1. CAPTAIN RICHARD (RICK) BIOLLO’S DISTINGUISHED CAREER IN THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES (CAF) SPANS AN IMPRESSIVE 32 YEARS, MARKED BY DEDICATION, LEADERSHIP, AND A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE. HIS JOURNEY BEGAN ON 24 JUNE 1992, WHEN HE JOINED 745 (EDMONTON) COMMUNICATION SQUADRON AS A NON-COMMISSIONED MEMBER. HIS EARLY YEARS IN SERVICE SET THE FOUNDATION FOR A REMARKABLE CAREER.

2. RICK’S PURSUIT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LED HIM TO EARN A CIVIL ENGINEERING DIPLOMA FROM THE NORTHERN ALBERTA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (NAIT). HIS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS WERE SOON FOLLOWED BY A COMMISSION AS A SIGNAL OFFICER IN 1995, REFLECTING HIS GROWING EXPERTISE AND LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL.

3. ON 3 DECEMBER 2003, RICK COMMENCED A CLASS B CONTRACT WITH THE 1 GENERAL SUPPORT BATTALION AS THE BATTALION SIGNALS OFFICER AND ADMINISTRATIVE SQUADRON SECOND-IN-COMMAND. HIS DEDICATION AND SKILL IN THESE ROLES LED HIM TO ANOTHER CLASS B CONTRACT WITH THE 1 AREA SUPPORT GROUP (ASG) HEADQUARTERS, WHERE HE WAS EMPLOYED AS THE G1 MANAGEMENT AND OVERSAW ALL RESERVE ADMINISTRATION FOR NEARLY A DECADE.

4. RICK’S CAREER FURTHER EVOLVED WHEN HE TRANSITIONED TO THE LAND FORCE WESTERN AREA (LFWA) ENGINEERS AS THE UNIT ADJUTANT ON 30 JULY 2013. DURING THIS TIME, HE WITNESSED THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE LFWA ENGINEERS INTO REAL PROPERTY OPERATIONS UNIT (WEST) HEADQUARTERS, SHOWCASING HIS ADAPTABILITY AND COMMITMENT TO THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF THE FORCES.

5. OUTSIDE OF HIS MILITARY CAREER, RICK’S PASSION FOR MARTIAL ARTS HAS BEEN A DEFINING ASPECT OF HIS LIFE. HIS JOURNEY BEGAN WITH KARATE AND MUAY THAI, WHERE HE TRAINED FOR 12 YEARS. IT LATER EXPANDED TO BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU (BJJ) UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF ALBERTA BJJ PIONEER KYLE CARDINAL IN MARCH 1998. RICK ACHIEVED HIS BLACK BELT IN BJJ IN 2009 AND HOLDS A THIRD-DEGREE BLACK BELT FROM 3RD DEGREE BJJ EDMONTON. HIS DEDICATION TO MARTIAL ARTS LED HIM TO BRAZIL IN JANUARY 2010, WHERE HE TRAINED AT THE GRACIE HUMAITA ACADEMY IN RIO DE JANEIRO.

6. IN ADDITION TO HIS MILITARY AND MARTIAL ARTS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, RICK WILL RETIRE ON 18 FEBRUARY 2025. HE WILL RETURN TO NAIT TO PURSUE A WIRELESS SYSTEM ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY DIPLOMA, DEMONSTRATING HIS COMMITMENT TO LIFELONG LEARNING AND PREPARING HIM FOR A NEW CAREER AND EDUCATION PURSUIT IN CYBERSECURITY.

7. CAPTAIN BIOLLO’S RETIREMENT MARKS THE END OF A DISTINGUISHED AND IMPACTFUL CAREER. HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CAF, HIS ACHIEVEMENTS IN MARTIAL ARTS AND HIS COMMITMENT TO LIFELONG LEARNING HAVE LEFT A LEGACY. RICK CONSIDERS WORK AND LIFE BALANCE TO BE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS IN HIS LIFE. HE WILL ENJOY HIS WELL-DESERVED RETIREMENT WITH HIS SPOUSE, JACQUELINE, HIS DAUGHTER, MADISON, AND HIS SON, NOAH. WE EXTEND OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO CAPTAIN BIOLLO FOR HIS SERVICE AND WISH HIM THE BEST IN HIS FUTURE ENDEAVOURS.

8. THE RETIRED RPOU-W ADJUTANT, CAPT RICHARD BIOLLO, WITH 27 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A BJJ PRACTITIONER, HAS EARNED THE RANK OF THIRD-DEGREE BLACK BELT. HIS DEDICATION TO THE ART AND THE MILITARY EXEMPLIFIED THE LONG-STANDING CONNECTION BETWEEN MARTIAL ARTS AND SERVICE. “BJJ HAS TRANSFORMED MY LIFE, HE REFLECTED.” “THE DISCIPLINE” AND CAMARADERIE I FOUND IN TRAINING HAVE CARRIED OVER INTO MY MILITARY CAREER. I AM GLAD THAT IT HAS PASSED ON TO THE YOUNG SOLDIERS WHO CONTINUE TO EXCEL FOR EXCELLENCE.”

9. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.