After fourteen years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, Major Kathryn Contois, CD will retire 20 January 2017. A formal Depart with Dignity function will not be held at Maj Contois' request. Anecdotes or retirement wishes may be sent to the OPI by e-mail.
OPI: Major Joe Libreiro, or by phone at (705) 494-2011 ext 6810.
Major Kathryn Contois joined the CAF in 2003 as a direct entry officer in the Construction Engineer trade. A broken femur during basic training resulted in a very protracted stay in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. The cancellation of Phase 3/4 training at CFSME in 2005 resulted in an even longer delay. Finally, after four long years in the training system, she was posted to Halifax in 2007.
In Halifax from 2007-2009, she was the Special Projects Officer and then the Naval Construction Troop Comd. While there, she was promoted to Captain and deployed to Kandahar as the Operations Officer for the Engineer Support Unit in 2008. On return, she was posted to Trenton as the Requirements Officer. This three year posting, 2009-2012, during the early stages of the substantial construction program in Trenton, was an exceptional opportunity.
Promoted in 2012, Maj Contois was posted to Moncton with 1 Engineer Support Unit as the OC of 15 Engineer Sqn. This posting gave her the chance to work in a more technical engineering role. In 2013, she moved with the unit to Kingston. Posted over to the Royal Military College in 2014 as the Engineering Officer, she was there for the transition to RP Ops.
Maj Contois was posted to her current position in North Bay in 2015. As the DCO of the Wing’s Administration and Technical Services branch and the Domestic Operations Officer, she assumed a unique role with new and interesting challenges.
Kathryn is releasing from the Forces after 14 years of service. She is planning to move to South Eastern Ontario, do some travelling and find a job somewhere.