After 36 plus years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineers, CWO Gordon Aitken will retire on 31 Aug 2020. There will be a DwD ceremony on Thursday 20 August 2020, 1400 hrs. Location of the ceremony to be determined. Attendees are requested to advise the OPI of their planned attendance to this event NLT 14 August 2020.  Anecdotes or retirement wishes may be sent to Capt Jean-Philippe Béland at Jean-Philippe.Beland@forces.gc.ca OPI: Capt Jean-Philippe Béland, e-mail at Jean-Philippe.Beland@forces.gc.ca or by phone at 343-552-8378.

Note: Due to the COVID-19 restrictions in place, it will not be possible to hold this event at NDHQ(Carling). Because of the group size limitations, the OPI will confirm attendance with individuals who positively reply to this invitation. Also be advised that attendance will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.

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CWO Gordon Aitken enrolled in October 1983 under the Youth Training Employment Program (Y-TEP), as a Class C Reservist. At the end of the one-year contract, he enrolled into the Regular Force. During his career, he completed R&M Tech QL3, MP QL3 and QL5, R&M QL5 and QL6A and CE Supt QL6B, as well as JLC with the PPCLI Battle School in Wainwright, Alberta, SLC and CQC in St. Jean, Quebec.

Postings have included: CFS Beaver Lodge, CFB Chilliwack, CFB Calgary, CFB Edmonton Detachment Wainwright, CFB Cornwallis, CFB Trenton (8 Wing) twice, CFB Goose Bay (5 Wing), CFB Borden, CFB Gagetown Detachment Moncton, CFB Esquimalt, and Ottawa twice. 

CWO Aitken completed tours in: CFS Alert, CC UNDOF Golan Heights, and JTF Afghanistan Kandahar. Also numerous shorter deployments, deploying and installing Mobile Aircraft Arresting Systems (MAAS) in support of RCAF operations throughout Canada and the United States of America. 

To name just a few CWO Aitken’s career highlights: becoming the lowest rank person entrusted with certification of MAAS at the rank of Sgt, previously a responsibility given to a MWO; becoming the MAAS Subject Matter Expert (SME) at the rank of WO; being selected to be the RSM of 1 Engineer Support Unit (1 ESU); and being selected to be Formation Chief Warrant Officer (FCWO) of Canadian Forces Real Property Operations Group (CF RP Ops Gp). Some of the most memorable moments in CWO Aitken’s military career are: promotion to Master Corporal at the Edmonton Airport, being promoted to Warrant Officer on the Canada Day parade in the Golan Heights, and being promoted to CWO just prior to departing from Afghanistan. 

CWO Gordon Aitken will retire from the Canadian Armed Forces on 31 August 2020, after 36+ years of loyal and dedicated service. He is very grateful to everyone who had a positive effect on his career and who broadened his knowledge and experience not only in the CAF but also in life in general. He is thankful for all of the fond memories he will take with him into the next chapter in his life. He will miss the friends he has made over the years and comradery that comes with those friends.

Gordon and his wife, Darlene, will be moving to Alberta where he plans to rebuild a classic Chevy Nova for Darlene and then build an old Hot Rod for himself. All the best Gordon!