After more than 21 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, CWO Richard Cayer, CD, will retire on 17 January 2023. Anecdotes and retirement wishes may be sent to Capt V. Cui at Vincent.Cui@forces.gc.ca.
CWO Richard Cayer joined the Canadian Armed Forces on 04 September 2001 as a Plumbing & Heating technician.
After completing Basic training at CFLRS and PLAR at CFSME, he was posted to 4 ESR, CFB Gagetown, NB, until June 2007. During his time at 4ESR, he deployed to Haiti, Jamaica, and Afghanistan.
In June 2007, he was posted to 3 Wing Bagotville, QC as a Plumbing Shop section member. Promoted MCpl in January 2008, he occupied the Shop foreman position until January 2009. He then became 2I/C of the Contracts Cell, where he managed small projects from cradle to grave by interacting directly with PSPC.
In summer of 2009, he was promoted and posted to 2 Air Expeditionary Support Squadron also in Bagotville, QC. During his time at 2 AESS, he was the PH Section I/C and I/C Equipment.
In July 2010, CWO Cayer was posted to 5 ASG Eng Svcs, ASU St-Jean, QC. He fulfilled the Contracts O position for a year, before becoming the Det Plans O 2 I/C, where he oversaw works reception, met with stakeholders, analysed requirements, and managed a small Vote 5 betterments program. He was promoted to Warrant Officer in the summer of 2013.
In July 2014, he moved to Yellowknife, NWT, to become the first CE SUPT posted to RP Ops North - Det Yellowknife as the 2 I/C and Maintenance Officer. At the end of his 2-year stint in Yellowknife, he was promoted to Master Warrant Officer.
With the promotion came a posting to RP Ops West - Det Suffield, AB, in July 2016 as the Det Sergeant-Major, Contracts Officer, Compliance Officer, and Preventative Maintenance I/C.
In July of 2019, he returned to Saint-Jean, QC, as the RP Ops Quebec - Det Saint-Jean SergeantMajor and Compliance Officer. In 2020, he was selected to become the CFS ALERT (Ellesmere Island, NU) Station Warrant Officer (SWO) and deployed there twice for a total of seven months. As the SWO, he filled the roles of Sergeant-Major, OSCER, airfield manager, and animal control officer. Of note, he and his assistant repelled polar bears from the Station a total of 31 times during his tenure.
CWO Cayer was promoted to his current rank on 01 February 2021 and was posted to CFB Esquimalt as the Real Property Operations Pacific UCWO.
After proudly wearing the CAF uniform for over 21 years, Richard has accepted a civilian position with RP Ops Quebec and will reside in the Saguenay area with his wife Marie-Josée.