1. AFTER 29 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO CANADA, COLONEL MICHEL ROY WILL RETIRE FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ON 30 MARCH 2021.  THE SON OF AN RCAF OFFICER, MICHEL SPENT HIS FORMATIVE YEARS IN NORTH BAY, ONTARIO.  UPON ENROLLMENT IN THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES IN 1992 AS A COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING (CELE) OFFICER, HE PROCEEDED TO ROYAL ROADS MILITARY COLLEGE (RRMC), THEN GRADUATED FROM THE ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE (RMC) IN 1996.

2. MICHEL’S CAREER STARTED IN THE SIGINT COMMUNITY IN BOTH OTTAWA AND HALIFAX, ROUNDING OUT THAT EXPERIENCE AS DEPUTY COMMANDER CFIOG.  HE HAS HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO COMMAND IN NORTH BAY TWICE, FIRST IN THE CAPACITY OF WING TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION SERVICES OFFICER AS A MAJOR, AND NEXT AS THE WING ADMINISTRATION AND TECHNICAL SERVICES OFFICER AS A LIEUTENANT-COLONEL.  HE FEELS FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN SELECTED AS THE CAREER MANAGER FOR CELE WHERE HE STEWARDED THE OCCUPATION AND MENTORED A GENERATION OF CELE OFFICERS.  POSTINGS OUTSIDE OF CANADA INCLUDE THE JOINT INTEROPERABILITY TEST COMMAND AT FORT HUACHUCA, ARIZONA, AND NORAD & USNORTHCOM HEADQUARTERS IN COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.  HIS YEAR-LONG DEPLOYMENT TO THE MULTINATIONAL FORCE & OBSERVERS IN SINAI, EGYPT, REMAINS A HIGHLIGHT OF HIS CAREER.

3. IF ASKED, HE WOULD CLAIM THAT HIS GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT WHILE IN UNIFORM WAS NOT MEDALS OR AWARDS, NOR WAS IT POSTINGS OR POSITIONS HELD BUT RATHER THE TIME HE SPENT INTERACTING AND GETTING TO KNOW THOSE AROUND HIM.  A CAREER SPENT DEDICATED TO CANADA IS NOT FOR EVERYONE.  THANKFULLY, COLONEL ROY’S FAMILY WERE SUPPORTIVE AND GRACIOUS WHEN DUTY CALLED AND POSTINGS OCCURRED.  COL ROY HAS ENJOYED THE RIDE IMMENSELY AND HAS ALWAYS CHERISHED WEARING HIS UNIFORM.

4. FRIENDS AND FAMILY HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL DURING COL ROY’S CAREER.  THE CAMARADERIE AND SHARED HISTORY HAVE ALLOWED HIM TO BUILD THE GREATEST OF FRIENDSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SO MUCH SO THAT WITHOUT THESE FRIENDS, HE LIKELY WOULD NOT HAVE PROGRESSED TO THE EXTENT HE DID.   KEY MOMENTS AND THOSE THAT SHAPED THEM HAVE MADE HIM WHO HE IS TODAY.  TO THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS THAT HAVE HELPED, EITHER IN A SMALL OR LARGE WAY, YOU ARE THANKED FROM THE BOTTOM OF HIS HEART AND WILL ALWAYS BE DEAR TO HIM.

5. ALTHOUGH MICHEL HAS MANY WONDERFUL MEMORIES DURING HIS TIME IN THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES, MICHEL AND HIS FAMILY HAVE CERTAINLY HAD THEIR SHARE OF MOVES.  FOR THIS HE THANKS HIS AMAZING WIFE ROSIE AND THEIR FOUR CHILDREN NOAH, SAM, ABI AND LILLY.  THEIR STEADFAST SUPPORT HAS MEANT THE WORLD TO HIM.

6. COL ROY’S PLANS FOR THE FUTURE ARE TO STAY PUT, NOT MOVE EVERY TWO YEARS AND ENJOY SEEING HIS CHILDREN GROW. HE HAS ACCEPTED EMPLOYMENT WITHIN THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND IS EXCITED FOR THE FREEDOMS IT WILL AFFORD HIM.

7. A DEPART WITH DIGNITY WITH COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS AND FAMILY WILL BE SET FOR A LATER DATE WHEN THE SITUATION PERMITS.

8. BEST WISHES, ANECDOTES, AMUSING STORIES AND ESPECIALLY PICTURES MAY BE PASSED TO MAJ C. PAQUIN ([email protected]).