1. AFTER 34 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THIS GREAT COUNTRY, AND HAVING SERVED WITH SO MANY AMAZING PEOPLE, I HAVE DECIDED TO RETIRE ON 13 SEPT 2024.
2. I HAVE BEEN POSTED TO 1 CDHSR KINGSTON (1991-1997), WAINWRIGHT (1997-2003), 2 RCR GAGETOWN (2003-2006), CFJSR KINGSTON (2006-2012), CFNOC OTTAWA (2012-2016), 7 COMM GP HQ / DEFSOC (2016-2018), 4 CDSG SIG SQN PETAWAWA (2018-2021) AND FINALLY 2 CMBG HQ & SIG SQN PETAWAWA (2021-2024).
3. I HAVE DEPLOYED TO RWANDA, HAITI (TWICE), AFGHANISTAN, UAE (CAMP MIRAGE), IRAQ AND LATVIA.
4. AS I REFLECT ON MY CAREER, I AM FLOODED WITH MANY MEMORIES, MOST OF WHICH ARE WONDERFUL AND I HAVE PASSED ON TO ANYONE WHO WOULD LISTEN, SORRY KIDS. MEMORIES FROM THOSE THAT I DEPLOYED WITH, THAT I PLAYED MANY SPORTS WITH (REGIONALS, NATIONALS AND CISM), WENT ON EXERCISES WITH, WENT ON COURSES WITH, WAS POSTED WITH, DROVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH, SERVED UNDER, SUPERVISED, AND TAUGHT ON COURSES AT CFSCE OR UNIT LEVEL. AS FOR THE OTHER MEMORIES, THEY ARE OF THOSE THAT WE LOST TOO SOON, AND THESE ARE THE TOUGH MEMORIES TO GET THROUGH.
5. I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE AND HONOUR OF SERVING WITH SO MANY GREAT PEOPLE, AND LEARNING FROM THEM, GOOD AND BAD. I AM IMMENSELY GRATEFUL TO HAVE MET AND MADE SO MANY FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY, AND THESE BONDS ARE FOREVER STRONG.
6. THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT I DO WANT TO THANK BUT I AM NOT GOING TO RAMBLE ON HERE, YOU ALL KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND IF YOU’RE NOT SURE, THEN REFLECT ON THAT AND WE CAN REMINISCE AT MY DWD (SEE BELOW FOR MORE INFO), IF YOU CAN MAKE IT. I HAVE HAD A FEW MENTORS THAT HAVE BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO SHARE THEIR WISDOM WITH ME AND A FEW OTHERS THAT SHARED THEIR THOUGHTS ANYWAYS, DESPITE NOT WANTING TO HEAR IT, BUT THESE WERE ALSO LESSONS LEARNED AND TAUGHT ME PATIENCE.
7. I DO WANT TO THANK MY FOUR AMAZING CHILDREN, ERICA, LYNDA, ABBY, AND SCOTT, WHO HAVE BEEN THERE FOR ME DURING THE LAST 24 YEARS AND HAVE KEPT ME ON MY TOES AS WELL AS HAVE KEPT ME FEELING YOUNG.
8. AS FOR RETIREMENT, THIS IS NOT GOODBYE, BUT THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER CHAPTER THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO. I DO NOT PLAN ON FULLY RETIRING AS I HAVE MANY OTHER THINGS AND HOBBIES THAT I WILL NOW HAVE MORE TIME TO WORK ON OR LEARN ABOUT.
9. LASTLY, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE READING THIS THAT EITHER DO NOT KNOW ME AND/OR HAVE JUST STARTED YOUR SERVICE, TAKE TIME TO RECORD THE MOMENTS THAT ARE WORTH REMEMBERING (WRITE THEM DOWN, TAKE A VIDEO OR PHOTO, ETC), AND FORGETTING THOSE THAT ARE NOT. THIS IS A LARGE PART OF WHAT BUILDS RESILIENCE, AND YOU’LL NEED THAT IN ABUNDANCE TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL CAREER.
10. V.V.V.
11. A DWD WILL BE HELD AT THE BLVD IN PETAWAWA (3520 PETAWAWA BLVD) ON 23 AUG 2024. FOR THOSE ATTENDING OR WISH TO SEND A MESSAGE OR ANECDOTE, PLEASE CONTACT SGT PAUL STEPHENSON AT [email protected]
Ray, you were my SM when I was acting CO during the pandemic, and man you helped me through one of the worst times of my career. Always had a positive attitude and always there to help, I will always remember you as one of the best people I met in my career. Congrats on your retirement brother!
