WO Mark A. MacDonald will retire from the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian military Engineer Branch on 17 Oct 2107 after 26 plus years of Loyal and Dedicated service to Canada. For best wishes, anecdotes, amusing stories and messages, please contact MWO Easton at KEVIN.EASTON@forces.gc.ca<
WO Mark A. MacDonald was born in April 1967 on Prince Edward Island. Pte (R) MacDonald enlisted into the Canadian Armed Forces Army on 18th December 1990 as an Infantry recruit soldier. On 5th January 1991 he began his Basic Trg at Recruit School CFB Cornwallis, N.S. After successfully completing the 10 weeks basic Trg program at the recruit school, Pte (B) MacDonald attended the RCR Battle School at CFB Petawawa, Ont. Upon successfully completion of 18 weeks on the basic Infantry QL3 at the RCR Battle School Pte (T) MacDonald was posted to the 1st Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment (1RCR), at CFB London, Ont. Following a quick, fast and furious thirteen months at this outstanding posting, CFB London regrettably was down sized permanently in 1992 and the Regular force component, (Infantry Battalion, 1RCR) was moved to its current location at CFB Petawawa, Ont.
Pte MacDonald experienced his fist overseas deployment to the former Republic of Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina) as a (No hook Pte) when Bravo Coy 1 RCR was augmented within the 2nd Battalion of the RCR for Op CAVALIER on a 6 month UN tour (Oct 92- May -93). About 1.5 yrs later on and a promotion to Cpl while deployed in theater, Cpl MacDonald regaled another 6-month UN deployment to the former Republic of Yugoslavia, Croatia on Op HARMONY (Oct 94 – Apr 95). In Jun 95 Cpl MacDonald volunteered and was posted to 3 CDO of the Canadian Airborne Holding Unit (CAHU) in Petawawa, Ont to utilize his basic para course he acquired at CABC in Oct 93 in Edmonton, Alta. Eventually 3 CDO CAHU later became the 2 CMBG Canadian Light Infantry, and finally the 3rd Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment in Petawawa, Ont. Cpl MacDonald deployed domestically to eastern Ont and southern Que for Op RECUPERATION for the Great Ice storm of 1998. For the 3rd time, Cpl MacDonald once again found himself traveling over to the former Republic of Yugoslavia on Op PALLADIUM (Jun 98-Jan 99) “NATO this time” returning to the dead of winter to Petawawa. Upon his return to Battalion life in the summer of 99 Cpl MacDonald was promoted to the appointment of MCpl.
Following Trg with the 3rd Battalion for another yr, MCpl MacDonald decided to challenge himself further with submitting a remuster to the Canadian Military Engineer world, as a Water, Fuels & Environmental Technician. He was accepted, relinquished his leaf and back to Cpl and began his QL3 crse in Sep 01 at CFSME in Gagetown, N.B. After graduating from the 7 month crse in Apr 02 he was posted to 14 Wing Greenwood, N.S. After completing his required 2 yrs of OJT he was then crse loaded onto and attended his QL5 Journeyman crse in 04. Once again, Cpl MacDonald found himself traveling overseas. However, this time it was actually somewhere new! “the not so secretive” Camp Mirage as the Det WFE Comd on TF Afghanistan Roto 3(Dec 06-Jun 07). After returning to 14 Wing Greenwood in Jun 07, Cpl MacDonald was promoted to the appointment of MCpl for the second time in his career and posted to 4 Engineer Support Regiment in Gagetown, N.B as the 74 Tp WFE 2IC. He successfully completed his QL6A Supervisors crse in the fall of 08.
In 09, MCpl MacDonald volunteered to work at BCE as the 3ASG Wastewater Plant Supervisor overlooking a civilian CE work force for 6 months. He then returned to be promoted to the rank of Sgt in Jun 09 and assumed the WFE Sect Comd position. Sgt MacDonald has completed numerous CFTPO to CFSME to instruct on the WFE QL3/QL5 and the Advanced Water Supply crse for the Cbt Engineers. Sgt MacDonald was deployed to Haiti on Op HESTIA (Jan-Mar10) and to Cape Dyer in Baffin Island (JunJuly10) as part of the Engineer asset to assist in the DEW Line Cleanup Project. He also was deployed on Op LAMA to the province of Newfoundland in Sep 10. He successfully completed his QL6B CE Supt crse in the spring of 11. Sgt MacDonald has been utilized in many positions at the Const Tp, WFE Sect Comd, Ops/Trg NCO, and Tp Recce NCO. He also was the 45 Sqn SQMS for 9 months. Sgt MacDonald has successfully completed countless Trg exercises and tasking’s within/outside of the Regiment over his six yrs posting at 4ESR.
After a posting back to the province of Ontario in Aug 13 to 1 Engineering Support Unit (1ESU) at CFB Kingston Ont, Sgt MacDonald was promoted to his current rank of Warrant Officer in Feb 14. WO MacDonald has deployed multiple times (and then some), while being posted at 1ESU. He has been deployed to every province and territory within Canada and various exotic international locations for various operations and recces for the CAF. CFS Alert recce in early Feb 14 was an incredible experience to see the top of the world.
In Jan 17 he requested a posting to IPSC det Kingston, and will be 3b medically released in Oct 17, completing 26 years and 10 months of honorable service to the CAF. He currently resides in the west end of Kingston and is looking forward to transitioning to an ex-military-civilian life and spending copious amounts of time with his lovely family.
WO MacDonald has been happily married to the woman of his dreams, his beautiful wife Deanna MacDonald for the past 21 yrs. He has two wonderful progenies currently living at home, his 20 yr old daughter Sarah, and his 16 yr old son Connor. He also has a 30 yr old Stepson Edward living in Ottawa, Ont.
WO MacDonald appreciates spending quality time with his family and enjoys growing his beard, hunting and fishing. He also enjoys playing the odd game of golf and cribbage when given the chance, eh! He was very active as a brown belt in Shotokan karate in Gagetown, N.B. and now enjoys getting tapped out as a white belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) in Kingston, Ont.
WO MacDonald prides himself with trying to ignore the arthritis and maintain a “fit to fight” lifestyle “at his own pace”, thru BJJ, ice hockey, weight Trg, hiking, canoeing, and snowshoeing with his wife Deanna and their 6 yr old chocolate Labrador retriever, Bruno.
The MacDonald’s are planting firm roots in Kingston, Ont for the long haul and no more deployments.[zkj]