On 30 Oct 2007 after 30 years and 8 months of loyal and dedicated service to the CF and the Engineer Branch, WO M.A. Tracey (Mark) will retire from the CF.
WO Tracey joined the Canadian Forces in May 1977 after getting the parachutists bug. Following his basic jump course with the PPCLI in Calgary, he was sent to CFB Petawawa and service with 2 Commando of the Airborne Regiment.
In 1982 Mark decided to get reacquainted with the construction world, so he remustered to the 642 MOC electrician trade. Upon completion of his TQ3 course, he was sent back to Petawawa and there joined BCE as an apprentice electrician. While there he was deployed to Cyprus, Nicosia where he married his lovely wife Maz.
In 1987 Mark was posted to The Canadian Forces Language School and one year later was posted to the CE section in Longue Point, Montreal. In 1991 he was posted to 1 Canadian Field Hospital in Petawawa. While there he was attached posted to 2 Field Ambulance and the DART team. During a DART deployment to Rwanda, Africa, he was asked to build an incubator for newborn infants. Using the equipment from an abandoned milk factory, he and his CE brothers built one that saved many lives and later earned them a CDS commendation.
In 1996 Mark was posted to 2 ACT 4 ESR with 2 CER. His secondary duty while there was the Electrical Section Commander of the DART team. He was deployed to Turkey, Honduras, Bosnia and alert during this period. In 2002 Mark was posted to ASU Chilliwack as a Contracts Inspector. A medical condition, however, forced a return to Petawawa. After a six-month recovery he was employed once again at CE as the Contracts Supervisor.
Three years later mark was given an article 3B release due to a lack of deployability under the universality of service.
Mark and Maz will be retiring to a new home in the Muskrat Lake area of Ontario where they will enjoy spending time with their daughter and 2 grandchildren.
A luncheon at the CFB Petawawa Snr NCO Mess is tentatively scheduled for the afternoon of the 18th of Oct 2007.
Please send any RSVPs, congratulatory messages, anecdotes or best wishes by fax 613- 588-7535 or email MWO Dan Taric at taric.dj@forces.gc.ca.