Accepting a contract inspector position within the WCE organization at CFB Trenton, Master Warrant Officer Brian Hicks has decided to turn the page and start a new chapter in his service to Canada. Brian will be retiring from the Canadian Forces on September 6th 2010. Transferring to the regular force on Jan 29th 1981 from the West Nova Scotia Regiment, his retirement will mark the end of a combined military career spanning 30 years and 45 days of total service to the Canadian Forces with over twenty-nine years as a regular force Engineer.

Brian transferred to the Engineer Branch as a direct entry into the Electrical Generating Systems trade. After completing his QL3 course at CFSME in Chilliwack he was posted to CFS Holberg on the northern tip of Vancouver Island. Departing the west coast for the east coast, Brian was posted to Canadian Forces Station Sydney followed by postings to Shearwater, Trenton, Greenwood, Halifax and lastly - back to Trenton.

While posted to Sydney, Brian witnessed the transition from an operational power plant to a standby power plant. CFS Sydney was one of the last operational 24/7 military power plants in Canada at the time. His first posting to Trenton saw him part of the Mobile Repair Team, the original EGS Tech based deployable Unit now known as 86 ASU, a multi-trade Engineer Flight. During his time at the MRT Brian experienced deployments to Alert, the Golan Heights, and Saudi Arabia in support of OP Friction, Croatia in support of UNPROFOR, CFS Bermuda, and Dade County Florida supporting relief efforts after Hurricane Andrew and just about every Base across Canada.

Departing Trenton for a slower east coast pace of life, Brian and his family settled into the Annapolis Valley for a seven year posting to Greenwood followed by a one year stint in Halifax. While posted in Greenwood, Brian was employed as an EGS Tech, then the 2 I/C of the EGS shop followed by a short stint as the I/C of the EGS Shop. He then internally transferred to 14 AEF as the Ops Sgt and upon being posted to Halifax he was promoted to Warrant Officer. Brian acknowledges Greenwood was a very good career posting as he arrived in Greenwood as a Corporal and left as a Warrant Officer.

Arriving in Halifax as a newly promoted Warrant Officer, Brian was the Troop WO for the Naval Construction Troop at FCE Halifax. Due to a tragic event, the loss of his daughter Sapper Marie Beth Short, a Combat Engineer posted to 2 CER, Brian and his wife Virginia left Halifax after only a one year posting and returned to Trenton.

Arriving in Trenton in 2003, Brian was the Ops and Training WO for 81 AEF. He then moved to WCE as the Operations MWO and then returned to the MRT (86 ASU) as the Flight Sgt Major. While in Trenton for his second posting, Brian deployed to Havana Cuba for a three month TAV supporting Electrical renovations for the Canadian Embassy. This deployment was followed by a tour to Camp Mirage as the LOG CSM and ESF MWO in December of 2005 until June 2006. While deployed with the TSE Camp Mirage he received two Commanders Commendations. Brian’s last and final tour was a 9 1/2 month tour to Kandahar Afghanistan with members from 2 CER where he was the Infrastructure SME with the Task Force Engineer/Engineer Support Control Centre which Brian acknowledges was the highlight of his tour experiences.

Brian’s Honours and Awards include the Gulf and Kuwait Medal, Special Service Medal recognizing 3 six month tours of Alert, UNDOF - Golan Heights, UNPROFOR – Croatia, CD1, Canadian Peace Keeping Service Medal, SWASM with the Afghanistan Bar, and the General Campaign Star with the ISAF Bar which was presented to him by LCol Allan Mulawyshyn, the Task force Engineer and past Commanding Officer of 2 CER. Most recently, he and his wife Virginia were presented with the Commander of Land Forces Commendation by LGen Andrew Leslie and CWO Ford, CWO of the Army, recognizing their activities and participation supporting the repatriations of Canada’s fallen.

Capping a 30 year career, Brian lists wearing the Engineer hat badge throughout his regular force career as a highlight and accomplishment he is proud of.

Brian has accepted an employment opportunity with the public service and after his retirement leave will take up his next challenge as a Contracts Inspector working with the Construction Engineering Section at Trenton.

Recognizing his career and departure from the regular force, a retirement luncheon and story telling afternoon is planned to occur at the WO’s and Sgt Mess (Fireside Lounge) at CFB Trenton on July 16th at 1300 Hrs.

For those wishing to provide stories and congratulatory messages, the point of contact for his luncheon is MWO Darryl Foster, the current SM for 86 ASU. Darryl.foster@forces.gc.ca