- PM recently announced that an Ex Cadet would assume the duties of Associate DM at National Defence
- A few word of advice from recent graduates
- Opera.ca, the national association for opera in Canada, announce the 2015 recipient of the Opera.ca National Opera Directors Recognition Award to a former RMC Club President
13700 John Turner, Class of ’82, currently Assistant Deputy Minister, Materiel, National Defence, becomes Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence, effective February 2, 2015.
The PM recently announced that he would assume the duties of Associate DM at National Defence effective 2 Feb 15.
“While I am very happy to be staying at Defence, I am sorry to be leaving such a great leadership team in ADM Mat. I have really learned a great deal from each and every one of you and strongly believe I will be a better Associate here for the experience of being ADM Mat. I can’t thank you enough for your tremendous support and I look forward to working with you on our many important files in my new post. Once again, many thanks for a tremendous two years.”
13700 John Turner, Class of ’82
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A few word of advice from recent graduates!
Coordinated by Danielle Andela 26659 OCdt (III) 1 Squadron –
E-Veritas Correspondant
2Lt (26196) Ellie Johnston, 3 Squadron
I am currently on OJT at 442 SQN, 19 Wing Comox – where I work in Operations. In my spare time I play volleyball on the base team and I also coach high school girls basketball.
I think experiences obviously vary but you definitely get out what you put in during your time at the college
To the graduating class of 2015… Congratulations! You made it! If I could pass on one thing to the new graduates it would have to be to remember the importance of first impressions! Most people will make up their opinions of you after your first day at your new jobs so make sure you are always putting your best foot forward!
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Lt (25565) Jennifer McGregor, 1 Squadron
Currently I am posted to 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, in Shilo, MB. I have just completed a year as a Troop Commander in B Battery. For the past two months my Troop Sergeant Major and I have been tasked to Rogers Pass, BC, with 15 soldiers in order to provide professional artillery support for the Parks Canada Avalanche Control Section. Our AO consists of a 45km stretch of road along the Trans-Canada Highway within Glacier National Park. When I return from this I’ll be loaded onto a few courses (ATOC, 25mm TOC, etc) before we begin training for high readiness as part of Task Force 1-16.
In hindsight RMC was a good experience, it gave me the opportunity to build a peer network that allows me to reach out for advice or guidance from a large pool of people when I am faced with a new or unusual task. It also lets you share your experiences and different ways of doing things with one another. Additionally, although limited in scope, RMC will allow you to develop some leadership skills which helps give you a bit of an edge that those in other ROTP programs may not have been able to gain.
If I could give some advice to those in first year, it would be to enjoy it. I know that so many at the college are eager to graduate and move on as troop commanders, pilots, MARS officers, etc. You only have these four years at RMC, with your friends, to learn new things, once you graduate that’s it. It doesn’t get ‘easier’, and the learning never stops. For the rest of your career you’ll be faced with challenges, you’ll be expected to find solutions, you’ll be loaded on courses and maybe one day you’ll do further education for a Masters or a PhD. So take the time now, learn what you can, stay positive about your experiences and have fun. Ex-Cadets in the old brigade always told my class that these are the ‘Good Old Days’, and I may have only graduated two years ago but take it from someone who is a part of your generation of leaders, these will be the good old days one day.
In my time as Troop Commander I’ve completed a wide range of tasks I never expected to be doing, I spent a month in Wainwright, I organized an Aboriginal Youth Training Camp in Northern Saskatchewan, and most recently I am in the Rocky Mountains using Howitzers for avalanche control. And all the while, I’ve also been running a Troop in Shilo of 30 soldiers. From these experiences, the advice I can give to you is as follows:
In the artillery there is a saying, ‘Watch and Shoot’. When you arrive at your first unit, some of you might already have an agenda or laundry list of things you want to do. Take the time and see how your troop or platoon does things, then make changes. For the most part there is no need to reinvent the wheel, just see how things are done because sometimes they might be more efficient than whatever you had in mind, and then tweak what you think needs to be tweaked.
Try to maintain a positive attitude upfront of your troops, and always strive to set the example.
Get to know those under your command, find out what courses they want and what career path they would like to take. If they have family, know about it, there will be issues that they will want to come and discuss with you, be cognoscente of that.
Take advantage of the knowledge and experience of the Senior NCO’s and Warrant Officers in your command team, always keep them in the loop and don’t make decisions in total isolation. Be open to suggestions and recommendations, but always have the final say. If someone recommends something, and you really don’t like it, it is okay to take an alternative route. But being open to suggestions opens the floor to ideas and possibilities that you didn’t think of.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help from other Subbies, or Captains at your new unit. This doesn’t make you look weak or stupid; we’ve all been the new guy and are more than willing to help with what we can.
Lastly, your troops want to be challenged. Be a bit creative when there are lulls in the training schedule and come up with unique ways to do that.
