Published April 29, 2014
LCol D.W. Corbett, will retire from the Canadian Forces on 15 July 2009 after more than 36 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Forces and the Canadian Military Engineers.
LCol Corbett enrolled in the Canadian Forces – Sea Environment – in 1972. Not too long into his first year at the Royal Military College, he realised the error of his ways and transferred out of the navy to follow his true calling as a Combat Engineer.
His first posting was in support of the air force at CFB Comox were he served as Production, Engineering and Requirements Officer. Later he commanded 25 Engineer Support Squadron, 2CER with the Special Service Force in Petawawa, Ontario.
As an instructor at both the Canadian and British Army Engineer Schools, LCol Corbett taught Engineer Officers and NCOs in Tactics, Mine Warfare and Demolitions, Heavy Equipment operations, Airfield Damage Repair, road construction, Construction Project Management, and Computer System Management. In a later tour, he taught Joint and Combined Campaign Planning on the Canadian Forces Joint Warfare Course.
His staff appointments include: SO Engr Ops, responsible for ADR, EOD/IEDD, Range Clearance, Mine Awareness and Engr support to deployed operations in the Balkans, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kuwait and Somalia; Assistant Director Military Engineer Requirements; Joint Doctrine Writer; SO Scientific and Technical Intelligence for Mines, Explosives and EO/IED; Recce Officer for CF Disaster Response (pre-DART); ROE writer; Project Manager for several Joint capability projects including the JOG, JHQ, JSR, JSG, CJIRU, DART and JTF2 expansion; Assistant DLFR, CFLO to both HQ US Army Materiel Command and the Joint IED Defeat Organisation and is currently the D Comd of the CF CIED Task Force, responsible for EOD Operations.
LCol Corbett’s military education includes the Engineer Advanced Field Operations Course, Army Command and Staff Course, Advanced Project Management, British Army Technical Staff (Division 1) Course, and the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College. He holds a BSc (Applied) and a Masters of Defence Studies, both from RMC.
LCol Corbett will retire from the CF on 15 Jul 09 and plans to continue to serve his country as a Reserve Officer for a few more years. He and Teresa, his wife of 33 years, have settled into their new home in Navan and plan to stay there for the foreseeable future. Their two children, Heather and William, are both married. Heather is a Registered Nurse currently working in Sacramento, California. William is a Computer Systems Engineer working for the Canadian Border Security Agency. In his spare time, LCol Corbett will continue in a leadership role with the RCMP Pipes and Drums and also in promoting Celtic Music and Dance in the Ottawa area.
A Stand up Retirement Luncheon and Depart With Dignity ceremony will be held in LCol Corbett’s honour on Thursday, June 11th at the Army Officers’ Mess (Main Dining Room), 149 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, commencing at 1230 hours. The dress for the function is jacket and tie or female equivalent. A nominal contribution of $20.00 will be required for the cost of the luncheon, gift and gratuities. Anyone unable to attend however wishing to contribute $5.00 to LCol Corbett’s retirement gift may do so by sending a cheque to WO Elliott.
If possible, see WO Doug Elliott or send him a cheque (made out to Douglas Elliott and addressed to Warrant Officer D. Elliott, CLS/C-IED Task Force, National Defence Headquarters, Pearkes Building, 101 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0K2) before 3 June. The dining room has a limited seating capacity of 120, so indicate your intention to attend as soon as possible to WO Elliott (douglas.elliott@forces.gc.ca). To contact by phone call 613-996-1330
The cut-off to signal your intention to attend the luncheon (by email) is 1200 hours on 29 May 2009. Congratulatory messages and anecdotes can also be sent via e-mail to WO Elliott by 3 June 2009.