retirement - lieutenant commander christopher
Transcription
retirement - lieutenant commander christopher
RETIREMENT-LIEUTENANTCOMMANDERCHRISTOPHERGRANT,00328 1.AFTERMORETHAN36YEARSOFDEDICATEDANDLOYALSERVICETOTHECAF/RCAF/RCN, LCDRCHRISTOPHERGRANTHASDECIDEDTORETIREHISUNIFORMONTHE8THOFJANUARY 2016. 2.CHRISCAMEFROMASMALLINTOWNNEWBRUNSWICK,CANTERBURY,(YOU’VEHEARDHIS TALES)WHEREHEPOSSIBLYSTARTEDPLANNINGHISNAVALADVENTURESAFTERAHISFIRST POSTINGTOSHANNONPARKANDADEPENDENTSDAYTOURABOARDTHEHMCS BONAVENTUREATTHEAGEOFFIVE.ASHORTTIMELATERHECOMPLETEDHISBASICTRAINING INCORNWALLIS,APRIL1979,ASONEOFBITTLESBRATS,FOLLOWEDBYRCAFTRAININGATTHE AEROSPACESCHOOLINBORDENANDONWARDTOSHEARWATERTOPURSUETHENAVALAIR DREAM,EVERASKINGTHEQUESTIONDOWESTILLHAVEANAIRCRAFTCARRIER.SADLYTHERE WASNOCARRIERBUTHESOONLEARNEDOFAMEDITERRANEANCRUISEANDVOLUNTEERED TOSPENDSEVERALMONTHSABOARDHMCSPROTECTEURASASCULLERYPROFESSIONAL,“AN EXCELLENTGROWTHPERIOD”. 3.RETURNINGFROMHISMEDCRUISEANDFEELINGUNDERWHELMEDASACHOCK,VARSOL ANDDUSTBANESPECIALISTHETOOKANEARLYRETIREMENT,JULY1980,TORETURNTO UNIVERSITY.SHORTLYAFTERWARDSHEMADETHEBESTDECISIONOFHISLIFEANDASKED BEVERLEYSTRAUGHANFORHERHANDINMARRIAGE.THISCOMMITMENT,HOWEVER, NECESSITATEDEMPLOYMENTSOAFTERTHESIXMONTHSSABBATICALHERE-ENLISTEDIN JANUARY1982,AGAININTHERCAF. 4.AFTERTOURSINSHIPSMARGAREEANDHURONANDTHEEXTRAORDINARYBIRTHOFTHEIR FIRSTREMARKABLECHILDALEXANDERIN1986THEGRANTSWEREONTHEMOVETOTHE FIGHTERWORLDIN1987TOBAGOTVILLEWHEREIN1990THEAMAZINGBLUEBERRIESWERE BORN,TWINS,EVANANDKAITLIN.THEFAMILYNOWCOMPLETETHEYWEREONTHEROAD AGAINTOTRENTONWORKINGASAFLIGHTSAFETYOFFICERANDMAINTAINERONTHE HEAVIESBUTPININGFORTHESEA,ANDEXCITEDBYTHEIMMINENTSEAKINGREPLACEMENT, CHRISASKEDTORETURNTOHELICOPTERS,SOIN1993HEWASPOSTEDINHMCSPROVIDERAS AIRDETWO,ASHIPWITHOUTHELICOPTERS,WHEREHEDISCOVEREDWITHOUTDOUBTTHAT “ACLEANSHIPISAHAPPYSHIP”ANDALSOABUSYSHIPTHATSAILEDMOSTOFHIS21MONTHS ABOARDINCLUDINGAPANAMATRANSIT,THEXMASHAITIEMBARGOANDPARADINGFORTHE QUEENTWICE. 5.FORTHEREMAINDEROFTHE90SITWASGEIENKIRCHEN,PARADINGATGROESBEEKAND VIMY,ANDTHENONTOYELLOWKNIFE,EQUALLYREMARKABLEPOSTINGS.HOWEVERITWAS UNESCAPABLEANDIN2000THEFAMILYPACKEDAGAINFORSHEARWATER.AFTERSHORT TOURSINSHIPSTORONTOANDIROQUOISHESETSAILFOROPAPOLLO,2003,INHMCS FREDERICTONASTHEAIRDETCHIEFWITHTHEBELOVEDSEAKING,HARLEYOFTHESKIESHE CALLSIT.NOLONGERWISHINGTOLEAVETHESEAANDHISMATESBEHINDHECOMMISSIONED INTOANHONOURABLEPROFESSION,PUSSER,SYO,ANAVALLOGISTICSOFFICER,IFYOUWILL. 