Defence Team “Virtual Shout-Out” Bulletin Board

June 30, 2020 – Defence Stories

What better way to acknowledge a colleague’s contribution than by leaving them a “Virtual Shout-Out”? Your Virtual Shout-out will be featured in the Bulletin Board below, along with Defence Team members who have received acknowledgement from their colleagues.

Want to see your colleague's great work featured here? Then please e-mail all requests for shout outs to the CARS at Awards-Recompenses@forces.gc.ca. Please also provide the email(s) of the person(s) being recognized.

Looking for more ways to recognize your colleagues? If so, head to the HR-GO app and check out the Virtual Recognition Toolkit, located in the Awards and Recognition section.

July 28, 2020

It is an important week to recognize the contribution that Public Servants make to the Military Personnel Generation Group (MPGG). In particular the staff at the MPGG Enhanced Performance Innovation Centre (EPIC) have provide great support to MPC, CAF Recruiting, Transition Group, Training Authorities and Environments across the CAF over the last year. The continued leadership and dedication of Jason Barr, Mike Thompson, Capt Handley, Maj Hoddinott and Nancy Seville have ensured that the CAF has a place to go to assist them in their training and Pers Gen challenges. Thanks for all you do on a daily basis. – Bill Railer


Thank you Alexa Bernabo for the incredible work you do! Your positive attitude, enthusiasm and willingness to go the extra mile do not go unnoticed. While the work hasn’t slowed down, you have continued to provide a high level of service. Your dedication and professionalism are truly remarkable, I am so proud to work with you! Thank you! – Tiffany Boffice


Lisa Brennan is the supervisor of ATESS' Fin team.  She has helped me a few times, but we haven't had too many interactions.  I can say with certainty that her entire section performs so well, there is no way that she does not influence this.  As a person, she is helpful, wise and assertive, and projects strength.  Thank you Lisa, you are proof that great leadership, means great results. – Lt. Eric Belrose


Bravo to Master Warrant Officer Patrick Cyr, 2 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group Duty Company Sergeant-Major, for rapidly and efficiently taking charge of unit infrastructure during the pandemic. Having just arrived in the position on 1 April 2020, he was quick to apply hygiene and protection measures in work spaces. In so doing, he protected all employees as they worked to support our Rangers, who were deployed on Op LASER. His involvement had a real impact.


I would like to send a Virtual Shout Out & respect to the following Warehouse-PS people for their incredible, unwavering devotion to their work here at Central Medical Equipment Depot (CMED), GRN Petawawa.  Without all their relentless hours of work (including staying after hours) copious amounts of Medical supplies wouldn’t have made it to all the CAF personnel requiring them to support Canada during this COVID-19 Pandemic.  We have a lot of great Public Service personnel at our Unit but I would like to recognize all the receipting, stocking and shipping that goes on here at this Unit. Thank you to Kent Henderson, Doren Power and Tara Palango. Also, if I can give a shout out to my CAF members as well: MS Melissa Ward and Cpl Jason Casey. – Sgt Amy Taylor


I would like to thank Lorey Miller and Steve Constantineau, who were key elements in incorporating telemedicine services into Valcartier mental health services. Lorey dedicated countless hours to answering many questions and finding solutions for overcoming all the stumbling blocks. Steve got involved in the project even though it was outside his regular duties. Without their help, we would never have succeeded. We greatly appreciate it. – Chantal Bérubé, Mental Health Manager, and the 5 Field Ambulance mental health services team.


The Director Official Languages team would like to recognize our exceptional Senior Staff Writer, Claire Montenach, by giving her a Virtual Shout-Out for her outstanding work and dedication to her craft.  In addition to her own responsibilities, Claire has helped out every member of the team, quite often after hours, by providing her expertise in language and communication, as we deliver important correspondence in both official languages.  Claire’s extensive vocabulary, meticulous attention to detail, and her ability to produce amazing content while dealing with tight deadlines, has been a huge benefit to our team.  We even contemplated asking Claire to write her own Virtual Shout-Out, but decided she deserved a break.  Hopefully this is up to your standards! Thank you Claire for everything you do. – DOL


(NCAS) Tremendous kudos and warm thanks to my colleagues, the call centre agents, and to the members of National Defence National Centralized Attendant Service (NCAS) management. Every day, and especially during the pandemic, the team members supported one another and had to rethink their professional and personal obligations in a new context while remaining flexible, responsive and committed to customer service. Their positive attitude and professionalism were terrific. The team members outdid themselves, and did so with a smile. Even with additional requirements because of the COVID-19 pandemic, you excelled at supporting operations in Canada and abroad. I value each and every one of you and I am lucky to be working with a team like ours. You’re the best! – Manon Laferty


(O365)Shout-out to the O365 Information Management Functional Planning Team members,  Francine Landry, Mike Thibault, Anick Quenneville, Patrick Plouffe, Tim Berrea, Stephanie Glandon, Diane Taylor, Lisa Holtz, Maj Tyrone Grande, Maj Christopher Marshall, Maj Benjamin Leclerc, LCol Frederic Lauzier, Lt Fredérique Turbide, James Mcateer, Benoit Sabourin, Boyd Ireland, Daniel Walcott, and Bert Fortier who were involved in brainstorming the way forward on how best to shape Information Management as part of the O365 business case.  Thank you for your dedication and your knowledge you have brought forward in providing recommendations that will shape the future of doing business.  The future awaits us! - Ben Van-Vianen


Val Parker is a machine, I have not worked with her this year, but I always loved talking to her and getting her input. I miss working with her and I know that she works in a small office and we very much appreciate her. Thank you Val – Eric Belrose, Lt


