Captain Don Fox will be retiring from the Canadian Armed Forces on 21 June 2016, with 41 (plus) years of loyal and dedicated service to Canada and to the Canadian Military Engineer Branch.
Captain Fox’s interest in the military started as an Army Cadet in London ON where, in 1974, he completed the Basic Parachutist Course and on high school graduation 2 June 1975, he enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces.
After completing basic training in Cornwallis NS, he was posted to the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering in Chilliwack BC, for his Qualification Level 3 training. Following graduation he was posted to 2 Combat Engineer Regiment in Canadian Forces Base Petawawa. While there, he participated in a regimental deployment to the 1976 Olympics and also attended the Shallow Water Diver Course that same year. In 1977, he was posted to the Canadian Airborne Regiment where he received his US Parachute wings and participated in the underwater construction of bridge footings and a pier on Exercise WATER LEAP with 9 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers.
In the summer of 1979, Corporal Fox was posted to 4 Combat Engineer Regiment in Canadian Forces Base Lahr in West Germany. During this posting Corporal Fox completed several NATO courses including the British and German dive courses. After completing the Combat Leader Course in the fall of 1980, he was appointed Master Corporal and posted to 22 Field Engineer Squadron at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown.
In Gagetown, he was employed as a Combat Diver Supervisor and Reconnaissance Sergeant. He attended his Qualification Level 6A in 1982, and was subsequently promoted to the rank of Sergeant. After this, Sergeant Fox completed training with SEAL Teams 2 and 4, the US Army Frogman School, the US Navy SEABEEs. He also attended many field exercises including EXERCISE RENDEZVOUS, and instructed the Combat Dive Course at Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific). He attended his Qualification Level 6B in 1986, following which he was posted to Construction Engineering at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown.
In 1987, Sergeant Fox was posted to Construction Engineering at Canadian Forces Base Baden, West Germany where he was employed in many different positions within the Production Cell.
While there he attended the US Army Soils Analysis Course, and the Runway Design Course. In 1988, he was promoted to Warrant Officer and filled the position of Operations Warrant Officer in the newly formed Airfield Damage Repair Unit Baden and participated in many NATO STAR FIGHTER exercises. During the Gulf War, Warrant Officer Fox saw duty in #2 Explosives Ordinance Disposal Center, Canadian Forces Base Baden, West Germany.
In the summer of 1991, Warrant Officer Fox was posted to 4 Combat Engineer Regiment, where he was employed as the Regimental Operations Warrant Officer. He deployed with the Regiment to Vukovar, Croatia and after the completion of the tour he was posted to 45 Field Engineer Squadron in Sydney NS as the Squadron Sergeant Major. During this time he deployed to Bosnia twice; once in 1994 and again in 1996.
In 1997 Warrant Officer Fox was posted to 4 Engineer Support Regiment as the Operations Warrant Officer and employed as the Liaison Officer to the US Marine Corp for Exercise MARCOT. The year 1998 saw Warrant Officer Fox deployed to the Quebec Ice Storm, Operation RECUPERATION and a promotion to Master Warrant Officer. In 1999 he deployed to Bosnia with 42 General Support Squadron and upon his return, he was appointed as Squadron Sergeant Major of 42 General Support Squadron. In 2000 Squadron Sergeant Major Fox deployed with his squadron to Eritrea. In 2001, he assumed the duties of Squadron Sergeant Major of 48 Administration Squadron and, while in this position, he was involved in two Small Unit Exchanges with the 82nd Airborne Division. He was tasked to instruct Mine Awareness for their deployment to Task Force Afghanistan for which he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 2005. In 2003, Squadron Sergeant Major Fox deployed to Task Force Afghanistan on Roto 0 to set up the Improved Landmine Detection System Section. In October 2004, Master Warrant Officer Fox was posted to the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering and appointed to the position of Standards Squadron Sergeant Major.
He was promoted to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer in June 2004, and was subsequently posted to the Land Forces Doctrine and Training Systems at Canadian Forces Base Kingston. In 2005 he was posted to Combat Training Centre Headquarters Army Individual Training Authority (CTC HQ AITA) Engineer 2. In 2006 he was awarded the Chief of Land Staff Commendation for his work on Counter Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED).
In 2008, Chief Warrant Officer Fox was commissioned under the Special Requirements Commissioning Plan to the rank of Captain and was employed as the C-IED Cell Second-in-Command and the Chief Instructor for the development and instruction of the Tactical Exploiter Course at the Tactics School. Captain Fox completed the NATO Train-the-Trainer Course at Joint Multinational Readiness Centre Germany in March 2008, and in April 2009, instructed on the NATO Train-the-Trainer Course in the Ukraine. In May 2009, he was awarded the CTC Commander Commendation for his work on the creation of the Centre of Excellence (Attack the Network) C-IED.
Captain Don Fox was posted to his current position as CTC HQ AITA G7 Engr Cell Leader in July 2011. He will be completing his final six months in the Canadian Armed Forces posted to Joint Personnel Support Unit Gagetown, retiring 21 June 2016.
Captain Don Fox is married to Wendy and has one daughter Vanessa and two sons, Robert and Andrew.
A Depart with Dignity reception is scheduled for 28 August 2015, at 1200 hrs at building A4, located at 5th Division Support Base Gagetown. Congratulatory messages, anecdotes, photos and farewell wishes can be forwarded to Captain ADJ Frigault CTC HQ (Alfred.Frigault@Forces.gc.ca). Please notify Capt Frigault if your intention is to attend this function. There will be a small fee at the door.