The naval Reserve is in seduction mode

Arnaud Koenig-Soutière

Sunday, 25 February, 2018 00:00

UPDATE
Sunday, 25 February, 2018 00:00

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The naval Reserve is in seduction mode to recruit new divers, especially women, who can be counted on the fingers of one hand to the current time.

“To have several sailors who are willing, on a voluntary basis, it brings a flexibility to the regular force,” says the commander, Mathieu Leroux, in the margin of a year of diving, who stood yesterday in the bassin Louise, Québec city.

The naval Reserve layout is currently on a workforce of approximately 3,500 people. She hopes to bring it to over 6000 within the next ten years, doubling the size of each of its trades.

“When the medical tests are passed, it is within the reach of anyone with the desire to do it,” says the master, first class, Dominic Thibault.

Appeal to the fairer sex

The military environment is typically male for a plethora of reasons. The diving equipment is an obstacle in itself, while its 70 pounds are most of the time higher than the weight of a woman.

“You get used to it ! “says the diver, Andrea Deshaies, who feels that his female colleagues to be counted on the fingers of one hand. “In two years, I have never come across another diver. “

“This is probably the type of business where it has the least representation of women,” said the commander, Mathieu Leroux, although women make up “more than 20 %” of the workforce of the navy.

“Ideally, we would like to have 50 % women and more ethnic diversity. We want to represent the people in the best way possible. There is a lot of advertising to show that there is a place for women and tons of business for them, ” says Mr. Leroux.

Military exercise

Divers of the naval Reserve were exercised in icy waters, yesterday afternoon, at the bassin Louise, Québec city.

They were more than 25 divers from across the country to don the heavy equipment and then venture out in the water whose temperature is near the freezing point.

“When we are under the ice, you want to mainly teach the points of safety first. Once the obstacle of the ice past, to 50 meters of depth, it makes no difference that there is ice or not, ” says the master, first class, Dominic Thibault.

“Because of climatic conditions, it is we, in Québec, that have the task of coordinating the annual training “, he says.

By the numbers

• 6000: the Objective of reservists by about 10 years

• 3500: Persons enrolled in the naval Reserve currently, of which 75 are qualified divers

• 6-to-1: Ratio hoped, or 6 reservists trained for each reservist available at the time of a mission

• 70 kg: Weight of the equipment to dive