Ex-Cadet Gets Around
11756 Les Chapman (RMCC, ’78) currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Reynolds Technological Inquires Ltd, RTI Ltd. After graduation and completion of his MARS training, he volunteered for duty on submarines. He served on exchange with the Royal Navy as the Navigation Officer of HMS Opossum before resigning from the Canadian Forces in 1983 and joining the RN as a Lieutenant. He served in a number of at sea and shore positions, including as Strategic Systems Operations Officer at Fleet Headquarters from 1990 to 1992, and as Executive Officer and Second in Command of the Trident submarine HMS VICTORIOUS from 1993 to 1996. Les voluntarily retired from the RN in 1997, and since then has completed his MBA from Portsmouth University and has worked in a variety of positions within the maritime industry. He started with Reynolds Technological Inquiries Ltd, RTI Ltd in 2008.
RTI Ltd is an international accident investigation and forensic engineering consultancy, and Les had this to say of his work there. “Managing cases worldwide is extremely interesting and presents different challenges every day. We investigated Air France flight 447 that went down in the middle of the Atlantic in 2009, and we investigated the collision of the MV Otowasan and USS Porter in the Straits of Hormuz in 2012. We investigated an industrial fatality in Oman, and we provided consultancy for the development of the Port of Lagos in Nigeria with respect to Pilotage, VTS, launches and training in 2013. In addition, we have provided expert witnesses in fatal accident inquiries in aviation, rail, and utility industries as well as complex failures such as turbo generator explosions in nuclear plants and the failure of a $750 million oil rig. We are also one of 3 companies in the world that are able to audit private maritime security companies (providing armed guards on the ships off Somalia) to ISO 28007.”
Highlights of his career include receiving his dolphins onboard HMCS Onondaga, passing the Perisher Course (Submarine Command Course) in 1988, calling on the Vice Minister of China with the Deputy Prime Minister of the UK in 2001, and becoming the UK’s expert on Maritime Security following the events of 9/11. Les also looks back with a smile on becoming a father in 1992 and on falling in love again after losing his wife Susan to bowel cancer in 2013.
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“A Passion for Assisting ex-Military Personnel”
9143 Bruce McAlpine (CMR/RMC, ’72) is President of Fulcrum Search Science Inc., a Toronto-based executive search firm focusedon the $100-250K compensation band. A former Infantry Officer with 3R22eR (the “Van Doos”), Bruce still maintains strong links with the military and the Royal Military Colleges Club of Canada (“the Club”). He is a member of Treble Victor, a strategic partner with Canada Company, and he serves on the Executive Committee of the Club. Bruce is currently heading up the implementation of the Strategic Review of the Club, after having co-chaired the year-long review with Reg Watts which culminated in the publishing of the 120 page document entitled “The Road Ahead” in 2012. He has also participated 3 times in the “Chasse Galerie,” the week-long fund-raising canoe trip which occurs every 5 years, and which involves paddling with 14 other ex-cadets from Ottawa to Kingston in a 34 foot Voyageur canoe to arrive at the College in time for the Legacy Dinner.
Bruce has a passion for assisting ex-military personnel in transitioning successfully into civilian careers. His monthly blog series “Leadership 101 – Military Wisdom in Business,” which ran last year, featured articles from more than half a dozen ex-military members who had successfully made this transition. (http://www.fulcrumsearchscience.com/blog/)
Bruce is also active in the national associations of his own profession, serving on national boards for almost 15 years. He is a past President of both ACSESS (the Association of Canadian Search, Employment & Staffing Services) and APPAC (the national Association of Professional Placement Agencies and Consultants), and is the current Chair of the ACSESS Ethics Committee. He is also a national trainer for the industry certification program (CPC).
He is a recipient of the ACSESS Leadership Award, and the discretionary ACSESS Award of Excellence for “outstanding leadership and exemplary commitment” to the industry in Canada. Bruce is also active in several Christian charitable organizations.
He and his wife Nancy (whom he married during Graduation Week in 1972) have 2 daughters and 2 grand-children. They split their time between Toronto, where they work, and Brighton, their ultimate retirement home.
Articles edited by 25366 Mike Shewfelt
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HRCNC6 Don Jones, celebrates his 90th birthday on Monday February 17th. The day before his son and daughter hosted a party to celebrate the occasion. About 50 friends, neighbours and former colleagues from Naval, College and ICCS Vietnam days came.
Don, ably assisted by 4610 Gus Nelson and 5007 Jean-Robert Maynard, cut the cake. Others like H3550 Murray Johnston, RCNC237 Stan Hopkins and RCNSE100 Denny Boyle helped to “splice the main brace”, retell old naval and Vietnamese war stories and wish Don well for his next 90.