News Release - August 12, 2014 New Commanding Officer at 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron 19 WING COMOX - Over 250 members of 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron took part in a parade to pay a fond farewell to outgoing Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel (LCol) Jason Kenny, while welcoming their new Commanding Officer, LCol Andrew McCorquodale, on Tuesday, August 12. Quick Facts * The parade was overflown by the crew of a CP-140 Aurora. * Music was provided by the cadets of the HMCS Quadra Band. * LCol McCorquodale takes over 407 Squadron at a time when Long Range Patrol squadrons are experiencing some exciting changes in terms of aircraft upgrades and changing mission types. * LCol McCorquodale was born and raised in Toronto. He is married to his wife Claire and has a nine-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter. * Joining the Canadian Armed Forces in 1993, LCol McCorquodale graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in 1997. * He earned his Air Navigator wings in 2000 and joined 405 Long Range Patrol Squadron based at 14 Wing Greenwood, N.S. He has previously served with 407 Squadron as its Deputy Commanding Officer from 2010 to 2012. * He graduated the Joint Command and Staff Program at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto in 2010. * He has completed operational tours in Southwest Asia in 2002 under Operation APOLLO and in 2003 with Operation ATHENA. He has also flown numerous operational missions over the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, North Sea, Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. * Flying CP-140 Auroras, aircrews of 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron often spend long hours over the ocean looking for illegal fishing, migrant and drug smuggling and polluters. They can also perform search and rescue missions using air-droppable survival pods. * 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron is responsible for the surveillance of Canadian coastal waters. Traditionally this has meant watching for foreign submarines off our coasts. * Today, the detection of submarines is only one part of their surveillance role, as the squadron continues to protect the safety and security of Canadians at home and abroad. CP-140 missions have expanded to include overland intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. * The crews of 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron frequently support other governmental agencies such as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. * The new Block III CP-140M Auroras continue to enter into service within the Royal Canadian Air Force and represent a major technological leap forward for Canadas intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance gathering capabilities. * The 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron crest depicts a gold-winged red trident or demon stick. The winged trident is symbolic of air power striking at sea. The anchor in a symbolic V by the trident indicates the crushing losses inflicted by 407 crews on Axis shipping during World War II. 407 Squadron received its nickname The Demons from the tenacity with which they struck enemy shipping targets during World War II. Quotes The Demons of 407 Squadron have maintained a heavy operational tempo in recent years, from operations over Libya to high seas fisheries patrols in the North Pacific, all while participating in numerous exercises both inside and outside of Canada. I expect the introduction of the newly upgraded CP-140M aircraft to be an exciting and noteworthy chapter in our long history of defending Canadian interests. I look forward to returning as Commanding Officer, and I am eager to lead 407 Squadron into this new era by combining the outstanding operational capability of the CP-140M aircraft with the enduring and exceptional spirit and skill of the Demons. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew McCorquodale, Commanding Officer, 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron Related Links For more information on 19 Wing Comox visit: rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/19-wing/index.page? For more information about 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron visit: rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/19-wing/407-squadron.page? - 30 - Contacts Captain Trevor Reid 19 Wing Public Affairs Officer Phone: (normal hours) 250-339-8201 Phone: (after hours/weekends) 250-703-7035 Email: [email protected].
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 20:47:51 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015