1. CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER PATRICK WIGGINS, CD WILL RETIRE ON 6 AUGUST 2021 AFTER 39 YEARS PLUS OF SERVICE IN THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES.

2. PAT REALIZED DURING HIS 5 YEARS IN CADETS THAT THE CANADIAN FORCES WAS THE FUTURE HE WANTED. IN 1981 HE JOINED 722 COMMUNICATIONS SQUADRON IN SAINT JOHN, NB UNDER THE SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM (SYEP) AND ONCE HE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN 1982, HE JOINED THE REGULAR FORCE. UPON COMPLETION OF BASIC MILITARY QUALIFICATION AT CFLRS CORNWALLIS HE COMPLETED THE PERFORMANCE ORIENTATED ELECTRONICS TRAINING (POET) AT CANADIAN FORCES SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS (CFSCE) AND WAS DESIGNATED AS A RADIO TECHNICIAN 221 IN 1983. HIS CAREER HAS BEEN SATISFYING, EXCITING AND CHALLENGING.

3. AS A RADIO TECHNICIAN, THE DIVERSE OCCUPATION TOOK HIM TO AMAZING POSTINGS INCLUDING BASE MAINTENANCE IN GAGETOWN, NB SUPPORTING CTC (1983-1989), 733 COMMUNICATIONS SQUADRON IN WINNIPEG, MB SUPPORTING AIR COMMAND (1989-1993), SECOND LANGUAGE TRAINING (1993-1994) AND 1 COMBAT ENGINEER REGIMENT, CHILLIWACK, MB (1994-1996). POSTINGS BECAME MORE RESTRICTIVE ONCE THE TRADE CHANGED TO LAND COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN BUT HE ENJOYED FURTHER GREAT POSTINGS AT 79 COMMUNICATIONS REGIMENT KINGSTON (1996-2000), CANADIAN FORCES JOINT SIGNAL REGIMENT (CFJSR) KINGSTON (2000-2006), CANSOFCOM HQ (2006-2012, 2013-2016), CJOC HQ OTTAWA (2016-2019) AND ADM (MAT) (2012-2013) AND DIRECTOR LAND COMMAND SYSTEMS PROGRAM MANAGEMENT (DLCSPM) GATINEAU (2019-2021).

4. PAT HAS FILLED VARIOUS POSITIONS WHILE SERVING INCLUDING PERFORMING ESSENTIAL WORK ON THE BENCH, MAINTAINING DEPLOYED SYSTEMS, INSTRUCTING NETWORK DESIGN, PLANNING COMMUNICATION CAPABILITIES, SUPPORTING DEPLOYED OPERATIONS AND ADVISORY ROLES. HE HAS OCCUPIED THE ROLES OF RADIO TECHNICIAN (1ST AND 2ND LINE), NATIONAL COMMAND CONTROL AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS (NCCIS) TECHNICIAN, NCCIS FOREMAN OF SIGNALS (F OF S), CFJSR ASST/F OF S, CANSOFCOM HQ F OF S, CJOC SR CIS ADVISOR AND DLCSPM SR LCMM/CWO/SM.

5. DURING HIS CAREER, HE DEPLOYED TO OP PALLADIUM (1997-1998, 1999-2000), OP APOLLO (2002-2003) AND TF AFGHANISTAN (2011) AS WELL AS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE VISITS (TAVS) TO DIFFERENT REGIONS.

6. PAT PLANS TO REMAIN IN THE OTTAWA AREA WITH HIS WIFE LINDA WHERE THEY WILL TRY TO RELAX AND ENJOY LIFE. THIS MAY BE CHALLENGING BUT THEY ARE UP TO IT. DUE TO THE CURRENT PANDEMIC AND RESTRICTIONS, THERE WILL BE NO FORMAL DEPART WITH DIGNITY (DWD) AT THIS TIME. CONGRATULATORY NOTES AND COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO MWO FREDERIC LECLERC AT [email protected].