After 36 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), Royal Canadian Artillery and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, Chief Warrant Officer Darryl Foster, MMM, CD will retire on 30 January 2020. A Depart with Dignity (DWD) Ceremony will take place at the Albatross Lounge, WO/Sgt’s Mess, 8 Wing Trenton on Friday 29 November 2019 at 11:30 hrs. Attendees are requested to advise the OPI of their planned attendance NLT 08 November 2019. Anecdotes, photographs or retirement wishes may be sent to the OPI, MWO Patrick Griffin, at Patrick.Griffin@forces.gc.ca or at (613) 392- 2811 ext 2782. The cost will be $15 for the lunch and contribution to a retirement gift.
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Raised on Manitoulin Island and very green to the Military, CWO Foster enrolled in the CAF in 1983 as a (YTEP) Artilleryman (Gunner) and headed directly to CFB Shilo, Manitoba, on his recruit training. During the next seven years of his Artillery career with 3 RCHA, he completed his QL3, QL5, Basic Communications Course, Basic Technician, Advanced Winter Warfare, Combat Leaders Course (CLC), Advanced Technician, Driver Wheeled, Forward Observation Officer (FOO) Technician and was promoted to Master Bombardier (MBdr) in 1986. In 1988, he completed his 6A qualification – Gun Detachment Commander.
In 1989, he re-mustered to the Canadian Military Engineers, construction side of the house, as a Plumber Gas Fitter, now known as Plumbing and Heating (PH) Tech. With a rank change to Cpl, he completed his QL3 course in Chilliwack BC in 1990 and was then posted to CFB Borden, where he spent the next ten years working with the Base Construction Engineers (BCE).
While posted to CFB Borden, he did a short TAV to Alert in 1991 to work on the sprinkler system in the power plant, completed his QL5 training in 1992, completed a six-month tour to the Golan Heights in 1993, a six-month tour in Haiti in 1996, was promoted to MCpl in 1998 and during that year he was tasked out to the Ice Storm. In 1999 he did one last six-month tour back to the Golan Heights.
In 2000, he was promoted to Sergeant and was posted to CFB Petawawa in the Area Construction Troop (ACT), 2 Combat Engineer Regiment (2 CER) as the PH Supervisor. During his six-year stay with 2 CER, he completed a six-month tour to Bosnia in 2001, a six-month tour to Afghanistan in 2003, was promoted to WO in 2003 and took over as the Construction Troop Warrant Officer, then went back to Afghanistan for a 2-month TAV in 2005.
In 2006 he was posted to CFB Trenton into the CE Contracts Officer/Alert Coordinator position. In 2007 he completed a six-month tour to the land of the midnight sun (Alert) as the CE Superintendent (Boss Beaver) and was promoted to MWO while on tour.
Upon his return to Trenton, he went back to Trenton into the Contracts Cell until 2009, then back to Alert for a second six-month tour as the Station Warrant Officer (SWO). On completion of his tour, he returned back to Trenton and in the Flt MWO position at 86 ASU until 2012. In August of 2012, he took over as the Wing Construction Engineer Squadron Master Warrant Officer (WCE SMWO).
Promoted to CWO in 2013, CWO Foster was appointed as 4 CDSB Petawawa Engineer Services RSM, Garrison Toronto. With transformation still moving forward within ADMIE as of April 1st 2016, 4 CDSB Petawawa Engineers Services ceased to exist and was re-named Real Property Operations Unit (Ontario) where he continued as the Unit Chief Warrant Officer.
In 2016, CWO Foster was appointed the RSM of 1 Engineer Support Unit where he had fulfilled this duty until June 2019.
Darryl will be staying in the Trenton area with his wife Kelly, their son Dylan who is in Grade 12 and their very handsome and spoiled golden retriever Scout. He also hopes to spend more time with his adult children Dean and Brea and granddaughter Cecelia.