out a decade of stalled uniform procurements (three years ago the Army literally had no boots) and the tempo for operations has steadied out a lot.

Veterans wanted life long pensions (I'm on that system) and got them. Now they want a different flavour of the same thing. Prior to that they wanted more VAF employees & offices. Got that. Now that's not sufficient either.

Honestly when you add up the pay outs to leave the CAF medically, almost everyone does very well for themselves and is entitled to a hell of a lot of transitioning services. There becomes a point where I think Facebook gas created an ignorant seudo-veteran movement that's generally uninformed. Luckily these people have marginal voting power.

The Conservatives froze pay. Created lump sum release payments. Got rid of severance. Quietly closed small bases. Slowed the already dysfunctional National Shipbuilding Program. Removed 33% of the Army's vehicles without replacement. Allowed the Regular Force to understand by 12,000 - something now being fixed - but they get a pass for all of it somehow??