1. AFTER 34 YEARS OF SERVICE AS A PRIMARY RESERVIST IN THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES, MAJOR GEOFF PRIEMS WILL RETIRE ON 15 JANUARY 2025. SKIP TO PARA 13 FOR THOSE WHO BORE EASILY AND/OR QUICKLY.

2. GEOFF ENROLLED AT 705 (HAMILTON) COMMUNICATION SQUADRON ON 4 JUN 1990 (APOLOGIES TO MOM KRISTINE, IT WAS HER BIRTHDAY) IN THE PRIMARY RESERVE SUMMER TRAINING PROGRAM. FOLLOWING BASIC TRAINING AND RADIO-TELETYPE OPERATOR (R214) TRAINING, HE TRANSFERRED TO 763 (OTTAWA) COMMUNICATION REGIMENT – AS HE MOVED TO ATTEND CARLETON UNIVERSITY. OVER THE NEXT 4 YEARS, HE WORKED HARD TO LEARN BOTH THE RADIO AND TELETYPE SIDE OF THE HOUSE – AND ATTENDED WHAT WOULD BE A LIFE-CHANGING JUNIOR LEADERSHIP COURSE AT CFSCE IN KINGSTON. HE WAS PRIVILEGED TO HAVE GAINED EXPERIENCE WITH SPECIAL SERVICE FORCE HQ AND SIGNALS SQUADRON, THE MAPPING AND CHARTING ESTABLISHMENT, AND 2 TACTICAL AIR WING.

3. IN 1994, GEOFF WAS APPOINTED OFFICER CADET UNDER THE RESO PROGRAM AND ATTENDED BASIC OFFICER TRAINING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALTY LAND AT CFSAL IN BORDEN. FOLLOWING COMMISSIONING IN SEPTEMBER, GEOFF HELD VARIOUS TROOP COMMANDER POSITIONS AND LEARNED A LOT THROUGH MAKING A LOT OF MISTAKES, THANKFULLY LEARNING LESSONS. IN 1995, GEOFF WAS THE NCCIS TROOP COMD, WHICH WAS OPCON TO 79 COMM REGIMENT – AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE NCCIS COURSE IN KINGSTON.

4. IN 1996-1997, GEOFF WORKED ON CLASS C AT THE SOMALIA INQUIRY LIAISON TEAM, HANDLING THE RECEPTION OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS FROM JAG OFFICES FROM ACROSS CANADA, CATALOGUING THEM AND ASSISTING WITH DISCLOSURE TO THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. DURING THIS TIME, HE VOLUNTEERED BOTH AT 763, AND WITH 30TH FIELD REGIMENT (RCA). IN THE SUMMER OF 1997, HE WAS EMPLOYED AS THE SIGNALS OFFICER FOR 2 SERVICE BATTALLION, DURING THE SUMMER CONCENTRATION.

5. IN 1997, HE BECAME THE ADJUTANT OF 763 (COMMUNICATION) REGIMENT, HE SERVED AS THE FULL-TIME OFFICER OF THAT UNIT WHICH INCLUDED BEING THE COMSEC CUSTODIAN. DURING HIS TENURE AS ADJUTANT, HE SERVED ON OPERATION RECUPERATION (ICE STORM), AND OPERATION ABACUS (Y2K CONTINGENCY). DURING THE SUMMERS, GEOFF WAS TASKED TO SUPPORT A SQUADRON CFSCE.

6. IN 2000, GEOFF MOVED TO COMMUNICATION RESERVE HEADQUARTERS, WHERE HIS JOB TITLE CHANGED REGULARLY (IT WAS DISO AFTER ALL) BUT HIS JOB FUNCTION REMAINED AS G3 RESERVE TRAINING WHERE HE PLANNED AND OVERSAW THE SUMMER TRAINING PROGRAM OF COMMUNICATION RESERVISTS.

7. GEOFF GRADUATED FROM CARLETON UNIVERSITY WITH A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ECONOMICS IN 2004.

