Craig, Dave: my Naval Reserve experience (March 14, 2019)
Interviewer: Yaroslavsky, Misha
Interviewee: Craig, Dave
An interview/narrative of Dave Craig's experiences serving in the Naval Reserves. Interview took place on March 14, 2019 in Victoria, B.C.
ABSTRACT: Commodore Craig began his naval career in University and joined the naval reserve because of prior cadet service and love for military history. After receiving his bridge watch keeping ticket, Commodore Craig became one of the few reservist MARS officers in 1984. Commodore Craig was CO of HMCS Malahat in 1992 to 1995. From 1995 to 1998, he worked as the commander for the port security unit. He sailed on various classes of ships, including destroyers, minesweepers, and gate vessels in his past positions. Finally, in 1998, he became a Naval reserve captain who helped conduct the NERVE study, and was the only Pacific Force commander for the reserve. In August of 2015, Commodore Craig retired at the age of 59. Commodore Craig’s account looks into the Naval Reserve structure from an organizational perspective. He explains the various classes, and the thinking behind many of the high level decisions like moving the Naval Reserve base from Halifax to Quebec or the changes created by the commissioning of the MCDV’s. He was also addresses what a day in the life in his various roles were. This summarizes a training night at HMCS Malahat, as well as what a reservist MARS officer role would be like day to day on a ship. 0:00 – 1:00 Born in Medicine Hat 1955, moved to Vancouver in 1963. 4:57 – 6:50 Reserve Officer Training program. 6:50 – 8:20 Difference between regular force and reserve. 14:20 – 20:30 Receiving the bridge watch keeping ticket in 1984, as well as training on the gate vessels. 23:03 – 30:14 Frightening moments at sea. 36:55 – 37:55. Naval reserve headquarters shift from Halifax to Quebec and lasting impacts. 38:28 – 40:16 Class difference in naval reserve after MCDV commissioning. 45:43 – 49:36 Strategic planning meeting for the NERVE study. 55:37 – 57:05 Pacific Force commander/port security commander in the Western division. 1:04:26 - 1:12:45 Improvements and changes in the naval reserve
Rank: Commodore.
- In Collection:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 48.4359, -123.35155
- Original sound recordings (MP3) also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- CD_881
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- March 14, 2019
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 128 kbps. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2019. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
- DOI
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