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In this edition: Mental Health support for Afghanistan Veterans New employment tool for Veterans Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund accepting new applications for funding Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund supports new initiatives More options for education and training support Veteran success story: Drew Semper The return of the Faces of Freedom podcast Programs and services Mental Health support for Afghanistan Veterans If you or a loved one are having difficulty coping with the news of the fall of Panjwaii in Afghanistan, mental health supports are available to you. You are not alone. You can call the VAC Assistance Service at 1-800-268-7709 to speak to a mental health professional. It is free and available 24/7. You can learn about additional mental health resources on the VAC website. You can also hear from the Acting Chief of Defense Staff on the situation in the Maple Leaf. Veterans served—and sacrificed—in the war in Afghanistan. Long after Canada’s combat role in the country ended, the mission continues to touch those who served in the region and their families. We will continue to honour and remember their sacrifices. New employment tool for Veterans A new online tool can connect you directly with employers looking for the skills […]
Written by Sgt B.H.T. Bickerstaffe 8 July 2021 As this tour comes to an end, we remember that ROTO 21-01 enhanced Forward Presence Signal Squadron (eFP Sig Sqn) made leaps and bounds from 13 January 2021 – 17 July 2021 in Latvia. ROTO 21-01 pushed interoperability with NATO Allies to a new level, led several projects at a Task Force Latvia level and significantly improved local CIS infrastructure, all the while working through the challenges that come with a pandemic. Many great milestones for eFP Latvia would not have been achieved without the hard work of this unit’s members. Canadian Signallers on this rotation deployed from far and wide throughout Canada, all coming overseas with different experiences and backgrounds. Members from the Sig Sqn deployed from 1 RCR, 2 RCR, 2 CER, 2 CMBG HQ & Sig Sqn, 4 CDSG Sig Sqn, 32 Sig Regt, CFJSR and 77 Line Regt. This diverse culture greatly contributed to the success of this ROTO. At the beginning of the tour in January 2021, all of Latvia was under lockdown due to COVID-19. Upon arrival, eFP Sig Sqn soldiers immediately got to work to extend DWAN connectivity to key staff in isolation throughout Camp […]
MCpl Baker – 2 CER, Sig Platoon Presented for outstanding effort and dedication to his role as Alternate Crypto custodian early into this ROTO. Cpl Baker operated the crypto vault for the Sqn independently while the Primary and remaining Alternate custodians were in isolation due to COVID-19 close contacts. This is Cpl Baker’s first tour and he had minimal knowledge of CARDS and operating a Crypto Vault before deploying. His ability to multitask enabled him to provide unwavering Crypto sp to both TFL HQ and the MNHQ project. He independently engaged appropriate resources and support networks in Ottawa to achieve continued mission success and asset accountability.
MCpl Hilliard – 2 CMBG HQ & Sigs (posted to 4 CDSG Sigs upon return) MCpl Hilliard was the eFP Signal Squadron (eFP Sig Sqn) Help Desk Det IC from 19 Jan 21 to 17 Jul 21. She provided exceptional CIS support throughout her ROTO and in particular during Op SERPENT STRIKE where she dedicated countless hours, both on and off duty, reacting to service requests. Since her arrival she has taken several steps to improve accountability by reviewing theatre USB stick allocation and SharePoint file structure management. For her admirable work ethic and dedication she has received praise from the BG S6, MI Bde DComd and several SNRs. MCpl Hilliard’s professionalism as the face of the Camp Adazi Help Desk has been an example to all and her commitment has significantly improved the credibility of TFL.
Capt Mosnier – RCD Petawawa, Sig O From 22 January to 15 March 2021, Lieutenant Mosnier demonstrated outstanding professionalism and commitment to Task Force Latvia. He ensured timely and detailed network accreditation documentation for Camp ADAZI and incident reporting, provided guidance and direction on the Federated Mission Network spirals and Canadian Deployable Mission Network capabilities, and ensured that mission critical support for Level II and III networks wasn’t uninterrupted. His dedication and commitment to support multinational signals support brought tremendous credit to the CAF, and ensured the sustainment of important capabilities in theatre.
Cpl Krosse – 2 CMBG HQ & Sigs Throughout the move to the Multi National Headquarters (MNHQ), Corporal Devon Krosse, serving as Help Desk Technician in support of Task Force Latvia Headquarters, distinguished himself through quiet professionalism and technical acumen. During a power outage which resulted in disruption to key communication systems, Cpl Krosse proved to be crucial in solving the issue. Working long past office hours, conducting liaising experts in Ottawa, and providing decision makers in theatre with viable courses of action, Cpl Krosse was able to restore the communication system. With a natural ability to work through various IT issues and a can do attitude, Cpl Krosse established himself as the go-to individual for Tech support. Being the face of IT during the move to the MNHQ, Corporal Krosse’s calm demeanour, easy going personality and keen attitude towards completing tasks were key in ensuring Task Force Latvia HQ’s operations continued as unhindered as possible. Cpl Krosse’s dedication to tradecraft reflected extremely positively on the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, Task Force Latvia as a whole, and the Canadian Armed Forces.