1. MWO GILLES ARSENAULT WILL BE RETIRING AFTER 38 YEARS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CAF ON 6 JULY 2025.

2. GILLES JOINED THE CAF IN NOV 1986 AT NORTH BAY, ONTARIO AS A MEMBER OF A COY, THE ALGONQUIN REGIMENT WHERE HE SERVED FOR 13 YEARS. HE HELD VARIOUS POSITIONS FROM INFANTEER, SECTION COMMANDER, PLATOON WO AND RQMS. WHILE AT THE REGIMENT HE DEPLOYED ON OP RECUPERATION IN RESPONSE TO THE 1998 ICE STORM. HE ENJOYED INSTRUCTING AT THE RCR BATTLE SCHOOL AND ON THE COOPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM. HE HAS FOND MEMORIES OF HIS TIME IN THE RESERVES AND IS ALWAYS HAPPY TO SEE HOW HIS PEERS AND FORMER STUDENTS HAVE SUCEEDED IN THEIR MILITARY CAREERS. GILLES COMPONENT TRANSFERRED TO THE REGULAR FORCE IN JULY 2000 AND BEGAN HIS TRAINING AS A COMMUNICATOR RESEARCH OPERATOR. HE WAS POSTED TO CFS LEITRIM IN OTTAWA, TRINITY HALIFAX, HMCS ATHABASKAN, 21 ELECTRONIC WARFARE REGIMENT IN KINGSTON, AND FINALLY, BACK TO TRINITY. WHILE ON HMCS ATHABASKAN HE DEPLOYED ON OP HESTIA TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF HAITI RECOVER AFTER THE 2010 EARTHQUAKE. IN 2011, HE DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN IN SUPPORT OF CANSOFCOM FOR OP ATHENA.

3. GILLES WOULD LIKE TO THANK HIS LOVELY WIFE LYNN AND THEIR CHILDREN ALEX AND EVAN. THEIR SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT MADE SERVING IN THE CAF SO MUCH EASIER. HE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL THOSE HE SERVED BESIDE FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK, SUPPORT AND MENTORSHIP. SERVICE IN THE CAF IS NOT ALWAYS EASY BUT THE FRIENDSHIPS BUILT THROUGH SHARED ADVENTURES WILL ALWAYS BE HIGHLY VALUED.

4. GILLES PLANS ON REMAINING IN THE HALIFAX AREA WHERE HE HOPES TO FOCUS ON RELAXING, SPENDING TIME WITH LYNN AND SEEING WHERE THE NEXT CHAPTER OF HIS LIFE LEADS.

5. AN INFORMAL RETIREMENT BBQ WILL BE HELD AT CHEZ GILLES ON 6 JULY WHERE HE LOOKS FORWARD TO SHARING A BEVERAGE AND GRILLING UP TASTY FOOD FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND.

6. ANYONE WISHING TO PASS ON BEST WISHES, ANECDOTES OR CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES CAN FORWARD THEM TO WO ISABELLE JEAN: [email protected].