Major Steve Lane will be retiring from the Canadian Forces on 28 December 2008 after a 17 year career in the military and considerable experience prior to enrollment.

He obtained his degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan in 1976, while working on survey crews during the summer, and as an Officer Cadet with the North Saskatchewan Regiment in 1973-1974.

After graduation he worked in various positions as an engineer in the private and the public sector. He was employed as a Junior Project Engineer at Yellowhead Consulting Engineers, operated a redi-mix plant as the plant manager in Weyburn, as a Federal Public Servant with PFRA as a senior project engineer until 1981. He was later employed in various engineering positions between 1981 to 1991 with Saskatchewan Water Corporation and Saskatchewan Environment. He was also commissioned as a Cadet Instructor List officer in January 1990.

He transferred to the Regular Force of the Canadian Forces in September 1991 and completed Basic Officer Training and MILE training at CFB Chilliwack and CFB St Jean, Quebec.

After commissioning, he was posted as Ops Readiness Officer and Contracts Officer at 4 Wing Cold Lake until September 1995. During this first posting he took his Basic Parachutist Course and Troop Commander courses.

In 1995 he was posted to Canadian Forces Base Petawawa as the Works Officer and Design Officer, and completed the Intermediate Tactics courses. During this time he changed MOC’s from MOC 46A Airfield Engineer to MOC 24A Combat Engineer.

In 1997 he was posted to Camp Wainwright, where he was employed as the Requirements Officer, Base Construction Engineering Officer and to the newly formed CMTC. During this time he was deployed to the Golan Heights for a tour as the Force Engineer, and for a period of time to Area Engineer organization in Edmonton.

After a decade at Wainwright, Major Lane was posted to Canadian Forces Base Shilo as the Base Engineer from July 2007 until his retirement.

Although post-retirement plans are still to be confirmed, Major Steve Lane and Carol are looking towards relocating near Tisdale, Saskatchewan and returning to private consulting engineering practice.

A retirement dinner will be held at the RCA Officers’ Mess at Shilo on 24 October 2008. Congratulatory messages may be sent to Robert Riesz (riesz.ra@forces.gc.ca).