4 Wing Cold Lake Construction Engineers are proud to announce the retirement of Warrant Officer Phil McKenna. The branch will be losing a tremendous individual when Phil retires but we have it on good authority that Phil may return to the organization in a civilian capacity at some point in the near future.

WO McKenna was born in Montreal, Quebec and joined the Canadian Forces in 1973. Upon completion of recruit training in Cornwallis, N.S. he received trades training at CFSAL in Borden, then saw the light. Completed EGS training at the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering in Chilliwack, B.C. and was posted to Dana, Saskatchewan in December 1977, and promoted Cpl in Nov 78. In July of 1980, he was posted to CFS Carp and employed as a Electrical Generating Systems Technician and promoted MCpl in Feb 81. He was posted to CFB Summerside in July 1982 and completed his first of five tours to Alert and a tour to the Golan Heights. He was posted to CFS Holberg, B.C. in Oct 84, and then to CFB Chatham In July 1985, he deployed to Alert for a second time on a six month tour followed by a posting to CFB Trenton in May 1990 and completed his third tour to Alert. A posting to North Bay occurred in July 1993, followed by a posting to Petawawa in Aug 94. While in Petawawa, he completed his first tour to Bosnia, and then his fourth tour to Alert. This was followed by a posting to Masset in Aug 97, and on to 4 ESR, Gagetown in July 98. He was promoted Sgt in Aug 98, and completed his second tour to Bosnia, followed shortly by a TAV to Eritrea. He was posted back to North Bay in Aug 02 and completed his fifth tour to Alert in Aug 05.

Promoted to Warrant Officer in July of 2007 and posted to CFB Cold Lake.

Phil’s last day in uniform will be 29 April, followed by a large amount of retirement leave. His official retirement date is actually 12 October 09. A retirement function will be held in Cold Lake at the WOSM on 22 May 09 at 1230 hrs. Please send all congratulatory messages, anecdotes and emails to WO B. MacInnis BERNARD.MACINNIS@forces,gc.ca prior to 15 May 2009.