1. ON 15 DECEMBER 2017 AFTER 33.5 YEARS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO CANADA, COL F. LANIEL WILL RETIRE FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES (CAF).

2. COLONEL LANIEL ENROLLED IN THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES IN 1984 AS PART OF THE REGULAR OFFICER TRAINING PLAN. HE COMPLETED HIS MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEGREE AT SHERBROOKE UNIVERSITY IN 1987 AND HIS AEROSPACE ENGINEERING TRAINING IN 1989. OVER THE NEXT 28 YEARS, COL LANIEL SUPPORTED THE CC144, CC109, CH124, CC150, CH147 AND CH149 AIRCRAFT AND THE AIR CADET GLIDER PROGRAM AS AN ENGINEERING AND MAINTENANCE OFFICER. HE ALSO WORKED AS AN ANALSYT WITH THE VCDS, AN EVALUATOR WITH REVIEW SERVICES, AN ADMINISTRATOR WITH THE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT GROUP AND HAD OPERATIONAL SUPPORT TOURS WITH CANOSCOM SUPPORTING THE AFG MISSION AND WITH CJOC AS PART OF JOINT TASK FORCE NORTH.

3. THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, HE EMBRACED THE OPPORTUNTIES TO TACKLE MANY DIVERSIFIED AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT, MEET EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE AND DISCOVER OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY. COL LANIEL WANTS TO THANK THE ENTIRE DND COMMUNITY HE DEALT WITH FOR THEIR FRIENSHIP, CAMARADERIE AND PROFESSIONALISM. IN RETROSPECT COL LANIEL CLAIMS THE CHOICE HE MADE OVER 33 YEARS AGO TO JOIN THE MILITARY TURNED OUT TO BE TRULY ENLIGHTENING AND REWARDING.

4. HE AND HIS SPOUSE HOLLY WILL REMAIN IN OTTAWA FOR THE NEXT PORTION OF THEIR LIFE JOURNEY AS HE HAS ACCEPTED A POSITION WITH TRANSPORT CANADA. HE IS VERY PROUD TO CONTINUE HIS CONNECTION WITH THE CAF THROUGH HIS ROLE WITH TRANSPORT CANADA. IN ADDITION, HE WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW WITH THE HIGHEST INTEREST, HIS SON’S OWN MILITARY CAREER.

5. COL LANIEL HAS OPTED FOR A SMALL PRIVATE DWD WITH SOME OF HIS CLOSEST FRIENDS. ANECDOTES, CONGRATULATORY NOTES, AND MESSAGES OF GOOD RIDDANCE MAY BE FORWARDED TO COL DON WALDOCK AT: (CONTACT REMOVED 2023 APR 20 BY ADMIN. SEND INQUIRIES HERE https://cmcen-rcmce.ca/contact/ ). PER ARDU AD ASTRA.