Colonel J.G.P. (Pierre) Lamontagne, CD will retire from the Canadian Armed Forces on 1 March 2017, after more than 35 years of loyal and dedicated service to the CAF and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch (please see bio attached). In order to honour Col Lamontagne's service in the CAF and to wish him well in his retirement, a function will be held Friday, 24 Feb 2017 at the NDHQ WO's and Sgt's Mess, 4 Queen Elizabeth Drive, Ottawa at 1400 hrs. For planning purposes, please confirm your attendance and/or send congratulatory messages or anecdotes to Maj Etienne Tremblay (613-945-2374) - before 17 Feb 2017.
Colonel Lamontagne joined the Canadian Forces in 1981, he attended CMR St- Jean and RMC Kingston, graduating in 1986 with an undergraduate degree in Applied Sciences. In 1987, after training at the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering, he was posted to 5 Combat Engineer Regiment at Valcartier, where he subsequently served as Aide de Camp to Commander 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, Field Troop Commander and Regimental Operations Officer.
In 1990, Col Lamontagne was posted to 4 Combat Engineer Regiment, at Lahr, Germany where he served as the Second in Command of 41 Field Squadron and
Regimental Adjutant. In March 1992, he deployed as 4 CER Adjutant to the Former Republic of Yugoslavia as part of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR). In fall 1992, he was posted to Base Construction Engineering at Lahr, Germany, where he served as Production Officer. In 1994, he attended the Royal Military College of Sciences in Shrivenham, UK, where he obtained a Master's of Science in Defence Technology from Cranfield University. In 1995, he returned to Canada upon posting to the Land Force Command HQ, at St-Hubert, where he was employed as Staff Officer Engineer Operations.
Returning to regimental duty in 1996, Col Lamontagne was posted to 5 CER where he assumed the post of Officer Commanding 51 Field Squadron and was promoted to the rank of major in 1997. In 1998, he was posted to the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC). He was awarded the Chief of the Defence Staff Commendation in recognition of his performance working in the CMAC. In 1999, Col Lamontagne was posted to the Directorate of Army Doctrine where he served one year as the Directorate Coordinator and two years as staff officer in charge of engineer doctrine for the Land Force.
In 2002, he completed the Canadian Forces Command and Staff Course in Toronto and was also awarded a Master's in Defence Studies. Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in 2003, he was posted to the Director-General Land Combat Development where he was employed as Chief of Staff. In August 2004 he became the 19th Commanding Officer of 5 Combat Engineering Regiment. In July 2006 he was posted to the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College as part of the Directing Staff and was subsequently employed as the Dean.
In July 2008, he was promoted to Colonel and posted as Chief of Staff of Land Force Quebec Area and Joint Task Force East. In July 2010, he was posted to Stuttgart, Germany where he served as Canadian Forces Liaison Officer to US Africa Command. Returning to Ottawa in 2013, Col Lamontagne held the position of Chief of Staff Development within the Canadian Forces Intelligence Command until 2016. He was seconded to the Department of Veterans Affairs Canada in September 2016 where he is since employed as Director Integration and Analysis.
Colonel Lamontagne, his wife Kerstin and his children Emma and Samuel will remain in the Ottawa area upon his retirement.