RETIREMENT – COL ERIC CHARRON, CD – 00340 CELE

by | Aug 31, 2021 | News, Retirements | 4 comments

1. COLONEL ERIC CHARRON IS TRANSITIONING FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES AS A PROUD MEMBER OF THE COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS BRANCH AFTER 33+ YEARS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE ON 1 OCTOBER 2021. HE WILL BE REJOINING HIS BEST FRIEND, AND INDEFATIGABLE SUPPORTER – WIFE ANDREA AND THEIR TWO YOUNG ADULTS WHERE HIS CAREER BEGAN IN WINNIPEG, MANITOBA – AN UNDERVALUED GEM OF A CITY.

2. COL CHARRON’S CAF ADVENTURE BEGAN IN 1988 ALTHOUGH THE IMPETUS TO SERVE CAN BE TRACED TO HIS FATHER AND LIVING LIFE AS A MILITARY FAMILY. IN TOTAL, COL CHARRON HAS MOVED 24 TIMES. THIS INCLUDED FOUR TIMES AWAY FROM HIS FAMILY, ONE BEING A DEPLOYMENT TO KABUL AFGHANISTAN AS DEPUTY COMBINED J6 AND CDN CONTINGENT COMMANDING OFFICER (WHICH ARE DIFFICULT MEMORIES IN LIGHT OF RECENT EVENTS). THE FAMILY DID ENJOY TWO GREAT OUTCAN POSTINGS (NETHERLANDS AND GERMANY). JOBS RANGED FROM TECHNICAL TO TRAINING, FROM OPS & PLANS TO THE HR FIELD, MANY IN PROGRESSIVELY MORE CHALLENGING KEY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS. THEY SPANNED NO FEWER THAN SEVEN DIFFERENT L1S, OFFERING A WIDE RANGE OF EXPERIENCE AND CONSTANT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. THEY PROVIDED A WIDE ARRAY OF SUPERVISORS AND LEADERSHIP STYLES, REPRESENTED BY EIGHT DIFFERENT CAF/DND BACKGROUNDS (6 DIFFERENT MIL OCCUPATIONS, 2 FROM THE PUBLIC SERVICE) AND THREE AMERICANS (US ARMY SIGS AND USAF). COL CHARRON ALSO LEARNED FROM THE BEST COMMAND TEAM PARTNERS, STARTING WITH A CWO DURING HIS FIRST POSTING AS A 2LT TROOP OFFICER RIGHT UP TO HIS SECOND WING CWO AND FINALLY C&E BRANCH CWO, FOR A TOTAL OF 19 COMMAND TEAM PARTNERS OVER THE COURSE OF HIS CAREER.

3. COL CHARRON ESPECIALLY ENJOYED THE OUTREACH PART OF HIS EMPLOYMENT, ENGAGING WITH MILITARY FAMILIES, CADETS AND SCHOOLS, LOCAL COMMUNITY EVENTS AND NEW CITIZENS, MILITARY HISTORICAL EVENTS AND REPRESENTING THE CAF AT OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS IN CANADA AND ABROAD. PEOPLE WERE TRULY AT THE CORE OF HIS CAREER AND PLACING THEM FIRST UNFAILINGLY ENSURED THAT THE MISSION WAS ALWAYS COMPLETED AND ALWAYS “NO FAIL”.

4. ERIC CHARRON NOW EMBARKS ON A NEW ADVENTURE AND RENEWED FOCUS ON HIS FAMILY AND A NEW CHAPTER OF HIS PROFESSIONAL LIFE, IN SERVICE OF THE PEOPLE OF MANITOBA AS A DEPUTY MINISTER. THE CHARRON FAMILY LOOKS FORWARD TO VISITING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND HOSTING THOSE WHOSE PATHS THEY HAVE CROSSED OVER THESE MANY YEARS, ALL WHILE ERIC RESISTS THE INCESSANT REQUESTS FROM THE FAMILY TO “FINALLY” GET A DOG. A DWD CEREMONY WILL BE ORGANIZED VIRTUALLY LATER THIS YEAR – FOR THOSE WISHING TO SEND ANECDOTES, PICTURES, FAREWELL MESSAGES OR BE INFORMED OF THE DATE OF THE DWD, PLEASE CONTACT CAF TG HQ CO, MAJ DAVID MCQUEEN, [email protected] OR CAF TG RSM, CWO MARTIN RONDEAU, [email protected]. BE WELL, STAY WELL!

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Tika Adhikari
2 years ago

Congratulation for the new role and welcome to the department!

Peter Thamas
2 years ago

Thank you for the privildge of being under your CoC during my career, and the incentive to score high for an Express Test 🙂

Best of luck as you finish one career and begin a new chapter.

Mary Larsen
2 years ago

Congratulations Eric and best wishes ahead!

Michel Lapalme
2 years ago

Bonjour Col Charron, félicitations pour votre retraite, c’est bien mériter! Bon changement de carrière, de militaire à politique! Bonne chance dans cette nouvelle aréna!