After more than 29 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, Maj Rob Machin, CD, will retire on 28 July 2024. A DwD will be scheduled by the end of June. Anecdotes and well wishes may be sent to Capt R.B. Biollo at Richard.Biollo@forces.gc.ca.

Maj Rob Machin, born in St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, completed his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in May 1994. Rob joined the Primary Reserve as a Field Engineer in December
1994 and paraded with 56 Field Engineer Squadron, now 37 Combat Engineer Regiment. He deployed on Operation PALLADIUM in Bosnia-Herzegovina as a member of the 2 RCR Battle Group. Upon his return, he was promoted to Master Corporal, which was followed by commissioning in 2001 and a transfer to the Regular Force in 2003.

Rob was posted first to the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering and then to4 Engineer Support Regiment for ten months, where he was loaded and then quickly removed from the dive prelim course when someone discovered that with a V2 category, he would not be able to see in the crystal-clear waters of the St. John River. As compensation, he was appointed to lead an all-Engineer team to the Nijmegen March in 2005. Five days after returning to Canada, he wa on the road to the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre in Wainwright, where the promised two Armoured Engineer Vehicles and two Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridges turned into simulating civilian and opposing forces. Rob led his crews to support Battle Group validation exercises, providing invaluable theatre-specific training to deploying forces.

In 2008, Rob was posted to 1 Combat Engineer Regiment in Edmonton as the Sqn 2IC for 13 Armoured
Squadron and then as Adjutant. It was there that a chance meeting at a local dog park led to a whirlwind
romance with Nicole. At the end of his posting, Rob deployed on Operation ATHENA in Kandahar to
close out the Canadian Armed Forces’ longest-running combat mission.

Discovering there were no career plans upon his return, he prepared a PATA request. On his way to submit the memo, he was given the choice of an urgent posting to Construction Engineering in Victoria, BC, or take PATA and most likely be posted to Ottawa in the summer. A quick call to Nicole and he was off onimposed restriction to CFB Esquimalt with Nicole and their young son following that summer.

In 2016, Rob returned to CFB Wainwright as officer commanding Real Property Operation Unit  (West) in Edmonton. His outstanding performance in real property operations and his.devotion to supporting the culture change directive earned him a Vice Chief of Defence Staff Commendation in 2023.

After more than 29 years of dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military
Engineer Branch, and grateful for the many amazing people with whom he has been fortunate enough to work, Maj Rob Machin will retire on 28 July 2024 in Edmonton. Having promised geographic stability to his family, Nicole, Gavin, and Layla, they will continue gardening, beekeeping, and supporting Nicole’s dog rescue on their acreage north of Edmonton. CHIMO!