(SSD) Secure Software Development (SSD) is responsible for building customized, specialized user software applications in support of Air Force operations, maintenance and support for intranet software tools. Mike O’Hara has 13 years of experience and corporate knowledge of ATESS technical systems and custom software applications.  He is able to distill complex requirements into unique solutions to enable user-friendly client experiences with the software programs that he is responsible for. Rick Gagnon has 13 years of experience with the ATESS team, providing highly responsive user-driven solutions to complex and mission critical applications.  His unique approach results in robust and sophisticated software while being intuitive to the client, ensuring their satisfaction and confidence in our products. Graeme Young is also one of our newer team members.  He joined us in 2019 from a civilian software development organization as well as has a background in teaching programming at a local university.  His experience, knowledge and skillset have been invaluable to our team: he is a workhorse who forges unwaveringly into modern technical software practices and environments, and his expertise has enabled us to position ourselves for growth beyond the status quo to meet the demands of today’s technologically-savvy users. Jim Fowler tirelessly and enthusiastically pursues solutions to enable the programming and technical endeavors of both TSC and SSD teams.  He is always willing to step in to cover absences and fill gaps where needed, and provides expertise to further the mandate of both sections with humor, professionalism and a never-ending “can do” service-oriented attitude. - Bevin Stephenson


Lisa Styles constantly shows leadership and dedication to all personnel, even to individuals who are not under her supervison, and this leads to the promotion of a positive culture for the whole team. She deserves recognition for her work ethic as well as her positive nature. – Anonymous


Andrew Whitehead and John Bertazzo are the dynamic duo of Office 365 for DGCB. They are the power in the power user team and true forces of change. With full time jobs at hand they undertook the monumental task of bringing a skeptical and difficult group of people into the world of Office 365. These enterprising professionals went beyond my expectations, of what is essentially a secondary duty, by submerging themselves in the mayhem of a new and evolving product and coming out the other side as calm and confident service providers. I am inspired by their dedication and perseverance. Bravo Zulu, John. Bravo Zulu, Andrew. - Maj N. Bolt


(31 CF Svs C) A special shout out to the exceptional team at 31 CF H Svcs C (Borden, Meaford and North Bay Medical Clinics) for their outstanding work during this difficult time period. A blended workforce composed of CAF members, Public Service staff and Contractors, all Defence Team members have stepped up since the COVID-19 pandemic and ensured that our patients had access to timely, high-quality health services at all times. Additionally, there is a tremendous amount of work being completed at this time to prepare for resumption of training (Borden and Meaford) and operations (all other sites) so that CAF members returning to work have the health services required. Great work everyone! - Major P. Tony Singh

July 9, 2020

Shout out to Manon Blais who joined the DND during the pandemic and has been a true team player despite the virtual work conditions imposed on our team. Manon, thank you for your positive attitude, your willingness to jump into the deep end of our pool, to assist with areas of our portfolio that don’t reflect your job description (ex. onboarding), for your initiative and for your friendly and warm disposition. You are a great addition to the DND family! – Lynn Messager


We would like to give a big shout out to our planners team Cameron Carswell, Katelyn Smith, Eryn Forester and Jordan Brooks for their tremendous work and support to the Strategic Business Partners team.  You made our jobs much easier and always made us look good!  Your willingness to go the extra mile to create dashboards and presentations for us is greatly appreciated.  You are all amazing to work with and deserve a big high five for your efforts. - Strategic Business Partners team


Stephanie Comeau, you are an irreplaceable member of RP Ops North. We would not be able to function as smoothly as we do without your hard work and expertise in so many different fields of knowledge. You are always ready to help and you excel in everything you lay hands on. Kudos to you! - Bernice Yeung


Michael Gargaro joined the National Student Hiring Team as Business Coop Student and then was bridged into a Project Coordinator role a year ago. We wish to acknowledge his incredible hard work and dedication on the team, especially as he sets off to pursue his Law Degree at UBC next Fall. Mike, you bring cheer and professionalism to your role. We will miss you tons! - From all your NSHT colleagues”


I’d like to send a Shout-Out to Major Andrea MacEachern, Jameel Adam, and Dave Hillyer for being an amazing team. Not only has the group been there to push through the pandemic, accomplishing each of the tasks that come across the DNPS 5-4 desk…but they have increased their reach by actively promoting the need for Human Systems Integration and Habitability considerations in the RCN and ADM(Mat). The team takes time for one another every week by dedicating a “Social” or “Mental Health” hour on Friday over Teams. - Capt Brian Beaudette


A big shout out to Steffa MacLintock, the Fitness, Sports and Physical Education Coordinator for CFSU(E), who has kept CFSU(E) motivated these past months by posting daily workouts 5 days a week on Zoom and FB live for beginners and intermediates alike! She has implemented monthly pushup and core challenges, and even given us advice on when to buy new running shoes! Steffa MacLintock has also provided such fabulous morale boosters for families across Europe, including watergun challenges, campfire recipes, and the infamous Easter egg drop! Thank you Steffa for your ongoing commitment to lifting the spirits of everyone in Europe with your infectious enthusiasm for keeping us physically and mentally healthy. (Oh and your dog has helped as well!) - Lt(N) Lesley Fox


Christina Perry has shown great client service and efficiency. She is able to action client requests quickly and always has a positive can-do attitude with clients. Even within our team, she always brings such a positive presence which is always appreciated. Keep up the great work! - Jordyn, Roxana and Valérie.


Shout out to Kim Sorfleet who has been the sheer definition of “patience” with me over the last three months. Patience is defined as “the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset”. I know that I have been trouble with a capital “T” for Kim and she has been so patient with all of my repetitive requests. Kim – I truly appreciate you and I envy your capacity to juggle so many priorities. You are a real superstar and a great example of endurance! Thank you! – Lynn Messager

June 30, 2020

Super shout out to my IM Proc colleagues Festus Abitoye, Yevgeniy Kozlov and Jawwad Rashid. Procurement is usually a tough slog but it can be a great experience if you have three professionals like these. Advice, recommendations, responsiveness and a ton of support. Can't say enough about how helpful they are. It is a pleasure to be able to work with this outstanding team. - Poewan Lau


Mark Bartley has such a vast experience and has nurtured my career, his previous military service has been instrumental in forming strategies for dealing with all problems.  He is such a huge enabler of the Air Force and continues to be called upon for his expertise across the country, while remaining so humble. Mark I couldn’t do it without you – Eric Belrose, Lt


