Virtual Shout-Outs – Bulletin #44

Octobre 28, 2024 - Defence Stories

Celebrate the joy of fall by recognizing a colleague!

"It's very inexpensive to give a compliment."

- Joyce Meyer

Do you know of a co-worker who deserves a special shout-out or are you looking for a way to recognize someone who has made an impact, big or small? Virtual Shout-Outs are a quick and easy way for you to publicly recognize a colleague, or team of colleagues, for a job well done.

Here’s how to submit a Virtual Shout-out:

• Email your shout-outs to the Corporate Awards and Recognition Secretariat and
• Provide the email(s) of the person(s) being recognized.
• Shout-outs are collected on an ongoing basis.

Note that shout-out recipients will be given the option to “opt out” of having their message displayed on the Bulletin Board (accessible only on the National Defence network) on the Maple Leaf and the Defence Team intranet (accessible only on the National Defence network), and submissions can remain anonymous.

Don’t delay! Virtually shout-out your hard-working colleagues today!

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I would like to extend a heartfelt shout-out to Capt Melissa Calcagno who exemplifies dedication and excellence in support of RCSU Pacific. They consistently go above and beyond, tirelessly working to improve our communications and processes. Capt Calcagno is always ready to lend a helping hand and provide expert advice on policies and procedures, making them an indispensable resource to the unit. They are my go-to person for support, always providing clear and insightful guidance. Thank you for your hard work, your passion, and for being such a vital part of our team!
– Capt Tyler Willis

On September 11th, the Financial Community Development team hosted a Learn & Go session on Taxes. The presentation provided an overview of key tax policies, focusing on the Goods and Services Tax/ Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST), fuel and carbon tax, and income tax.  We explored some of the implications of these taxes and discussed some of the common pitfalls. The session aimed to broaden the awareness and understanding of these taxes and how they apply to DND/CAF.

The Financial Community Development team would like to extend a big virtual shout-out to the presenters who were generous with their time. Their contributions were invaluable in helping make this event a resounding success.

Presenters:

• Michelle Martin
• Juan Wu
• Edmund Chan

Thank you again for your contribution in making the Learn & Go such a successful event.
– The FCD Team.

I would like to extend a very well-deserved shout-out to the VCDS Analytics Support Center (VASC), who have been a great asset to the Security Performance and Evaluation (SP&E) team at DGDS. In particular, Lt(N) Melissa McCorriston, David Wu, Zachary Call and Robel Gabriel have each provided invaluable expertise to help improve the security analytics function for DND/CAF. Their assistance with accessing data, generating reports, developing Power Apps and automating workflows has been exceptional. Eric Saint-Pierre has assembled a model team at the VASC! Their willingness to serve and technical know-how have enabled the SP&E team to develop business intelligence for the DND/CAF Security Program and we are incredibly appreciative of all the support we have received and continue to receive. Keep up the amazing work and thanks so much for all that you do!
– Sean Goodbrand

Capt Zundel Quintin works through and provides unwavering support to PaCE related inquiries sticking with us from initial ask to rectification. They have been instrumental in solving problems caused by limitations in the system we couldn’t otherwise fix.
– Capt Francis Montagnese

The web team (Paul Franklin, Alain Dagenais and Keshar Thapa) and our communications advisor Samantha Koziara in ADMPA went above and beyond to enable us to publish the 2022 Corrective Accessibility Plan in as timely a manner as possible.

The 2022 Corrective Accessibility Plan’s publication is an integral part to increasing awareness of accessibility and the Accessibility Program both within and outside the Defence Team.

DI and the Defence Team Accessibility Office are very grateful to our PA colleagues for their innovation and determination and their overall commitment to excellent client service in getting the Plan published.
– Sherri Wilson
Director, Inclusion
CPCC

A shout-out to the wonderful Customer Service Team within the Office of the Judge Advocate General’s Information Services. Adam Sharp, Craig Brisco, and Pat Crysdale are technological lifesavers! These dedicated professionals go above and beyond the call of duty to support me and my colleagues during our daily struggles with the technology that pervades our lives. They are responsive after hours and can always find a workable solution that allows me to keep up the fight. Adam, Craig, and Pat are strategic enablers, deserving of a big thank you for their friendly and user-friendly support. We couldn’t do what we do without you!
– LCol Greg Koenderman

It has been almost a year since Rachelle Prowal transitioned to the Fin Cell in 4 OSS, and in that time, you have faced and overcome numerous obstacles that often seemed insurmountable. Despite the challenges, you have consistently demonstrated resilience and determination, rarely letting on how tough things might have been. Your unwavering effort and dedication are truly exceptional and seldom matched.

