After more than 35 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, Master Warrant Officer Neil Dodsworth, CD (bio attached), will retire 19 July 2016. A Depart with Dignity Ceremony will take place at the WOs & Sgts Annex Mess (Bldg A4) at 5 CDSG Gagetown, on 15 July 2016 13:00 to 15:00. Attendees are requested to advise the OPI of their planned attendance NLT 17 June 2016. Anecdotes or retirement wishes may be sent to the OPI by e-mail.

OPI: MWO Todd Smith, email at MWO Todd Smith or by phone at 506-422-2000 Ext 7943.

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MWO Dodsworth joined the Canadian Armed Forces in July of 1981 and attended recruit training at Canadian Force Recruit School Cornwallis. Upon graduation from Cornwallis he attended 041 Field Engineer trade training at CFB Chilliwack and was subsequently posted to 2 Combat Engineer Regiment (2 CER) at CFB Petawawa. While posted at 2 CER MWO Dodsworth completed the Combat Stores-man, Driver Wheeled, 5-Ton Dump, and 041 QL 5A Courses. These courses were a solid foundation and Neil’s new skills were tested on the “Rendezvous” exercises held in 1983 and 1985.

In July of 1986, MWO Dodsworth was posted to 4 CER in Lahr, West Germany, where he was employed as a driver in Resources Troop. During this period Neil “saw the light” and requested to change his Military Occupation Code to the newly developed 042 Field Engineer Equipment Operator trade (FEE OP). His request was accepted and he completed the FEE OP conversion course. Then later on, in 1987, MWO Dodsworth was posted to the newly developed Airfield Damage Repair (ADR) Squadron (Sqn) in Lahr. While posted to the ADR he completed the Combat Leadership Course.

In 1990 MWO Dodsworth was posted back to 2 CER and was employed in the Heavy Equipment Troop (HET). During this posting he completed the Grader, Crane, Leopard 1 D&M, AVLB and AEV courses. He was also promoted to the rank of MCpl and he deployed to Somalia as part of Op Deliverance.

In 1995 MWO Dodsworth completed the 042 6A Course, was promoted to Sgt, and posted to the Armoured Engineer Troop (AET) at 4 ESR. While in the AET MWO Dodsworth deployed to the Winnipeg Floods and completed the Engr NCO Course at the European NATO Training Engineer Centre (ENTEC) in Munich, Germany. MWO Dodsworth then moved from the AET to the HET and was employed as the Recce NCO. During his time in HET MWO Dodsworth was tasked as an instructor at both the Infantry School for a Junior Leadership Course, and at CFSME for a Heavy Equipment Course. In January of 1999 MWO Dodsworth deployed on Op Palladium Roto 4 as the Sqn Recce NCO.

In August of 2000 MWO Dodsworth was posted back to 2 CER and employed as the HET Recce NCO and the Support Sqn Operations (Ops) & Training NCO. With the 042 QL 6B Course complete, MWO Dodsworth was promoted to the rank of WO and became the HET Tp WO. He also completed the Soils Analysis Course in Fort Leonard Woods, Missouri and the Senior Leadership Course (SLC). MWO Dodsworth was then employed as the Sqn Ops WO for 24 FD Sqn and deployed to Kabul on Op ATHENA Roto 0. On returning to Canada he finished his time in 2 CER as the 25 Support Sqn Quartermaster and the Regimental Ops WO.

In 2005 MWO Dodsworth was posted to CFSME as the Field Engineer Training Sqn (FETS) Ops WO. During this time MWO Dodsworth achieved another significant milestone when he completed a GED and obtained his High School Diploma. This posting was short and in July of 2007 he was posted to LFWA HQ in the position of Area Chief Standards Warrant Officer. His stay in LFWA HQ was also short as he was promoted to MWO and posted to Canadian Forces Joint Support Group Headquarters (CFJSG HQ) in Kingston, ON in 2008. While at CFJSG MWO Dodsworth deployed on Op Hestia (Haiti) as the Sergeant Major (SM) of the Intermediate Staging Base and in 2011 was deployed on Op ATTENTION Roto 0 in Kabul as the Task Force Engineer SM.

In 2012 MWO Dodsworth was posted to CFSME where he filled several positions including at the CFSME Center of Excellence, Tactics Sqn SM and CFSME Ops MWO. In 2014 MWO Dodsworth was posted to Canadian Army Trials and Evaluation Unit as an Engineer Trials Officer.

Neil is married to Roxanne (one rank higher) and has a son Jared (16 years old going on 30). They plan on staying in the Oromocto area and working on some more memories. Chimo!