Cathy Bennett is THE CLERK. Cathy has a positive attitude and her energy level is beyond compare. As the administrative backbone of DGCB, Cathy has been working with poor connections and limited bandwidth to access the systems needed to keep our unit operating smoothly in the background. Cathy is the epitome of a solid and trusted public servant whose contribution to the overall effort is truly worthy of recognition. Bravo Zulu Cathy. - Maj N. Bolt


Mike Bowry is a strong confident leader who has represented the Public Service very well. I have handled some issues with personnel and he has been our union rep for these matters. Though I don’t often deal with him directly I’m grateful for his support, and experience. Thank you Mike – Lt Eric Belrose


Jen Brooks is an amazing person, a brilliant soul, and pretty much at the core of the unit. She is ATESS. She is fast with the answers, and I’m not even sure she is technically human. But we are lucky to have her. Thank you Jen, so much I don’t know that anyone doesn’t feel the same – Lt Eric Belrose


Kathy Chatten is our procurement wizard, who has built me an empire of resources and continues to strengthen ATESS. I cannot survive without her expertise and am so grateful for everything she does. Kathy you have literally saved us thousands, thank you for your vigilance – Lt Eric Belrose


Maria Correa is a brilliant, sweet, kind person, and I have only had a few interactions with her. I can say with certainty that she may be one of the most brilliant people I know and I am fairly blessed.  In addition to overseeing some complex drone projects at ATESS, I can say that we learned PRINCE2 together, and her contributions were always well thought out. Most importantly to me personally is that when I asked her about some magnetism stuff for my daughters, she answered without hesitation and made me think, and magnetism has always been a secret love of mine. I am so proud to have her in the ATESS team and can’t wait for the opportunity to work with her again. Thank you Maria – Lt Eric Belrose


Mark Dalliday works in the Finance Team at DDRMIS and without his positive energy and enthusiasm, the team wouldn’t be the same. Mark brings a happy and friendly demeanor to the team and is always willing to help where he can. He loves to be challenged and takes a lot of pride in his work. Even though Mark is relatively new to DND and DDRMIS, his future is bright and I know his work ethic will take him far in his career. Welcome to the team!! - Shelley Baran


I would like to thank Janie Dubé for the support she’s provided to the entire Supply Team. Janie is an incredible supervisor who works tirelessly to ensure that the Sup team is always well informed. She always has a positive attitude when faced with difficult situations and demonstrates an open-door mentality for all members of our team. Her availability, motivation and attention to detail always make us want to go above and beyond and be the best we can be. A huge thank you, Janie, for your understanding and confidence during this difficult time! – Denise Bernier-Pineault


Johanna Eberle has been instrumental in helping me learn my responsibilities as a newly delegated officer and understand staffing. She has been unrelenting in her assistance every time I call her regardless of the issue. She has directed me and guided me and I am better for having served with her. Thank you Johanna, I really appreciate all the help you’ve given me – Lt Eric Belrose


Carol Kent is our financial guru, and there is no penny she leaves unturned in her pursuit of accountability, it has been an honour to learn and develop my skills under her expertise. There are no words to say how she has helped me, and how much I appreciate it. Your wisdom is appreciated thank you Carol – Lt Eric Belrose


Sarah Lacombe – You have been an incredible wealth of knowledge and support for members of 23 CF H Svcs C. Your dedication to the job, the team and getting things done right is an example for all of us to emulate. Thank you for quite, yet strong leadership and being the steady rocks that continues to keep many elements of the unit together. – 23 CF H Svcs C Command Team


Laura McCrate has been my faithful partner in ensuring that all the voyages my team takes are well managed. She serves everyone selflessly and at times it seems she is planning vacations with the level at which she involves herself to ensure that personnel understand their entitlements and limitations. Thank you Laura you’ve saved us so many times – Lt Eric Belrose


Shawn McLennan may well be our best kept secret at ATESS, she administers our Health and Safety Committee, and though she is not often outspoken, her contributions especially in these times of COVID-19 are extremely well researched and comprehensive. I can count on her excellent revision any time I send documentation, and she acts as our unit librarian in a way that is renowned throughout the unit, it is no small feat. Thank you for all you do Shawn – Lt Eric Belrose


Paul Murdoch has the demeanour of a statesman, and he is an example of who I would like to become as I find my own maturity, (despite my age being such that I should perhaps already be as mature as he is). But he has integrated a european project management system into ATESS and it is a significant effort and change is almost never well received, but he is filling a void in ATESS that will result in productivity increases for years to come. I am proud to be on his team, and I hope we can emerge from this effort victorious. Thank you Paul – Lt Eric Belrose


Thrilled to hear of your Chief of Defence Staff Distinguished Achievement Award, Raewen Pappas. Very well deserved and sincerest congratulations on your success. Your dedication and hard work on the CDCB Program is immensely appreciated—Jane Hall


Thank you to Stacey Payne and Scott D’Eon for always answering the call to produce high quality and creative imaging and design products to showcase the capabilities and talents of our people.  You two are always beaming with positivity and excel remarkably at what you do – pressing the limits to brand ATESS in a positive light!  Even amidst the chaos that has been the COVID pandemic, you two have been instrumental in moving our essential projects forward, notwithstanding your efforts with the business resumption plan and work place health and safety committee.  I’m so privileged to be working alongside you two – keep it up! - Maj Barry Tang


Bravo to the public servant of DLCSPM 4-6 composed of Dave Rowland’s, Pierre Gaudreault and Shane Tighe for their positive and professional attitude.  I joined DLCSPM last summer and they quickly made me welcome and useful in their team. The moral they foster in the team is phenomenal and I will miss that in my future postings.  They also achieve above and beyond what we can expect, and with a smile.  Even with the extra requirements that the Covid-19 imposed on all of us, they excel at supporting deployed Geomatics operations across the country and beyond.  I wanted to formally recognize them because these three persons are the best public servants I ever had the pleasure to work with. - MWO Philippe Blanchet


Haley Schroeder – Your resilience and willingness to step up and be there for your team is inspiring. You’ve taken anything that has come your way and dealt with it in a calm and effective manner. You’re a capable and effective leader and we’re grateful for your dedication, determination and poise, especially what the last 3 months of COVID-19 have brought. Keep up the amazing work and know that it is very much recognized and appreciated. – 23 CF H Svcs C Command Team


