WEBVTT

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Today we are meeting with Master Corporal

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Christine Dedam,
who is a meteorological technician.

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Let's go find out

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about how important the weather is
when it comes to military operations.

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Hey, Christine.

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Ready to talk about all things
weather? Hey, how's it going?

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Yeah, I'm ready to nerd out.

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Okay. Awesome. Do we have some fun weather
coming our way today?

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It's actually looking pretty spicy.

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So if you want to come into the office,
I can show you.

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Yeah, let's do it.

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So what exactly does
a meteorological technician do?

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So their biggest role is to observe brief

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and if not, forecast
the weather for some important clients.

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That sounds really important.

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What do you actually do with the forecast
information when you gather it?

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So once all that data is collected,
then I'll push that off

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to some pretty important decision makers.

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Can you give us

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an example of what you'd say
during a meteorological brief?

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So with all that forecast data,

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then I'll determine whether or not
we've got a thunderstorm rolling in.

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We've got fog overnight
that could impact us

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or even some cloud cover
that's coming a little too close.

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All right.

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Do all Met Techs work in a space like this?

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So a lot of Met Techs do

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work in an aviation facility,
but I specifically work for CANSOFCOM

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So you're in CANSOFCOM

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What exactly does that mean?

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So it is a special operations unit, and
that's as far as I can go with that one.

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Oh, I'm so intrigued.

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So what are these lines up here tell you.

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So here we've got the METAR
which is the current weather conditions

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for the airfield as well as the TAF,
which would be the forecast.

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And what types of equipment
do you use in this role?

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So in deployment I'd like to use
the TAC MET AIR as well as the Met Ranger.

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Those are essentially my 2IC’s. Neat.

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And what's on the schedule for today?

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I'm actually about to do an observation.

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So if you want to come with me,
we'll go out and look at some clouds.

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Yeah. So let's go.

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So what kind
of training went into becoming a Met Tech?

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So initially I did six months in Winnipeg,
and then I did 3

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to 4 months at the Joint Met Center
for on the job training.

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And how did you originally join the CAF?

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So I joined for the CAF Indigenous
Entry Program.

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It was a four week program for non
obligation,

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exposing the opportunities
within the military.

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And what would you say
the best part of your job is?

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The best part for myself
is all the places I get to travel to.

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Do Met Tech’s have any shorthand or slang?

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I do have quite a few buzzwords.

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So sometimes we like to nerd it up
with saying things are pretty

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convective out there,
or it's looking a little unstable.

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And what would you say
your average day is like in this job?

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Well,
since the weather isn't very average,

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I can't say we have a typical day.

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It's always changing. Got it.

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It seems like there's
a lot of collaboration in your role.

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Would you say you work a lot with others,
or is it more independent.

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So it can be very independent?

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So a lot of the times
we're working by ourselves.

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So once all that data is gathered,
then we're collaborating

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with all the other sections
within the unit.

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Okay. Favorite military movie?

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Not to sound cheesy,
but that's Top Gun. The original one.

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Yeah.

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What's your favorite deployment
you've been on?

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So I've been on quite a few,
from pretty warm places to very cold,

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but I really enjoyed CFS
Alert in the Arctic.

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How would the job of a Met Tech change
for someone

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who's working with the Army, Navy
or Air Force?

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So in the Navy, a lot of the times
that forecast is used for sailing.

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And in the Army
we're advising the guns or artillery.

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And for myself in the aviation
side, I'm advising flights.

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But I'm going to head up now.

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All right.

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So if you're investigating the weather
right now, what are you looking for?

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What if it isn't obvious how windy it is?

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I'm actually looking for the visibility,
so I'm checking out the mountains

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over there, as well as the cloud cover
if it's scattered or overcast.

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Okay.

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And what's the hardest thing to learn
as a Met Tech?

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Well, initially it was public speaking.

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Now it's understanding
I have no control over the weather.

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All right. Okay.

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I'm really getting a sense of how vital
your role is at the end of a busy day.

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How do you like to unwind?

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So if it's not baking sourdough
bread, it's a good yoga session.

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It really helps me relax.

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Nice.

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What's your coolest memory as a Met Tech?

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So I had the opportunity up north,
and I've got a few really cool selfies

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with the. Wolves behind it.

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That is cool.

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If you retired tomorrow,
what would you miss most about your role?

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Honestly, it would be the people

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I've had the opportunity to work
at some amazing professionals.

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And what's tomorrow's forecast?

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Hopefully a lot warmer than this.

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And definitely sunnier.

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All right. Last question.

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Would you recommend the Met Tech trade
to others?

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I definitely would.

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If you're looking for a sense of adventure

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and an opportunity,
this is the trade for you.

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Amazing.
Thanks so much for your time, Christine.

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Thank you very much.