Domestic Stories: Sailors honoured on Parliament Hill
October 30, 2012By Darlene Blakeley
OTTAWA -- Six members of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) who have performed acts of heroism or exceptional achievement of their duties in service to Canada were honoured on Parliament Hill October 30, as part of Navy Appreciation Day.
Photo: MCpl Matthew Ufholz
From left to right: Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas Curley; Lieutenant-Commander Mike Mangin; Lieutenant-Commander Stéphane Julien; Leading Seaman Sara-Ève Parent; Petty Officer 2nd Class Richard Hussey and Leading Seaman Douglas Young.
Hosted by the Navy League of Canada, Navy Appreciation Day brings together parliamentarians, the RCN, the maritime education sector and the maritime defence industry to celebrate the accomplishments of Canada’s navy.
“While having the best equipment available is important to the mission, even more important are the men and women of the navy who through their dedication and professionalism ensure our success for Canada,” said Minister of National Defence Peter MacKay. “It is therefore gratifying when an organization such as the Navy League of Canada formally recognizes the contribution of outstanding members of the Royal Canadian Navy as part of Navy Appreciation Day.”
Vice-Admiral Paul Maddison, Commander RCN, added: “Navy Appreciation Day is a special moment in the year when Canada’s parliamentarians are invited to celebrate their navy and its people for their contributions to Canada.”
The sailors, who were hosted in the Senate Chamber by Speaker of the Senate Noël A. Kinsella (who is also an Honorary Naval Captain), included:
- Lieutenant-Commander Stéphane Julien from Boucherville, Que., was recognized for his exceptional leadership when he served in Kandahar, Afghanistan as the Officer in Command of the Counter Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Training Company. Under his direction, thousands of NATO and Afghan soldiers were trained in counter IED awareness. LCdr Julien was awarded the United States Bronze Star medal as a result of his excellent service. Currently, he serves as the Mine Warfare Officer for Canadian Fleet Atlantic.
- Originally hailing from Windsor, Ont., Lieutenant-Commander Mike Mangin was recognized for his tremendous service in orchestrating numerous naval operations. Most recently, he served as the Lead Planner for Canadian Task Force 176 Expeditionary Strike Group as part of the Rim of the Pacific Exercise –the world’s largest maritime warfare exercise. Presently, LCdr Mangin is the Fleet Operations Officer for Canadian Fleet Pacific.
- Leading Seaman Sara-Ève Parent of Rimouski, Que., serves as naval reservist for HMCS d’Iberville. She was recognized for her exceptional service in Operation Lustre, the Canadian Forces response to the Manitoba floods in 2011. She was a recipient of a Joint Task Force (West) commendation for her work in the mission and was chosen as Sailor of the Year in 2010-2011 for her Naval Reserve Division.
- Leading Seaman Douglas Young from Victoria was recognized for his service during OperationAttention, Canada’s contribution to the NATO training mission in Afghanistan, where he served as a member of the Close Protection program, the unit charged with protecting VIPs in high-threat theatres of operation. LS Young was recognized for his ability to handle hazardous situations with courage and quick thinking in a hostile and fast-changing environment.
- Petty Officer 2nd Class Richard Hussey of St. John’s currently serves as a rigger in the Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton. MS Hussey originally joined the army in 1994, and transferred to the navy in 2003. In his previous career in the army, MS Hussey served on two rotations in Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of OperationPalladium. MS Hussey was recognized for his continuous professionalism, pride in performance, exceptional leadership and an unmatched work ethic in his everyday and exceptional duties in the navy.
- Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas Curley of Agassiz, B.C., was recognized for his outstanding service within the navy, and his community. Serving continuously in the navy since 1982, CPO2 Curley has excelled at the many positions that he has held, including previous service as the Coxswain of HMCS Discovery, and his current position as a Liaison Officer with Joint Task Force (Pacific). CPO2 Curley is also a prolific volunteer in his civilian life, exemplifying “excellence at home” by dedicating himself to the betterment of his community, by being involved as a volunteer in numerous educational and environmental pursuits.
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