Operation VICTOR

Fraser held a “back to basics” training weekend, focusing on drill, dress and deportment (the three D’s of cadets).  Included in the weekend activities were exercises in attitude, teamwork, uniform maintenance, and aided in the growing pride of being a sea cadet, and a part of RCSCC FRASER.

To kick start the weekend, the corps participated in some very competitive sports.  Over the span of the games, all of the cadets showed an improvement in working as a team, and was a fun, relaxed, night for all.

Saturday was a long day for both the senior NCO’s and the junior cadets. Throughout the day, cadets were faced with drill sessions, including many cadence counts, to keep in step, and the usual reminders of arms up,  chin up and clench your fists.  In the end, everyone showed an improvement in both the execution of the movements.

The Master Seaman were introduced to a new level of leadership to prepare them for their role as a Petty Officer in the coming year.  They were given a leadership role in the weekend and instead of receiving direction and orders, they had to be providers of instructions and command their group of junior cadets.  They all had the team of PO’s to support them, so it wasn’t all that bad.  The Master Seaman worked together to learn a key part of leadership, teamwork.  Their ability to work together improved along with their ability to lead, and command a group of cadets. Each of them walked away from the weekend with a different lesson learned, from self confidence, to remembering that mistakes can be used as a learning tool.

An overall improvement was seen in attitude, pride, and esprit de corps.  The junior cadets also exhibited a large improvement in drill.  The junior cadets did an amazing job on their uniforms for the Battle of the Atlantic parade, and will find they have to keep their uniforms up to par, now that the NCO’s have seen just how good they can be.

At the end of this weekend there was a corps drill competition between syndicates and both teams were outstanding.  They put a lot of time and effort into this, and the result was spectacular, with much fun had by all.

~PO1 A. Gagnon

Battle of the Atlantic 2011

This year, Fraser had it’s annual Battle of the Atlantic parade, May 1^st, during the training weekend Operation Victor.  All of the Corps hard work in drill, dress, and deportment went to good practical use for this parade.

Battle of the Atlantic serves to commemorate the sailors who lost their lives at sea, never to return home.  Battle of the Atlantic was the longest spanning battle during the Second World War.  Both the Merchant navy and the Royal Canadian Navy, fought the German u-boats to ensure that the battle front had sufficient supplies.  Canada was one of the main countries to support the soldiers fighting on the front.

Both RCSCC FRASER and the NLCC J.F. Williams looked sharp for the ceremony held at AITQ.  Petty Officer Vo did an outstanding job on the bugle, PO1 Bliss, the coxswain of J.F. Williams, had the honour of the Roll Call of Ships.  

Navy League and Sea Cadet alike, had the chance to throw a flower into the Fraser River, a tradition for the Battle of the Atlantic as there are no graves upon which to lay a wreath, and help the Cadets to understand and remember those lost at sea.

The parade was a huge success, and we look forward to having it return to the New Westminster Quay in 2012.

~PO1 A. Gagnon