After just about 30 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, CWO Brad Montgomery, MMM, MSM, CD, retired on 26 Jan 2015.
CWO Montgomery was born in Chatham Ontario and grew up in the small town of Merlin Ontario where he attended the Merlin Public and High School for the majority of his schooling. During these years he was a member of the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Ventures and was a member of the Volley Ball and Basketball teams at his school. He graduated from High School in 1982 and started working as a cabinet maker in the town of Wallaceburg Ontario and joined the Militia as an Infantry Private in the Essex and Kent Scottish.
CWO Montgomery enlisted 11 May 1985 in Chatham Ontario. Upon completion of basic training at CFB Cornwallis, he underwent trades training to become a Combat Engineer at CFB Chilliwack. His first posting was to 2 CER, CFB Petawawa. During the next three years, he was employed as a section member, driver, Section 2 I/C and CO’s driver. The majority of these formative years were spent in the “light role” supporting 1, 2 and 3 Commando of the Airborne Battle group. He completed various trade specialty and national courses that included basic parachutist, communicator and driver courses.
In 1989, as a Cpl, he was posted to Canadian Forces Europe to 4 CER. During this time he was employed as a Section 2 I/C, Regimental Combat Dive Store man and Section Commander. In 1992, he was a Section 2 I/C deployed to Croatia and Serbia with UNPROFOR. During the tour he was promoted to MCpl and moved into a Section Commander role. During the four years with 4 CER he had the opportunity to participate in many Combat Diving exchanges with the German, British and French militaries.
In 1993, he was posted to the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering at CFB Chilliwack, BC, as a Bridging instructor and was promoted to the rank of Sgt in June of 1994. He instructed basic Engineer trade courses, QL5A, 6A and Officer Phase courses. He also worked in Doctrine Squadron developing Bridging software for Distributed Learning.
In July 1997 he was sent to BFC Valcartier to attend a ten month French course then subsequently posted to 4 Engineer Support Regiment, CFB Gagetown in July 1998. Positions held during his four year posting to 4 ESR were Resources Troop Section Commander, and Regimental HQ Trg Sgt. He was promoted to Warrant Officer in 1999 and moved into the 22 Field Troop WO position and held the Unit Combat Diving Officer position. During this posting he deployed on OPERATION PERSISTENCE, in support of the Swiss Air Flt 111 tragedy and deployed on United Nations Mission Eritrea and Ethiopia in 2001.
In 2002 WO Montgomery was posted again to CFSME Gagetown to the Army Dive Cell as the Sergeant Major of Army Diving. In 2004, he was promoted to MWO and moved to the CFSME Standards Squadron as the Squadron Sergeant Major. MWO Montgomery was posted to 2 CER in July 2005 as 23 Field Squadron Sergeant Major (SSM) and commenced with a year of pre deployment training getting 23 Field Squadron ready for Task Force 3-06. The Squadron deployed to Afghanistan Aug 06 and returned Feb 07. Upon returning SSM Montgomery was posted to CMTC as an Observer Controller Trainer in support of the deploying Task Forces attending EX Maple Guardians.
CWO Montgomery was promoted to Cheif Warrant Officer in June of 2009 and posted as the Command Chief Standards Organization Representative (CCSOR) for LFWA at CFB Wainwright.