6.THENVIASHIPSMONTREAL,PRESERVER,ASWELLASFORMATIONLOGISTICS,CFNES,AND FORMATIONCOMPTROLLERHEHONEDHISNEWPROFESSIONANDINDECEMBER2008HE RETURNEDTOTHESEA,ANDHISGREATESTNAVALCHALLENGE,18INTERNATIONALPORT VISITSASHODINHMCSFREDERICTONINCLUDINGOPSAIPHCOUNTER–PIRACY-TERRORINTHE GULFOFADEN,NORTHERNARABIANSEAANDGULFOFOMAN,THISTOURCULMINATEDWITH ARESPITEINSTJOHN’SANDONWARDTOTHEBESTPORTEVER,HOMEON4MAY2010,FOR THE100THANNIVERSARYOFTHECANADIANNAVYANDTHEQUEENSREVIEWOFANAVAL FLOTILLA,ANEVENTRARELYSEENINCANADIANWATERS. 7.IN2011LCDRGRANTLEFTTHESEAONELASTTIMEFORHISFINALSHOREPOSTINGTOJOIN ANINCREDIBLETEAMINDGFINOPSOTTAWATOESTABLISHTHECORPORATEDEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNTINGOFFICE.THISHAVINGBEENACCOMPLISHEDANDBEINGNOTJUSTAGOOD SAILORBUTINGOODBOYSCOUTFASHIONHEHASLEFTITBETTERTHANWHENHEFOUNDIT ANDNOWMOVESONTONEWCHALLENGESINTHECIVILSERVICE. 8.CHRISCANNOTEXPRESSSUFFICIENTLYINTHISMSGHISGRATITUDETOALLTHOSEINTHE MILITARYWHOHAVEHADAPOSITIVEIMPACTTHROUGHOUTHISCAREER,PARTICULARLY SOMEAIRFORCEREBELSANDTHENAVYMAFIA.THETALESOFHISYOUTHFULEXPLOITSMANY WILLBEPRUDENTLYANDONLYONOCCASIONRECOUNTED,MOSTPROPERLY,INCANTERBURY. 9.UNDERSTANDABLYAFTER36YEARSTHEREWILLBEFAMILYTHATISMISSED,HOWEVERTHE FAMILYMOSTOFTENMISSEDOVERTHOSE36YEARS,THEGRANTCLAN,WILLTHOROUGHLY ENJOYTHEIRNEWHOMEINCARLETONPLACEANDALLSAILINGWILLBEONTHEMISSISSIPPI. 10.HEHASREQUESTEDASMALLINFORMALGATHERINGFORHISDWDCEREMONY,7JANUARY 2016.THOSEWISHINGTOATTENDAREREQUESTEDTOCONTACTLT(N)LAURENEDRAPEAUAT [email protected]. 11.THOSEWISHINGTOSENDCONGRATULATORYMESSAGES,WELLWISHESORHUMOUROUS ANECDOTESCANFORWARDTHEMTOLT(N)LAURENEDRAPEAUAT613971-6457OREMAIL [email protected]. RETRAITE-CAPITAINEDECORVETTECHRISTOPHERGRANT,00328 1.APRESPLUSDE36ANSDELOYAUXETDEDIESSERVICESDANSLESFAC/ARC/MRC,CAPC CHRISTOPHERGRANTADECIDEDEPENDRESONUNIFORMELE8JANVIER2016. 