After more than 31 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineers, Sgt Gerald Watson, CD, will retire on 20 September 2023. Congratulatory messages, well wishes and anecdotes can be sent to Cpl M.B. Baxter at Matthew.Baxter2@forces.gc.ca.

Sgt Watson enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces Primary Reserve in 1992, initially as a Musician in 418 Squadron located in Edmonton, AB. When the squadron disbanded in 1994, he transferred to the Loyal Edmonton Regiment.
In 1996, he transferred components to the Regular Force as a Boatswain in the Royal Canadian Navy. Sgt Watson served on HMCS Vancouver, HMCS Regina, and HMCS Protecteur. He deployed on numerous fisheries patrols as well as WESTPLOY ’97, WESTPLOY ’98, RIMPAC ’98, Op TOUCAN in East Timor, and TANDEM THRUST ’01.
In 2002, Sgt Watson briefly released from the Canadian Armed Forces to complete a Carpentry and Millwork program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. While attending college, Sgt Watson
  re-enlisted in the Primary Reserve as a Boatswain at HMCS Nonsuch in Edmonton, AB.
In 2005, Sgt Watson component transferred again to a Construction Technician in the Regular Force. He was first employed with the Field Engineering Training Squadron as an Admin NCO and briefly at 4 ESR for on-the-job training prior to QL3 training. Upon completion of his trades course, he was posted to the Pacific Naval Construction Troop at CFB Esquimalt. In 2009, Sgt Watson was posted CFB Dundurn as the Carpentry shop 2 I/C, before moving into Contracts as an Inspector.
In 2013, Sgt Watson was posted to 1 Engineer Support Unit, newly located in Kingston, ON. Whileat 1 ESU, he completed the 6A Construction Technician course and a Terrestrial Survey course at the Mapping and Charting Establishment as part of the re-establishment of the Drafting and Survey trade. In 2017, he officially re-mustered for a fourth time to become a Drafting and Survey Technician. Since completing the 6A Drafting and Survey Technician course, he has participated in numerous domestic and international survey tasks, such as Ex MAPLE RESOLVE multiple times, Ex NIHILO SAPPER, OSHLAC, Op REASURRANCE, Op CALUMET, and Op PRESSENCE.
Upon retiring, Sgt Watson will return to his beloved chapter of his life as a Contracts Inspector for Real Property Operations Edmonton - Detachment Wainwright.