After more than 26 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, CWO Donnie Matthews, CD, will retire on 16 August 2024. An informal DWD will take place at Donaleigh’s Irish Pub in Barrie on 16 August 2024, starting at 15:00 hrs. Anecdotes and well wishes may be sent to CWO D.M Matthews at Donald.Matthews2@forces.gc.ca.

CWO Donnie Matthews grew up in Cole Harbour, NS. He is a graduate of the Nova Scotia Community College, Saint Mary’s University (Anthropology) and is a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI) and a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator Instructor (CFII). He served as a reservist at 12 Wing Shearwater (ARAF) with the Princess Louise Fusiliers and as a naval reservist with HMCS SCOTIAN as an NCIOP.

In 1998, CWO Matthews changed occupations to become a firefighter. Following occupational training, he was posted to 12 Wing Shearwater as a firefighter. In 2002, he was posted to HMCS St. John's as a Shipborne Firefighter and completed a deployment on Op APOLLO in the Arabian Sea. In 2005, CWO Matthews was appointed to MCpl and posted to the 8 Wing Trenton Fire Hall as a Crew Chief and then as a Fire Inspector.

In 2007, CWO Matthews was promoted to Sgt and posted to 12 Wing Shearwater as a Platoon Chief. In 2009, he was posted to HMCS HALIFAX as Senior Firefighter and Flying Coordinator (FLYCO). Attach postings include HMCS PRESERVER, TORONTO, MONTREAL and ST. JOHN’S. In 2010, he was posted to HMCS ST. JOHN’S when HALIFAX went into THE FELEX program refit. 

In 2011, he was promoted to WO and posted to the Canadian Forces Support Unit Ottawa as the Chief Fire Inspector for the National Capital Region. In 2014, he was posted to 1 ESU in Kingston, ON, as the Fire and Life Safety Advisor. During his brief time there, he embarked on TAVs ranging from Wainwright, AB, to Erbil, Iraq.

In 2015, he was promoted to MWO and posted to Gatineau, QC, as a Life Cycle Materiel Manager.In 2017, he was posted back to Halifax as the Chief Firefighter for Sea Training  . This was a busy time indeed, with multiple trips to conduct programs on the West Coast. He was the last Fire Fighter to occupy this billet before its transition to the RCN.

In 2019, he was promoted to CWO and posted to the Office of the Canadian Forces Fire Marshal as the Senior Trade Advisor. In 2020, he also assumed the duties of Royal Canadian Navy Fire Marshal.

In 2021, he was posted to the Canadian Forces Fire and CBRN Academy (CFFCA) as the Unit CWO. CWO Matthews was posted to the Borden Transition Centre in 2022.

He will retire in the Barrie area and attend the Baking and Pastry Arts Program at Georgian College in September 2024.