1. AFTER MORE THAN 36 YEARS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE, CAPTAIN WILLIAM HILDRETH WILL RETIRE FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ON 02 SEPTEMBER 2020.

2. CAPT HILDRETH JOINED THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES AS A COMM RSCH OPERATOR IN AUGUST OF 1984, RISING THROUGH THE RANKS FROM PTE TO CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER AND CULMINATING WITH BEING SELECTED AS THE COMM RSCH SENIOR OCCUPATION ADVISOR AND DGMS CHIEF. IN 2017 CWO HILDRETH WAS OFFERED A COMMISSION UNDER SPECIAL REQUIREMENT COMMISSIONING PLAN (SRCP) TO CAPTAIN WITHIN CFIOG HQ OPERATIONS CELL WHERE HE HAS CONTINUED TO SERVE.

3. UPON COMPLETION OF HIS TRADES TRAINING AT THE CANADIAN FORCES SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS IN KINGSTON, ONTARIO, BILL WAS POSTED TO CFS MASSET IN THE QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS (1985). HIS POSTINGS ALSO INCLUDED CFS LEITRIM THREE TIMES (1989, 2005 AND 2007), CFSCE (1994), 21 EW (2000) AND CFLS OTTAWA (1990 FOR RUSSIAN AND 2007 FOR FRENCH). HE WAS POSTED FOR THE LAST TIME TO CFIOG HQ IN 2013 AS THE J3 SIGINT MWO. PROMOTED TO CWO HE STAYED WITHIN THE HQ AND WORKED AS BOTH THE DGMS CWO AND SOA FOR THE TRADE AND WITHIN OPERATIONS AS A CAPTAIN. BILL HAS ENJOYED EVERY POSTING THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER.

4. DURING THE FIRST GULF WAR BILL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PAVE THE WAY FOR THE FUTURE CFIOG PERSONNEL EXCHANGE PROGRAM (PEP) WITH THE UNITED STATES NAVY COMPLETING A THREE-MONTH TEMPORARY DUTY AT FORT MEADE. CAPTAIN HILDRETH COMPLETED THREE-SIX MONTH POSTINGS TO CFS ALERT AND THREE OPERATIONAL TOURS, BOSNIA IN 2002 AND AFGHANISTAN IN 2004 AND 2008.

5. POST RETIREMENT BILL WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES AS A PUBLIC SERVANT WITHIN THE RPAS PROJECT SUPPORTING THE ADVANCEMENT OF DND/CAF SIGINT OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES AND PROCESSES. BILL AND DORINDA PLAN TO REMAIN IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION.

6. CAPTAIN HILDRETH IS EXTREMELY THANKFUL FOR ALL THE FANTASTIC PEOPLE HE HAS WORKED FOR AND WITH THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER. NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE UNQUALIFIED SUPPORT OF HIS FAMILY: HIS WIFE DORINDA, HIS DAUGHTERS SIERRA AND MADISON AND HIS MOM, GERALDINE.

7. DUE TO COVID 19, THE DEPART WITH DIGNITY CEREMONY WILL BE A SMALL AFFAIR ON 28 AUGUST 2020 AT 1330H OUTSIDE OF THE CFS LEITRIM ALL RANKS MESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULES ON PUBLIC GATHERINGS IN ONTARIO.

8. THOSE WISHING TO CONTRIBUTE TO A RETIREMENT GIFT OR OFFER ANECDOTES OR BEST WISHES CAN SEND THOSE TO THE OPI, CAPTAIN JACK MCCOOMBS AT [email protected].