After more than 34 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, MWO Will Finnamore, CD, will retire on 04 October 2022. In accordance with Will’s request, a limited DWD event will be held at 285 Coventry Rd, Ottawa, on 03 October 2022 at 13:00 hours consisting of his coworkers and invited guests. Anecdotes and retirement wishes may be sent to Maj S.M. Pengelly at Sam.Pengelly@forces.gc.ca.

WILL JOINED THE CAF IN MAR 1988 AS AN INFANTRYMAN WITH THE ROYAL NEW BRUNSWICK REGIMENT, A RESERVE UNIT IN FREDERICTON, NB. IN OCT 1995, HE TRANSFERRED TO THE REGULAR FORCE AS A COMBAT ENGINEER, AND ON COMPLETION OF HIS TRAINING AT THE SCHOOL OF MILITARY ENGINEERING IN CHILLIWACK, BC, HE WAS POSTED TO 2 COMBAT ENGINEER REGIMENT (CER) LOCATED IN CFB PETAWAWA.

OVER THE COURSE OF HIS TIME IN THE CAF, WILL HAS SERVED IN SEVERAL UNITS INCLUDING 2 CER, 1 CER, AND CANADIAN JOINT OPERATIONS COMMAND (CJOC). HOWEVER AS WILL IS QUICK TO POINT OUT, THE HIGHPOINTS OF HIS CAREER WERE HIS SERVICE IN CANSOFCOM (JTF2) EARNING THE TITLE OF SPECIAL OPERATION COXSWAIN, AND THE DIRECTORATE OF DIVING SAFETY.

IN THE SPAN OF 34 YEARS, WILL HAS BEEN OPERATIONALLY DEPLOYED MULTIPLE TIMES, INCLUDING OP LENTUS 2017 (BC FIRES), OP ATHENA 2010 (AFGHANISTAN), OP PODIUM 2010 (OLYMPIC GAMES), OP CENTRAL 1998 (THE INAUGURAL DEPLOYMENT OF THE DART TO HONDURAS) AND OP PALLADIUM 1998 (BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA).

AFTER HAVING SERVED IN CJOC HQ, SPECIFICALLY THE DIRECTORATE OF JOINT READINESS (J7), FOR THE PAST FOUR PLUS YEARS, IT IS UNANIMOUS AMONGST HIS COWORKERS THAT HIS PROFESSIONALISM, KNOWLEDGE, AND QUIET SENSE OF HUMOUR WILL BE GREATLY MISSED. WE WISH WILL ALL THE BEST IN HIS FUTURE ENDEAVOURS AND TRULY HOPE HE WILL ONE DAY CATCH THAT ELUSIVE BIG ONE (FISH) HE’S BEEN CHASING THESE PAST FEW YEARS.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH WILLS REQUEST, A LIMITED DEPARTURE WITH DIGNITY (DWD) EVENT WILL BE HELD AT 285 COVENTRY RD, OTTAWA ON 3 OCTOBER 2022 AT 1300 HRS CONSISTING OF HIS COWORKERS AND INVITED GUESTS.

MWO FINNAMORES RETIREMENT PLANS INCLUDE REMAINING IN THE OTTAWA AREA WITH HIS WIFE (MICHELLE) AND DAUGHTER (ÉMILIE). HE HAS GRACIOUSLY ACCEPTED AN OFFER FROM HEALTH CANADA TO ASSIST THEM IN THEIR TRAINING PREPARATION AND DELIVERY, A TASK HE WILL NO DOUBT MASTER IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD.