VeteransABC

Supporting and helping ex-forces personnel from homelessness to independence. I'm Ex RN (Boats) and will help wherever possible.

[Crazy Vibes @CrazyVibes_1]

July 26, 2020. A beach near Collingwood, Ontario.

Sixteen-year-old Jamey Ruth Klassen was supposed to be enjoying a quiet family vacation beside the icy blue waters of Georgian Bay.

Farther out on the lake, a man named Christopher Robertson had taken his kayak out alone for a peaceful paddle. Then the kayak filled with water and flipped.

Suddenly, he was stranded in the freezing bay, clinging desperately to the overturned hull while shouting for help.

Jamey didn’t hear him directly.

What she heard instead were strangers nearby calling 911, panicking about a kayaker who had disappeared beneath the surface and wasn’t coming back up.

Most teenagers would’ve stayed on shore.

The water was brutally cold. The distance looked impossible. Lifeguards and paramedics were already being called. Waiting would’ve been understandable.

Jamey never waited.

She ran toward the water and dove in.

Alone, she swam nearly 600 feet through Georgian Bay — the distance of two football fields — pushing herself farther and farther from shore toward the empty kayak floating in the distance.

By the time she reached it, Christopher Robertson was gone.

Then Jamey looked down.

Through the clear Canadian water, she could see him lying motionless twelve feet below on the lake floor.

She took one breath.

And dove.

The cold tightened around her body instantly as she reached the bottom. She grabbed Robertson beneath both arms and forced herself upward, dragging his unconscious body back toward the surface.

He wasn’t breathing.

His body hung limp in the water.

Jamey refused to let go.

She turned him onto his back, balanced his head against her shoulder, wrapped one arm across his chest, and began swimming him toward shore using only one arm and her legs.

Every second became harder.

Her muscles burned violently. Her lungs screamed. She had no formal lifeguard certification because the pandemic had canceled the courses she planned to take that summer.

Still, she kept kicking.

Then fear hit her.

Jamey realized she might drown beside him before reaching shore.

Exhausted and losing strength, she used the last thing she still had left:

Her voice.

She screamed for help.

A nearby paddleboarder heard her cries and rushed across the water. Together, they lifted Robertson onto the board while Jamey, shivering and exhausted, swam the remaining distance alone.

Onshore, police officers and paramedics immediately began CPR.

Moments later, Christopher Robertson started breathing again.

He survived.

Nearly a year later, Jamey Ruth Klassen received the Carnegie Medal — North America’s highest civilian honor for heroism. Out of millions of people, only eighteen recipients were chosen that year.

But Jamey barely spoke about herself afterward.

Instead, she used the scholarship money from the award to attend nursing school at McMaster University, quietly continuing the same instinct that had driven her into the freezing water that day:

If someone needs help, you go.

No hesitation.
No spotlight.
No waiting for someone braver.

Just a sixteen-year-old girl who saw a stranger drowning… and decided his life mattered more than her fear.

[First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff @GenGJenkinsRM]

I also met some of the teams working on the cutting-edge autonomous and uncrewed systems that will help protect our underwater energy pipelines and internet cables from the growing threats and grey zone activity we have seen Russia perpetrating in recent years.

2/2

[First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff @GenGJenkinsRM]

The nuclear deterrent is the bedrock of our national security.

That’s why the submarine maintenance improvements we’re making at Devonport are vital.

Last Friday, I visited Royal Navy personnel and staff from Babcock to thank them for their efforts.

1/2

[Vitalis @VitalisViVa]

🇺🇦 Someone made food. Someone found a table. Someone gathered everyone together — and now here they are, crowded around bread and tea and each other, in a pine forest that smells like resin and peace and something very close to home. Everyone is eating. Everyone is together.

[Johanna Nyman @JohannaNyman5]

“Instead of thinking that Ukraine needs Europe, perhaps we should think that we in Europe need Ukraine more,” Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on April 28 in Helsinki. “Ukraine has the largest, most efficient, and most modern military in Europe.”

Stubb is undoubtedly right, and more European leaders should adopt this mindset.

[Entrain Space @EntrainSpace]

We came together in our café space to mark #VEDay with our resident veterans, taking time to reflect and remember what this day represents.

For Entrain Space this is an important opportunity to honour those who served and to recognise the lasting impact their service continues to have on generations today.

