- LIEUTENANT-COLONEL P. J. MACKENZIE, CD, WILL RETIRE FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ON 05 SEPTEMBER 2023 AFTER 34 PLUS YEARS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO CANADA.
2. A NATIVE OF HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, LIEUTENANT-COLONEL MACKENZIE JOINED THE CANADIAN FORCES IN 1989 AS A DIRECT ENTRY OFFICER WITH A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE FROM SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER UNIVERSITY AND WHILE ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITÉ DE QUÉBEC A CHICOUTIMI. HE QUALIFIED AS A COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS (AIR) OFFICER AT THE CANADIAN FORCES SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS FOLLOWING WHICH HE ENJOYED POSTINGS TO SHEARWATER, TRENTON, COLORADO SPRINGS, WINNIPEG (2), GREENWOOD, OTTAWA (2) AND GERMANY (2). DURING HIS SERVICE, HE EARNED A MASTER’S OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN COMPUTER AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SYSTEM ENGINEERING), COMPLETED THE AIR FORCE STAFF COURSE AND THE CANADIAN FORCES COLLEGE JOINT COMMAND AND STAFF PROGRAM. SERVING APPOINTMENTS TWICE AS OFFICER COMMANDING, COMMANDING OFFICER, CHIEF AND DIRECTOR, AND ONCE AS SENIOR NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE. HE HAS LED PROJECTS AND PLANNED AND PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS FROM THE CANADIAN ARCTIC TO HAWAII TO MAZAR E SHARIF. HE COMPLETED ONE TOUR WITH NORAD AND TWO TOURS WITH NATO AND BEEN AWARDED CD (2), MSM (US), SSM (NATO BAR) AND TWO COMMANDER’S COMMENDATIONS. HIS LAST 6 YEARS HAVE BEEN PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF CYBERSPACE AS AN OPERATIONAL DOMAIN AND A MILITARY INSTRUMENT OF POWER.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL MACKENZIE WAS A MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS ASSOCIATION, THE INSTITUTE FOR ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERS, ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION AND THE COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS BRANCH. HE ENJOYED PLAYING BASKETBALL AND SOCCER ON BASE TEAMS, PLAYING TRUMPET WITH THE 8 WING TRENTON BAND, COACHING YOUTH BASKETBALL AND SOCCER, ORGANIZING MESS AND OTHER SOCIAL FUNCTIONS, LEADING BATTLEFIELD TOURS, VOLUNTEERING, TRAVELLING, MOUNTAIN BIKING, HIKING, SKIING, READING, WRITING AND COTTAGE LIFE.
3. LIEUTENANT-COLONEL MACKENZIE HAS A WIFE (MARGARET) WHO HAS BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN SUPPORTING MILITARY FAMILIES FOR OVER 30 YEARS, AND A DAUGHTER (ANGELA) AND SON (IAN); ALL HAVE LOVINGLY SUPPORTED HIM AND PATIENTLY ENDURED MANY RELOCATIONS AND THE PECULIARITIES OF MILITARY LIFE FOR DECADES; THEY HAVE BEEN, AND WILL FOREVER BE, HIS CENTRE OF GRAVITY.
IN THE SHORT TERM, LIEUTENANT-COLONEL MACKENZIE AND HIS SPOUSE INTEND TO REMAIN IN THE OTTAWA AREA, THEN EVENTUALLY RETIRE TO THE ANNAPOLIS VALLEY REGION OF NOVA SCOTIA.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL MACKENZIE WISHES TO EXTEND SINCERE THANKS AND APPRECIATION TO HIS ENTIRE FAMILY, NETWORK OF FRIENDS, AND THOSE COLLEAGUES (MILITARY AND CIVILIAN, CANADIAN AND INTERNATIONAL) WITH WHOM HE HAS HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH OVER THE LAST 34+ YEARS. HE IS EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE MANY, LONG-LASTING RELATIONSHIPS FORMED OVER HIS CAREER AND CONSIDERS IT AN HONOUR TO HAVE SERVED ALONGSIDE THESE HEROES WHO HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY IN THE SERVICE OF CANADA AND HER ALLIES TOWARD INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY.
4. IN LIEUE OF A DWD CEREMONY, THERE WILL BE A LUNCHEON IN DOWNTOWN OTTAWA 19 Jul 2023 (Clocktower Brew: 140 Rideau St, Ottawa), AN AFTERNOON SOCIAL IN ORLEANS 22 Jul 2023 (Broadhead Brew: 1680 Vimont Ct Unit 106, Orléans) AND A CEILIDH OVER THANKSGIVING WEEKEND IN NOVA SCOTIA.
ANYONE WISHING TO ATTEND EITHER OF THE EVENTS IN THE NCR AND/OR WOULD LIKE TO PASS ON ANECDOTES AND WELL WISHES ARE WELCOME TO DO SO USING THIS LINK (https://forms.office.com/r/WKK5jk29hH) NLT 8 JULY 2023. OR CONTACT LIEUTENANT A. KIM ANDREW(dot)KIM2(at)FORCES(dot)GC(dot)CA. ANYONE WISHING TO CONTRIBUTE TO A RETIREMENT GIFT PLEASE E-TRANSFER [email protected]. PASSWORD IF REQUIRED IS, “DWD2023”.