Après plus de 30 ans de bons et loyaux services au sein des Forces armées canadiennes et de la Branche du Génie militaire canadien, l’Adj Michael Wolff, CD, prendra sa retraite le 1 septembre 2022. Les anecdotes et les souhaits de retraite peuvent être envoyés à l’Adj M.E.P. Psota à Michael.Psota@forces.gc.ca.
WO Michael Wolff joined the CAF in May 1992 as a reservist in the Royal Canadian Navy. He completed Basic Training as a Boatswain at CFB Cornwallis, NS. After trades training the following summer, he was employed full-time sailing on a number of different warships on the West Coast, including patrols with coastal forces on HMCS Porte De La Reine and HMCS Porte Quebec.
In 1995, WO Wolff was posted to the destroyer escort HMCS Kootenay and deployed to South America for exercise UNITAS 95, a multi-national anti-submarine warfare exercise. In 1996, he was posted to HMCS Protecteur and sailed to the Far East, which included stops in Japan, Russia, South Korea, and finally Hawaii for RIMPAC 96.
Upon returning home, Michael was again posted to coastal forces to serve on HMCS Chignecto and HMCS Chaleur in 1997. He was selected for the commissioning crew of HMCS Yellowknife, participating in her acceptance trials and in sailing her from Halifax, NS, to her home port in Esquimalt, BC. In 1999, he was posted to HMCS Whitehorse and was qualified to operate various mine warfare platforms, including side-scan sonar and submersible ROVs. During this time, he also participated in a number of operations and exercises with the USN and USMC based on amphibious warfare. After the events of 9/11, WO Wolff was posted to the Port Operations and Emergency Services Branch to provide armed security for base infrastructure and vessels in the harbour. WO Wolff’s final year in the RCN was at CFB Wainwright working in CMTC as OPFOR for battle groups training for Afghanistan.
In 2007, WO Wolff component-transferred to the Army as a Combat Engineer and, after completing DP1, was posted to 1 CER. Shortly thereafter, he qualified as an Armoured Engineer Operator and deployed to Afghanistan twice; once in 2008 as an AEV Operator with 2 CER, and again in 2010 as an AEV Det Comd with 5 RGC. During his thirteen years at 1 CER, eleven of those years were either deployed or on high-readiness. WO Wolff filled positions from section member through troop warrant, to Regimental MT Rep, SQMS, and Sqn Ops NCO. After 1 CER, he was posted to 1 CMBG as the Brigade G34. In 2021, he was posted to 41 CER as the Ops WO.
Michael has decided to retire on 01 September 2022 and to enjoy life outside of the CAF.