2.CHRISVIENTD’UNPETITVILLAGEDUNOUVEAUBRUNSWICK:CANTERBURY(VOUSAVEZ PROBABLEMENTENTENDUPARLERDECETTELEGENDE).C’ESTAL’AGEDECINQANS,QUIL AURAITCOMENCERAREVERADESAVENTURESNAVALESDANSSARESIDENCEASHANNON PARK,SUIVANTUNEVISITEGUIDEEPOURPERSONNESACHARGESSURLENCSM BONAVENTURE.CESTENAVRIL1979,QUEL’ENFANTDEMILITAIREACOMPLETESONCOURS DERECRUEACORNWALLIS,POURENSUITEFAIRESONENTRAINMENTDELARC,ALECOLEDE TECHNOLOGIEETDUGENIEAEROSPATIALDESFORCESCANADIENNESABORDEN,POUR ENSUITEETREMUTEASHEARWATERPOURSUIVRESONREVEAERONAVALE,SEDEMANDANT TOUJOURSSINOUSAVIONSENCOREUNPORTE-AVIONS.TRISTEMENTNON,MAISILAVAIT ENTENDUPARLEDUNECROISIÈREENMÉDITERRANÉEETSESTPORTEVOLONTAIREPOUR PLUSIEURSMOISSURLENCSMPROTECTEURATRAVAILLERDANSLARRIÈRECUISINE;UNE PERIODEDECROISSANCEPERSONNELLE 3.ALAFINDESACROISIERESURLAMEDITERANEE,ILSESENTAITDEVALORISE;SPECIALISTEEN AMORTISSEURS,VARSOLETPORTE-POUSSIERE.ILADONCPRISSARETRAITEENJUILLET1980 POURRETOURNERALUNIVERSITE.QUELQUETEMPSAPRES,ILAPRISLAMEILLEUREDECISION DESAVIEENDEMANDANTABEVERLEYSTRAUGHANDELEPOUSER.CETENGAGEMENT NECESSITANTUNEMPLOI,ILADONC,APRESSIXMOISDECONGESSABBATIQUES,REJOINTL ARCENJANVIER1982. 4.APRESAVOIREFFECTUEDESPERIODESDAFFECTATIONABORDDESNAVIRESMARGAREEET HURON,ETALASUITEDELANAISSANCEDELEURMAGNIFIQUEPREMIERENFANT,ALEXANDER, LESGRANTONTDEMENAGEABAGOTVILLE,ENTAMANTAINSILEURVIEDANSLEMONDEDES CHASSEURS.CESTICIQUELESDEUXBLEUETSEXTRAORDINAIRESSONTNES,LESJUMEAUX EVANETKAITLIN.DESORMAISCOMPLETE,LAFAMILLEDEMENAGEDENOUVEAU,CETTEFOISA TRENTON,OUCHRISEXERCELESFONCTIONSDOFFICIERDELASECURITEDESVOLSETDE SPECIALISTEDELAMAINTENANCEDESAVIONSLOURDS.MAISILSELANGUITDELAMER. ENTHOUSIASMEALIDEEDUREMPLACEMENTIMMINENTDUSEAKING,CEDERNIERDEMANDE DEREINTEGRERLEMILIEUDESHELICOPTERES.EN1993,ILESTDONCAFFECTEAUPOSTEDADJ DETAIRDUNCSMPROVIDER,UNNAVIRESANSHELICOPTEREETUNLIEUOUILDECOUVRIRA QUUNNAVIREPROPRERENDSANSCONTESTELESMARINSHEUREUX.ILPASSE21MOISA BORDDECENAVIREQUIESTENMERSLAPLUSPARTDUTEMPS,EFFECTUANTALORSLA TRAVERSEEDUCANALDEPANAMAETPARTICIPANTALOPERATIONNOELCORRESPONDANTA LALEVEEDELEMBARGOCONTREHAITIAINSIQUADEUXDEFILESENPRESENCEDELAREINE. 5.ALAFINDESANNEES90,ILESTMUTEAGEILENKIRCHEN.ILAPARADEAGROESBEEK,VIMY ETENSUITEAYELLOWKNIFE;TOUTESDESAFFECTATIONSREMARQUABLES.CEPENDANT,IL ETAITINELUCTABLEQUEN2000LAFAMILLEDEMENAGERAITANOUVEAU,CETTEFOISPOUR SHEARWATER.APRESDEUXPETITESMUTATIONSSURLESNCSMTORONTOETIROQUOIS,ILFIT VOILEPOUROPAPOLLOEN2003ABORDDUNCSMFREDERICTONENTANTQUECHEFDE DETACHEMENTDELAIRAVECNOSBIEN-AIMESSEAKING,OUCOMMUNEMENTAPPELES, HARLEYDUCIEL.NEDESIRANTPLUSQUITTERLAMERETLAISSERSESCAMARADESDERRIERE,IL AOBTENUSONBREVETDANSL’HONORABLEPROFESSIONDOFFICIERDELALOGISTIQUEDELA MARINE. 