1. CWO DAVE THORNE WILL BE RETIRING FROM THE CF 7 SEP 08 AFTER 35 YEARS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CANADIAN MILITARY ENGINEERS AND THE CF   

2. CWO THORNE JOINED THE MILITARY ENGINEER FAMILY IN JUNE 1972 AS A FIELD ENGINEER IN ST JOHNS NL.  AFTER COMPLETING HIS BASIC TRAINING IN CORNWALLIS AND HIS TQ3 IN CHILLIWACK BC, HE WAS POSTED TO 1 FIELD SQN (NOW 2 CER) UNTIL HE RELEASED IN MAY 1974.  AFTER A VERY SHORT TIME OUT OF THE FORCES HE REALIZED THERE REALLY WAS NO LIFE LIKE IT AND RE‐ENROLLED IN JAN 1975.  HE THEN ACCEPTED A POSTING TO 3 FIELD ENGINEER SQN (NOW 1 CER) AND REMAINED THERE UNTIL JULY 1977 WHEN HE REMUSTERED TO PLUMBER GAS FITTER UNDER THE LTROP PROGRAM

3. FOR THE NEXT 31 YEARS HE MOVED IN, OUT AND AROUND THE COUNTRY. HIS POSTINGS INCLUDE CFB BORDEN JAN 1978‐OCT 1981, CFS SIOUX LOOKOUT OCT 1981‐JUNE 1984, CFB BORDEN JUN 1984‐MAY 1989, 1 CEU WINNIPEG MAY 1989‐JUL 1992, CFB GAGETOWN JUL 1992‐JUL 1998, 1 CEU MONCTON JUL 1998‐JULY 2000, CFSME JUL 2000‐JULY 2003, CFSU (E) GEILENKIRCHEN GERMANY JUL 2003‐JUL 2005, AND FINALLY CFB TRENTON FROM JUL 2005 TO PRESENT

4. HIS DEPLOYMENTS INCLUDE UNDOF GOLAN HEIGHTS (APR‐OCT 79), CFS ALERT (JUN‐AUG 81), CYPRUS (NOV 87‐MAY 88), UNPROFOR CROATIA (AUG AUG 92‐MAR 93), UNAMIR RWANDA (JUN‐AUG 94), SFOR BOSNIA (NOV 98‐JUN 99), INTERFET EAST TIMOR (OCT‐DEC 99), AND ISAF (KAF) AFGHANISTAN (JUL 07‐JAN 08)

5. DAVE AND HIS WIFE JUDY WILL REMAIN IN THE TRENTON AREA FOR A FEW MORE YEARS UNTIL JUDY RETIRES FROM THE PUBLIC SERVICE.  IN THE MEANTIME, CWO THORNE HAS ACCEPTED A TERM OF SERVICE WITH THE WLEO BRANCH IN THE RESERVES

6. A GATHERING WILL BE HELD 15 AUG 08 1800 HRS AT THE FIRESIDE LOUNGE, WO AND SGTS MESS 8 WG TRENTON

7. ANY WELL WISHES, ANECDOTES, AND OUTRIGHT LIES ARE WELCOMED AND ENCOURAGED.   THEY CAN BE FORWARDED TO CPL CHRISTA COX (COX.CM AT FORCES.GC.CA)