I hope that some of you keep note of some of these points above, they really have helped me and it will help you. Good luck to the Class of 2015 as you start this new and exciting chapter of your life.
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OPERA.CA ANNOUNCES RECIPIENT OF THE 2015 NATIONAL OPERA DIRECTORS RECOGNITION AWARD
5758 MICHAEL MORRES OF PACIFIC OPERA VICTORIA
Opera.ca, the national association for opera in Canada, is proud to announce the 2015 recipient of the Opera.ca National Opera Directors Recognition Award – Michael Morres of Pacific Opera Victoria (POV). Now in its seventh year, the National Opera Directors Recognition Award highlights the tenets of good governance, celebrates models of volunteer excellence, and raises the bar for board director commitment.
“Opera.ca is delighted to bestow this honour on Michael Morres of Pacific Opera Victoria. This award exists to recognize the enormous contributions board members make to their opera companies, through philanthropic support as well as through their expert guidance and exemplary actions.” commented Christina Loewen, Executive Director, Opera.ca. “Michael Morres’ contributions have extended beyond his opera company to the national level where he has been a committed participant in sector-level conversations around good governance, demonstrating the importance of a connected, informed network of opera trustees working coast to coast to the art form.”
Michael Morres served as President of the Board of Directors of POV from 2005 to 2010. Initially a casual opera-goer, he transformed through his tenure into a most insightful and knowledgeable opera- lover, proponent, and supporter of both the art form and the business side of opera.
One of the first challenges Michael faced as President was hiring a new Executive Director, recruiting an outstanding candidate to lead the organization at a time when strong leadership was crucial. With an eye to the future, Michael championed the idea of internal succession planning, approving the educational advancement of then Director of Development and Marketing Patrick Corrigan, who subsequently became Executive Director when the position became vacant a short time later. Michael’s strong leadership in the area of succession planning allowed POV to make two smooth changes of command during times that have been tumultuous for arts organizations across North America.
Michael also presided over the creation of POV’s new production facility, which has allowed the company to present uniquely original productions each season.
One area where Michael has distinguished himself is in the arena of networking and connecting with other trustees across the country. Michael is a regular participant of the past seven Opera Colloquia and frequently attends Opera America Conferences, extolling the value of national conferences and encouraging other board members to attend. He believes strongly in having a national and international perspective for opera in particular, educating himself on best practices and industry trends. Michael continues to attend opera productions in Calgary, Vancouver, Seattle and other cities in North America and Europe. This extensive network has become an invaluable resource for him and for POV.
His contributions, both philanthropic and organizational, are exemplary and have left an indelible mark on Pacific Opera Victoria, which is currently enjoying a deficit-free budget, achieving new levels of artistic accomplishment, and on the cusp of opening a new opera centre.
In the words of his nominator Patrick Corrigan: “Michael Morres is a true arts patron with a spirit of generosity that inspires others. In 2010, at the end of his term as President, Michael was awarded the Unforgettable Award for Outstanding Service to the Arts in Victoria. And that is what Michael Morres was and continues to be for POV, an unforgettable champion and true opera patron.”
Opera.ca’s commitment to recognizing excellence in governance is shared with sister association OPERA America through their Annual National Opera Trustee Recognition Award, in which a single honouree is chosen from each of the four OPERA America budget categories. In 2015, OPERA America is pleased to honour John Nesholm, Seattle Opera; James H. McCoy, Hawaii Opera Theatre (Honolulu, HI); Sue Bienkowski, Long Beach Opera; and Frank “Woody” Kuehn, Opera Southwest (Albuquerque, NM)
About Opera.ca
Opera.ca is the national association for opera companies and professionals in Canada. It seeks to create and sustain an environment that makes opera central to Canadian life. It works with members across the country to advance the interests of Canada’s opera community and create greater opportunity for opera audiences and professionals alike.
About Pacific Opera Victoria
Pacific Opera Victoria (POV) has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s leading opera companies, thanks to its dynamic repertoire choices, its original productions, and its commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for artists and audiences. Founded in 1979 and incorporated in 1980, POV has become one of Canada’s most exciting arts institutions, with an audience that is, per capita, two to five times that of any other Canadian opera company.
Michael Morres, a current director and former president of Pacific Opera Victoria, retired in 1994 after a full career as an officer in the Royal Canadian Navy, and in 2004 began leading tours to areas which included the Middle East, China, South America, Central and Eastern Europe, India and Southeast Asia. In recent years he has worked in various capacities with tour companies including ACT 1 and Know the World Tours. He led his first tour for ACT 1 in 2008, to the Strauss Festival in Munich. He was invited to join the Board of Directors of Pacific Opera Victoria in 2004, and served as President from 2005 to 2010. He continues to serve on the Board, which benefits greatly from his extensive knowledge of the business and artistic sides of opera in both Canada and the US.