407 Long Range Squadron “Change of Command” Ceremony, CFB Comox, 2010.
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Incoming Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel David Robinson, on the right.

A very special event for our group has just been approved by the Commander of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Comox.

On the morning of August 9 there will be a “Change of Command” parade for the Commanding Officer of the 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron (Canada’s top anti-submarine warfare squadron during the cold war – now tasked with coastal monitoring).

We have been invited to attend this ceremony on the base (full dress uniform guys).

The current Commanding Officer of the 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron, Lieutenant-Colonel David Robinson, has also just obtained authorization for us to enter the base on the morning of August 8 for a private tour!

The Squadron Commander described the following as being possible during this tour:

“Depending on how much time you have available the scouts could look at my sqn, the Search and Rescue Sqn, the SAR Tech School, the Sea Survival School and maybe the Sea Cadet Camp. The parachute simulator may be back in operation by the end of the month so that is something else they could try.”

This could take all day to do. This is a functioning search and rescue facility and our ability to have access to all parts will be dependent on circumstances (they may get “call outs” while we are there just like North Shore Rescue) but our group has been given authorization to access pretty much the whole base!

I have booked a double campsite at the nearby Miracle Beach Provincial Park campground for our group for the nights of August 7th and 8th.  We can take the ferry over to the Island on the 7th; camp that night and tour the base the next day on the 8th; camp the second night and attend the Change of Command parade the following morning on the 9th; and return home that afternoon or evening. There will almost certainly be time for some swimming and relaxing around the camp and wandering through the town.

Scouts Simon and Finn and Scouter Alan and I will be attending.

So……..who else is in?

Please RSVP at your earliest opportunity.