Published April 2, 2014
Chief Warrant Officer Phaneuf joined the Canadian Armed Forces in February 1974. Completing Basic Recruit Training at CFB St-Jean he proceeded to CFB Chilliwack for technical training as an Electrical Generating Systems technician at Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering.
Chief Warrant Officer Phaneuf deployed to Ismalia Egypt (1976) with UNEF 2 while serving at CFB North Bay (1975-1977), and CFB Bagotville (1977-1981) as a Power Plant Operator. He was promoted to MCpl and transferred to CFS Mont-Apica (1981-1983) as the Power Plant Maintenance IC. On promotion to Sergeant in 1983 he was transferred to CFB Trenton (1983- 1986) to take part in the newly formed Mobile Repair Team (MRT). Promoted to WO in 1987 he returned to CFB Chilliwack and served as an instructor and Mechanical Systems standards rep at Canadian Forces School Military Engineering (1986-1991) where he was promoted to MWO.
He returned for a second tour with the Mobile Repair Team at CFB Trenton (1991-1994) as the Team Leader, deploying to Florida in September of 1992 in support of Hurricane Andrew relief efforts, with UNPROFOR in Bosnia/Croatia 1992-93 and Somalia as a technical advisor in mechanical systems in the spring of 1993. Chief Warrant Officer Phaneuf was the recipient of the Airman of the year award in 1993 in recognition of his dedication to Canadian Forces deployed Ops.
In 1994 he was posted to CFB Comox (1994-1999) and assigned the duties of Wing Utilities Officer and Base Logistics Sergeant Major. This was followed by an appointment as 2 I/C of the newly formed Airfield Engineer Flight.
On promotion to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer in November 1998 he was transferred to CFB Esquimalt (1999-2001) as the Construction Engineering Branch Chief Warrant Officer where he lead the advance party of the Construction Engineer Troop deployment to East Timor. In August 2001 CWO Phaneuf was selected for his first CF senior appointment and assumed the duties of Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) of Task Force Golan for a period of 13 months. In 2002 was selected for a second CF senior appointment and proceeded to 5 Wing Goose Bay as the Wing Chief Warrant Officer. This as followed by a third Senior Appointment as the Canadian National Military Representative CWO in NATO.
Chief Warrant Officer Phaneuf has been serving at 19 Wing Comox within the Mission Support Unit since mid August 2007 and will retire in the local area on the 16 April 2008 after serving what will be more than 34 years in the Canadian Armed Forces.