Lisa Shears has stepped up in her new role and discharged the duties from day one. She is still giving her 100% and showing her excellent work ethics and capabilities. I wish to give her a shout out from Telecom flight here in Trenton. Thank you! - Capt Yugender Tatavarthy


Many thanks to Franck Sirieix and Julie Fortin of the Saint-Jean Garrison Environment Team for their dedication! The excellent service provided to clients and your determination to protect the environment on behalf of National Defence is remarkable! Your presence and your contribution, day after day, are greatly appreciated! - Éric Charbonneau


Julie Situ works in the Funds Management module in DDRMIS and is a huge contributor to the team’s successes. She is very dedicated to her job and is always willing to go the extra mile. She does a great job at providing knowledge transfer to the newer members of the team and offering help when someone is struggling. Her strong analytical thinking and attention to detail is crucial for successfully delivering SAP changes to our Finance clients. We are so lucky to have Julie in the DDRMIS Finance team. Keep up the Great Work!! - Shelley Baran


Michael Speilmacher has helped keep our REDDs system running at ATESS while his predecessor is being replaced. It is no small feat and his team and him are models for the selfless excellence that I can say is my familiar experience with most public servants. Mike is doing so much, with so little in keeping the system going, adjusting to security and change requirements. It is amazing to watch him at work. Thank you Mike – Lt Eric Belrose


Bevin Stephenson has been to some extent a friend now as much as a colleague, she and I discuss software solutions frequently, and it is because of our relationship that my stress levels are where they are (I mean that in a good way). It is so fantastic to work with her and her commitment to public servants and the health and safety committee are often at her own mental expense.  If I could give a power-up to any organization, Bevin would be part of that model.  Thank you Bevin – Lt Eric Belrose


Shout out to the National Staffing Operations team supporting the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Airforce. Every day, and especially during the pandemic, they have supported each other, have had to juggle professional and personal obligations in a different context, while continuing to remain flexible and dedicated to client service..  I appreciate every one of you and am fortunate to work with a team like ours.  You rock! – Nathalie Parent


Technical Services Section (TSC) is responsible for specialized technical equipment, general tech support, network administration and software configuration. Henny Wyngaarden has 30 years’ of varied experience working at ATESS, from programming Oracle database applications to maintaining our technical systems behind the scenes.  She is an invaluable source of technical and corporate expertise, displaying the utmost professionalism in carrying out her duties to ensure that ATESS, and their clients, experience a high level of technical services with minimal downtime to the general user community. Mark Street has enthusiastically supported the technical activities of the unit for nearly 20 years.  He has an unwavering commitment to customer service and works to find solutions to unique problems with eagerness and passion for the profession. - Bevin Stephenson


Huge thanks and appreciation to the 992-4000 IT onsite support team at 101 who helped me and my team overcome a variety of technical challenges during the onset of Op-laser. They did it with humour and patience. - Rutha Astravas 


June 19, 2020 (National Public Service Week)

Lynne Barrowman is an amazing team member under the best of times, but her dedication, professionalism and willingness to help others was really put on display when COVID-19 hit!  Despite many challenges, Lynne did not slow down and managed to successfully juggle administrative, financial, security, health and safety and HR tasks during an incredibly difficult time... while still maintaining her characteristic positive attitude.  Not only did she support the IRPDA, she also volunteered her skills to other organizations in Corp Sec and DMO to help close out the 19/20 fiscal year.  Lynne, we see you, we appreciate you, and you’re the best! - Independent Review Panel for Defence Acquisition Office (IRPDAO)


Danielle Carter, you don’t always get the recognition you deserve so I’m putting it out here. You are a phenomenal asset to DAIP. Your experience and willingness to help out no matter how busy you are makes everyone feel valued. You’ve built strong relationships with everyone within and connected to DAIP. We all know you to be reliable, honest and beyond helpful and kind. You are the best manager. During the shutdown you checked in every day and made us feel supported, seen and cared for.  Thank you! - Meghan Negrijn


I would like to highlight the work of my colleague from the e-donation team, Josée Deleseleuc. She took on this workload some time ago and has significantly increased the productivity and efficiency of the team. She is always available to collaborate with her colleagues, she is open to ideas, innovative, dynamic and, above all, extremely dedicated to her work. Bravo, Josée, for your work - Stéphanie Descoteaux


David Denner is the Warehouse Manager, who has shown great dedication to ensuring that our critical warehouse activities continue throughout the COVID situation. At the same time, as the security officer for the building, he has also shown leadership by ensuring the security of the building throughout the COVID lockdown. He has been at the office nearly every day since the lockdown began to conduct security checks of the building, and verify that critical demands are actioned. This has allowed our clients to enjoy peace of mind knowing that their most critical requirements are being met. - Stephen Webb


Massive shout-out to Stephane Diprose, who is doing such an amazing job in totally new circumstances. Everyone at DMO is so grateful for Steph’s hard work and helpfulness, his positive humour and his rotating zombies. Steph, you’re amazing and keep up the good work! - Christena Morrell


We would like to give a virtual shout-out to Barbara Janecka-MacDonald, our hardworking and cheerful administrative assistant, as she leaves our team and begins a new challenge with Corp Sec.  Barb, you will be missed by the team and we wish you the best of luck in your new role.  Many thanks for the quiet, unassuming hard work and support that you always provided and for your wonderful presence on the team.  You will be missed! - Independent Review Panel for Defence Acquisition Office (IRPDAO)


I would like to give a shout out to Kevin Kluke for consistently and patiently working with our team to reconcile old and New Year financial issues, which is especially challenging with the current work environment.  Kevin is a pleasure to work with and always is a fount of knowledge and cryptic financial terminology.  Thank you Kevin! - Pamela Cushing


Serge Lemieux has shown a similar level of dedication. Serge volunteered to go to the office once a week to scan and action paper based demands that DSCO 4 has received for critical business. By doing this, Serge has ensured the safety of his co-workers, eliminating the need for them to put themselves at risk while trying to action critical requests. At the same time, Serge has been burdening himself with an increased workload in the Document Processing Office due to the fact that staffing activities were paused and the contract for the other DPO team member ended just after the lockdown began. Serge’s dedication and experience shines through in his ability to ensure that critical demands brought to DSCO 4 are actioned and sent to the warehouse for processing efficiently and accurately. - Stephen Webb


