After more than 38 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineers, MWO Kirby Vincent, MMM, CD, will retire on 06 October 2023. A DwD function will be held in Cold Lake, AB, at a time and place to be determined. Congratulatory messages, well wishes, and anecdotes can be sent to MCpl J.B. Young atJustin.Young4@forces.gc.ca.
MWO Kirby Vincent joined the Canadian Armed Forces as a Field Engineer in May 1985. Following Basic Training at CFB Cornwallis, he was posted to CFB Borden to work on range clearance while awaiting QL3. Eleven months later, he was in Chilliwack at CFSME to complete QL3 before being posted across the road to 1 CER. In 1989, after QL5A, then Cpl Vincent was posted to 4 CER in Lahr, Germany. Cpl Vincent decided to transfer occupations to Field Engineer Equipment Operator (042) and was subsequently posted to CFB Baden, Germany, as part of the Airfield Rapid Runway Repair Team. In 1993, Cpl Vincent was posted back to 1 CER, Chilliwack, where he remained until 2010. He was then posted to 4 CES in Cold Lake as the Ops WO.
In 2014, after promotion, MWO Vincent was posted to the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range as Range SSM. In 2015, he was posted back to 1 CER and took over as 15 Spt Sqn SSM and subsequently 18 Spt Sqn SSM. After a tour in the Middle East in 2018, MWO Vincent was posted to 3 Canadian Division HQ in the G3 Engr group. In 2021, he requested a posting back to CFB Cold Lake as the Range SSM to complete his time in uniform.
MWO Vincent has served in field and heavy equipment troops and armoured engineer and support squadrons, completing over 37 years of service to the Engineer Corps and Canada. He has completed tours in Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Jordan as well as TAVs in Africa and Vietnam. He also participated in domestic operations such as the Winnipeg Floods (1997), the Salmon Arm Fire (1998), Op PEREGRINE (2003), the Fort MacMurray Wildfire (2016) as part of Cold Lake Fire Rescue, and Op LENTUS (2017) in Williams Lake, BC. Among his accomplishments are induction into the Order of Military Merit and a CDS Commendation for his actions in Afghanistan.
MWO Vincent wishes to thank his spouse, Marliese, and his children, Delaney and Allegra for their support and understanding throughout his career. He also wants to thank his friends, fellow Sappers, and mentors (too many to list) who made his military experience so rewarding. His last day in uniform will be 06 October 2023.