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Service information for:
Biography: Commander Rod Hughes, CD (Retired)
During High School in Kingston ON he joined HMCS CATARAQUI as a Naval Reservist in 1974 under the Naval Reservist Summer Student Training Programme and was part of “Davies’ Navy” making preparation for the 1976 Olympics. Later while attending Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, he commenced officer training at HMCS SCOTIAN. As an Officer Cadet he transferred to the Regular Force in 1977 and completed his initial naval training at HMCS VENTURE, the Naval Officers Training Centre in Esquimalt. He was in the first class Canadian that moved from the Canadian Forces Fleet School Esquimalt - Officer Training Division into VENTURE in the dockyard. Upon completion of his training he moved to Halifax and completed the Maritime Operations Course and joined HMCS FRASER in Halifax for his first operational tour as a bridge watchkeeper.
Promoted to Naval Lieutenant during his three years in HMCS FRASER, he also qualified as an Anti-Submarine Air Controller, Destroyer Weapons and Electronic Warfare Officer, and Ship’s Diving Officer where he saw frequent deployments during the Cold War into the Atlantic with NATO forces. After HMCS FRASER, he completed a year-long French Language Course in Halifax and St Jean PQ. He was then assigned as an instructor at HMCS VENTURE, and then joined HMCS GATINEAU in the Pacific as a Weapons Director and Air Controller. Subsequent completion of the Combat Control Officers course in Halifax saw him assigned to HMCS ASSINIBOINE in 1984 as Combat Officer, and in that capacity he completed his second deployment with the Standing NATO Force Atlantic.
Promoted to Lieutenant Commander and obtaining his Command Qualification in 1987, he went on a three-year exchange appointment with the Royal Navy as a member of their Fleet Operational Analysis Staff in Northwood, England. This appointment was the first of three successive underwater warfare staff appointments, with the next in Maritime Command Headquarters in Halifax as Staff Officer Underwater Readiness during the 1991 Gulf War, followed by a tour with Maritime Staff in Ottawa as the Active Sonar, Torpedo, and Torpedo Countermeasures Officer with the Director of Naval Requirements. He joined HMCS KOOTENAY as Executive Officer in 1995 overseeing her final operational deployment to Chile and rounding Cape Horn before her decommissioning. He then transferred over to the twelfth and final Halifax Class Frigate, HMCS OTTAWA as commissioning Executive Officer. After completing the coastal transfer of HMCS OTTAWA to her new base in Victoria, I was selected to attend the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College in Toronto. He then returned to Naval Headquarters in Ottawa as the Fleet Support Section Head on staff of the Directorate of Maritime Project and Policy Development.
Returning to Esquimalt, his next appointment was as the Western-Pacific Plans Officer in Maritime Forces Pacific Headquarters. In 2001, he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Royal Roads University and was then selected to be the Executive Assistant to the Commander of Maritime Forces Pacific, Rear-Admiral Fraser, and then remained in the office to serve Rear-Admiral Forcier. Upon promotion to Commander in 2005, he assumed the duties of Deputy Chief of Staff Operational Readiness at MARPAC. In 2009, he assumed command of the Regional Cadet Support Unit for the Pacific Region Cadets until his retirement in March 2012.
Rod is the son of the late Rear-Admiral William Andrew Hughes.
Ships served in: HMCS CATARAQUI - Enlisted in the Naval Reserves in 1974 under the Naval Reserve Summer Student Training Progeram. HMCS SCOTIAN - for Officer Training * Transferred to the Regular Force in 1977 as an Office Cadet HMCS VENTURE (NOTC Esquimalt) HMCS FRASER - Served in FRASER as a Bridge Watchkeeper * Promoted to Lieutenant (N) CFB HALIFAX CFS ST JEAN HMCS GATINEAU - Served in GATINEAU was Weapons Director and Air Controller HMCS ASSINIBOINE - Served in ASSINIBOINE as Combat Officer * Promoted to Lieutenant-Commander in 1977 FLEET OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS STAFF, Northwood, England during a 3 year exchange program with the Royal Navy MARCOMHQ HALIFAX NDHQ OTTAWA - Staff of Director of Naval Requirements as Active Sonar, Torpedo, and Torpedo Countermeasures Officer HMCS KOOTENAY - Posted to KOOTENAY in 1995 as Executive Officer. Paying-off Crew HMCS OTTAWA - Posted to OTTAWA as Executive Officer. Commissioning Crew CANADIAN FORCES COMMAND and STAFF COLLEGE, Toronto NDHQ OTTAWA - staff of Directorate of Maritime Project and Policy Development as Fleet Support Section Head MARPACHQ ESQUIMALT COMMANDER MARITIME FORCES PACIFIC, Executive Assistant to Rear-Admiral Fraser and later Rear-Admiral Forcier * Promoted to Commander 2005 MARPACHQ ESQUIMALT as Deputy Chief of Staff Operational Readiness COMMANDER REGIONAL CADET SUPPORT UNIT PACIFIC REGION CADETS 2009-2012 * Honourably Released Mar 2012
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