Marine Corps Interrogator Translator Teams Association
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3rd
Annual Marine Corps Interrogation-Translation Team Association GatheringBy: Maj. Anthony F. Milavic, USMC (Ret.)
From 28 June to 3 July 2005, the Marine Corps Interrogation-Translation Team Association (MCITTA) celebrated its 3rd Annual Gathering in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. And as the song of the same name declares, it was an "Oh Canada" event with a total of 49 members and spouses attending.
28
JUNE 2005Casino Nova Scotia Hotel served as the headquarters and harbor site for the Gathering. The first night, we all assembled in the Hospitality Suite for the surprise birthday party for the Gathering host MGySgt Mitchell Paradis. His right hand, left, hand and co-host, Joan Salmond, arranged the event that included a barbershop quartet--Mitch is also one of them barbershop singers. WELL!?! Being coiffure-challenged, he needs another reason to go to a barbershop!.
The first morning saw us all mustered for breakfast. MGySgt Paradis opened the Gathering only to turn it over to our Team Chief, Capt Harry Todd.
He
used the occasion to honor MGySgt Paradis and CWO5 Howard Young for his
unflagging support to the MCITTA. Since Howard had to leave the Gathering
that day to attend a wedding in Florida, he hurriedly went around the
tables showing off his new medal --HOWARD! YOU DIDN'T SHOW IT TO ME!
After
breakfast, we were led away by our host-seen under the pith helmet. I've
always thought that someone with a lisp was responsible for the naming
of this head covering. The pith helmet took us to an excursion aboard
an amphibious DUCK. In contrast to the smiling faces around him, Lt Col
John Guenther (upper right corner with a green jacket) has on his grumpy
face. Later, his wife Gerrie told me that the expression had nothing to
do with the trip: When he was 
30
pounds lighter, he bought skin-tight briefs that he continues to wear
despite the wedgy effect they now have on him. You see, replacing these
briefs means spending money.
After
the tour of Halifax Harbour and the city, we lunched on fish and chips.
At the entrance to the multi-vendor restaurant was an art-deco lobster.
During this Canada Day period, merchants are sponsoring artists to decorate
these heroic-sized facsimiles of lobsters that are displayed outside their
establishments. The lobsters will be auctioned off later and the money
contributed to a handicapped persons charity.
The
business meeting was next-WHY IS THERE ALWAYS A BUSSINESS MEETING AT THESE
EVENTS? At the head table was: MGySgt Mitchell Paradis, Team Chief; GySgt
Howard Kahn, 2nd Sub-Team Commander; Capt Harry Todd, Team Commander;
and, CWO-5 Howard Young, 1st Sub-Team Commander. Fortuitously, this was
the day's last scheduled event.
This
day, the Halifax Citadel was first on the agenda. Four forts were built
here on "Citadel Hill" with the current version being completed
in 1856 to deter an overland assault from the United States. Declared
a National Historic Site of Canada in 1951, the fort is maintained by
Parks Canada in cooperation with the not-for-profit Halifax Citadel Regimental
Association. One of its members, wearing the uniform of the 78th Highlander
Regiment, Color Sergeant Kevin Andrecyk was our guide during this visit
.
Although trousers were observed, kilts appeared to be the preferred uniform
here . The Color Sergeant described living conditions inside the barracks
as being less than commodious. The pictured room has 11 bunks. In years
past, this space was outfitted with twice that number of bunks for the
22 soldiers quartered here plus the wives and children of those authorized
to be married-all lived in the same room. At taps, the door was locked
and those inside used a single bucket to relieve themselves. In the morning,
the junior soldier emptied the "night water" and refilled the
same bucket with wash water that was shared by all to freshen-up-senior
man first. The Citadel is also the site where the "Noon Gun"
is fired. Maintained by volunteers dressed in the uniforms of the Royal
Artillery of 1869, this vintage canon has fired a blank round every day
at noon-save Christmas--since the middle of the 19th century.
That
afternoon, it was off to the oldest working brewery in North America:
Alexander Keith's Nova Scotia Brewery. The statue of Mr. Keith holding
out a stein of beer proved to be a compelling invitation to LtCol Jim
Tortorici. In keeping with the Canada Day celebration, the brewery sponsored
a lobster.
Guided by animators dressed in period costumes, we were shown brewery
life in 1863. The tour also included sampling the spirits brewed there,
listening to period songs and a slight-of-hand game of cards conducted
by an animator brandishing a club-like device
.
