“The RCN employed me while I attended school in Ontario before moving to Halifax. This enabled me to complete my education debt-free and be assured of a job post-grad, allowing me to gain experience in my chosen field.”
S1 Kimpel is currently serving overseas in Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship
Halifax, the flagship of Standing NATO Maritime Group One, as part of
Operation Reassurance.
Weapons Engineering Technicians are responsible for the corrective and planned maintenance activities of the weapons systems on board a ship. Their primary responsibilities include monitoring and evaluating the performance of electronic equipment.
“I chose to become a Weapons Engineering Technician because I was interested in electronics and a career as an electronics technician,” explains S1 Kimpel. “I chose the communications sub-occupation because I am personally interested in this kind of equipment. My favourite part of this trade is maintaining the shipboard morale and wellness communication equipment used by the crew while at sea.”
S1 Kimpel says a typical day at sea consists of team or personal skills proficiency training to maintain a high level of readiness and the ability to carry out all duties aboard ship.
“With other members of the ship’s company we attend to ship’s husbandry to maintain a clean and safe work environment. One of our primary tasks aboard ship is to carry out equipment maintenance routines of varying complexity from cleaning intake air filters to using test equipment to calibrate and tune radio systems. We troubleshoot and repair these systems in order to maintain our capabilities, especially while on deployment when we are away from repair facilities.”
S1 Kimpel enjoys visiting countries around the world he might never have visited on his own. His current deployment marks the second time he has been overseas on Op
Reassurance.
“I enjoy the chance to put my skills and training to use in demanding situations to accomplish the mission. The major downfall of life at sea is being away from family for extended periods of time. To counter this, we have multiple ways to stay in contact with family and friends at home such as email, messaging and video calling.”
He says he balances his commitments at home and at sea with the support of his family and the team he works with. While at sea, his extended family steps in to help with everything from household maintenance to child care. Prior to deploying he is given the time and resources necessary to prepare his home and family for his upcoming absence.
S1 Kimpel thinks his work as a Weapons Engineering Technician is a solid choice for anyone wanting to join the RCN.
“My advice for someone joining the trade is to have the mindset that you are being trained to be a technician with the ability to learn, adapt to and work on new and different equipment. As the Navy updates its existing weapons, navigation and communication suites, in addition to launching new ships, you will be empowered to grow in support of the team’s effort.”