After more than 21 Years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, WO Sean Connors, CD (bio attached), will retire 08 Jan 2016. A Depart with Dignity Ceremony will take place at the WOs & Sgts Annex building A4 at CFB Gagetown NB, on 08 Jan 2016. Attendees are requested to advise the OPI of their planned attendance NLT 04 Dec 2015. Anecdotes or retirement wishes may be sent to the OPI by e-mail.

OPI: MWO Bill Lovely, email at William.Lovely@Forces.gc.ca or by phone at 506 422 - 2000 ext 2433.

On 08 January 2016, after more than 21 years of dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), WO Sean M Connors will retire.

WO Connors joined the Air Reserve in 1991, in St. John's, Newfoundland, as a Mobile Support Equipment (MSE) Operator. Upon completing his training he was employed at Canadian Forces Station (CFS) St. John's, where he remained until August 1995, when he transferred to the Regular Force as a Combat Engineer.

He was posted to 4 Engineer Support Regiment (4ESR), in December of 1995, after he had completed his QL3 at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Chilliwack, BC. When he arrived at 4 ESR he was posted to 46 Resources Squadron with 22 Field Troop. While with 22 he completed numerous courses, including Winter Warfare, Leopard D & M and the Driver Track. He was also employed as a section member and the troop MT Rep due to his "vast" knowledge of the M113.

During his time as a "Field Troop" he deployed on many operations, both domestic and international. He battled floods in 1996 in Saguenay, Quebec and again in 1997 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 1998 he was part of Op RECUPERATION, the CAF's support to the ice storm in Quebec and Ontario. In 1999 he took part in Exercise MARCOT in his home province of Newfoundland where he was employed as driver, tour guide and translator for, then, Sgt Nick Manoukarakis. In February of 2015 he lead the Regimental Dive team on Ex ROGUISH BUOY in Valcartier, Quebec.

WO Connors' international deployments also include Op PALLADIUM in Bosnia Herzegovina in 1999, Op ECLIPSE in Eritrea as part of the UN's Standby High Readiness Brigade (SHIRBRIG), in 2000 – 2001, Op UNISON in New Orleans’s, Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, Op PLATEAU in Pakistan with the Disaster Assistance Response Team in 2005 and finally Op ATHENA, TF 1-07, in Afghanistan as part of 2 RCR BG in 2007.

Throughout his career WO Connors has continuously made efforts to increase his knowledge. He has successfully completed all of his career courses with above average results, and has challenged himself constantly. In 2002, after mocking the dive team for years, he finally made the "plunge" and completed the course. In 2003 WO Connors made a brief career move to AVN tech, but quickly returned to the Engineers once he realized that his dive pay had ceased. As a reward for his return he was made the Regimental Dive NCO and completed his Dive Supervisor course. In 2006 WO Connors lead 4 ESR into the LAV era by being the course NCO for the first ever Regimental run LAV III Driver as well as Turret Operator and Crew Commander courses. WO Connors also completed his Heavy Equipment Operations and Plans course in 2009, and the Advanced Bridging and Bridge Inspector courses in 2012.

After his return from Afghanistan in 2007, WO Connors was posted to the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering (CFSME) as the Army Dive Center Operations and Equipment NCO. In 2009 he was posted to 3 ASG CE Section as a contract manager, and finally was posted back to 4 ESR in 2012 as the Resources Troop Recce Sgt. He has also been employed as the Regimental Training NCO, Resources Troop Warrant and is currently the Squadron Quartermaster for 45 Support Squadron.

WO Connors has had many outstanding accomplishments in his career, from being awarded the Sapper of the Year in 1996 to receiving a CEFCOM Commanders commendation for his leadership after a deadly IED strike in Afghanistan, which claimed the lives of three Canadian Soldiers.

He is married to Mrs Debbie Richardson, and is also the proud father of Emily Connors. While he will enjoy retirement from the CAF, he will still continue to serve the CAF as he will be employed within 4 ESR as the EET bridge inspector and storeman.

An informal DWD ceremony will take place at the Sgt's and WO's Mess Annex on Friday 08 January 2016 from 1400 till 1600hrs.

Dress will be dress of the day or appropriate civilian attire. Guests are requested to RSVP with MWO W.J. Lovely NLT 04 December 2015. He can be reached at 506-422-2433 or via email at william.lovely@forces.gc.ca.

Congratulatory messages, farewell wishes, anecdotes and photos may be sent to MWO Lovely at the email address provided.