Caption: Friday, 20 Feb at RMCC, nearing the end of reading Week – 2015. Photo by: 26549 Kai Zhao
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Quiet on the peninsula this time of year
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PAG Training – Interesting Panel Discussion / Entraînement GAP – Table ronde intéressante
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Quiet on the peninsula this time of year
It has been arctic cold for most of the past week while the members of the cadet wing are enjoying – Reading Week. We understand many of them are off to if not exotic places some pretty warm climate areas. As the commandant made a point of saying at the end of his Flag Day speech – “Be smart and be safe.”
A contingent of 20 RMCC OCdt’s has also just embarked on a Battlefield Tour of WWI and WWII battle sites all around France; an experience that will bring real meaning and context to their chosen career as Canadian Military Officers and ensure they see our flag in a new light.
The (w) rugby team is in Jamaica largely funded by the Foundation – supporting the development of female ruby in that country and participating in a tournament.
Mid-terms pretty well start this Monday (23 Feb) for 1st and 2nd years and run up until 6 March.
Next week, RMCC welcomes Col. Susman, Israel’s defence attaché to Canada as he visits CFB Kingston.
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PAG Training – Interesting Panel Discussion
By: 27023 OCdt Garber
On Wednesday February 11th, Peer Assistance Group (PAG) hosted a LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) panel discussion during which two Royal Canadian Navy officers, one of whom graduated from RMCC discussed their experience in the Canadian Armed Forces as gay officers.
As some may know, the CAF officially started allowing members of the LGBT community to serve in for the Forces in 1992, in comparison to the abolition of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in the American Military in 2011.
During the two-hour discussion, Dale mentioned the importance of understanding LGBT issues in order to better deal with situations in which we may be involved as future officers. “Coming out isn’t a ‘one-time deal’. You have to come out all over again every time you are posted to a new unit or report to a different commander and for some, that can be very difficult”, added Dale.
All in all, the opportunity to openly discuss issues still carrying a certain level of stigma with officers in the CAF was a valuable experience for PAG members and other members of the Cadet Wing in order to better serve our fellow peers.
Entraînement GAP – Table ronde intéressante
par 27023 OCdt Garber
Le mercredi 11 février, le Groupe d’assistance aux pairs (GAP) a mené une discussion portant sur la communauté LGBT (Lesbienne, gay, bisexuelle et transgenre) dans les Forces Armées Canadiennes pendant laquelle deux officiers de la Marine Royale Canadienne (dont un ayant gradué du CMRC) ont discuté de leurs expériences comme officiers gais.
Comme certains le savent, les FAC ont officiellement commencé à permettre le service militaire des membres de la communauté LGBT en 1992, à comparer aux Forces armées américaines qui ont aboli leur règlement « don’t ask, don’t tell » en 2011.
Pendant la discussion de deux heures, Dale mentionna l’importance de comprendre les questions de nature LGBT afin de mieux rectifier les situations dans lesquelles nous pourrions nous retrouver en tant que futurs officiers. « Révéler son homosexualité n’est pas un ‘one-time deal’. C’est quelque chose qui doit être fait à chaque fois que l’on change de régiment ou que l’on se présente à un nouveau commandant et pour certains, cela peut être très difficile », ajouta Dale.
En somme, la chance de pouvoir ouvertement discuter d’un sujet qui porte encore à ce jour un certain stigma avec des officiers dans les FAC fut une expérience précieuse pour les membres du GAP et de l’Escadre afin de mieux aider nos pairs ici au CMRC.