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The Yardarm Newsletter
"The Yardarm Newsletter" is a bi-annual newsletter and website (www.yardarm.ca) authorized by the Royal Canadian Naval Association (RCNA). Lieutenant Commander (Ret.) Melvin Patrick (Pat) Cornect was appointed Editor of the newsletter, and webmaster for the website, in September 2012. The Yardarm is offered free to all members and associate members of the RCNA.

The RCNA was incorporated in 1959 and has Branches across Canada as well as members-at-large (MALs) overseas. The aim of the Association is to provide a venue through which retired members of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Merchant Marine and retired members of the Reserve/Regular Forces can relax and socialize. The Association and its Branches operate as a Non-Profit entity, all surplus funds raised are donated to various charities within the community.

The Yardarm newsletter provides a communications link for the various Branches and a connection for members living outside of Canada. To that end the main feature of the newsletter is a section with up-to-date news articles from the various Branches and articles of interest for veterans. The Yardarm also has a Padre's Corner for inspiration and lists the names of members who have passed on or have "crossed the bar" during the previous year. The Wren Association of Toronto as provides input to the newsletter and lists the names of members who have passed on. Each edition includes a running serial on the Korean War, and an ongoing "Historical Fiction" featuring major vessels in the Canadian Naval Fleet. The Yardarm also features an article on "Healthy Living" for the aging, and recipes by a qualified chef under "Healthy Eating." Additional content includes Federal bulletins affecting retirees, naval trivia, contact information and the "Last Word" from the editor. The Yardarm website (www.yardarm.ca) was created by Pat Cornect to complement the Yardarm newsletter. The site features an archive of past editions, current list of National Executive members, as well as a running list of members who have Crossed the Bar. Members of National Executive use the site to post bulletins and notices to the membership.

About the editor: LCdr M.P. (Pat) Cornect was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and grew up on the West Coast of Newfoundland. In 1970 he returned to Nova Scotia to join the Canadian Forces as a Communications Research Operator, MOC 291. After 19 years the Supplementary Radio System sites including six tours at CFS Alert, NWT, at the rank of Petty Officer First Class, he accepted a commission from the ranks. Mixed in with basic and advanced engineering training, he completed his BA and MA university degrees from the Royal Military College. LCdr Pat Cornect held various positions including: Operations Officer at CFS Leitrim, Technical Maintenance Officer and Operations Officer at CFS Alert, 1994; Joint Operations Communications Officer for missions in Cambodia, Haiti, Rwanda, and the Middle East, Wing Technical and Information Systems Officer for 16 Wing Borden, and Officer Commanding Standards Squadron at CFSCE Kingston, 2001-2003. During his stint in Joint Operations LCdr Cornect conducted on-site communications inspections at various locations including, Rwanda, Middle East (Israel, Egypt and Kuwait) and Cyprus. Pat has coordinated the publication of several books and serves as webmaster for several military sites. In 2012, in recognition for this service to his community and the Royal Canadian Naval Association he was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.