Capt Gary Ryan, CD will retire from the Canadian Armed Forces on 8 October 2014 after almost 38 years of dedicated service to the CAF and the CME Branch (please see bio below). Friends and colleagues are welcome to attend the depart with dignity ceremony which will be held at the HMCS Cabot Naval Complex, 220 Southside Road St. John's, NL on 1 October 2014 at 1230. A lunch will be available at a cost to be determined (approx. $20.00 per person). For planning purposes, please confirm your attendance with Capt Lisa Williams , the coordinator for the function, by 22 September 2014 at Lisa.Williams2@forces.gc.ca. Congratulatory messages or anecdotes can also be sent to Capt Lisa Williams by 26 September 2014. Capt Gary Ryan, CD prendra sa retraite des Forces armées canadiennes le 8 oct 2014 après plus de 38 années de loyaux services au sein des FAC et de la Branche du GMC (voir bio ci-jointe). Une cérémonie de départ dans la dignité aura lieu au HMCS Cabot Naval Complex, 220 Southside Road St. St. John's, NL, le 1 oct 2014 à 12h30. Acheminer vos messages de félicitations ou anecdotes au Capt Lisa Williams Lisa.Williams2@forces.gc.ca avant le 26 sept 2014.

Originally from London, Ontario, Capt Gary Ryan joined the CF on 18 January 1977 as a Construction Engineering Technician. After attending the CF Recruit School in Cornwallis, NS, and the CF School of Military Engineers in Chilliwack, BC, he took his first posting in CFB Borden.

Between the years of 1977 and 1984, Capt Ryan moved through the ranks from Pte to MCpl, working in Base Construction Engineering drafting offices in Borden, ON and Greenwood, NS. In 1984 he was posted to CFB Ottawa, CE Special Projects Office. Upon promotion to Sgt in February 1985, he assumed the MWO position as Drafting Section Supervisor. In 1988, promoted to WO, Capt Ryan was posted to CFB Cold Lake as CE Drafting Office Supervisor. During his time in Cold Lake he was deployed to Cyprus in the position of 2IC Production Superintendent.

Promoted to MWO in 1992, Capt Ryan was posted to CFB Toronto where he spent two years as the Contracts Supervisor, followed by two years at Detachment Hamilton (Star) as the CE Production Officer and the Detachment Sergeant Major.

Capt Ryan was next posted to CFB Halifax from 1996 – 1998 where he was initially employed as the Dockyard Planning Officer, and then the Dockyard Engineering Officer. In 1998, he was promoted to CWO and assumed the position of Plant Operations Officer, managing seven heating plants and the Water, Fuels and Environment Section.

In 2002, he was posted to 14 Construction Engineering Squadron Headquarters in Bridgewater, NS as the Squadron Chief Warrant Officer. Three years later in 2005, Capt Ryan was posted back to CFB Halifax as the Base Construction Engineering CWO. In 2007, he was deployed to Afghanistan Roto 3.

In July 2009, Capt Ryan took his commission under SRCP and was posted to CANSOFCOM (The Hill) where he initially served as 2IC Garrison Squadron and subsequently took over as OC Garrison Squadron. In 2012, Capt Ryan took a final posting to CFS St. John’s as the ACO(L) RCSU(A), responsible for Army Cadet units in Newfoundland and Labrador, the province where his wife is from originally.

Gary and his wife, Florence have two sons, Justin (Geraldine) and Jeremy, one grandson, Seamus, and are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their newest grandchild. After almost 38 years of service with the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineers, Capt Ryan will retire in NL (at least for now) where he plans to spend time with his grandchildren and take the time to travel with Florence.