Born in Souris, Prince Edward Island, Master Warrant Officer Mike MacDonald grew up on a small island farm in St. Peters. He enrolled in the Canadian Forces on 17 March 1981 and following his basic training in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, he was posted to the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering at Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack, British Columbia. On completion of his Qualification Level 3 training he was posted to 22 Field Squadron in Gagetown, New Brunswick. While serving with the squadron he completed a fall exercise with 4 Combat Engineer Regiment in Lahr, Germany, RV 83, RV 85 and took part in a road reconstruction project in Eureka, North West Territories.
In July 1985, Master Warrant Officer MacDonald was posted to 4 Combat Engineer Regiment. In 1992 he deployed to Visoko, Bosnia, as section commander of a field section in 3 Troop and was attached with the Royal 22e Régiment Battle Group.
In the spring of 1992, Master Warrant Officer MacDonald was posted to Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg, Manitoba. While there he attended a year long French course and upon completion was posted to 5 Régiment du génie de combat in Valcartier, Quebec. During his term there, he completed two tours, one in Bosnia and the other in Haiti.
In July 1997, he was again posted to the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering in Gagetown, New Brunswick. He completed three years with the Field Engineer Training Squadron as a mine and warfare instructor, one year with the Standards Squadron and two years with Tactics Squadron as the Squadron Sergeant Major.
In July 2002, Master Warrant Officer MacDonald returned to 4 Engineer Support Regiment where he was appointed Field Squadron Sergeant Major and deployed with the 2nd Royal Canadian Regiment Brigade Group to Kandahar, Afghanistan. Following a squadron reorganization in 2003, he was employed as 48 Squadron Sergeant Major.
In July 2004, Master Warrant Officer MacDonald returned to Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering as the Operations Master Warrant Officer. During this period with the School, he has been working towards a degree in business to make the transition from military to civilian life more comfortable and to open up more avenues of employment. In the summer of 2006, he was appointed Squadron Sergeant Major of Training Support Squadron.
Master Warrant Officer MacDonald will be retiring this July. He and his wife, Edythe, and their son, Daniel, plan to settle in Stanhope, Prince Edward Island, where Mike will build his retirement home.
As requested by Mike, a small gathering will be held at the Gage Golf and Curling Club on 27 June 2008. Anecdotes and messages of congratulation may be sent to the OPI, Master Warrant Officer Phil Hinchey via e-mail at: Hinchey.PW@forces.gc.ca or via Fax at: 506-422-1220 Attention: MWO Hinchey.