Angel Boards Canadian Naval Warship

5/28/2018

Athena Pucovsky '19

The Achieve Anything Foundation teamed up with the Royal Canadian Navy to give young women a chance to explore opportunities in Aviation, Aerospace, Marine & Defense, and other STEM-based fields to reduce gender disparity. Our own Athena Pucovsky '19 applied and was chosen to take part in the opportunity to spend a day on the HMCS Regina.

On Sunday, May 27, I had the amazing opportunity to spend a day on the HMCS Regina to experience what life in the Royal Canadian Navy is like. It was clear and sunny out, and it could not have been a more perfect day to set sail on a warship.

My dream is to become a police officer with the VPD. However, with graduation drawing nearer next year, I was unsure as to how I would reach my goal, especially in terms of post-secondary studies. I saw attending the Royal Military College as a viable option, but joining the military seemed really intimidating, and I didn’t know if I would be up for the challenge. I did a Planning inquiry project on the RMC, so when Ms. Mislang forwarded me the Academic Counselling post about this event, I filled out an application and hoped that this would answer some of the questions I had about life in the Canadian Armed Forces. I was not let down.

Fast forward three weeks, and I found myself surrounded by a hundred and twenty other women and girls on the deck of the Regina. The event was put on by the Achieve Anything Foundation, an organization looking to reduce gender disparity and provide exposure to females in the “Aviation, Aerospace, Marine & Defense, and other STEM-based fields”. Personally, I was interested in seeing how women make their mark in a traditionally male-dominated field such as the navy, in addition to seeing if this was really the right career for me.

The day was filled with excitement. The tour around the ship was very informative, and I got to see such cool equipment. My favourite part was the Operations Room, where technology like sonar and underwater telephones are used to distinguish submarines and ships in the water, and planes above the water. Whales even show up on the display! If an enemy is identified, then the warship can commence an attack. A demonstration was performed on how a person who has fallen overboard is rescued, and all the guests were treated to some high-speed manoeuvres. I also got to put on a firefighting suit and hold a C8 rifle. Lastly, the ship’s two 0.50 caliber guns were fired, marking the end of a fantastic day.

What was I quickly learned during my time on the warship was that each person working on board was part of a team. One could even call it a family. Reinforced in my mind was the fact that the women were as equally capable as the men. Everyone knew their role on the vessel, and all performed their duties to the highest standard. There was an all around mutual respect, no matter one’s gender or rank. The camaraderie and team dynamic of the military is something I’ve found out that I’d very much like to take part in. This view into the navy taught me that when individuals come together and work toward a cause that is greater than themselves, amazing things happen.

Thank you to Ms. Mislang, Ms. Larson, and the Achieve Anything Foundation for encouraging me to pursue my passion. This experience has opened my eyes to how the military functions, and has helped me determine what I want to do in the future. I hope that everyone will hold me accountable to my dreams, and that you all will pursue yours as well!

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Angel Boards Canadian Naval Warship

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