This document provides a summary of information presented at a briefing for families of those serving aboard the NRU/URN ASTÉRIX. It includes fun facts about the ship's journey so far, with details like distances traveled, number of resupply operations conducted, and countries visited. It also lists questions submitted by children about life aboard the ship, such as available food items, sightings of flying fish, and how fresh water is produced. The briefing covered support resources available to families from the Military Family Resource Centre and upcoming family programs.

1. NRU / URN ASTÉRIX Briefing to Families 26 September 2023
For Official Use Only
UNCLASSIFIED
CO’s Update Session

2. Fun Facts About Our Journey So Far
• Total nautical miles steamed: 8771 NM (or 3 and 1/2 trips across
Canada)
• Days deployed so far: 42 (6 weeks)
• Nations operated with: 2 (U.S. & Japan)
• Replenishments-at-Sea: 14
• RAS statistics = Diesel Fuel (F76) transferred: 3,213,000 Liters
Jet Fuel (F44) transferred: 61,000 Liters
• Countries visited: 2 (Japan & The Philippines)
• AST has landed aircraft from Canada with 1 VERTREP
• We have watched approximately 1,200 movies and read
approximately 40 books
• Participated in 126 planned PSP workouts
• Gifted 3 bottles of Maple Syrup
faits amusants sur notre voyage jusqu'à présent

3. Hippocampe Wandering Around
Hippocampe errant

4. Appreciation For Our Biggest Supporters

5. Submitted Questions
Des questions soumises
 Any changes to the return date?
 When will care packages arrive?

6. Questions from the Children
6
1. Do you have books to read on the ship?
2. Do they bake muffins on the ship?
3. What is the favourite cereal on the ship?

7. Questions from the Children
7
4. What seas and oceans has the ship travelled on?
5. What is the favourite snack from the canteen?
6. Have you seen any flying fish yet? Are they cute?

8. Questions from the Children
8
7. Do you take the sea water and filter it to make fresh water?
8. Will the ship sink if a shark bites it?
9. Why do you call the dummy you throw overboard Oscar?

9. Questions from the Children
9
10. What is the biggest fish you have seen so far?
11. Do you have spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner sometimes?
12. How many flavours of ice cream do you have on Sundae Sundays?

10. Nous soutenons ceux qui sont importants pour vous.
Le CRFM honore fièrement la diversité des
“familles”.
Esquimalt Military Family Resource Centre
Centre de Ressources pour les Familles
Militaires d’Esquimalt
We support those who are important to you.
The MFRC proudly honours the diversity of “families”.

11. Jennifer Switzer & Marlena Wright
Deployment & Absences Navigators
Navigateurs de déploiement et d'absences
Deployment
Déploiement

12. Register with us to receive deployment support by:
• Becoming a part of your Family Network;
• Connecting with the MFRC local to you;
• Receiving support in French.
Inscrivez-vous auprès de nous pour recevoir du soutien
en matière de déploiement:
• En devenant membre de votre réseau familial;
• En vous connectant avec le CRFM local;
• En recevant du soutien en français.
Deployment Support Registration
Enregistrement de support en cas de déploiement

13. MV Asterix Family Network
Réseau familial NM Asterix
Network Volunteer
Bénévole du réseau: Sheila
Be sure to join the Family Network’s Facebook group!
Assurez-vous de joindre le Groupe Facebook du Réseau Familial!
Family Network
Réseau Familial
We are currently seeking
Family Network Volunteers who
have loved ones serving on
MV Asterix.
Interested?
Apply at cfmws.ca/esquimalt

15. • When: Saturday, October 28th from
9:30-11:30am or 12:30-2:30pm
• Where: Chief & Petty Officers’ Mess
• Cost: 50% off for deployed families
To register, call 250-363-1009 and mention
you are a family experiencing a deployment
*Registration will open in early October
PSP Halloween Event

16. Morale Mail
Courrier moral
There are a few different FREE opportunities for mail drop off:
• Regular business hours at your local MFRC location
• Regular business hours at 443 Squadron
• At Canada Post retail outlets (starting October 10th)
Il existe quelques différentes opportunités GRATUITES pour le dépôt de courrier:
• Heures d'ouverture régulières de votre CRFM local
• Heures d'ouverture régulières au Escadron 443
• Au Points de vente de Postes Canada (à partir du 10 octobre)
Care packages are being accepted until November 20th, 2023!
Les forfaits de soins sont acceptés jusqu'au 20 Novembre, 2023!

17. BC
• Esquimalt
• Comox
• Vancouver
• Chilliwack (Sat)
AB
• Calgary
• Cold Lake
• Edmonton
• Lethbridge
• Suffield
• Wainwright
• Red Deer (Sat)
SK
• Dundurn
• Moose Jaw
MB
• Shilo
• Winnipeg
ON
• London
• Meaford
• Borden
• Toronto
• Trenton
• Kingston
• North Bay
• Petewawa
• Ottawa
QC
• Bagotville
• Montreal
• Saint-Hubert (Sat)
• Saint-Jean (Sat)
• Sherbrooke (Sat)
• Valcartier
• Quebec City (Sat)
NWT
• Yellowknife
NB
• Gagetown
NS
• Greenwood
• Halifax
• Shearwater (Sat)
• Sydney (Sat)
PEI
• Charlottetown
• Summerside (Sat)
NL
• St-John’s
• Gander
• Goose Bay
Not local to Victoria? There are
MFRC’s across the country if you are
looking for in-person support.
Pas local à Victoria? Il y a des CRFM
partout au pays si vous recherchez
du soutien en personne.

