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COLONEL MICHAEL KEITH PURCELL, TF JERUSALEM / CANADIAN JOINT OPERATIONS COMMAND COLONEL MICHAEL KEITH PURCELL WILL RETIRE FROM THE CAF ON 26 AUGUST, 2022. COLONEL PURCELL TRANSFERRED TO THE REGULAR COMPONENT OF THE CAF IN 1986 AS A SIGNAL OFFICER. BETWEEN 1987 AND 1995 HE COMPLETED SEVERAL FIELD TOURS WITH POSTINGS TO CALGARY, GAGETOWN AND KINGSTON, WHERE HE WAS THE 2IC OF 2(EW) SQUADRON IN 1 CDHSR. IN 1995, COL PURCELL WAS POSTED TO THE TCCCS PROJECT WHERE HE WAS PROMOTED TO MAJ AND TRANSFERRED TO THE CF SUPPLEMENTARY RADIO SYSTEM HQ AS SSO LAND EW. WHEN CFSRS BECAME THE CF INFORMATION OPERATIONS GROUP, COL PURCELL WAS APPOINTED SSO OPS. WHILE IN THIS POSITION HE DEPLOYED TO CFS ALERT AS THE CO. ON HIS RETURN FROM CFS ALERT COL PURCELL WAS POSTED AS THE FIRST NON-US OFFICER IN THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED JOINT TASK FORCE COMPUTER NETWORK DEFENSE (NOW USCYBERCOM) IN WASHINGTON D.C. WHILE THERE, COL PURCELL COMPLETED HIS MASTER OF SCIENCE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE WITH A SPECIALIZATION IN INFORMATION SECURITY. COL PURCELL RETURNED TO CANADA AS THE OFFICER COMMANDING NETWORK OPERATIONS AND SECURITY BRANCH IN THE CF NETWORK OPERATIONS CENTRE. FROM THERE, HE DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN AS THE SIGINT OFFICER […]
In this edition Mental Health Benefits now available Protecting your mental health in times of stress Five programs receive support from the Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund Learn to manage everyday stress Best Advice Guide: Caring for Veterans Are you ready for tax time? Free help with your income tax return Commemoration: 105th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge 25th anniversary of CAF stepping up during Red River floods Team Canada for Invictus announced Have your say on long-term care Veteran story: From Navy to community assistance Share this article on: Mental health Mental Health Benefits now available Mental health is vital to overall well-being. That’s why the new mental health benefits provide Veterans with coverage for the mental health support and services they need, as fast as possible. Starting 1 April 2022, Canadian Armed Forces Veterans who apply for a disability benefit for certain mental health conditions, as well as those who have already applied and are awaiting a decision, will receive immediate mental health coverage. That includes Veterans living outside of Canada and Reservists on Class A or Class B (less than 180 days). Mental Health Benefits coverage applies to treatment for service-related mental health conditions such as anxiety, […]
The RCAF commendation was presented to Lieutenant-Colonel Melany Lepage during the CANELEMNORAD Honors and Award ceremony, that took place on 09 March 2022 at Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States of America. Citation : “LCOL (THEN MAJOR) LEPAGE DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP AS 14 WING OC TELECOM FLIGHT FROM 30 JULY 2018 TO 1 OCTOBER 2019, SERVING AS CANADIAN FORCES STATION ALERT COMMANDING OFFICER FROM APRIL TO JULY 2019. HER COMMITMENT AND MISSION FOCUS IMPROVED THE OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS OF HER UNITS, WHILE INCREASING THE MORALE AND WELL-BEING OF HER PERSONNEL. HER EXCEPTIONAL PLANNING ABILITY AND COMMAND PRESENCE INFLUENCED THE SUCCESS OF OP LENTUS FOLLOWING HURRICANE DORIAN IN NOVA SCOTIA AS WELL AS OP NEVUS IN ELLESMERE ISLAND, NUNAVUT”.
Dear C&E Family: Following the topic of female leadership in Canadian Armed Forces and International Women’s Day, we are happy to share that one of our distinguished members, Major Nisha Venkatesh, was recently featured in Skies Magazine. FEATURED PHOTO: Maj Venkatesh (right) at the 2021 NLAF Gala. Photo credit: Nisha Venkatesh Please read “Breaking the bias for women in aviation”, article by Natasha McKenty, Skies Magazine, last updated 08 March 2022.