Lasalle Squadron Welcomes 23242 Lt(N) Stephen Scriver
By 26349 OCdt (I) Derek Frank
There are many new faces to be found at RMC this year, and not all of them are first years. Returning to the Royal Military College of Canada after graduating in 2005, Lieutenant (Navy) Scriver has spent the last six years sailing out of Halifax. Throughout his time at RMC, he was member of both Wolfe and Mackenzie squadrons, and has now taken the helm of LaSalle Squadron as the new Squadron Commander.
A short drive from Kingston, Lt(N) Scriver came to RMC from his hometown of Napanee, Ontario. It was from here that he was recruited to play for the RMC Paladins Basketball team. RMC was a great choice for him, given that his family was still in the area, furthermore, some fellow basketball players from Napanee had been recruited to play at RMC as well. “Varsity sports was the big thing for me, we had a pretty good run when I was here.” In the last stretches of his time at RMC, the basketball team did remarkably well. They were the second best team in the entire OUA, “It’s a pretty big deal coming from a small school like ours, going up against a lot of big universities.”
Lt(N) Scriver’s interest in the Navy started with his Grandfather, who served as the first one to introduce him to it. Diving was what convinced him to choose his career as a MARS officer. “MARS was random, to be honest,” says Lt(N) Scriver, “but afterwards I definitely enjoy it. It’s a great military occupation.” The sea is the other home of a naval officer, and Lt(N) Scriver mentioned that his favorite part of life at sea was the excitement of travel and visiting foreign ports, although he has also taken part in counter drug smuggling operations in the Caribbean. His postings include the HMCS Preserver, HMCS St John’s, and HMCS Toronto. However, no matter where in the world he happened to be, how hot or cold, he would always be thinking of his wife and kids at home in Ontario. He paused slightly, but then smiled after he was asked what would he tell an infanteer to convert them to the Navy. “Its always warm,” he said.“You get to sleep in a bed everyday, [and] we go to work where other people go to take vacations.”
As a Naval Cadet, Lt(N) Scriver never thought he would become an RMC Squadron Commander. He attributes this to his time at RMC, where he never saw much of his Squadron Commander. “Back then I think they were a little bit more removed from the cadets,” he says. So instead, he set his priorities on getting out and getting the job done. At RMC, Lt(N) Scriver has made a point of being present among his squadron. During the first week of FYOP, he introduced himself to Fighter Flight as he ran with them during morning physical training, making sure the first years will know exactly who he is.
When he was asked what the best part of his new appointment was, he was quick to joke that it was his new parking spot. In all seriousness, however, he is always impressed by the amount of energy displayed by officer cadets at RMC. “It’s a refreshing change to see all of these cadets, and the requests they put in for the things they want to do.”
Needless to say, 2 Squadron is going to have a great year with Lt(N) Scriver at the conn.