After more than 14 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, Sgt J.L. Cannard, CD, will retire on 3 Sept 2024. A DwD reception will be held on 30 Aug 2024 at Glacier Greens Golf Course in Comox. Tee time: 830-930 followed by a ceremony at 1300. If attending, please RSVP to Sgt T. Hanhams, by email at:terence.hanhams@forces.gc.ca

Sgt JL Cannard joined the Canadian Armed Forces in July 2010 as a Construction Engineering Officer at the Canadian Armed Forces Recruiting Center in Fredericton. After his first year of Civil Engineering at McGill University and completing Basic Military Officer Qualification (BMOQ) in St-Jean-sur- Richelieu, he took an occupational transfer to Construction Technician. Upon completing his DP1 in 2013, JL was posted to Service Génie in St-Jean-sur- Richelieu to undertake his apprenticeship. He then completed his DP2 in 2016 and was posted to RP Ops det. Kingston in 2017, where he served for two years before being posted to 191 CEF in Comox in 2019.

JL deployed on Operation Impact in Kuwait in June 2020 for six months, where he was one of two carpenters maintaining Camp Canada on Ali Al Salem Air Base. In November 2022, he deployed on Operation Calumet in Egypt for nine months, supervising a team of 27 local tradespeople tasked with renovating multiple barrack blocks at Forward Operating Base (FOB) North.

In Sept 2024, JL will retire from the CAF after more than 14 years of dedicated service to Canada and the Engineers branch. He will fondly remember the friendships, experiences, skills, and lessons learned during his time as an Engineer and plans to apply this knowledge to his new construction company in the Comox Valley. JL looks forward to continuing to explore and enjoy all that Vancouver Island has to offer alongside his spouse, Jacquie.