Message from the Commanding Officer LCol Paul d’Orsonnens June 2017
As we approach June and our annual unit reunion day with sports and a great BBQ prepared by OC Admin Coy and team, all Brocks should be busy with activities and tasks that will advance them in their qualifications or prepare them for promotion, others will train in sports activities to represent the unit in upcoming events that the unit will sponsor. Summer is also the time when people important to the Brocks family continue on with new challenges in their careers.
Departure of FTUC staff: Capt Richard Law, WO Tal Shlakat and Sgt (soon WO) Sonia Shlakat are leaving this summer, and as much as we regret seeing them move on to new challenges, we are very thankful for their complete commitment to the unit and to its members for the past 3 years. We have a debt of gratitude for the many many hours spent assisting, mentoring, enabling, and overseeing the operations, the training, the pay and administration and preserving our historical heritage at the unit. Though they leave for Gagetown and Connaught, they aren’t leaving the Rifles family. There are many stories to recall: How can we forget the valiant attempts around midnight to become buglers with an old beaten bugle found in the Mess or WO Shlakat looking at Sgt Hopper, a hatchet buried in his leg, and calmly say that in wasn’t necessary to damage those perfectly good rain pants, but no one will ever forget the evil eye received from our CC when told that an admin form or claim didn’t seem complete. On behalf of the Regiment, many thanks for a great job very well done and very much appreciated. Thankfully, we have some survivors, and MCpl Tim Perry and crew remain at unit to keep the solid work going that’s been done up to now.
Op LENTUS: Congratulations to our Rifles who got Army wide press coverage on Army News! MCpl Moss distinguished himself for the sturdy leadership he demonstrated, by doing what he does best and getting committed as a Rifleman. All Brocks were very appreciated by the Platoon OC and 2IC for being trustworthy, dependable, resourceful, having a positive mental attitude and for getting the job done. Congrats all!
Officers 151st Mess Diner: The evening was a resounding success, with the Guest of Honour, the Deputy Commander of the Army being impressed by the strength and character of our unit and its strong links to the City and the community. Many military and civilian guests were present, and the unit thanks them for attending the dinner and representing The Brockville Rifles to our very senior Army leader. A special mention was made to our Worship Mayor Henderson, whom we are very appreciative of his continued support to the unit. The presence of the Mayor and our Chief of Police was noted by MGen Turenne as a testimony to the important link the unit has with the City of Brockville and adjoining counties.
The phase 1 of renovations ended the day before the Mess Diner, thanks to MCpl Justin Perry, Cpls Dale Cross and Dillon Fournier in the RQ and our FTUC staff that hounded the project manager. Well done for tracking the work being done and pointing out what needed to be changed or fixed. Our next challenge is ensuring that Phase 2 funding is authorized to the Rifles and further renovations to the interior of the building are carried out so that our Armory, built in 1900, will remain functional and serve us well for at least another 100 years. That task requires an engineer who understands those strange project drawings and 2Lt Andrew Melchers has volunteered, though he doesn’t know it yet.
These renovations have created an opportunity to rethink the internal use of the Armoury, to optimize our space for the use by our Rifles and for our training mission. As your CO, I received proposals to move the Messes and relocate the Museum collection, and there is very strong merit to the proposals, most notably because it came from the members of the unit. My thanks to those who gave their opinions and comments, this demonstrates your interest in protecting our unit and its glorious past, and making our present day events more significant.
Recently, our Historical heritage collection became the center of attention with the research done by Capt Law who discovered the story behind our most amazing set of medals in the collection. Private Torrance Glazier, 41st Battalion (Brockville Rifles), must certainly be the most decorated Rifleman from the unit, having been in four armed conflict from the Red River, the Fenian Raids in 1870 to the Boer war in 1899, to The First World War! Private Glazier will now be better remembered, because he did then exactly what Sgt Hopper, MCpl Jackson, Cpls Zeiman, Blair-Beveridge, and Mensen did recently in Afghanistan… do our duty as Riflemen!
Recruitment by our Sgt Hopper is going well with 20 recruits, which means BMQ courses will be opened and BMQ instructor positions will become available for those qualified for these positions.
Next year we are focusing on operations training in the defense sight your heavy machine guns and anti-armor weapons, ensure covering fire overlaps, then sight your trenches and dig in to protect yourselves, set up obstacles and wire entanglement ahead of our position to break the enemy assault, and then start doing what infantry do best, go on patrol. I look forward to joining your patrols and seeing everyone focused on the ops task!
Deployments: We are still waiting for further details following the Canadian Army announcement to send a platoon of reservists to various foreign locations. This will be an excellent opportunity to have our Brocks be part of missions and to experience training with a very realistic focus. This is the reason to do well on your RST and summer qualifications, so that you can be the first to be selected as part of that mission, and make the unit proud!
During the summer, those available to work at the unit will be training to meet the challenge that the Brocks received from the Highlanders…So at the Highland Games on first long weekend in Aug, we will have a Rifles tug-of-war team that RSM Gagnon will coach, while Cpls Zeiman and Perry have the task of getting us a regimental team uniform! (and yes.. no kilts!).
Sports is important in the Army and for our mental resilience (as is sleep and proper meals), and for that reason, RSM and I are fully supportive of our Brockville Rifles Army Run team! A team jersey will be chosen, and a training plan developed with PSP folks, so that we can all safely train for the 10KM, or for those who want to run with your CO, the half-marathon.
Our recent Thursday evening in the Mess became memorable as we watched the Sens battle the Pens in 2nd OT for the Conference title. As a Sens fan, I really appreciated that moment, even though certain Habs fans are in denial and continue to believed it’s all part of a conspiracy against Carry Price.