6.PARLASUITE,ILASERVISURLESNCSMMONTREALETNCSMPRESERVERENTANT QU’OFFICIERDELOGISTIQUEDEFORMATION,AINSIQUALEGNFC(ECOLEDEGENIENAVALE DESFC).ILAPERFECTIONNESANOUVELLEPROFESSIONCOMMECONTROLEURDEFORMATION ETESTRETOURNEENMERENDECEMBRE2008.SONPLUSGRANDDEFINAVALAYANTETELA VISITEDE18PORTSINTERNATIONAUXENTANTQUECHEFDESECTIONSURLENCSM FREDERICTONENPRENANTPARTAOPSAIPHDANSLENORDDELAMERDARABIE,LEGOLFE ARABO-PERSIQUE,LEGOLFEDADENETLEGOLFEDOMAN.CETTEMISSIONSESTTERMINEE PARUNEPAUSEASTJEANQUIDEMEURERALEMEILLEURPORTJAMAISVISITE.ILRETOURNEA LAMAISONLE4MAI2010POURLECENTIEMEANNIVERSAIREDELAMARINECANADIENNEET POURLAREVUEDELAFLOTILLENAVALEPARSAMAJESTELAREINE,UNEVENEMENT RAREMENTVUDANSLESEAUXCANADIENNES. 7.EN2011CAPTCGRANTQUITTALAMERUNEFOISDEPLUSPOURSADERNIEREAFFECTATION ATERREAFINDESEJOINDREALEQUIPEINCROYABLEDUDGOPSFINAOTTAWAAFIND ETABLIRLEBUREAUCORPORATIFDECOMPTABILITEMINISTERIELLE.FAITSACCOMPLI,COMME TOUTBONMARINETALAMANIEREDUNSCOUT,ILALAISSERLEDEPARTEMENTDANSUN MEILLEURETAT,QUASONARRIVE.MAINTENANTILESTPRETARELEVERDENOUVEAUXDEFIS AUSEINDELAFONCTIONPUBLIQUE. 8.CHRISNEPEUTPASSUFFISAMENTEXPRIMERDANSCEMESSAGETOUTELAGRATTITUDEQU ILRESSENTENVERSTOUSLESMILITAIRESQUIONTEUUNIMPACTPOSITIFAULONGDESA CARRIERE,PARTICULIEREMENTCESQUELQUESREBELLESDELARCETDAUTRESDELAMAFIA NAVALE.PARMILESHISTOIRESDESESEXPLOITSDEJEUNESSE,PLUSIEURSSERONT PRUDEMMENTRACONTEESDETEMPSENTEMPS,PLUSPARTICULIEREMENTACANTURBURY. 9.NATURELLEMENT,APRES36ANS,LAFAMILLENOUSMANQUE.TOUTEFOISLECLANDES GRANTPROFITERAPLEINEMENTDELEURNOUVELLEMAISONSITUEEACARLETONPLACEOUIL VOGUERASURLEMISSISSIPPI. 10.CHRISSOUHAITEAVOIRUNEPETITECEREMONIEINFORMELLEPOURSONDEPARTDANSLA DIGNITELE7JAN2016.SIVOUSDESIREZYASSISTER,VEUILLEZCONTACTERLTVLAURENE DRAPEAUAU613971-6457OUPARCOURRIELLAURENE.DRAPEAU@FORCES.GC.CAAUPLUS TARDLE5JANVIER2016. 11.POURCEUXQUISOUHAITENTENVOYERDESMESSAGESDEFÉLICITATIONS,DEMEILLEURS VOEUXOUDESANECDOTES,VEUILLEZLESADRESSERALTVLAURENEDRAPEAUAU6139716457OUPARCOURRIELLAURENE.DRAPEAU@FORCES.GC.CAAUPLUSTARDLE6JANVIER2016.