Your commitment has been evident in how you have trained yourself in your new role, tackled problems with limited resources, provided invaluable assistance to the units we support, and seamlessly managed the responsibilities of your previous role, which remains unfilled.

Your vibrant personality is a breath of fresh air. Whether it’s baking treats for the office, sharing items with coworkers, participating in Wing events, or simply being a supportive listener for teammates during tough times, you are always there with a kind word and helpful advice.

The expertise you brought with you has significantly benefited our unit. Since you joined us a year ago, your contributions have led to substantial savings in both time and money, and have fostered skill development among our team members, including myself.

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work with you. Your hard work and genuine care for the success of our unit do not go unnoticed. You may not hear it often enough, so let me say it here: thank you for being you and for everything you do.
– Ryan Somcher

I wish to give a shout out to Shelby Pink, for her tremendous help during my first week at BIS. Through her enthusiasm and support, I was able to swiftly transition into my role here – from getting my first ID card to getting the DWAN Account set-up Shelby supported me in all possible ways. For the trainings – she backtracked her emails to make sure I don’t miss the mandatory trainings. Thank you for stepping up to ensure that the onboarding at BIS went smoothly.
– Aavha Gyawali

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to both Financial Services Administrators (FSA) career managers, Andrea Bellerive and Amalia Villeneuve, for their outstanding contributions during this year’s selection boards cycle. Not only did they skillfully manage the significant additional workload and demanding hours imposed by the boards, all while seamlessly maintaining their regular duties, but they also demonstrated a steadfast commitment to keeping their members at the forefront of their efforts. Moreover, they generously took the time to assist members and secretaries of concurrent boards, enhancing the overall experience for individuals from other occupations and organizations. Their spirit of collaboration and dedication exemplifies the standards we should expect from anyone filling a career manager position. Many CAF members will never realize it, but thanks to their efforts, the life at the unit level is a little smoother! :)
– Anonymous

Shout out to Rachel Richardson, Manager of Restorative Services – CPCC DSS RS for holding space for a truly positive team space.

It is the first time in my 35-year career (worked outside of DND organization as well) that I have felt 100% safe and respected.

She is an amazing leader.
– Anonymous

We would like to give a heartfelt shoutout to Dr. Luisa Valbuena Mahecha for her unwavering dedication and exceptional contributions to deployment health surveillance. Her meticulous attention to detail, exceptional project management skills, and her outstanding support to both CFHS HQ and deployed Health Services personnel is a testament to her collaborative spirit which has been instrumental in ensuring a successful deployment health surveillance system. Dr. Valbuena Mahecha’s commitment and hard work over the years have made a significant impact on the health of deployed personnel, and we are incredibly grateful for her contributions. Thank you for being an invaluable part of the team!
– The Epidemiology Section, Directorate Force Health Protection

We would like to send a virtual shout out to Sukaina Rizvi for proposing a modern solution to collecting working group feedback. Instead of receiving multiple excel spreadsheets when requesting feedback, Sukaina suggested that we try an MS 365 PowerApp. Sukaina took all the information we needed to gather and, with the help of VCDS Analytics Support Centre, created a PowerApp that verified all fields were complete, users IDs were included, and compiled the results for us. This PowerApp will save us time verifying and rolling up all the feedback responses. Thank you Sukaina for creating an innovative solution to the age-old problem of multiple excel file submissions.
– Natasha Heeroo and Julie Cull

Capt Alexandre Migneault is a training support coordinator with Regional Cadet Support Unit Eastern (Cadet Program), providing the necessary support for two sectors in the Quebec Area. For the past year, he has been actively involved in fostering a sense of cohesion and team spirit among the full-time staff members of Val-Bélair and Valcartier, notably by organizing lunch‑and‑learn sessions and other sports and social activities. On a couple of occasions, he even brought along a portable pizza oven to make pizzas for participants, and the proceeds went to the Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign (GCWCC). Capt Migneault is also an Army Cadet Expedition program expert in his region. He commanded the national course for officers in the northwest last spring, as well as the courses for cadets in the summer of 2024 at the Valcartier Cadet Training Centre. Capt Migneault is recognized for his vast knowledge and field experience in mountain biking, canoeing, orienteering and expeditions, and he certainly contributes to how excellent the opportunities are in terms of self-improvement and adventure skills development for the some 5,000 Army cadets in Quebec and the Ottawa Valley. Capt Migneault also volunteers with the 672 Pont-Rouge Cadet Corps and at the expedition sites in his area.
– Maj Sebastien Laporte