Ray, reading through some of the other comments…..it’s great that some of us are still around from Cornwallis and TQ3’s! Ya, like Troy said, and I was thinking this too……you’re the last one standing! The Final one from 9033 and 9101! So proud of your accomplishments and where you’ve reached to end your career! I still remember you wanting to be Army CWO……figuring, you were probably pretty close to achieve! The CAF is definitely going to miss a very important soldier! It was an honour serving along side you, even if it wasn’t “directly with” you, but we both contributed to this great nation! I’m so happy that I was able to attend your Change of Command parade with 2CMBG HQ & Sig Sqn, Petawawa, recently! Please keep in touch and you’re always welcome to come over, anytime! Don’t be a stranger! All the best in your future endeavors! Just on a personal note…..if you’re going to be still involved with the CAF in ANY capabilities….. PLEASE, convince someone of importance, to really consider the Dress and Deportment of where todays’ military is going/heading! V.V.V.
I had the great pleasure of working with Ray during two of his Ottawa postings, CFNOC and DEFSOC, and on a personal construction project at my house. Ray’s work ethic was unparalleled. Often he was the first guy in and the last out.
Everyone liked Ray. His smile seemed contiguous.
Best of luck in your retirement. The Canadian Forces was lucky to have you for all of those years. If you’re ever in the mood for a job with the public service, please reach out!
Cheers,
Congrats Ray for your 34 yrs of service to both King and Queen and Country. Hard to believe it was 34 yrs ago that our paths crossed in CFRS Cornwallis during our time in 10 platoon. I wish you all the best in your retirement and hope that the journey is an amazing one. Cheers Brother. VVV.
Thanks Jake. It was long ago but seems like yesterday too. I hope all is well you and the family. Take care and keep in touch.
Well Ray,
I know from working with you in CFNOC that you will not let the moss grow under your feet after you retire.
It was a good time working with you in CFNOC. You ensured the young troops under you were well taken care of. As most of us older folk, you have endure lots of time away from home on tours to far off places no one in their right mind would visit at that point in time. But it was done for the greater good of not just Canada but the World. As you slow down in retirement I have no doubt that you will look back more often to the fond memories of your time in the military with great enthusiasm. As you indicated in your retirement message it is only by the loving support or our families that we are able to do what we do for as long as we do.
All the best to you in your future endeavors.
Thanks very much for your kind words, Doug. It was a great experience serving at CFNOC and I learned a lot from you and all the other amazing CFNOCians…lol.
I hope all is well at that small but fabulous location in Ottawa. Take care, and say Hi to a few of the folks still remaining there.
Congrats Ray on a great career, hard to believe it has been 34 years. I still remember our time together in Cornwallis like it was yesterday. All the best in your future endeavors. Cheers Brother. VVV.
Ray,
The time has come— we go all the way back to Basic and look at us now, we are both retiring, but you will be the last man standing from our TQ 3s. We have spent much time together in and outside of work, at home and abroad, on and off the pitch/court and wherever else the paths took us. Enough about us— I wish you all the best in retirement.
Thanks Troy, not only for the comments but also your friendship, laughter and hairstyling tips…lol.
You’re right in that it has been a heck of a ride but a good one, and the memories we have together and with our other friends, especially soccer, are ones that I cherish. My email is [email protected], and I would enjoy an email or two once in a while so we can check in with each other to stay in touch. Take care and I also wish you a relaxing and fruitful retirement.
Best of luck on your retirement. It was always a pleasure working with you and I remember a lot of fun times!
Thanks Dave. It was a pleasure working with you as well. A lot of good times, laughs and hard work, but they are all good memories. Take care.
Congratulations Ray on a wonderful career. Enjoy this next chapter buddy you deserve it. If you ever make out west, drop me a line. Cheers VVV
Thanks Chris, much appreciated. I plan on enjoying it as you seem to be, at least from what I see on the book of faces…lol.
Matter of fact, I am retiring in St. Paul, AB and would like to visit you after we get settled in. My email is [email protected] if you want to send me your details and we can arrange a visit for some time this fall. Take care and keep in touch.
Ray, it was an honour to serve with you at CFNOC and within the Branch. You’ve had a career to be proud of! All the best as you move on to the next bound. Thank you for your service to crown and country.
Thanks very much, Alex. It was a pleasure and honour to serve with you as well, in all capacities. Thanks to you for holding the Branch together during these trying times, and God speed to you in your next position as well. I’ll be watching from afar and if I have any CAF related questions, I know I can count on you to give me the honest truth. Take care, my friend.