After more than 29 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, MWO Gary Ridgewell (bio attached), will retire on March 19, 2018. A Depart with Dignity Ceremony will take place with more to follow. Anecdotes or retirement wishes may be sent to the OPI by e-mail. OPI:  WO Jordan Tatchell, please send an email to Jordan.<mailto:Mario.Chevalier@Forces.gc.ca>Tatchell@forces.gc.ca or by phone at 902-720-1543

MWO Ridgewell’s military career began in June 1988 when at the age of 17, he enrolled in the Primary Reserve as an Armoured Crewman with the Windsor Regiment in Windsor, Ontario. From 1989 until 1998, Gary served on Class B engagements as the Regimental Ops NCO, and as an instructor at the Land Force Central Training Area Meaford. He also augmented Regular Force units such as the Royal Canadian Dragoons during exercises such as Exercise Thunderbolt, 4 Service Battalion (Lahr, Germany) during FallEx 1990 and 2 Service Battalion (Petawawa) who deployed as members of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia in 1992/93.

In 1998, MWO Ridgewell was granted a Component Transfer to the Regular Force and traded in his black beret for a blue wedge, and nine months later he successfully graduated from the Canadian Forces Fire Academy as an Apprentice Firefighter. From 1998 until 2017, MWO Ridgewell was posted to the following locations: (1998 to 2000 -14 Wing Greenwood), (2000 to 2003 –FAP and HMCS Ottawa), (2003-2007 – 8 Wing Trenton), (2007 to 2010 – 12 Wing Shearwater), (2010 to 2013 – 4 Wing Cold Lake), (2013 to 2016 – CFB Borden) and finally (2016- 2018 - 12 Wing Shearwater). He considers himself fortunate to have filled many positions within the Fire Service from nozzle man to CFI to Fire Chief. Outside of a Fire Hall, he filled the positions of Training Plan Manager and Senior Instructor/Sqn WO at CFFCA.

During his career, he deployed and supported domestic and international operations, notably; FallEx 90, Op MARQUIS (UNTAC), CFS Alert, OP APOLLO, OP ATHENA, OP NANOOK, and OP UNIFIER.

MWO Ridgewell has decided to turn in his kit and accept a position within the CFB Halifax Fire Department as a Fire Inspector.