After almost 10 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, MCpl Andrew Fruch will retire on 01 March 2021.  A Depart with Dignity ceremony will not take place due to COVID restrictions. Anecdotes or retirement wishes may be sent to the OPI by e-mail.OPI:  Sgt A.G. Smith, email: Adam.Smith3@Forces.gc.ca or phone: 780-901-3469.

Andrew was born in Hamilton, Ontario, and was raised on an apple orchard outside the touristy beach-town of Port Dover. He attended Sheridan College for journalism, graduating in 2007. After a brief career as a small town reporter, he decided to serve Canada and joined the Canadian Armed Forces in August 2009. He arrived at 1 CER in Edmonton in July 2010.

MCpl Fruch was sent to Germany in 2011 where he completed his Armoured Engineer training with the German military. Following his return to Canada, he was immediately deployed on Maple Resolve. MCpl Fruch left the military in 2013, returning to Hamilton, Ontario, where he spent the next two years alternating between the family apple orchard and a steel mill. Feeling unfulfilled, he re-enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in August 2015, returning to 1 CER that same month. He was one of the initial cadre of Armoured Engineers to head to Gagetown to test the new AEV II platform. He qualified on the new AEV II and instructed the first course held in Edmonton. MCpl Fruch deployed to Williams Lake, British Columbia, during OP Lentus 2017 and internationally to Ukraine as a member of the Engineer Training Group on Operation Unifier in October 2019. There, he worked with the National Guard of Ukraine to develop their Sapper training program as well as teaching ETHAR around the country.

With a heavy heart and cautious optimism, Master Corporal Andrew Fruch decided to retire, ending his career with 1 Combat Engineer Regiment. During his military career, he was awarded the Canadian Forces Expeditionary Force medal for his deployment to Ukraine. Overall, MCpl Fruch has enjoyed his time in the Canadian Armed Forces, the experiences he has had, and the friends he has made. He will fondly remember the jokes and good times shared with his peers.

Master Corporal Fruch currently resides in Edmonton with friends. He will complete his Bachelors of Integrated Studies through the University of Manitoba as a distance student while preparing to move to the Ottawa region following the pandemic. Once in Ottawa, he will pursue a career with the Federal Government of Canada as a civilian.