1. LCOL ALAN MARKEWICZ, CD, WILL BE RETIRING FROM THE REGULAR FORCES AFTER 35 YEARS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CF

2. BORN IN WINNIPEG, MB, LCOL MARKEWICZ JOINED THE MILITARY IN 1974 AND ATTENDED ROYAL ROADS MILITARY COLLEGE, VICTORIA, AND THEN MOVED TO THE ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE OF CANADA IN KINGSTON, ONTARIO. HE GRADUATED WITH A BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING (MECHANICAL) IN 1978.

3. LCOL MARKEWICZ SERVED AS A TROOP COMMANDER IN 2 COMBAT ENGINEER REGIMENT (PETAWAWA) FOLLOWED BY A TOUR IN NDHQ AND THEN A POSTING AS THE OFFICER COMMANDING AIRFIELD DAMAGE REPAIR SQUADRON (LAHR, GERMANY). HIS TOUR IN LAHR WAS ROUNDED OUT WITH A POSTING AS THE OPERATIONS OFFICER FOR 4 COMBAT ENGINEER REGIMENT IN LAHR.

4. ON PROMOTION TO MAJOR IN 1990 HE WAS SECONDED TO THE BRITISH ARMY, SERVING WITH 25 ENGINEER REGIMENT (RE), OSNABRUCK, AS PART OF THE BRITISH ARMY ON THE RHINE. DURING THIS TOUR HE WAS THE OPERATIONS AND TRAINING MAJOR FOR THE REGIMENT, AS WELL AS OFFICER COMMANDING OF THE HEADQUARTERS SQUADRON. DURING THE PERSIAN GULF WAR HE DEPLOYED AND SERVED AS THE G3 (OPERATIONS) LIAISON OFFICER FOR 1 (UK) ARMOURED DIVISION TO THE VII (US) CORPS HEADQUARTERS.

5. HE RETURNED TO NDHQ TO WORK ON THE ARMY STAFF IN LAND FORCE DEVELOPMENT FOLLOWED BY 18 MONTHS AS THE STAFF OFFICER FOR THE SPECIAL PROJECT TEAM SET UP TO RE-ORGANIZE NDHQ (MCCRT). IN 1996, HE SERVED AS THE DEPUTY COMMANDING OFFICER OF 1 COMBAT ENGINEER REGIMENT. THIS TWO YEAR TOUR INCLUDED REGIMENTAL DEPLOYMENTS TO THE FLOOD IN MANITOBA AND THE ICE STORM IN MONTREAL.

6. LCOL MARKEWICZ WAS THEN SELECTED FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE CFCSC (TORONTO). UPON COMPLETION IN 1999, AND PROMOTION TO LCOL, HE MOVED TO KINGSTON. HE SPENT THREE YEARS AS THE SECTION HEAD IN THE DIRECTORATE OF ARMY DOCTRINE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COMBAT FUNCTION OF PROTECTION.

7. FROM SEPTEMBER 2002-2004, LCOL MARKEWICZ SERVED AS COMMANDING OFFICER OF 8TH FIELD ENGINEER REGIMENT, EDMONTON.

8. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2004, LCOL MARKEWICZ WAS APPOINTED BASE COMMANDER OF CFB/ASU EDMONTON.

9. IN JULY 2007, LCOL MARKEWICZ WAS POSTED TO ESQUIMALT AND SPENT A YEAR WITH THE JTFG IN SUPPORT OF THE 2010 VANCOUVER OLYMPIC GAMES. IN AUGUST 2008, LCOL MARKEWICZ RETURNED TO EDMONTON AND ASSUMED THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF SUPPORT AT LAND FORCE WESTERN AREA HEADQUARTERS

10. IN ADDITION TO HIS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL MILITARY CAREER, LCOL MARKEWICZ HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE CANADIAN FORCES CISM PISTOL TEAM SINCE 1992 AND HAS COMPETED AT MANY REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND WORLD MILITARY AND CIVILIAN SHOOTING CHAMPIONSHIPS HAVING EARNED NUMEROUS TOP FIVE PLACEMENTS. AN ACTIVE AND YEAR ROUND COMPETITOR, HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE CF SPORTS HONOUR ROLL IN 2004 AND, MOST RECENTLY, NAMED 2009 MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AT EDMONTON GARRISON

11. LCOL MARKEWICZ, HIS WIFE VALERIE AND THREE CHILDREN, DANIELLE, LAUREN AND IAN, PLAN TO REMAIN IN THE ST ALBERT, ALBERTA AREA

12. A RETIREMENT LUNCHEON IN HONOUR OF LCOL MARKEWICZS REGULAR FORCE MILITARY SERVICE WILL TAKE PLACE THE LAST WEEK OF AUGUST 2009 AT THE EDMONTON GARRISON, TIME/LOCATION TBD. ANYONE WISHING TO ATTEND CAN CONTACT MAJOR EILEEN VAUGHAN AT 780-973-4011 EXT 6077. PERSONAL MESSAGES AND MEMORABLE ANECDOTES FOR THIS SPECIAL OCCASION CAN BE SENT TO DEBRA.KRUGER AT SIGN FORCES.GC.CA