After more than 32 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, WO Gerry MacDonald CD (bio attached) will be retiring 3 August 2017. WO MacDonald will be having an informal DwD luncheon at Mingler's Pub on the 14th of July
at 1130. Congratulatory messages or anecdotes can be sent to event OPI, WO Clint Charron at clinton.charron@forces.gc.ca<mailto:clinton.charron@forces.
WO MacDonald was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia and grew up in Eastern Passage, N.S. After completing 1 year of auto body repair technician training at Dartmouth Regional Vocational School, he enrolled in The CF at CFRC Halifax 6 Apr 85 under the YTEP III program as a Naval Signalman (NavSig), transferring to the regular force 6 Apr 86. He remained a NavSig until Jan 99 serving in 7 different HMC Ships and 2 shore postings which included several NATO deployments, an inter coastal ship transfer which involved sailing HMCS Annapolis from Halifax to Esquimalt through the Panama Canal and returning to Halifax with HMCS Terra Nova and lastly participated in recovery operations of Swiss Air 111 aboard HMCS Halifax. In Jan 99 he completed a voluntary occupational transfer to the Electrical Generating Systems Technician trade. Upon completion of trades training at CFSME, he was posted to 8 Wing Trenton and employed as a tech at the Base EGS shop where he completed his OJT package, a 6 month tour of CFS Alert and numerous maintenance and repair trips to Eureka and Alert. Upon completion of journeyman training in Jun 04 and promotion to MCpl in Sep 04, he was transferred to 86 ASU Trenton where he completed several generator/UPS installations at Comox, Chilliwack and Bagotville. In Feb 05 he was deployed to TF Golan until Aug 05. He was posted to CFSME in Oct 05, employed as an instructor in the EGS Cell. He was promoted to Sgt in Apr 06 and completed the 6A course Dec 06. In Jan 08 he was transferred to Construction Airfield Engineering Squadron (CAE), instructing 6A, 6B and Phase III/IV courses. He completed the 6B course in Mar 10 and was promoted to WO in Jun 10. He was posted to 1 ESU in Jun 10. From there he deployed twice to Kuwait and once to Beijing China. Upon leaving 1 ESU in April 2013 and after a short stopover at 4 ESR, it was back to CFSME to the former CAE now known as the Construction Engineer Management Squadron (CEMS)…….
After 32+ years between the RCN and Engineer Branch WO MacDonald will retire 3 Aug 17. He and his wife Terri will remain in the Fredericton area for the foreseeable future.