The evening took us to DOOLY'S billiard room for an 8-ball tournament
among ourselves. Of course, the gentlemen in the crowd sprung to the fore.
MGySgt Felix Conde immediately started giving lessons to a damsel in distress;
only, he forgot to include the cue ball in his demonstration. 
Capt
James Haskins oversaw his wife Victoria's effort at learning by cogitating
her effort as he held dearly to a bottle of beer. Oh, well, neither Felix
nor Jim won the tournament-so much for these pool sharks. 
This day started off serious as we loaded on buses for a memorial service at the Shearwater Canadian Forces Base. At the Shearwater Military Chapel, we were joined by LCdr David Schilling, CHC, USN. MGySgt Felix Conde and SSgt Jose Oliveras served as flag bearers for the service .
After,
we were able to chow down at the base's Warrior's Block Dining Facility.
As we stood in the chow line, LtCol Vince Burdelski held up his hands
in frustration because he couldn't go to the head of the line.
That night, we gathered for the formal diner. The Kilters-Five joined the bagpiper for a group picture: Capt Harry Todd, Capt James Haskins, Victoria Haskins, SSgt Jose Oliveras, and MGySgt Mitchell Paradis. Victoria told me that she didn't care what the male tradition was for kilt undergarments, she was fully garmented. The evening included dining and dancing.
We also gathered for a group picture. As mentioned earlier, CWO5 Howard Young left early missing inclusion in the group picture.
This
year, a last man standing table was established. It will be for the last
0250/51 to drink a toast to his departed comrades some day in the, hopefully,
distant future to complete the loop in this new tradition.
The
morning of the last full day of the Gathering, we all boarded the Tall
Ship Silva for a tour of Halifax Harbour. After leaving the mooring, the
captain of the ship roped in a bunch of the women into manning the halyards
to hoist one of the sails: Lynne Riemer, Susan Bragdon, Judy Weist and
Lois Todd. Feeling newly empowered, Judy Weist reached even higher and
took over the helm.
This
turn-of-events caused consternation on the part of the men in our group
as reflected in their facial expressions: GySgt Jeff Smith
,
GySgt
James Riemer 
,
and Capt James Haskins. During the cruise, the Theodore Too passed off
our starboard beam.
This tugboat is something of a Halifax curiosity. It is unique in appearance;
available for harbor tours; has its own radio show; and this winter, it
will 
transport
the annual Halifaxgift Christmas tree to Boston, Massachusetts. On December
6, 1917, the French munitions ship Mont Blanc collided with the Norwegian
vessel Imo. At 9:05 a.m., an explosion ensued resulting in the deaths
of over 1,700 people and the injury of over 4,000. This "Halifax
Explosion" was the largest man-made explosion until the detonation
of the A-bomb in 1945. Since 1971, as a demonstration of gratitude to
the people of Boston for the support during that disaster, the people
of Halifax have sent them a Christmas tree each year.
That
evening, we all repaired to the Halifax Metro Centre for the Nova Scotia
International Tattoo. This is an annual event and usually coincides with
Canada Day that is celebrated on 1 July. Fittingly, the Tattoo opened
with a lone, seemingly ghostly piper emphasizing this province's historic
legacy: the name Nova Scotia means, New Scotland. At the last eerie strands
of the piper, the Centre exploded with light and smoke as a phalanx of
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) marched onto the floor accompanied
by an orchestra .
The
Nova Scotia Tattoo has been held every year since 1979 when it was first
conducted for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. The term "tattoo"
is steeped in British military history and tradition. In 17th century
Dutch villages, drummers marched through the streets summoning British
soldiers to return to their quarters from the taverns and inns. A drumbeat
signaling innkeepers to "doe den tap toe" or "turn off
the taps" was shortened to "tattoo."
The
phrase here heralded in marching bands, a close-order drill team from
Germany, acrobats from Africa, a Canadian Army group that disassembled
and reassembled a Jeep in minutes, Scottish dancers, a race between two
Canadian Army squads, etc. The 2 1/2 hour spectacular finished with an
appropriate Grand Finale that filled the Centre's floor with some of the
hundreds of participants.
This was the day of, "See ya next years!" It is with profound gratitude that I thank MGySgt Mitchell Paradis and Joan Salmond for one tremendous 3rd Annual Gathering and enthusiastically encourage all to meet with us next year in Las Vegas for the 4th Annual Gathering.
Semper Gathering,
Anthony F. Milavic
Major USMC (Ret.)
Minutes of the Business
Meeting
Updated:10/15/08
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