CWO Ron G. Swift, CD will be retiring from the Canadian Armed Forces on 12 July 2017 after more than 35 years of loyal and dedicated service to the CAF and the CME Branch (please see attached bio).

A retirement ceremony will be held in his honour on Wednesday, 28 June 2017 at 1300 hrs at the RCAF Officers' Mess (158 Gloucester St, Ottawa).
Anyone wishing to attend can contact Capt Jacques Landry at 613-990-4099.

Congratulatory messages, anecdotes, photos and farewell wishes to be included in his retirement book can also be forwarded to Capt Landry.  Please RSVP for the ceremony by 16 June. Please note that there will be no meal/lunch served at the ceremony.

CWO Ron Swift was born in McAdam, New Brunswick. After graduating from high school, CWO Swift enrolled into the Canadian Forces in St. John, NB as 041 Field Engineer.

In 1982, on completing basic training in Cornwallis, he was posted to CFB Chilliwack, BC. That same year, he completed his basic trades qualifications training. He was then posted to 22 Field Squadron in CFB Gagetown, where he served with 2 Troop and Support Troop. While there, he made the progression to the newly formed 042 Field Engineer Equipment Operator MOC.

In 1987, he was posted to 4 Combat Engineer Regiment in Lahr, Germany, where he served until base closure 1993. While serving in 4 CMBG, he was employed in the Armoured Engineer Troop of 45 Support Squadron. He completed his tour in Europe deployed with 1 Combat Engineer Regiment on OP HARMONY (UNPROFOR), working as Recce Sgt / Section Commander with the Armoured Engineer Section.

On his return to Canada, CWO Swift was posted to the newly formed 4 Engineer Support Regiment in Gagetown, where he held various position. While serving with 4 ESR, CWO Swift deployed to Haiti (United Nations Mission in Haiti) in 1997 as the Horizontal Construction Flight Warrant Officer with 14 Airfield Engineer Squadron, Greenwood, and again to the Bosnia in 1998 with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group, as the Equipment Troop Warrant Officer.

In 1999, CWO Swift was posted the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering, where he was employed within the Field Engineering Training Squadron as the cell supervisor for the Heavy Equipment Troop and as an instructor on senior courses.

In 2002, he assumed the appointment of Squadron Sergeant-Major within Doctrine Squadron and was part of the team responsible for furthering Engineer computer based training throughout the Branch with the Schools Distributed Learning Initiative.

CWO Swift was posted to 2 Combat Engineer Regiment in Petawawa in 2004 where he held the positions of Support Squadron and Administration Squadron Sergeant Major. While in Petawawa, CWO Swift also deployed to Afghanistan as one of the first members of Op Archer as the Battalion Sergeant Major Mentor to the Afghan National Army.

In 2007 CWO Swift was posted to the Canadian Forces Joint Headquarters (CFJHQ) in Kingston as the HQ SM. CFJHQ mission was to provide the Commander of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM) with a joint highreadiness rapidly deployable operational-level command-and-control capability for assigned tasks. A truly joint organization designed to work at the operational level with expertise in Navy, Army and Air Force operations.

After two years at the JHQ CWO Swift was posted again to the Directorate of Army Training within the Land Forces Doctrine and Training System in Kingston. While at DAT CWO Swift was responsible for all Combat Engineer NCM Training both Core and Specialty Qualification Standards. CWO Swift also held the position of the Directorate RSM.

In July 2012 CWO Swift was appointed the 25th Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering School Chief Warrant Officer and on 7 May 2015, CWO Swift was appointed the 15th Canadian Military Engineering Branch Chief Warrant Officer.

CWO Swift and his wife, Shelley, have two children: Amie and Matthew.