Summer RST is launched and many of you are already committed to courses or tasks. Do well, keep your powder dry, learn your fieldcraft, and master your musketry learn from others, and stay away from those who waste your time the Army needs smart soldiers to train the several thousands of new recruits that we need, so I expect our unit to continue to be among the best do it because of your commitment to the unit, to your colleagues and to yourself.
The RSM and I look forward to seeing you at the unit BBQ for a chance to share in more regimental good times. The following Thursday will be our last time together for some of us, so we say thanks to those who are leaving, such as Cpl Fournier who shared his Int war stories with us throughout the year and more importantly gave grief to the other teams during the Hockey tournament. Keep checking the FB page for unit news, and don’t hesitate to send us those memorable funny stories from your summer that we can share on the page.
So, again, keep your powder dry, your head up, be smart about how you act, remember your OPERATION HONOR awareness and Bystander Intervention training, and be smart about how you train, so that we can all RV back together in September.
SEMPER PARATUS
LCol Paul d’Orsonnens MSM, CD
Commanding Officer
The Brockville Rifles
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Message du Commandant
LCol Paul d’Orsonnens
Juin 2017
Alors que nous nous approchons de notre réunion annuel et BBQ de juin, nos membres de l’unité sont soit occupés avec leurs taches d’été pour atteindre leurs promotions ou de s’entrainer au sport pour représenter l’unité.
L’été est aussi le moment des changements, et nous perdons Capt Law, Adj Shlakat et Sgt Shlakat qui iront à Gagetown et Connaught. Nous sommes très fiers de vous avoir eu comme personnel à temps plein à l’unité. Vous avez assisté, suivi, appuyé et encadré notre personnel à l’unité et nous vous en remercions chaleureusement. De la part du Régiment, nous vous remercions. Heureusement, nous aurons le personnel du QM et CplC Perry pour assurer le suivi.
Op LENTUS : Félicitations à nos Rifles pour un travail très bien fait et pour avoir passé aux Nouvelles de l’Armée! Cplc Moss s’est distingué par son leadership naturel, et tous les Brocks ont été apprécié par le Cmdt de Pon et son adj. Félicitations à tous!
151e Diner des Officiers : la soirée fut un succès et notre invité d’honneur MGen Turenne, Commandant Adjoint de l’Armée Canadienne a remarqué les liens étroits entre le Régiment et la Ville. De plus, le maire Henderson a été remercié pour son soutien remarquable envers l’unité.
La phase 1 des rénovations a terminé à temps pour le diner, et représente une opportunité pour revoir l’emploi des espaces. Merci au personnel de jour pour le suivi assidu des travaux, et de faire faire les correctifs. Notre prochain défi est de confirmer le projet de rénovation de la phase 2 et recevoir le financement. Le Slt Melchers en sera responsable.
Ces rénovations ont créé l’opportunité de repenser notre aménagement intérieure. J’ai reçu la proposition de déplacer les Messes et de placer le musée ailleurs, la ou se trouve le mess des Carabiniers présentement. Je suis reconnaissant à tous qui ont soumis leur opinion sur ce sujet, vous témoignez de votre engagement envers votre unité et ses besoins futurs.
Récemment, notre collection historique a attiré l’attention, suite aux recherches du Capt Richard Law sur un ensemble de médailles, dévoilant l’histoire incroyable du soldat Torrance Glazier du 41e Bataillon (Brockville Rifles). Ayant combattu dans quatre guerres, il doit être le soldat le plus décoré de l’unité! Ce qu’a fait le Sdt Glazier équivaux à ce que nous avons fait en Afghanistan, tel Sgt Hopper, Cplc Jackson, Cpls Zeiman, Blair-Beveridge, et Mensen, et les autres Brocks là-bas.
Le recrutement va bien selon Sgt Hopper avec une cible de 25 soldats qui nécessitera des courses QMB et ouvrira des postes pour nos instructeurs.
L’année prochaine nous nous concentrerons lors de nos opérations et exercices sur la défense… nous placerons alors nos armes lourdes et mitrailleuse, ensuite les Pelotons et les tranchées de sections, le barbelé, et les patrouilles!
Déploiements : Nous attendons les détails sur le Peloton de réservistes, mais chose certaine, c’est une opportunité incroyable et vous devez être qualifié et prêt à partir, donc faites bien sur vos cours d’ été!
Durant l’été ceux disponibles vont participer à des exercices de sports pour faire une équipe des Rifles aux Jeux Ecossais en aout. Le SMR sera le coach au concours du tir de la corde, et Cpls Zeiman et Perry nous trouverons des chemises d’équipe!
Les sports sont une part importante des activités de l’Armée afin de développer la résistance et la résilience, et pour cette raison le RSM et moi appuyons une équipe de coureurs de la Course de l’Armée. Le personnel PSP fournira des plans d’entrainement pour le 10Km, ou le demi-marathon avec votre Commandant.
L’entrainement d’été a été lancé et vous êtes tous en général impliqué. Faites ca bien, gardez votre tète haute, apprenez votre métier d’infanterie, évitez les mauvaises influences… maintenez OP HONNEUR en tête, car l’Armée recherche des candidats engagé et motivé pour entraine les milliers de recrues à venir.
Le SMR et moi vous souhaitons un bon été rempli de collaboration. Jeudi prochain sera la dernière journée au régiment. Passez un bon été, soyez professionnel, et nous vous revoyons en septembre!
Lcol Paul d’Orsonnens
Commandant
The Brockville Rifles