Serge Lemieux deserves a shout out for his role as the Supervisor for the Document Processing Office in the Directorate of Supply Chain Operations.  Serge put CAF before self during the early days of the pandemic to ensure business continuity for DSCO 4’s most critical clients. When much was still unknown about the COVID-19 virus, he volunteered to travel into the office once a week to scan critical documents and ensure that client support tasks were carried out effectively. By doing this, Serge enabled his colleagues in the Document Processing Office and Quality Assurance Sections to continue to serve critical client demands remotely. Additionally, he worked very closely with Directorate managers to communicate with the RCAF and Map and Charting Establishment clients to plan a key distribution of the General Pilot’s Handbook required by RACF aircraft in order to fly, accounting for the light presence on the ground at receiving bases. Despite the highly unusual set of operating conditions, Serge’s contributions enabled uninterrupted client service. - Ron Cormier


Michelle Stephen-Orser is deserving of a virtual shout out for her hard work and dedication.  Despite connection and COVID restrictions she is consistently delivering on the FCSAP program for DND and enabling site cleanups across Canada to progress. She listens and helps solve problems.  She is amazing and shows exceptional teamwork.  Thank you! - Pamela Cushing


A great big SHOUT OUT to Julie Ouellette and the LCC Team on the Onboarding Orientation.  Although the delivery and your advice provided to us in the preparation phase was excellent, this shout goes to you for your AMAZING ATTITUDE in managing the multitude of amendments and changes in direction.  Your quick responses that were friendly and so accommodating made me feel like I wasn’t the pest I know I was being!  I appreciate your openness, your candidness and your responsiveness in getting this service off the ground! - Lynn Messager


I would like to say a big thank you to Sonia Pelletier for all the help and moral support she gave me during the closing of the fiscal year. In the situation we are experiencing due to COVID, its patience, great availability and efficiency were greatly appreciated. A thousand thanks. - Ruth Simard. 


Julien Plante, Head Librarian at the Royal Military College Saint-Jean (RMC Saint-Jean), is an excellent manager and an outstanding librarian. Whether in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic or during less unsettled periods, he maintains and strengthens the cohesion of his team, despite a heavy workload. His ability to develop and implement complex services and projects by working closely with his team is impressive, especially since the work is always done in good-humour and delivered on time. Unruffled, accessible, affable and patient, he is a pillar that his team can rely on. Julien Plante is also a visionary librarian, whose strategic decisions and plans for the College’s library are always consistent, months or even years in advance, with those of other Canadian university libraries. With all of these attributes, he is a key person within RMC Saint-Jean and an incomparable leader of his team. - Joanie Tremblay


I’d like to give a big shout out to Richard Quinn who managed the DND Publication Bureau.  At the start of Operation Richard quickly assessed the forthcoming requirements of the Canadian Armed Forces, as well as the critical business functions needed to support enabling organizations elsewhere in the Department.  Taking a risk-based approach, he suggested and then led a business continuity effort, ensuring key services remained in place to Equipment Program Managers that had to sustain OP LASER vehicle fleets, including continued access to technical standards and creations of Equipment Record Numbers, enabling the continued acquisition of sustainment materiel.  Richard also foresaw the requirement to provide critical documentation to the RCAF so that airworthiness standards could be maintained and flight operations would not be impacted. Richard’s leadership efforts averted delays to CAF operations and served the national interest in a time of unprecedented need. - Ron Cormier


To all my colleagues on DND’s National Priority Management Team, I thank you and salute all of you for your hard work and continued dedication!!  Since the team’s national inception around Sep/Oct 2018, you have not only helped process many new priority types for civilian work with the Federal Government of Canada, but helped many Staffing Advisors, Managers and other colleagues in Labour Relations and Office of Disability Management work through some very difficult, long-term cases.  You have also helped Managers clean up some termination cases through HRSS.  Your dedication to our clients every day continues to inspire me because you go above and beyond to make sure they are listened to, cared for and given that “human” touch that they so dearly need and deserve.  Our team wouldn’t be the same without you, so THANK YOU! - Pauline Thomas


A massive shout out to the E-Staffing team for stepping up to the challenge and showing us your true potential! This team may be smaller than ever, but we are mighty! Thank you to Josée Deleseleuc, Heather Lougher-Goodey, Marianne Messadi, Emily Beacham, Emilie Wright, Jesaka Stacey, Elizabeth McDougall, Rachael Groeneveld, Wrendy Breau, Byanka Leroux, Chelsea Daoust,Sophie Renaud-Massy, Stephanie Davidson, Sherryl Bridle, Rachel Dulude, & Florence Otuki. - April Ryan


I’d like to recognize my team for all their hard work and dedication. Sonia Lecompte, Natasha Duggan and Leigh-Ann Havlin. You are an amazing team! Be proud of the work you do; the people you are and the difference you make.” - Toby McClelland


A big SHOUT-OUT to the ADM(Mat) Front Office personnel who have displayed wonderful commitment, work ethic, and professionalism since the very beginning of the Covid-19 and ensured that not only the normal Materiel Group business kept going but that all additional remits were effectively addressed.  They all juggled very demanding work hours, family responsibilities, and numerous urgent tasking; all this with a highly positive attitude, smiles on their faces and fantastic team spirit and collaboration.   A huge THANK YOU to all of you for your hard work, passion, and dedication.  It is inspiring to work with such folks. These folks are Jeff Bean, Adam Watt, Major Marcus Forsdyke, Julie Boulanger, Heather Baxter and Jenna Robinson. Thank you! - Simon Page


June 16, 2020 (National Public Service Week)

Kanchan Alamelu leads our Mil Pay and Corporate Reporting section at MPC Comptroller and she is such a lovely, smart, dedicated person, she deserves a public shout-out. She has kept her team and all our subordinate organizations’ staff organized through the demanding year-end reporting period; she takes the time to guide people through what they need to do, and is always patient, caring and sweet. She makes sense of complicated reports and makes them almost painless. We are so lucky to have her on the MPC Compt team! - LCol Jacqueline DeBruin 


