After more than 43 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, Sgt John Bras, CD, will retire on 11 July 2024. A DwD ceremony will be held at 13:00 hrs on 27 June 2024 at the Wainwright WO and Sgts’ Mess. Anecdotes and well wishes may be sent to WO K.I. Mudryk at Kevin.Mudryk@forces.gc.ca.
Sgt Bras began his career in June 1981 as a member of the Reserve Force in Thunder Bay, ON, and subsequently transferred to the Regular Force in October 1984. He completed Basic Recruit training in Cornwallis, NS, in 1984, followed by the Basic Combat Engineer course in Chilliwack, BC, in 1985.
Upon completion of trades training, Sgt Bras was posted to 2 CER in Petawawa, ON, from May 1985 to July 1988. From 1988 to 1991, he was posted to 4 CER in Lahr, Germany, and subsequently to an RSS staff position at 2 FER in Toronto, ON, until July 1993. From 2 FER, he returned to 2 CER, deploying on Op DELIVERENCE in 1992 with the Canadian Airborne Regiment. He then served with the Canadian Airborne Regiment from August 1993 until May 1995, before returning to 2 CER for a third time. He deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina as a part of IFOR in 1996.
Sgt Bras was posted from Petawawa, ON, to the Militia Training and Support Centre, later the 4th Canadian Division Training Centre, located in Meaford, ON, from 1996 to 2000. In July 2000, Sgt Bras was once again back at 2 CER, serving until 2008, which included a deployment to Afghanistan on Op ATHENA in 2005.
In July 2008, Sgt Bras left Ontario to join the 3rd Canadian Division Training Centre in Wainwright, AB, as an instructor. In 2016, he was posted to Base Wainwright as the Accommodations NCO. Sgt Bras occupied his current position at Range Control in Wainwright in July 2021 and will serve as a Range Patroller until his retirement next month.
During his time in the CAF, Sgt Bras has received the Canadian Forces Decoration and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, as well as the General Campaign Star - Southwest Asia, the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal, the Somalia Medal, the Special Service Medal, and the Special Service Medal - NATO. Not many CAF members have a career spanning 43 years and Sgt Bras is proud count himself among them. Upon retirement, Sgt Bras will return to Thunder Bay, ON, for a well-deserved break and to enjoy his retirement. There, he intends to spend quality time with family in the area and to pursue pastimes such as hunting and fishing.