After more than 24 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineers, WO Jason Francis, CD, retired on 21 September 2021. Congratulatory messages and best wishes can be sent directly to WO Francis at Jason.Francis@forces.gc.ca and Jason.Francis3@forces.gc.ca.
Warrant Officer Jason Francis joined the Canadian Armed Forces on 17 October 1996, as a Field Engineer, now referred to as a Combat Engineer. He served as a Field/Combat Engineer from the rank of Sapper to that of WO. WO Francis only had three postings during his career, starting at 4 Engineer Support Regiment in Gagetown, New Brunswick, then CFJOSG in Kingston, Ontario, and lastly with the Cadet Organization at RCSU Central SEOA in Trenton, Ontario. While posted to 4 ESR, WO Francis deployed on several overseas missions: In 1999, he deployed to Bosnia for Op PALLADIUM - SFOR as a Combat Engineer section storesman. In 2001, he deployed to Eritrea for Op ECLIPSE as a Water Supply Section member. In 2003, WO Francis deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan, as part of an Engineer/Infantry platoon (2 RCR) for Op ARCHER. In 2005, he was on the DART recce as the Water Supply Section Commander in the Muzaffarabad region for Op PLATEAU, which deployed to Pakistan after the 7.6 magnitude earthquake. WO Francis deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2007 as a Section 2 I/C and LAV III crew commander during Op ATHENA - ISAF. WO Francis also served within Canada throughout this time, including during the 1998 Ice Storm in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec.
In 2008, WO Francis was posted to CFJSG, now CFJOSG, as part of the training team that ensured support troops were as safe as possible while on CAF missions. In 2015, he was loaned to 1 ESU in Kingston, Ontario, to fill a vacant position in the training cell. The following year, he was posted to RCSU SEOA Trenton as a Training Support Coordinator and the SEOA Sergeant Major.
WO Francis has been married to Kathleen, a very loving and caring military wife, for over 25 years. They have three children: Amanda, who is married with two children; Sydney, who is in Grade 11 and looking at a medical career; and Logan, who is in Grade 8 and wants to be a hockey star.
After more than 24 years with the CAF and the Engineer family, WO Francis became Mr. Francis on 22 September 2021. He will work at the recruiting center in Kingston, Ontario, where he and Kathleen will eventually retire fully to enjoy Kingston.
To all SAPPERS with whom he has crossed paths: “Thank-you for a wonderful career and many friendships.”