1. AFTER MORE THAN 35 YEARS OF LOYAL AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO CANADA, THE COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS BRANCH, AND THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE, MAJOR DARRELL CONDRAN’S LAST WORKING DAY WITH THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES WILL BE ON 01 SEPTEMBER 2021 WHEN HE WILL COMMENCE RETIREMENT LEAVE FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO ACCLIMATIZE TO CIVILIAN LIFE.
2. MAJOR CONDRAN JOINED THE FORCES AS AN ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN ON 03 JUNE 1986. HE COMPLETED HIS POET TRAINING (SPECIALIZING IN HAIKU) AND WHEN GIVEN THE OPTION CHOSE RADIO TECHNICIAN AS HIS OCCUPATION, COMPLETING TQ3 IN 1987.
AS A JUNIOR NCM MAJOR CONDRAN WORKED HIS FIRST POSTING AT NAVAL RADIO STATION NEWPORT CORNER IN NOVA SCOTIA, FOLLOWED BY ITS SISTER STATION CFS ALDERGROVE (MATSQUI) IN B.C. IN 1993. PROMOTED TO MCPL IN 1994 AND POSTED UNDERGROUND FOR THREE YEARS IN QUOTE THE HOLE UNQUOTE AT CFB NORTH BAY. 1997 BROUGHT A POSTING TO HALIFAX IN 726 COMM SQN WHERE HE QUOTE HELPED UNQUOTE SETUP AND MAN THE IT SERVICE TEAMS FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND EVEN MANAGED A TOUR TO BOSNIA IN 1999 FOR OP PALLADIUM. Y2K HAD MAJOR CONDRAN AT THE SHEARWATER TOWER FOR THE NIGHT TO ASSIST WITH THE PENDING END OF THE WORLD. IT NEVER CAME.
A PROMOTION TO SGT IN 2002 BROUGHT THE MAJOR TO SHIPLAN SUPPORT AND THE PROUD ACCOMPLISHMENT OF GETTING LOST IN EVERY SHIP ON THE EAST COAST. IN 2003 HE TOOK PART IN OP SPLINTER AS CLEANUP CREW COMMANDER AFTER HURRICANE JUAN. THIS WAS QUICKLY FOLLOWED IN 2004 BY A POSTING BACK TO NEWPORT CORNER AS THE SITE SUPERVISOR FOR WHAT HE STILL CALLS THE BEST POSTING OF HIS CAREER.
IN 2006 MAJOR CONDRAN WAS PROMOTED TO WO AND POSTED TO 08 WING TRENTON FOR A QUICK INTRODUCTION TO THE AIR FORCE. HE IS STILL GETTING TO KNOW IT.
2009 CAME WITH A PROMOTION TO MWO AND A POSTING TO LEITRIM AS THE TECHNICAL SERVICES INSPECTION TEAM LEADER/BUG SNIFFER. LATER THAT SUMMER HE ACCEPTED AN OFFER TO CFR, RECEIVED HIS THIRD PROMOTION IN JUST THREE YEARS AND WAS OFF TO 8 ACCS.
IN 2010 MAJOR CONDRAN WAS OFF TO HIS NEW POSTING AT CFSCE IN BEAUTIFUL KINGSTON, ONTARIO COMPLETING A FEW YEARS AS THE STANDARDS OFFICER.
YES, YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY. MAJOR CONDRAN WAS THE CFSCE STANDARDS OFFICER. IN 2013 HE HEADED BACK TO CFB TRENTON AND ATESS WHERE HE HELD VARIOUS POSITIONS OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
IN 2016 HE HEADED HOME TO NOVA SCOTIA AND THE AIR FORCE WHERE HE TOOK UP THE DUTIES OF DWTISO FOR 12WG.
A FINAL PROMOTION TO HIS CURRENT RANK BROUGHT HIM TO CFB HALIFAX AS THE OPERATIONS OFFICER AT BASE INFORMATION SERVICES. WITH NEWPORT CORNER UNDER HIS PURVIEW AS OPSO, HE FINISHED HIS CAREER WHERE HE STARTED IT.
3. DARRELL AND HIS SPOUSE, THE LOVELY MARGO, WILL BE HEADING TO MEXICO WHEN THE BORDERS OPEN TO SEE IF THEY LIKE THE WEATHER THERE.
4. A DEPART WITH DIGNITY CEREMONY WILL NOT BE HELD.
5. ANECDOTES, STORIES, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES ARE WELCOMED AND WILL BE PRESENTED AT A LATER DATE. PLEASE EMAIL ANY SUBMISSIONS DIRECTLY TO [email protected].
Gratz Darrell! Had no idea you were back with BIS when you retired. Funny how sometimes things go full circle. Enjoy retirement!
All the best Darrell!
Congratulations Darrell,
Enjoy your well earned retirement after a great career!
All the best my friend.
Mike