‘Being able to understand each other is paramount in military operations’
With a 14 Wing Greenwood-wide alert at 9:35 p.m. June 29, looking for a Ukrainian-speaking member to join a search and rescue, Captain Ilya Mosiychuk answered the call.
The 14 Fire Emergency Services fire chief joined 413 (Transport and Rescue) Squadron’s CC295 Kingfisher crew on a top cover mission, a 12-hour medical evacuation of a Ukrainian-speaking patient from a fishing vessel approximately 200 nautical miles off the coast of Northern Labrador.
Watch the June 29 rescue from the CC295 Kingfisher’s perspective here.
Once aboard the Kingfisher, Mosiychuk worked closely with the search and rescue technician to translate a list of questions for him to ask the patient while waiting for 103 Squadron Gander’s Cormorant helicopter to arrive on scene.
“I am not (emergency medical responder) qualified,” said Mosiychuk, “but the experience has been helpful because it gives a better insight on what patient care is all about.
“Seeing such dedication from the SAR team and the pilots; the navigation team; the airborne electronic sensor operator – there were probably more than 20 people involved in the entire rescue process. It really shines a light on how important collaboration and professionalism from every trade is.”
For someone experiencing distress in an isolated location, being able to communicate with first responders in your own language is crucial to feeling safe, and trusting you will be properly treated.
“(The patient) was worried,” said Mosiychuk. “Having a medical issue and being stranded 200 miles off the coast is definitely concerning. Then, the Cormorant arrived and they saved the day. They sent out two SAR-techs, and they were very quick. It was really nice to see them from the Kingfisher. Looking at the cameras and seeing that in live action – they’re pros.”
Mosiychuk was also impressed by the aircraft’s imagery capabilities, particularly in the poor visibility they experienced during the night. The Kingfisher’s imagery capabilities also enabled the crew to discover a forest fire and report it to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre en route.
While the experience was rewarding, it was not the first time Mosiychuk’s first language served as a tactical asset: he recently returned from a six-and-a-half month tour as a linguist for Operation Unifier, the Canadian Armed Forces’ military training, professionalization and capacity-building mission in support of Ukraine.
Mosiychuk encourages any military member with a language profile to self-declare, like he has, and potentially open opportunities to participate in these vital roles for the CAF.
“I highly recommend to give it a try, because Canada operates worldwide and the military, first and foremost, is a business of people. Being able to understand each other is paramount in military operations, and that is where somebody who has the organizational and operational knowledge can really make the job what it’s supposed to be.”
Mosyichuk immigrated to Canada in 2012 and is proud to contribute to the CAF.
“Coming from an immigrant background, I just thought, ‘this country has welcomed me. It’s given me a good sense of security, a great sense of belonging.’ I can be myself; I can express myself. I was always interested in the military, and it would be a good way of paying the community back. “That’s why I joined, and I’m having a lot of fun doing it.”
