Captain Rau signed up in Winnipeg Manitoba joining the Canadian Armed Forces in Oct 1979 as a Fire Fighter. Following recruit school in Cornwallis, he was transferred to CFB Borden for his QL 3 course. Upon completion, he was posted to CFB Portage la Prairie. After realizing that the time had come to learn more about the vast land of the East, he was posted in 1984 to HMCS Athabaskan then in 1985 to HMCS Huron. Promoted to Master Corporal, he moved from the salty water to CFB Cold-Lake, the land of the frozen lakes.

In 1990, he was posted to CFB Baden Germany as a Sergeant until 1993 when he was recommended for Commissioning from the Ranks. Shortly after his posting to 4 AES in Cold Lake, he was promoted to Lieutenant. He was then posted to Chilliwack BC to attend MILE training. On completion in 1995, he was once again posted back to Cold Lake in the CE section and worked as the Planning Officer. In 1996 he moved from WCE to the Fire Hall and took the Fire Chief position as a Lieutenant and was promoted to Captain in 1997. From Cold-Lake, he was posted to CFB Borden in 2000 to CFFA as the Chief Instructor.

In 2001 it became obvious that Allan still had a hankering for the West and accepted a posting to 1 Cdn Air Div as the Fire Marshal, a position that he held for seven years. In 1980, he married Louisette and during the cold and windy nights of the prairies, Allan and Louisette had their first child, Nicole in 1983 and then along came Anne Marie in 1986 from the salty seas of the east, and let’s not forget about Hoss the German Shepherd and Tony the Heinz 57.

Allan will be closing off his successful regular force career at the end of December having served 29+ years. Allan and Louisette will remain in Winnipeg where Allan will attempt to undertake new adventures.

A luncheon will be held at 17 Wing Winnipeg in Dec 2008, exact date TBA later. Any anecdotes, congratulatory messages or well wishes can be sent to CWO P. Blackburn either by fax 204 833-2566 or BLACKBURN.PJ@FORCES.GC.CA. Also, anyone wishing to attend the luncheon please confirm your attendance to CWO Blackburn.