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When I left the Fine Arts
program at Heritage College,

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I didn't think that I would
pursue a future in it.

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Oddly enough, now that
I've joined the military,

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I've done more fine arts than
I had while going to school.

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It was a big surprise.

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It's funny how life works.
(laughs)

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♪

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I'm Sailor 3rd Class,
Willow Rosemary Nelson

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and I'm a Naval Communicator
in the Royal Canadian Navy.

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I used to work at the Royal
Canadian Mint in Ottawa.

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I was working there on a summer
internship for a couple of years

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while I was going to Heritage
College for Fine Arts.

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While I was working at the Mint,

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I started my career there
off in the production room

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doing the coins
that they have there,

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the Ottawa Mint specializes

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in collection coins
and fine medals.

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I enjoyed working at the Mint,
but I just didn't think that

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it was the path that my life
was meant to be taking.

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♪

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So, I'm a Naval Communicator.

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There is two different jobs
I can do in that trade.

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Half of us are up on the bridge.

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We take and write down
all of the signals

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from different nations
and also give out signals.

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So, any kind of mayday emergency
call that comes in,

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we'll immediately brief
the Officer of the Watch.

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The second half of our job is in
the communication control room:

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setting up circuits, just making
sure that everyone is able

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to talk outside of the ship.

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In general,
our trade is basically

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the mouth and ears of the ship,

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just keeping
that communication going.

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Every department, every ship

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usually has a coin that they
make at the end of the year.

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We exchange them with different
navies as mementos.

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They're called
"Challenge Coins".

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It's a pretty small ship,
so a lot of people knew that

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I had a background in arts.
So, it was brought up to me

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that I should design a coin.
Here, it's more of a keepsake.

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It keeps tally
of where you've been

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and who you've sailed with,
which is why it's such an honour

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to have designed
the coin last year.

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Because I know now different
navies all over the world

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have something
that I've designed.

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I joined the Navy

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because I wanted
a bit of a new life.

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I thought that Victoria would be
an amazing place to live,

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which it definitely is.
I chose the Navy

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mostly because of the travel.

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Hawaii is as beautiful as ever.

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It is a great place to be,
definitely.

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(laughs)

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We have ships from all different
nations gathered for RIMPAC.

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So, we'll be doing
different scenarios,

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different battle scenarios and
just a big training exercise.

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I'm definitely going to stay
in Navy for as long as possible.

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So, I do see
a future for myself.

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If you're looking to travel,
definitely check out

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the Royal Canadian Navy.
We need people, we want people.

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And it's been a great experience
and I think that

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for many others, it'll be
a great experience as well.

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♪