After more than 36 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineers, Warrant Officer R.W. MacDonald retired on 31 August 2020. Due to the current situation, a DWD gathering is not permitted. Congratulatory messages, anecdotes, and best wishes may be sent to MWO Allan Long at Allan.Long@forces.gc.ca.
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Originally from Windsor, Nova Scotia Warrant Officer MacDonald (Reg) enrolled in Sept 82 as an infantryman with the West Nova Scotia Regiment (B Company) to begin what was to become a Military Career. He rolled over to the Regular Force and started basic training at CFB Cornwallis in July 90. Upon completion he attended his TQ3 Field Engineer training at CFSME at CFB Chilliwack and after graduation was posted to 22 Field Squadron (4 ESR) in May of 91. During his 11 year tenure he completed a number of courses as a Combat Engineer including specialty courses (Armoured Engineer Operator / AVLB Operation and his EOD qualifications). It was here Reg and his lovely wife Michelle started their 28-year journey together and were blessed with their two children Hayley and Eric.
Reg took part in 4 tours of duty with 22FD (4ESR) OP Harmony UN mission in former Yugoslavia 02 May 93 / 30 June 93 as a AVE Op, OP Lance UNAMIR Kigali Rwanda 25 Jul 94 / 25 Jan 95 (Section Member) OP Palladium UN mission in former Yugoslavia 28 Jan 99 / 05 Apr 99 as AEV DET COMD, and OP Eclipse UNMEE Asmara / Eritrea 06 Dec 00 / 13 Jul 01 as the MINE RECCE / EOD COMD.
In 2003 Reg and his family were posted to NATO HQ in Brunssum (Netherlands) where he was appointed as IC of a multinational troop. WO MacDonald and his troops fast become the Subject Matter Experts on the deployment & redeployment of the NATO’S 250 man camp. Here the team deployed numerous times with a multinational roll deploying to ISAF HQ 30 Jan 04 / 24 Jul 04 and Kabul Afghanistan with then Sgt MacDonald as acting TROOP WO.
Reg, Michelle, Hayley and Eric had many great adventures in the Netherlands and enjoyed immersing in the culture of Europe and the community of the Canadian Forces Support Unit Europe.
Posted back to 1 CER CFB Edmonton in July 07, he filled a number of rolls within the Regiment. As the ARMOURMED ENGINEER TP WO for 13 SQN, EOD TP WO 15 SQN, SQ for both 13 and 15 SQN’s and deployed as the ARMOURED DET COMD on OP ATHENA 05 Sept 08 / 17 Apr 09 Kandahar Afghanistan.
WO MacDonald was posted from 1CER and filled the role as RSS OP’s WO for 31 CER in St. Thomas, Ontario in July 2010, where he quickly become an integral asset within the Regiment's day to day training and planning. After 3 years with 31 CER he was posted back to 1CER in July 13 where he was the 15 SQ for the 3 following years then posted to 4 Airfield Engineer Squadron at CFB Cold Lake as the OP’s WO for the unit in July 2016. Here he participated in a number of Air Force courses such as the Airfield Light Runway Repair, Wilderness survival first aid and became a master of concrete while participating in the World of Concrete Forum in Las Vegas. He was also selected to deploy with 2 Wing as the SME on the multinational exercise in the Amazon Jungle in Brazil.
WO MacDonald after 3 short years was posted from 4 CES where he and Michelle decided it was time to live together again after 6 years of intermittently living apart on IR. This posting then took Reg to 36 CER at CFB Shearwater in March 2018 as the FTS OP’s WO to present date that has seen their journey come full circle back to their home in the Maritimes.
There are many members that have had the privilege to have served with WO MacDonald throughout the years and to those he extends his sincere admiration for those who stepped up answering the call. Through the many sacrifices made by his wife Michele and two children Eric and Hayley he was forged into the man he is today. WO MacDonald’s next adventure will be as a Civilian working for the RCMP as a custodian for the evidence exhibit lock up. He is going to remain in and around the local area of Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia.