After 25 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, MWO Ryan Lynch, CD will retire on 13 September 2019.  A Depart with Dignity ceremony will take place on Friday, 13 September 2019 at the 19 Wing Officers Mess (BLDG 3), CFB Comox, from 1300-1500 hrs. Please confirm your participation to the WO Lorne Hicks before 01 September 2019. Anecdotes or retirement wishes may be sent to WO Lorne Hicks at Lorne.Hicks@forces.gc.ca.

MWO Lynch joined the CAF on 13 September 1994 in Ottawa, ON as an artilleryman. On completion of recruit training and Battle School he was posted to B Battery, I RCHA in CFB SHILO. He spent 10 years with the regiment as a member of a gun detachment and attached to 2 PPCLI as part of a Forward Observation Team. While serving with 1 RCHA, he deployed to the former Yugoslavia in 2000-2001.

In 2004 MWO Lynch re-mustered to firefighter. On completion of initial trades training at CFB BORDEN, he was posted to the 19 Wing COMOX Fire Department.

During his first posting to 19 Wing, MWO Lynch deployed to Afghanistan as a fire inspector in 2006-07. He was posted to HMCS VANCOUVER and HMCS WINNIPEG from 2007-10 as the Fire Service Section 2IC and as Senior Firefighter/Flying Coordinator (FLYCO).

In 2010 MWO Lynch was posted to the Canadian Forces Fleet School in Esquimalt, BC as the Senior Firefighter. He was responsible for instructing and training ship personnel and Hull Technicians.

MWO Lynch was posted back to CFB COMOX in 2011 as a Deputy Platoon Chief and would remain with the 19 Wing COMOX Fire Department for the remainder of his career. He deployed to Kuwait in 2015. During his service with 19 Wing, MWO Lynch attained every rank level and was employed in every position from crewman to Platoon Chief and will be retiring as the Deputy Fire Chief, the highest NCO rank within an operational fire department.