1. CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER MIINA PIIR WILL BE RETIRING FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ON 26 MARCH 2021, AFTER 35 PLUS YEARS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO CANADA.
2. CWO PIIR JOINED THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES IN VANCOUVER, BC, IN 1983, ONLY KNOWING SHE WAS GOING TO BE A POET. UPON GRADUATION FROM BASIC TRAINING IN CORNWALLIS NOVA SCOTIA SHE WAS OFF TO CFB KINGSTON TO COMPLETE HER ELECTRONICS TRAINING AND GO ON TO BECOME A TERMINAL EQUIPMENT TECHNICIAN. WITH TRADE AMALGAMATIONS SHE BECAME AN AEROSPACE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN IN 2000.
3. POSTINGS HAVE INCLUDED EDMONTON, WITH MUCH OF THE TIME SPENT IN WAINWRIGHT, PENHOLD, VANCOUVER, BORDEN, NAPLES ITALY, OTTAWA, COMOX, AND WINNIPEG. OVERSEAS TOURS HAVE INCLUDED DOHA QATAR DURING THE GULF WAR, BEING PART OF THE UNITED NATIONS PROTECTION FORCE IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA, AND PART OF THE CANADIAN CONTINGENT SUPPORTING THE EUROPEAN MISSION, OP ALTHEA, IN BOSNIA.
4. SHE RETIRED FROM THE REGULAR FORCE IN 2014 ONLY TO JOIN THE AIR RESERVES FULL TIME. IT IS AS AN AIR RESERVIST SHE RECEIVED HER PROMOTION TO CWO TAKING ON THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE RCAF NON-COMMISSIONED MEMBERS.
5. HIGHLIGHTS OF HER CAREER INCLUDE: PARTICIPATING IN NIJMEGEN; A POSTING TO ITALY; PARTICIPATING IN THE INTERNATIONAL MILITARY PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES; AND BEING SELECTED AS THE FIRST NCM TO COMPLETE THE AEROSPACE SYSTEMS COURSE, WHICH GAVE HER THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLETE A MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION.
6. MIINA WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO SHE HAS HAD THE PLEASURE AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE WITH THROUGHOUT HER CAREER, IN PARTICULAR ALL THOSE WHO HAD THE PATIENCE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ASKED WHEN SHE CAME TO AN OFFICE OR SECTION LOOKING FOR INFORMATION. SHE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO ENABLED HER TO SUCCESSFULLY ORGANIZE THE JUNIOR ENLISTED LEADERSHIP FORUM, A FORUM FILLED WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPANTS, HELD IN WINNIPEG IN 2019, AND A FINAL HIGHLIGHT IN A LONG CAREER.
7. DUE TO LOCAL AND PROVINCIAL COVID RESTRICTIONS PLANNING FOR A RETIREMENT GATHERING IS PENDING.
8. THOSE WISHING TO PASS ON CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES, AND ANECDOTES MAY EMAIL SGT MITSCHKE AT [email protected].
CONGRATULATONS MIINA on joining the retirement ranks !! I see you have had an amazing career. It has been awhile since our 706 Communications Squadron day. Good Luck for the future. Take care.
Hi Miina,
Congratulations on making the transition to the next phase of your life! What will the RCAF do without your expertise, experience, and patience?! I will miss our chats, and I am sure that you will be happy with your cats. I learned so much from you. You taught me about the Air Force, and the ways of Air Force personnel. Also, I will always remember running side-by-side with you during morning PT; you wearing your grumpy cat shirt. Best of luck. I look forward to keeping in touch with you from our new home base here in Quebec City. Your colleague and friend, James Cantafio
Congratulations Miina, you’ve had a fantastic career and it was a pleasure to work with you in Penhold and Vancouver. All the best in your next endeavour and if your ever in the area give me a shout and we can rehash the times we had, especially Vancouver.
Congratulations on your retirement. When you take the time to put pen to paper one can see where your adventures have taken you. What a wonderful journey! I am certain the next chapter will also have adventures in store for you, and you will be better than FINE. Enjoy.
Hello Miina, Congrats and enjoy your well deserved retirement. You can now retire the chin up bar in your closet!!! Great memories from years gone by♥️
Miina,
Such wonderful memories of meeting you at 74 Comm Gp HQ and then lucky enough to see you again in Borden!
I can still remember laughing with you – you are so witty!
Enjoy your retirement! Congratulations on a successful career and for leading the way!
xox Tonya
Miina,
Thank-you for all your efforts influencing the evolution and growth of the ATIS trade. I know first hand the contributions that you made as a member of 2CAD and your involvement with professional development of members in both the ATIS and CELE occupations.
I wish you the best of luck
Congratulations Miina on a greatly successful career. Though we didn’t cross professional paths and only spent a short period of time at Tunneys together, your accomplishments were prevalent throughout the Branch and the 222 Terminal Equipment Technician trade. I too was provided a blue outfit for my last 7 years of service.
Enjoy your well deserved retirement. Cheers.
Bruce Dunsmore