After more than 38 years of loyal and dedicated service to Canada, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Regiment, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Canadian Military Engineers, MWO James (Jim) Spence, CD, will retire from the Canadian Armed Forces on 07 September 2023. A DwD ceremony will take place at the Heart and Crown, 3161 Strandherd Dr #300, Nepean, ON, on 11 Aug 2023 from 12:00 to 15:00 hrs. Please contact MWO T.M. Knight at Trevor.Knight@forces.gc.ca to RSVP or to send congratulatory messages, anecdotes, or well wishes.

After enrollment in 1985, MWO James Spence joined the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment upon completion of the RCR Battle School in Petawawa, ON. The following six, fun-filled years saw him complete numerous courses and exercises, as well as deployments to Norway in 1987 and Kanesatake, QC, in 1988 during the OKA crisis.

Following in his father’s footsteps, MWO Spence transferred to the Air Force in 1991 as an Airframe Technician. He was posted to 450 Tactical Helicopter Sqn in Ottawa and then to St. Hubert, QC, after the flight line closure in Ottawa. In 1996, following the disbandment of 450 Sqn, MWO Spence was posted to 8 AMS in Trenton to work on the C-130 airframe. He then completed the conversion qualification to Avionics Technician in 1998.

Always on the hunt for adventure, MWO Spence joined the Geomatics trade in 2000 and began the three-year occupation training at the Mapping & Charting Establishment in Ottawa. Once qualified and employed in Geospatial Support Squadron, he deployed to Banja Luka, Bosnia, in 2003 (SFOR), to the African Union HQ in Addis Abba, Ethiopia, in 2005 (AMIS), and to the Kandahar Intelligence Fusion Centre at the Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, in 2010 (ISAF).

In 2012, MWO Spence successfully completed a year-long Second Language Training course at Asticou College, QC. Following that, he provided intelligence requirements and collection management support at NDHQ in 2013. With a wealth of experience, he was then posted to the School of Military Mapping, Ottawa, as the Standards WO, and later appointed Chief Instructor upon promotion to his current rank.

Once again, looking for adventure (and arguably for the best coffee on the planet), MWO Spence was posted to his current location at NATO Joint Force Command in Naples, Italy, in 2020. There, MWO Spence leads the multinational geo production team, where he has acted as the Regional SM for Italy and Romania, and advised staff throughout COVID, the war in Ukraine, and earthquakes in Türkiye.

Jim will retire in Osgoode, ON, with his wife, Debbie, (his rock and endless supporter) before deciding on when and how to move closer to their daughters: Cindy with husband Dane (Columbus, OH), and Jessica with husband Brandon and grandkids, Andrew and Owen (Golden, BC).

Jim will miss wearing the uniform and representing Canada. He will also truly miss the countless friends he has made and the professional with whom he has worked throughout his career.