Chief Warrant Officer J.L.L.D. Gratton, CD

Chief Warrant Officer J.L.L.D. Gratton, CD

Chief Warrant Officer J.L.L.D. "Daniel" Gratton enrolled in the CF on 02 January 1980, in St-Jérome, QB as an electrician.

After completing basic training in St-Jean, Quebec he was posted to 1 Construction Engineering Unit, Winnipeg, Manitoba and worked as an electrician in the upgrading project of Canadian Forces Station Flin Flon, Manitoba. In March 1981 he was posted to Canadian Forces Base Valcartier Construction Engineering section. While there, he participated in Op Hurricane at Canadian Forces Station Alert, completed his Qualification Level 5 in 1983 followed by a 6-month tour to Canadian Forces Station Alert from October 1983 to April 1984. Sapper Gratton was promoted to the rank of Corporal on Feb 13th 1983. In the summer of 1986 Corporal Gratton was posted to 1 Combat Engineer Regiment Chilliwack, British Columbia. While there, he did a 6-month tour with the Airborne Regiment in Cyprus from Sept 86 to March 87. Upon his return from his United Nation duties, he took part in RV 87 in Wainwright, Alberta.

In August 1987, Corporal Gratton was promoted to the rank of Master Corporal and posted to the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering in Chilliwack, BC. as an electrical instructor. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in August 1989 and remained at CFSME for another three years.

Upon his promotion to the rank of Warrant Officer in 1992, he was posted to 1 Construction Engineering Unit in Winnipeg, Manitoba as the Electrical section supervisor. While there he took part in the upgrading of the operations building of Canadian Forces Station Alert, renovations of the Canadian Embassy in Moscow, Russia, the upgrading of the Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot Bedford alarm systems, the commissioning of the internal system of the Canadian Embassy in Beijing China and various electrical studies within CF establishments.

In 1995, Warrant Officer Gratton was detached to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade as the Building Systems and Operations Superintendent of the Canadian Embassy in Beijing China. Upon promotion to the rank of Master Warrant Officer in 1998, he was posted to Canadian Forces Base Bagotville as Operations Director within the CE section. In July 1999 MWO Gratton returned to Beijing, China as Project Manager for the Canadian Embassy Expansion Project.

In October 2000, he was posted to Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg Construction Engineering section as Operations Director followed by the Unit Master Warrant Officer. While there he took part in the stabilisation force Roto 10 in Bosnia-Herzegovina from March to October 2002.

In June 200,3 he was promoted to the rank of CWO and posted to 1 Canadian Air Division Airfield Engineering Training where he was also assigned the duties of division Chief for A1 training. In May 2004 CWO Gratton moved to Ottawa to become Career Manager for all seven occupations of the construction engineers.

On 31 May 2007, Chief Warrant Officer Gratton was appointed Canadian Military Engineer Branch Chief Warrant Officer.