Nancy Caron was tasked with maintaining business as usual during a transition period between supervisors as well as during her job’s busiest period. Her work was crucial to the smooth operation of the RMC Registrar’s Office at the end of the school year. During this time, she was pleasant to work with and demonstrated her professionalism. – Marc Balardelle 


Patience… it’s the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.  This shout out goes to Katrine Chayer of the National Civilian Welcome and Integration Team for her tireless efforts to ensure onboarding documents were updated to meet the needs of a virtual environment and for the coordination of the onboarding orientation for all incoming students.  Kat’s patience, resilience and positive attitude in the face of tight timelines, repetitive tasks and lack of information is truly appreciated in this time of limited resources!  Thanks Kat! – Lynn Messager 


Here’s a shout out to Sanya Chen from ADM (IM)’s IM Group Communications team. From the beginning of the COVID-19 period, Sanya has jumped in to support communications on everything from Defence O365, to the Security Guide, briefings, emergency postings, and so much more. She’s a joy to work with and a lifesaver when things get hectic. Thanks for all you do Sanya! – Pierre Chevrier


Here’s a shout out to Pierre Chevrier from ADM (IM)’s IM Group Communications team. Since March 14, he’s been starting his workday well before the sun rises to lead the development of the communications for Office 365 and several other communications projects. When he’s done his workday, he’s homeschooling his two daughters.  Thank you for everything that you do! Way to go, Pierre! – Louise Marin 


Congratulations Felix for your 3 years at the DAQ, already 6% accumulated in your pension fund. Keep up the good work and thank you for being with us and letting us benefit from your expertise in aviation. - Your colleagues at the DQA - Dorval. (DQA: Directorate of Quality Assurance)


Shout-out to Tony Ghoman for being our fearless leader as acting section head, probably for much longer than you thought you were signing up for.  Despite being double-hatted, you have been very responsive to our questions and requests, especially during this extended work-from-home period. Your enormous efforts in keeping us connected and informed are very much appreciated and never taken for granted. A huge thank you from us for your hard work and dedication. - Integrated Operator Performance Group, DRDC Toronto Research Centre


ATTITUDE… it’s a big thing! It’s a predisposition or a tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person, or situation. This shout out goes to ADM(PA), specifically Andrew McKelvey  and  Quinn Abugov  for their diligent work on the Celebrating Excellence Awards virtual recognition. There were so many obstacles, challenges and road blocks that required solutions and quick decisions. Quinn and Andrew rolled with the punches and remained calm, friendly and cooperative throughout the process. As a client, I appreciate your winning attitude and the friendships you have made with members of my team.  You are a pleasure to work with and we truly appreciate our work relationship! – Lynn Messager 


Stéphanie Medeiros, here is my ‘Virtual SHOUT-OUT’ to you for all that you do, and have done, to support our Project as we grow! Your experience, listening ear, ideas and responsiveness to our requests for your and your DMPS team’s assistance is greatly appreciated! Many thanks! - Richard Loewen and the rest of the STTC Project Team. 


I would like to take a moment and give a special SHOUT OUT and THANK YOU to recognize the amazing support and help my team and myself have received from Tony Palermo. We are dealing with different types of situations, one of them being an L0 priority and Tony has been SO helpful, so nice and so fast at getting back to us regarding out security requests. We ran into some challenges with COVID and he was always providing us with updated information, suggestions, solutions and ways forward. Tony- thank you so much for your hard work and dedication! You are a great asset for DND! – Marilyne Fortin 


A BIG Shout-Out to Jawwad Rashid for his tremendous support, meticulous work and kindness in these turbulent times. Your hard work and willingness to go the extra mile will always be appreciated and remembered. We are very lucky to have you at ADM (IM). Thank you Jawwad! - Semra Gulder 


MGen Sylvain Sirois has provided exceptional leadership during these challenging times. He has been a steady and constant presence in the workplace from the beginning of the BCP period and has played a central and critical role in helping ensure that ADM (IE) is positioned for success in supporting its CAF and DND partners going forward. Thank you, Sylvain! – Rob Chambers 


Shout out to Julie Townsend for her contribution in the National Onboarding initiative.  Julie sacrificed her time, energy and skills and shared her expertise to produce a comprehensive Onboarding Orientation session for the LCC’s to deliver. Julie, your help, your commitment and your attention to detail have truly contributed to making all future new employees to the DND understand the unique culture, services and professional development our great department has to offer. – Lynn Messager 


June 5, 2020

Huge shout-out to Quinn Abugov. Your dedication and commitment to increasing the visibility of recognition within the Department does not go unnoticed. Thank you for all your help on a daily basis with all things comms, your can-do-attitude and the very best in quality service. Thank you for your constant edits, your suggestions and your crafty wording. Couldn’t do it without you! - Mélanie Tremblay


I would love to give a shout out to Nathan Beck for helping spear head the onboarding 365 initiative! He has been an excellent source of information for the power users. Nathan and his team are always readily available to answer my questions and concerns and it is much appreciated. - Megan Emery


Maj Stephen Bellefleur, thank you so much for being a team player as well as an excellent role model. Not only do you have a fantastic sense of humour that is always keeping our team laughing, you are selfless and during this crisis always willing to be the first to volunteer to go to work. Your ongoing support to Div Op Laser coordination, PKI requests and the Business Resumption plan has not gone unnoticed. Thank you for all you do and for your dedicated work. - Jennifer Howell-Barnett


Bravo Zulu to Major Vincent Bouchard and Julia Scott! Two very thoughtful and intelligent colleagues who are part of a small, but mighty team. During these unprecedented times making it extra challenging to juggle full-time work - at the office and from home, as well as family responsibilities, they continue to work their hardest and give their best to whatever is thrown their way. I am proud to work with these great, team-oriented professionals. Thank you for all that you do to keep our little team running smoothly and efficiently! - Louise McCoy


