October 1996

The Director of Infantry Presents the new "Army Road Map" [page 1:top]

Col Norris Pettis takes questions from the audience

The annual Infantry Luncheon was well attended by club members who wear some of the most distinguished hat badges in the Order of Battle. This august group was addressed by the Director of Infantry, Colonel Norris Pettis who presented a paper titled "The Army Road Map". Col. Pettis explained how the Army is attempting to meet the goals of the White Paper of December 1994 despite the further goring of defence in the latest Federal budget of February 1995. During his 40 minute address supported with computer graphics, the Colonel was in the invidious position of trying to cast a rosy glow on a rather an unpleasant picture. A key challenge is to maintain a combat ready general purpose total force army, from a reduced land force, within a restricted budget, while sustaining the soldier’s moral and make new equipment acquisitions. The Colonel said that this "Will be realised through an approach which emphasises communication, empowerment and accountability". He added that the key to success is, "Putting the right amount of resources in the right hands, at the right time, for the right reasons and for the right purpose." Col. Pettis said that, "Managing this change while at the same time planning and executing a series of domestic and peace support operations, poses a challenge to Army leadership which, I dare say, is far more daunting than those encountered during the comparatively stable and predicable years of the cold war". After his presentation he was both questioned and serenaded by the audience.

Ships Ahoy [page 1:bottom]

Side by Each Tied up in Toronto Harbour, HCMS Kingston (at left) and HCMS Glace Bay

Three of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships visited Toronto last month, the HMCS Anticosti, Kingston and Glace Bay. The Kingston and Glace Bay are the first of a new generation of coastal vessel and were commissioned this year. Known as Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDV) a total of 12 ships will come into service with the Navy by 1999. Known as the Kingston Class, the HMCS Kingston was the first vessel to be commissioned and she was launched in August 1995. Ships are scheduled to join the fleet one every four months, six will be based in Halifax and the balance at Esquimalt. During the ice-free period of the year, which is May to November, four of the East Coast vessels will be stationed in Quebec City. Each ship is crewed by 34 naval reservists and two regular force personnel. The primary role of the Kingston Class vessels is coastal surveillance and patrolling. They have a top speed of 15 knots, a range of 5,000 nautical miles and a primary armament of a 40mm Bofos gun plus two 50 calibre machine-guns. The MCDV fleet will also be used in search and rescue, resource protection, pollution control and on the East Coast, mine-counter measures.

Recognition for Services Rendered [page 1]

Murray Buckstein, Esq receives the first President's Award from President LCol John Gibson. The second President's Award recognizes the services of Capt Frank Woods, who was unable to attend the AGM

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