18. Care Package Collection Box
Boîte de collection de colis de soins
Did you purchase too much for your care package?
Please consider contributing your extras to create
care packages for deployed members not
receiving them. Items are being accepted at the
Colwood MFRC location.
Avez-vous acheté trop pour votre forfait de soins?
Veuillez envisager de contribuer vos extras pour créer
des forfaits de soins pour les membres déployés qui
ne les reçoivent pas. Les articles sont acceptés à
l'emplacement du CRFM Colwood.

19. Kathleen Cormie
Program Coordinator
Coordinatrice de Programme
Programming
Programmation

20. Follow our Facebook page & check our program and
event registration.
General Programming
Programmation générale

21. Upcoming Programs
Programmes à venir
• MFRC Community Integration Scavenger Hunt (Sept 1st to 30th)
• WorkBC Resume Writing Workshop (Oct 10th)
• WorkBC Interview Skills Workshop (Oct 11th)
• Fast Friends: Board Game Night for Ages 12-18 (Oct 11th)
• Wellness Wednesday: Painting Together (Oct 18th)
• Dockyard Ghostwalk (Oct 27th)
*at the Esquimalt Recreation Centre

22. Programs for Children
Programmes pour enfants
• Supporting Children Through Absence Workshops
(3-12 years, a variety of daytime and evening
workshops available)
• Stay & Play (0-5 years, Wednesdays until Dec 13th)
• 123 Music & Me (0-5 years, Fridays until Dec 15th)
• Respite Child Care During Absences (18 months – 5 years)

23. Affordable Child-Minding Options for School Age Children
Options de garde d'enfants d'âge scolaire économiques
PSP Recreation Activities
Low Cost ($8-9.50 for 1.5 - 2.5 hours)
• Fantastic Fridays
• Splash & Swim
• Movie Nights (Dinner included!)
Recreation Centres
• Check your local Rec Centres for childminding services – Low cost ($4-5/hr) childminding while you use the
facilities to take a class, use the gym or pool. Offered at Esquimalt Rec, Commonwealth, the Westhills and
Downtown YMCAs.
• Plan for the fall – Try to sign your child up for lessons/ rec activities that facilitate a break for
you!
In Your Neighbourhood
Hire a teen babysitter or try swapping childminding with a trusted friend!

24. Family Wellness & Counselling Team
Équipe de bien-être familial et de
counselling
Dana Rogers
Social Worker
Travailleuse Sociale

25. L’équipe de bien-être et de counseling de la famille comprend un groupe de
travailleurs sociaux et de conseillers professionnels attentionnés et hautement
qualifiés. Ils sont là pour soutenir la santé mentale et le bien-être de vous et votre
famille. Ils offrent des conseils aux personnes et aux familles axées sur la famille.
• Intake Phone: 778-533-7736
• Intake Email: intake@emfrc.com
Our Team
Notre Équipe
The Family Wellness and Counselling Team includes a group of caring and highly trained
professional social workers and counsellors. They are here to support you and your
family’s mental health and wellness. They offer counselling for individuals and couples
with a family focus.​

26. How We Support Families
Comment nous Soutenons les Familles
The FWCT provides preventative and responsive programming in the form of group facilitation and counselling.
The FWCT can support you with:​
• Mental health questions and concerns
• Relationship Issues
• Pre and post-natal supports
• Youth Supports
• Supporting children and dependents with diverse needs
• Emergency and respite childcare is available upon assessment
La FWCT offre des programmes préventifs et adaptés sous forme de facilitation de groupe et de counseling.
Le FWCT peut vous soutenir avec :
• Questions et préoccupations en matière de santé mentale
• Problèmes relationnels
• Soutiens pré et postnatals
• Soutiens à la jeunesse
• Soutenir les enfants et les dépendants ayant des besoins variés
• Des services de garde d’urgence et de relève sont disponibles lors de l’évaluation

27. Plan & Prepare
Planifier & préparer
• Childcare Planning/Emergency
• It’s critical to have a solid care plan and backup plan
• When the best-laid plans fall through
• Get connected – join the Family Network and attend MFRC activities
to make connections
• Planification de la garde d'enfants/urgence
• Il est essentiel d'avoir un plan de soins et un plan de secours solides
• Quand les plans les mieux conçus échouent
• Établissez des liens - joignez le réseau des familles et participez aux
activités du CRFM pour établir des liens

28. Upcoming Programs
Programmes à venir
• October 18th: Paint Night
• November 22nd: Nourishing Neighbours
Wellness Wednesdays
The Family Wellness and Counselling Team is pleased
to offer a monthly evening of relaxation and fun.

29. Family Information Line
Ligne d'information pour les familles
1-800-866-4546
Canadian Forces Member Assistance Program
Programme d'aide aux membres des Forces canadiennes
1-800-268-7708
After hours Duty Padre Line – call the MFRC and Press “2”
Après heures de gardes - appelez le CRFM et Appuyez sur “2”
Contact Information
Informations sur le contact

30. Esquimalt MFRC Phone
Téléphone du CRFM Esquimalt
250-363-2640
Toll-free anywhere in Canada
Sans frais partout au Canada
1-800-353-3329
Email / Courriel
emfrc@shaw.ca
Website / Site web
cfmws.ca/esquimalt
Contact Information
Informations sur le contact

31. Additional Questions?
Questions additionnelle?
The Esquimalt MFRC is on Facebook and Instagram!
Le CRFM Esquimalt est sur Facebook et Instagram!