Shout out to Kaitlin Crank! She is an amazing co-worker that I enjoy working with daily. She is always so quick to respond and during COVID-19 has been providing amazing services to our clients and team. During the beginning of COVID-19 we were short on staff and time to complete actions as they came in but was so eager and quick to help out! Such a great HRA! – Lindsay Wells


On behalf of DAES and as part of the FFCP ADM-IE team, we would like to give a virtual shout-out to Jane Desaulniers RPOps Cold Lake, who is doing a stellar job in helping the project team coordinate heritage requirements with Cold Lake, DAES and PSPC- Heritage Conservation Directorate in Winnipeg and Ottawa. Her contribution and experience is a valuable asset in resolving multi-layered engagement with local and distant stakeholders. This has been especially valuable in maintaining the project schedule for the Best Efforts Report (BER) and Commemoration of Hangar 6 during a time of self- isolation. Thank-you Jane for your professionalism and dedication. We would not have been able to reach our BER submission to FHBRO without you! - Antonietta (Nina) DeGiovanni


Shout out to Philippe Gagnon and Stephane Cote from ADM (IM)’s DEIMS 3 for their work that assisted in the roll-out of the Office 365 platform. They worked diligently in a tight time-frame, which included weekends, to assist with establishing the initial O365 infrastructure to enable a roll-out in a time constrained and efficient manner. - Vince Floccari


Shout out to Rebecca Kelly, Fin Policy Officer at CFB Kingston! SHOUT OUT TO AN OUTSTANDING LEADER - During this challenging time, with the demands of working from home and trying to get our financial year end in order she has shown exemplary encouragement and superlative support to all of her colleagues in the Base Comptroller’s Office and the financial community writ large at CFB Kingston. She is always available and approachable with ready advice and a solution, or a just a positive and uplifting email to encourage the troops. We need more leaders like Rebecca. – Valerie Marcella


Shout-Out to our manager, Marjolaine Martin, who has been an awesome leader during these difficult times. She checks in with her team daily and takes the time to let us know that she cares. While the workload hasn’t slowed down, she has led and supported us in continuing to provide a high level of service to our Executive clients. She’s not afraid to roll up her sleeves and help wherever it’s needed. We appreciate all you do! - The DCES Programs Team


A gigantic shout out to Dr. Darrell Menard who continually shares his knowledge and expertise through articles, teleconferences, team meetings and consultations around injury prevention and healthy living policies, practices and protocols. Dr. Darrell was gracious with his time in sharing information about a recent ‘Walk or Run to Quit’ Smoking Cessation Program by offering his expertise around its safety and efficacy for CAF members. Thank you!!! - Kim Bulger


Bonnita Mitchell, thank you for providing us excellent client service over the last six months! You and the National Student Hiring Team have made hiring our co-op students, easy peasy. Kudos! - Jane Lin


Val Montambeault and Jordyn Anderson have provided amazing to support to their team during some very challenging times by showing how much care for everyone. They have also shown client service excellence in handling all sorts of issues, projects and last minute tasks. Their hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed! – Roxana Kendall


I’d like to thank Luc Ouellet for all the work he did remotely to enable the unit to finalize the fiscal year and produce the annual business plan. 25 Canadian Forces Health Services Centre has relied on your services for a number of years now. Thank you for your hard work and dedication. Militi Succurrimus! - Capt Dan Boislard


Cpl Angela Parker, thank you for your hard work, patience, professionalism and superior customer service during these difficult times. Your efforts do not go unnoticed and are greatly appreciated by all the staff and members of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment. We hope this shout out brightens up your day just a little and hope you continue being awesome! - The Orderly Room staff, Headquarters and all members of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, thank you!!


Maegan Power-Noble, thank you for the countless extra hours you have been working as our European CAF world has entered into lockdown. For so many weeks now, you have been working around the clock to keep our CAF communities informed and current on policy and local Host Nation directives. Your workload has increased tremendously, but you are still able to respond to all of our virtual requests, and you do so with promptness, kindness, and graciousness, and at all hours of the day and night. We would not survive without your amazing abilities to keep us all informed. - Padre Lesley Fox


We’d like to congratulate Julie Richard for her leadership in handling remote management within her organization during the pandemic. She does her utmost to ensure that our working group functions as normally as possible, without too many constraints during these difficult times, and she looks out for our physical and mental wellbeing. A big thank you! - Pasquale, Brigitte and Cristina of the DLEPS 4 team from the Department of National Defence’s Director Land Equipment Program Staff.


A big Shout Out to Thomas Traynor for always being available to assist his coworkers and clients. Thomas continually accepts new challenges and always performs above and beyond what is necessary to complete his duties. Thomas` hard work, dedication and his attention to detail are very much appreciated by all. Thank you, Thomas for all that you do for the CCPS In-Service Support team and DHRIM-9. - Paul Mzandu and Victoria Joyal


Shout, shout, SHOUT OUT to Mélanie Tremblay who relentlessly sees projects through from conception to completion. Your engagement in identifying recognition opportunities, your thoughtfulness in ensuring all necessary contributors are included and your continued dedication and role in ensuring the evolution of the Corporate Awards and Recognition Program is positioning the DND as a leader amongst other departments in the GoC. - Lynn Messager


We'd like to give a shout out to MWO Mike Tuohy for his amazing support to CFEWC during the ongoing transition over the COVID-19 period. He has been a lynch-pin at the unit coordinating and providing all of the daily reports and returns. While most personnel are working from home, he has been physically at work every single day and often working extra hours to maintain the unit operations. MWO, you are our go to person during this unprecedented period and a great example of dedication. Thank you! - LCol Dany Boivin and all members of ADM (IM)’s Canadian Forces Electronic Warfare Centre (CFEWC)


Shout-out to the Director Application Planning and Integration 4 (DAPI 4) team for their dedication and excellence during the BCP. The team has quickly adapted to the current work environment on the Cloud and has been able to continue to provide support for critical systems such as WebSCPS, SCPS and ICRTS, without any disruption. Although timelines have shifted due to BCP, the DAPI 4 team has continued to work very hard towards completing our commitments that were made to our clients. ATIP OMNI is on track to be released and Sentinel development is proceeding exceptionally well. – Hong Nguyen


