MWO Gilles St-Onge will be retiring from the CF on 17 March 08 after 35 plus yrs of dedicated and loyal service to the Canadian Military Engineers and the Canadian Forces.
MWO St-Onge joined the CF on 28 April 1972 as a member of the Royal Canadian Armour Corps. After finishing basic training in St Jean, he was posted to Valcartier for trades training followed by a posting to 12 RBC. In 1975 he was posted to Lahr, Germany with the RCD until 1979, when he returned to Canada and became a member of the LdSH(RC) in Calgary. By then he had seen the light, and in 1981 remustered to become a WSPOL (now WFE) Tech.
Upon completion of his training at Chilliwack, he spent 17 years repeatedly driving across the prairies from one side of the country to the other to prove his dedication to his new trade. His postings include Cold Lake (1981-1983), Mont-Apica, Que (1983-1985), back to Cold Lake (1985-1988), back to Quebec (Valcartier (1988-1990) and Bagotville (1990-1992)), back to Chilliwack (1992-1995), and finally to the Maritimes at 1 Construction Engineering Unit in Moncton (1995-1998), where he was promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer in 1997.
With the cross-Canada voyages finally halted, in February 1998 he made a short move to Gagetown to become the WFE Section Commander at CFSME until his move to Trenton in 2000. While in Trenton, he occupied various positions at 86 ASU, 81 AEF, and the Wing Environmental Section for the next seven years, during which he was promoted to his current rank. In Aug 07 he was posted to Ottawa as part of the ADM(IE)/DGME organization.
His taskings and tours include Cyprus (September 1979 - April 1980), CFS Alert (July 1987 - Jan 1988 and January – July 2003), and Bosnia (January – March 1996 and June - December 1997)
Upon retirement, Gilles will continue to remain in the Trenton area with his wife, Julie Campbell, and will transfer to the Reserves at 8 Wing Trenton, where he will continue to work in the WFE/Environmental fields.
A function to commemorate MWO St-Onge’s retirement will be held on 28 February 2008 at the ‘Fish Market Restaurant’ in Ottawa. Personnel wishing to attend the luncheon are requested to forward names to Maj Don Parker (parker.dn@forces.gc.ca) or at 613-995-0261 NLT 21 February. Any well wishes and anecdotes are welcomed and should may be sent to the same or faxed to 877-805-0267.