#EntrainSpace #VeteransSupport #VEDay

[Entrain Space @EntrainSpace]

Thanks to Vanya, Integration Manager from @ReedPartnership for inviting us to present at the monthly 'Lunch and Learn' for colleagues from the Career Transition Partnership @CTPinfo and Armed Forces Working Group on Friday.

Matthew and Kenny delivered an online briefing plus Q&A about Entrain Space to professionals from across the employment resettlement sector. This was a great opportunity to highlight our work supporting service leavers and veterans into civilian life and sustainable employment, and a chance to make valuable new connections to strengthen outcomes for our veterans.

#EntrainSpace

[BFBS Forces News @ForcesNews]

Arctic mission loading up❄️⚓

HMS Prince of Wales has stopped in Scotland to take on ammunition before heading north

The flagship will soon lead a Nato deployment to the High North — as focus sharpens on Arctic security🔗⬇️
https://t.co/bWGYQpBKSZ

[On This Day RN @OnthisdayRN]

#OnThisDay 1707 the Acts of Union created the Kingdom of Great Britain from the Kingdoms of England & Scotland. This marks the date that @RoyalNavy
came to exist as the British Navy although both countries Navies are much older.

[FalklandsinUK @FalklandsinUK]

On this day in 1982, the Argentine light cruiser General Belgrano was sunk by HMS Conqueror with the loss of 323 lives.

HMS Conqueror was the first nuclear powered submarine to engage an enemy ship with torpedos.

#Falklands44

[Blesma @Blesma]

Lamin from The Gambia joined 1st Battalion The Irish Guards.

On patrol in Afghanistan, he stepped on a Taliban IED and lost both legs above the knee and his right arm.

"I thought I was going to be useless… that I would never be able to do anything for myself.”

With Blesma’s support through his darkest moments, Lamin found strength, resilience, and hope.

“Blesma stood by my side… Their support network was always there. I cannot be more grateful.”

Respect, Lamin 🫡

[The Royal Family @RoyalFamily]

🇺🇸 Farewell and thank you for the warmth of your welcome and the kind support you gave us throughout our first visit to the US as King and Queen, in this, your special anniversary year. We leave a piece of our ❤️ behind and take a little of yours back home with us. Until the next time… God Bless America.

- Charles R. & Camilla R.

📷 @ChrisJack_Getty / Getty Images

[VeteransABC @VeteransABC]

@EntrainSpace How Fab, and many congratulations to the new parents and the arrival of the baby. Wishing the family all the happiness and plenty of great memories. 👏👍💐

[Entrain Space @EntrainSpace]

Our Veterans' Ambassador Kenny proudly represented Entrain Space at Wilton Town Council's Annual Town Meeting last night, where our idea of a community mentoring scheme for resident veterans was well received.

A highlight of the evening was Wilton Town Council formally signing the Armed Forces Covenant, reinforcing their commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community.  

The meeting was a great opportunity to connect with the local community, exchange some key updates, and build on those strong community partnerships that mean so much for our veterans.

#EntrainSpace #VeteransSupport

[Entrain Space @EntrainSpace]

The sun may have finally come out but the Entrain Space team are still enjoying their new hoodies! Wrapped up and ready to tackle everything the day throws at them, whether it’s Kelli settling in new residents, Kenny engaging with referral partners or Josh keeping our admin up to date, we’re doing it in style. 😎
#EntrainSpace

[Entrain Space @EntrainSpace]

Great to welcome back CSgt Jiban Rai, Unit Welfare Officer from the @Army1MERCIAN, visiting us this week alongside a service leaver preparing to move to Entrain Space.

Working together like this helps ensure the right support is in place at Entrain Space from day one, providing a smooth and welcoming transition for service leavers as they leave the military and start their civilian life with us.

#EntrainSpace #VeteransSupport

[The Figen @TheFigen_]

King’s horse shows love to the police officer.

[Navy Lookout @NavyLookout]

This is total nonsense. HMNB Portsmouth does not "only work 9-5". HMS Dragon is being readied as fast as humanly possible, with many people working hard around the clock.

Serco are only a small (although important) part of the enterprise.

[Royal Navy @RoyalNavy]

Royal Navy engineers and technicians from @HMSsultan epitomise the theme of this year’s British Science Week – Curiosity: What’s Your Question?

https://t.co/WhTkFVlPsI

[VeteransABC @VeteransABC]

@EntrainSpace @Cobseo Looking 'Chipper'. Keep up your great work.