1. CAPTAIN RICK TAYLOR WILL RETIRE FROM THE CAF ON 15 APR 2021 AFTER 34 + YEARS OF LOYAL DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CAF, CANADIAN ARMY AND THE RCCS.
2. RICK JOINED THE CAF IN ST. JOHN’S NL IN OCTOBER 1986 AS A RADIO OPERATOR (MOC 211). AFTER COMPLETING BASIC TRAINING IN CORNWALLIS, DRIVER TRAINING IN BORDEN AND HIS INITIAL SIGNALS TRAINING AT CFSCE, HE WAS POSTED TO 1 CBG HQ & SIG SQN CALGARY, THE 8TH CANADIAN HUSSARS, 4 CMBG HQ & SIG SQN, BASE CLOSURE WORK FORCE AND COMM SQN LAHR, GERMANY, 2 PPCLI WINNIPEG, 3 PPCLI EDMONTON, 1 CMBG HQ & SIG SQN EDMONTON, COMMDET SELFKANT GERMANY, 2 COMM SQN RED DEER AND CFSCE KINGSTON. UPON BEING COMMISSIONED AS A SIGNALS OFFICER IN 2015, HE REMAINED AT CFSCE, FOLLOWED BY POSTINGS TO 21 EW REGT AND 77 LINE REGT KINGSTON.
3. RICK COMPLETED 5 OPERATIONAL DEPLOYMENTS DURING HIS CAREER: IRAQ AZ ZUBAYR WITH 88 CDN SIGNALS REGT, BOSNIA CORALICI, ZGON AND GOS PEAK WITH 2PPCLI BG’S AND FINALLY AFGHANISTAN PRT KANDAHAR WITH 3 PPCLI.
4. DURING HIS TIME AS AN NCM RICK WAS EMPLOYED AS A TACTICAL AIR CP OP, LO AND DR DRIVER, BDE CP SIGNALLER, MCV, RADIO RELAY AND REPEATER OP, BN AND BG COMSEC CUSTODIAN CLERK, CRTTZ, RRB AND BN CP DET COMD, BN IS NCO, BN AND BG SIG STORESMEN, CP SGT, BN RAD SGT, SIG TP AND BDE CP WO, COMMDET WO, MSG CENTER SNR OP, CFSU(E) COMSEC CUSTODIAN, RFTS WO AND B SQN SERGEANT-MAJOR CFSCE.
5. AS A COMMISSIONED OFFICER, HE CARRIED OUT DUTIES AS OIC STANDARDS, BSOC STAFF, REGT SIG O, ISSO, COMSEC CUSTODIAN, UNIT HARRASSMENT ADVISOR AND REGT OPS K.
6. RICK WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THOSE THAT HE HAD THE HONOR AND PLEASURE TO SERVE WITH, ESPECAILLY THOSE WHO HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON HIS MILITARY CAREER. THE LIST OF MENTORS AND ROLE MODELS IS LONG AND DISTINGUISHED.
7. RICK AND HIS WIFE DIANA WILL REMAIN IN THE KINGSTON AREA WHERE THEY WILL ENJOY BIKING, HIKING AND FISHING. HE WILL TRY SOME PART TIME WORK ONCE THE COUNTRY GETS BACK TO NORMAL.
8. DUE TO COVID-19, A DWD FUNCTION MAY BE SCHEDULED AT A LATER DATE.
9. PLEASE SEND ANECDOTES OR MESSAGES TO CAPT ANDERSON M.D. NLT 15 MAR 2021 TO ALLOW TIME FOR COMPILATION PRIOR TO RICK’S LAST DAY OF WORK.
I was blessed to work with such a talented gentleman. Rick imparted very important lessons to me for which I am ever grateful. You are a wonderful human being with an equally generous and wonderful wife, Diana. Wishing you a great retirement! Cheers.
Rick it was a pleasure to get to know a fellow Newfie when I got to HQ & Sigs. We had some good laughs over the years. When we got posted to Germany. We ordered pizza one night, a familiar voice on the other end of the phone was you. Still the best pizza I have ever ordered. We hope you guys enjoy retirement. It was a pleasure to serve with you. It was nice catching up in Newfoundland and having a coffee together. Take care of yourself. VVV my friend.
Congratulations Rick!! You have certainly been an outstanding and honourable role model to myself and others. I wish you all the happiness and adventures you deserve.