Posted on 01/14/2004 3:16:40 PM PST by Clive
Whether you love your job or hate it, chances are you can go home at the end of a shift and do whatever you please to unwind.
But the 235-person crew of HMCS Toronto won't have that convenience. Whether on duty or off, the group will scarcely be able to leave their workplace for the next six months.
The ship sails out of Halifax Harbour today as part of Canada's commitment to the U.S.-led war on terrorism to take part in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Cmdr. Bruce Belliveau, who will be at the helm, said Monday both ship and crew are "absolutely" ready for the job.
He said since the ship will be working 24 hours a day, about half the crew is on the job at any given time, and nobody gets an entire day off while the ship is at sea.
"Most people work 16-, 18-hour days at sea," he said.
Sleep is a priority in the remaining hours, but recreation is also vital in the cramped quarters of the 135-metre Halifax class frigate.
This is where the Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency chips in.
Along with work supplies, there is a variety of popular DVDs and books - about 300 of each - loaded on board for the sailors. These are added to weekly as new releases and bestsellers hit the shelves in Canada.
For people who like to train in their spare time, several pieces of exercise equipment, including a brand new Bowflex home gym, are available around the clock.
Satellite technology helps sailors bridge the gap between themselves and home. More connected than ever before, crew can watch Canadian television, use the Internet and call home every three days.
The ship also has a small store to satisfy junk-food cravings or toiletry needs. The sleeping quarters feature tiers of three bunks about half the width of a normal bunk bed. There are curtains, but Cmdr. Belliveau said privacy is something sailors learn to live without.
"You get used to communal living when you're in a ship because there are few places to go that you're going to be alone," he said.
In port, usually only about a quarter of the crew are needed on board at any time. The rest are free to visit the city, barring security concerns.
Group activities are increasingly organized for onshore free time. And at least once during each deployment, the Personnel Support Agency organizes a "show tour" in which Canadian entertainers perform for the crew during a port call.
A spokesman for the agency said the show for this deployment has yet to be lined up, but he knows it will feature 14 artists, including male and female singers, dancers, comedians and a band.
HMCS Toronto will first sail to Norfolk, Va., to join some American vessels before continuing on to the Arabian Gulf.
It will be linked to a group of vessels including an aircraft carrier, and the crew may be involved in boarding other ships.
While the mission means a long spell away from home in spartan accommodations, Cmdr. Belliveau said that's just the navy way of life.
I had meant to ping just my Canada list.
I have been fortunate to know some good Canadian men and women who joined - but they acknowledged that it would take about 2 hours for the US to take the country over, and that only because of how far Ottawa is from the border.
And to think I'm actually considering joining the Forces after University. (Air of course.)
"Halifax Class frigates, HMCS Regina and Fredericton, have been conducting maritime interdiction operations in the Persian Gulf in support of the international campaign against terrorism."
Sounds like Canada is sending us one of their newest and best for this type mission. Canada and the United States fighting terrorism shoulder to shoulder - the world as it ought to be. If only their politicians would figure that out.
They have also been deployed to indertdiction patrols since the invasion of Afghanistan since the War of Terrorism began.
The following is from the Canadian DND web site:
Canada-US Interoperability
CANADIAN NAVY TEAMS UP WITH U.S. CARRIER BATTLE GROUPS
One of the best examples of the effectiveness of Canadian and American defence co-operation is the integration of Canadian Navy frigates into United States Carrier Battle Groups.
Since the end of the Gulf War in 1991, Canada has contributed to the Arabian Gulf Multinational Interdiction Force enforcing UN sanctions against Iraq. In 1998, HMCS Ottawa integrated into a U.S. Carrier Battle Group as part of this force. This was the first time since the Korean War that another country had this level of interoperability with the U.S. Navy.
Since that first deployment, the Canadian Navy integrated into several United States Navy Carrier Battle Groups during sanction enforcement operations and multinational exercises.
HMCS Charlottetown is the first frigate from Maritime Forces Atlantic to be integrated into a United States Navy Carrier Battle Group. HMCS Charlottetown left its homeport of Halifax in January 2001, and returns from the Arabian Gulf in July.
"We're ready," said HMCS Charlottetown's Commanding Officer, Commander Ron Lloyd. "A great deal of work has been done to ensure that we are capable of fully integrating into the technically complex environment of an American aircraft carrier battle group. We're probably one of the few non-U.S. ships in the world that are ready now to do so."
HMCS Winnipeg, also deploying as part of a United States Navy Carrier Battle Group, leaves for the Arabian Gulf in March 2001 and will join the Multinational Interdiction Force as part of a U.S. Surface Task Force.
The Canadian Navy is the only foreign navy to successfully operate as part of U.S. Carrier Battle Groups. This success is due to the extensive training that the American and Canadian navies conduct together.
Furthermore, the Halifax-class frigate is a welcome addition to any coalition naval force because of the ship's highly skilled crew and its modern communications, sensors, and weapons systems. At 442 feet in length and only 4,750 tonnes, it is considered by Canada's allies as the most capable ship of its size in the world.
USS Abraham (CVN 72) and HMCS Ottawa (FFH 330) in the Arabian Sea, 1998
Our own FFG sailors say very nice things about the Halifax class ships.
I could find pictures of other Halifax Class Frigates, but not one of Toronto.
Does it have any weapons? Do the weapons have any ammunition? In case of a combat situation, how many mediators do they have on board? In case of a combat situation involving a foe of black or brown hostiles, would they be allowed to fire their weapon?
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