I would like to thank you, DAPI-6 team, for accomplishing an amazing migration of Team Foundation Service and ECMS platform with tenant applications onto Azure Cloud during the COVID-19 pandemic. I greatly appreciate the team’s effort and diligence in every aspect of the transition process. I especially want to thank Aleksandra Sopic for her dedication to supporting and leading the infrastructure/architecture team for years to uphold DAPI service delivery and business strategy. I cheer for all DAPI 6 members for their tremendous contribution to the team. - Richard Qing


Shout-out to our DKIM Information Management (IM) Team members, Rachel Cyr, Michelle Nowlan, David Yue, William (Bill) Desrochers, Major Keven Arsenault, and Michael Thibault who were instrumental in implementation of the information management architecture, the Information Management Plan for Enterprise Cloud Network (ECN), and the Landing Page for DND Office 365. These team members worked long hours to ensure we had IM capabilities in Office 365 in order for Defence Team members to keep working virtually in the time of COVID - Ben Van-Vianen


Director Personnel Strategy is a team within DG Military Personnel – Strategy, that is responsible for all people-related strategic initiatives within CMP and that will impact the Defence Team. Since the start of the DND/CAF pandemic response DPS was continued to advance its different files for the benefit of all personnel within the Defence Team. This include producing the final draft of the Defence Team Total Health and Wellness Strategy, completing the research to create the framework of the CAF Human Resources Strategy, completing the first draft of the CAF Retention Strategy, monitoring and reporting on the Suicide Prevention Action Plan, and continue to develop military family initiatives such as Seamless Canada, CFB Canada, and the Comprehensive Military Family Plan. All this was done while on-boarding O365 to continue our collaborative work from home, home-school children, and manage the household dynamics of spousal employment and more. They have gone beyond the call, and deserve to be recognized for their professionalism and dedication to the higher DND/CAF mission. DPS Team members are: Gareth Doherty, Luciana Lima, Dennis Rice, Dave Spurgeon, Maj Edie Knight, Véronique Roussel, William McClymont, Lcol Dino Laplante, Leah Chytil, Maj Peter Beatty, Lindsey Derrington, LCdr Kenna Turcotte, Pierre Leger, Johanne Bélanger, Maj Nathalie Auger, Sophie Bonneau, Annie Cowham, LCdr Gin Lupton and Nathalie Roy. - L.H.P.S. Boucher, Colonel


I would like to thank my Electronic Information Exchange (EIE) team in DAPI 8 for their continuous hard work on the effort of EIE testing framework. The team chose to step up to continue their work creatively despite lock down of DND Carling Campus and networks that would be required for work. This has been a tremendous effort given the team, like all of us, has been experiencing the difficulties of the COVID-19. Despite of the unprecedented work condition and environment changes, the team, including the students, has chosen to challenge and managed to continuously contribute to the project. Most of all, I appreciate the positive attitude and the flexibility shown all along the journey from the following: Herivola Rakotomalala, Lan Tran, Samy Ibrahim and Angela Song. - Richard Qing


I would like to recognize all staff of the OSISS (Operational Stress Injury Social Support) in CAF Transition Group. Since the beginning of the COVID period, from their home, they have provided continuous support to the members, Veterans and Families affected by an Operational Stress Injury. This small team is keeping regular contact with the 2000 peers across the country and are supported by amazing volunteers. They have used their creativity to maintain contact and social connection between the peers, offer one on one or group sessions about coping skills and strategy to maintain their health during this difficult situation. Thanks to the management team who support the staff as well and the TechNet from DND-VAC who is doing an outstanding work. I am very proud of this team! - Johane Verville


Since the Defence Team began working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our main challenge in Corporate Internal Communications (CIC) was to communicate with all Defence Team members when many were without network access. The Web Team in ADM (PA) rose to this challenge and created a new external web presence out of thin air, dedicated to critical information and resources and accessible to all Defence Team Members. The Web team had always been invaluable to CIC’s work, but over the past few months they have achieved superstar status. - Andrew McKelvey

May 11, 2020

Tiffany Boffice, thank you for always providing such excellent client service! I have been relying on your services for over a year now and you are always on the ball! Without you, our team would not be able to function as efficiently so again, a huge thank you for your hard work and dedication. - Melissa Mceachern-Dubé


Shout, shout, SHOUT OUT to Jennifer Eagen for wholeheartedly embracing recognition and including the CARS in shoring up her L1 program. Her eagerness to learn about recognition opportunities, to understand her role at the L1 level to be able to brief her incoming staff and her interest in the Corporate Awards Program is energizing and invigorating! Way to go Jennifer and your team – keep up your passion for identifying and recognizing achievements within your L1! - Lynn Messager


Shout-out to Chris Legere. As our L1 DCR, he takes the time to educate his clients and ensure we understand IT request procedures to make us subject matter experts. He always will go above and beyond to respond inquiries quickly and effectively. What I appreciate the most about Chris is that he is open and honest and always gives his 110% for anyone who comes to him with an IT issue. I honestly don't know how I could have the Onboarding pilot project at Carling Campus without his expertise and advice. - Katrine Chayer


A big thank you to Kelsey MacMillan. Your quick responses to my requests are always greatly appreciated and never taken for granted. You also always respond with such kindness. So, this is a shout out to a colleague who makes asking for service easy. Thank you! - Natalie Kelman


Lynn Messager is an amazing leader and role model. She is a team player to the core! Despite how busy she is, she is always making time for us if we need her, whether it be to discuss a work matter or personal issue. She trusts that we will do our best and never expects more than that, which makes us want to work even harder. Her ability to remain calm and diplomatic during the Covid period is admirable! These qualities and many more make Lynn a true leader who has earned the respect of her employees. - Manon Blais


I'd like to give a shout out to Michele Miller-Brown for her amazing support, patience, positive attitude and hard work in helping to prepare documents for the CEA Selection Committee. Michele, your hard work and willingness to go the extra mile at a last minutes notice was crucial in getting everything completed on time. You have shown an exceptional example of what team work is. Thank you! - Jennifer Valle


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