Naval Security Team visits Kamloops to help increase visibility for new program

“We put them through a lot of stress,” Commanding Officer Lt(N) Robert Newtown explains. “Coming to Okanagan and Kootenay Lakes was designed to do that, to deploy my team in a hotter environment that’s more uncomfortable for them. They’re wearing full armour with plate, it’s 12-to-15 degrees [Celsius]. It’s pretty temperate, and the only contacts you get out on the water are container ships. Coming here was challenging for them. They got to have every 15-to-20 seconds, someone was encroaching on their zone, which really gave them the ability to hone in on their skills.”

The Canadian Armed Forces are experiencing a personnel shortage, with more than 16,000 jobs that need to be filled across all branches. This trip through the Interior of BC is also meant to increase visibility for the Navy and hopefully draw some interest to its new Naval Experience Program.

“It’s a new one-year program, sort of like a ‘try it before you buy’ for the Navy,” A/Slt Jack Rigler explains. “Basically, you can sign on for one year, no commitment after that. You do your basic training, your naval environment training, and then you’re posted to a ship and get to experience all sorts of parts of life in the navy.”

“If they like it after a year then we will help them focus and pinpoint what they want to do,” Lt. Newton says. “Let them pick a career or a trade. If not, then they got a great experience, got to serve their country for a little while and get to make some money. Get some experience, some life lessons and knowledge.”

MacUisdin has been in the Navy for over 30 years. He was part of the team that provided protection to the USS Gerald R Ford when it was deployed to Halifax last summer.

CPO2 Sean MacUisdin showcases some of the features of the Defender 5, the vessel that the Navy Security Team uses to conduct its missions. (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

“Long days, tiring, but at the end, you did your job, you used all your training. It’s a great feeling,” MacUisdin says. “That’s certainly what I enjoy about, that’s what the people who have come to the unit enjoy about it, is to do that training and actually use it.”

For more information on the Naval Experience Program and the Naval Security Team, you can visit this site.

by Adam Donnelly

Naval Security Team visits Kamloops to help increase visibility for new program

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