Weapons engineering technicians hit their mark on the ice

Formation Chief CPO1 Gilles Gregoire (centre) is set to drop the puck in the ceremonial opening faceoff of the first annual Weapons Engineering Trade Hockey Challenge at Wurtele Arena, Feb. 10. The game brought members of the trade together on the ice for an afternoon of esprit de corps. Photo by CPO2 Maxime Michel

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~

Team White defeated Team Black in the Weapons Engineering Technicians Hockey Challenge game Feb. 10, but the game’s organizer says the final score was of little importance.

Even though Master Seaman Aaron Butler played on the winning team and organized the first annual game, the HMCS Ottawa Weapons Tech says his team’s 4-3 victory wasn’t the real triumph. Instead, he says, it was the esprit de corps and the strengthening of trade solidarity that was the true cause for celebration.

“Playing a popular sport like hockey is a great way to get everyone from various units together for a good time,” he says. “And judging by the reactions and expressions of the players on the ice we accomplished our mission.”

Interest in the game gradually snowballed when it was announced in late January, leading to enough players to create two randomly selected teams, along with a “boisterous crowd” of approximately 40 co-workers and friends in the stands.

The Formation Chief, CPO1 Gilles Grégoire, attended the game and participated in the ceremonial opening puck drop.

CPO1 Grégoire was there in an official capacity, but also has a personal connection to both the game and the trade. CPO1 Grégoire enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces as a Naval Weapons Technician in 1986, and worked as a Naval Weapons Technician and later as the Canadian Forces Naval Engineering School’s Naval Weapons Training Chief.

“I was delighted to be able to attend the event; not only is it an opportunity for members of the trade to have some fun, but it’s also a good team-building exercise,” he said.

After the faceoff he congratulated MS Butler and the game’s other participants for their “morale-boosting” efforts.