Commodore welcomes fleet’s new 2IC

Peter Mallett,
Staff Writer 

The Pacific Fleet has a new Deputy Commander to assist Commodore (Cmdre) David Mazur in the business of leading its ships and shore units.

 

Commander (Cdr) Sam Patchell succeeded Captain (Navy) Mark O’Donohue in a Change of Appointment Ceremony for Deputy Commander of Canadian Fleet Pacific (CANFLTPAC) on June 25. 

 

“I look forward to doing the best as your Deputy Commander; Sir, I have the watch,” said Cdr Patchell after he, Cmdre Mazur and Capt(N) O’Donohue made the appointment official.

 

The job of CANFLTPAC Deputy Commander includes advising and assisting the Commodore while enhancing fleet readiness and sustainability of all surface assets and shore units, including Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) and the Naval Tactical Operations Group.

 

During his address, Cmdre Mazur thanked Capt(N) O’Donohue for his diligence and excellent work during his two-year posting at the job. Both men emphasized how managing the fleet had become more difficult under their watch, chiefly due to the impact of restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Royal Canadian Navy’s personnel challenges.

 

“Despite the personnel and technical challenges faced by the Pacific Fleet over the past two years, I am proud to report our ships and shore-based units successfully completed all their assigned missions and tasks,” said Capt(N) O’Donohue. “I am continually amazed by the perseverance, resilience, hard work and dedication of the extraordinary men and women who crew our ships and units.”

 

Capt(N) O’Donohue will soon retire after completing 25 years of service.

 

Before taking on the role of Deputy Commander, Capt(N) O’Donohue commanded HMCS Calgary from July 2020 to April 2022. During this time, he received a Chief of Defence Staff Unit Commendation for successfully executing maritime interdiction operations in the Gulf of Oman, breaking two international records for the seizure of illicit narcotics.

 

Cdr Patchell’s last posting was as commanding officer of HMCS Ottawa. In 2023 he led the ship on its deployment to the South China Sea in fulfillment of Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy. In his welcome message, Cmdre Mazur marveled at his new deputy’s experience as a ship’s commander.

 

“You bring a currency to the leadership team and have a great understanding of how to bring a team together during deployments,” said Cmdre Mazur. “I am looking forward to your leadership because I know you are an empathetic leader, a good tactician and thinker, and have a lot of acumen.”

 

Cdr Patchell said the pillars of his military values include loyalty, integrity, courage, excellence, inclusiveness and accountability; these have guided him well throughout his career and would continue to influence his decision making in his latest posting.

 

Commander Sam Patchell

 

Born in North Vancouver, Commander Patchell joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2001 and completed his Naval Warfare Officer Training at HMCS Venture and later earned his Bridge Watch-keeping and Naval Officer Professional Qualifications (NOPQ) aboard HMCS Charlottetown.

 

Key deployments during his career include his time aboard HMCS Athabaskan as Deck Officer where he participated in Operation Hestia, Canada’s response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. As HMCS Vancouver Operations Room Officer, he deployed on Operation Mobile, Canada’s 2011 Military Intervention in Libya.

 

In 2018, he and his family moved to Pyeongtaek, South Korea, where he served as Executive Assistant to the Deputy Commander, United Nations Command.