Tim McDermott:  

I enrolled in the Canadian Forces Naval Reserve in December 1978 at the age of 17 while still a student at Cairine Wilson. At the time, it seemed like a cool summer job. I chose the Naval Reserve over the militia because I figured that I’d do less marching in the Navy. I quickly discovered it wasn’t just a job, it was a passion. After I graduated from high school, I worked full time in the Navy, as a reservist until 1981, when I moved with my family down to Washington DC. While in Washington, I managed a sporting goods store in downtown DC. Determined to pursue a university education, I returned to Canada, and the Ottawa area in 1983, attending Carleton University in the Bachelor of Arts, Law program. Upon graduation, I enrolled in the Regular Force, as a Maritime Surface (Mars) Officer in the Canadian Navy and transferred to Victoria BC. I graduated from Naval Officer training in August of 1987 at which point, I proceeded to Halifax to complete the Naval Operations Course and join HMCS ANNAPOLIS where I earned my Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate and Certificate of Competency Level Two. It was in November of 1987, during a boisterous Saturday afternoon at Peddlar’s Pub, that I met a young, beautiful, student from Mount St Vincent University. It was at this meeting, that I told my future wife that I was going to marry her. She says I was very inebriated, and incoherent and she’s not quite sure what I said to her. Regardless of who’s version is the most accurate, exactly one year to the day later, in November 1988, we were wed in Moncton NB. As a junior naval officer, I acquired specialist skills in above water warfare, communications, seamanship, nuclear biological and chemical warfare and I completed a gruelling ship’s diving officer course. Sailed in a number of different ships and completed tours in HMCS ANNAPOLIS, FRASER, TERRA NOVA, MARGAREE, HALIFAX, VANCOUVER and MONTREAL, deploying on a number of NATO missions and exercises, MARCOTS, CARIBOPs, CANTASS trials, fisheries patrols and a coastal transfer. After avoiding a shore posting as long as possible, my career manager finally caught up to me and posted me ashore to the Naval Reserve Training Division HMCS DISCOVERY in Vancouver, as Reg Force Support Staff. During my tour in Vancouver, I acted as the ship visit coordinator for over 100 Canadian, USN, and foreign ship visits to Vancouver BC. I provided SAR assistance to the Canadian Coast Guard during a search for a light plane lost in the straits of Juan de Fuca, assistance to the Vancouver Fire Department during a grain terminal fire, assistance to the Vancouver Police Department during the first Stanley Cup Riot, and assistance to the RCMP during several RCMP marine section operations. It was also in Vancouver that my wife Valerie, my oldest daughter, Erin and I began budding acting careers, appearing in the X-files. It took four years for the Navy to realize that it might not be a good idea to leave me in a posting that lacked any…adult supervision. In 1996, I was posted back to sea as the Deputy Combat Officer in HMCS PROVIDER, taking the ship out of refit, and transferring her back to the East Coast. My family and I returned to the East Coast and I remained with the ship until she was decommissioned in 1998. Once again, the Navy tried to post me ashore, this time to the Seamanship Division at the CF Naval Operations School in Halifax. That posting lasted less than a year before my career manager caved in to my whining and sent me back to sea, this time as the Deck Officer in HMCS PRESERVER. In 2001, havi...Expand for more