8. PROMOTED TO HIS CURRENT RANK IN AUGUST 2004, GEOFF BECAME THE COMMUNICATION RESERVE G3, AND THEN THROUGH A MISCOMMUNICATION BECAME THE COMMUNICATION RESERVE G1. IN 2006, HE WAS POSTED AS THE DETACHMENT COMMANDER KINGSTON FOR THE HEADQUARTERS. HE COMPLETED THE ARMY OPERATIONS COURSE (RESERVE) OVER THE NEXT YEAR WHILE WORKING HIS POSITION PREPARING FOR SUMMER TRAINING. THE POSITION WAS TRANSFERRED TO CANADIAN FORCES SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS, AND GEOFF SERVED AS OFFICER COMMANDING F SQUADRON (2006-2009), OC 4 SQUADRON (2009-2012), AND OC 2 SQUADRON (2012-2015). THIS TIME WAS THE MOST REWARDING OF HIS CAREER ESPECIALLY AS OC 4 SQN WHERE HE WORKED TO SUPPORT 550 REGULAR FORCE “PERSONNEL AWAITING TRAINING”, AND 200 COMMUNICATION RESERVISTS DURING THE SUMMER PERIOD. I AM SO PROUD OF EVERY STAFF MEMBER, AND EVERY PAT THAT WE EMPLOYED TO ASSIST US. ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT WAS THAT GEOFF ASSIGNED LEADERSHIP OF THE WELCOME CEREMONY FOR HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS ANNE DURING HER VISIT TO KINGSTON IN 2013.

9. IN 2015, GEOFF MOVED OVER TO THE CANADIAN FORCES JOINT OPERATIONAL SUPPORT GROUP AS THE ACTING J1, AND THEN J3 READINESS PLANNER. IN 2016, HE MOVED TO THE CANADIAN ARMY LAND WARFARE CENTRE AS A FUTURE CONCEPTS DESK OFFICER. DURING THIS TIME, HE WORKED ON CLOSE ENGAGEMENT, A CLOSE ENGAGEMENT GRAPHIC NOVEL PROJECT (PAID TO ATTEND COMICON!), ATTENDED TULIP TIME IN AMSTERDAM (TWICE – INHALED NEVER), TOOK A COURSE AT MIT, IMPLEMENTED A WONDERFUL SHAREPOINT AS THE IMO, AND WORKED HARD ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

10. IN 2022, GEOFF TOOK A NEW OFFICER COMMANDING POSITION AT THE MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS & ELECTRONICS MUSEUM WHERE HE GAINED A TREMENDOUS APPRECIATION FOR THE MUSEUM, ITS STAFF, THE FOUNDATION AND ITS DONORS. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR MUSEUM THROUGH THE FOUNDATION.

11. IN 2023, GEOFF RELOCATED TO OTTAWA TO DIRECTOR GENERAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS AS THE HEADQUARTERS DEPUTY COMMANDING OFFICER. WHILE THERE, GEOFF WAS ASSIGNED PART-TIME TO THE CAF CYBER COMMAND STAND UP TEAM. GEOFF IS VERY PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A KEY ENABLER FOR THE CEREMONY HELD ON 26 SEPTEMBER 2024 THAT SAW THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CAF CYBER COMMAND.

12. GEOFF HAS ENJOYED A LIFE OF VOLUNTEERING IN HIS COMMUNITIES. IN THE MILITARY COMMUNITY HE TAUGHT ON THE ALCOHOL, DRUGS, GAMING, GAMBLING AND OTHER ADDICTIONS FOR SUPERVISORS COURSE FROM 2017-2022. HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE VIMY MESS COMMITTEE FOR TWO FULL YEARS 2009-2011, AND ALSO SERVED AS ENTERTAINMENT REP IN 2021-2022. IN CIVILIAN LIFE, GEOFF VOLUNTEERED WITH SCOUTS CANADA IN VARIOUS POSITIONS, INCLUDING VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP FROM 2005 TO OCTOBER 2024; AND WITH THE MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS & ELECTRONICS MUSEUM FOUNDATION FROM 2022 TO PRESENT.

13. GEOFF WILL CONTINUE TO RESIDE IN OTTAWA WITH HIS BEAUTIFUL, TALENTED AND SUPPORTIVE WIFE LAURA FOR THE TIME BEING, BUT GIVES FULL SUPPORT TO GOING TO NEW YORK OR VIENNA ON AN OUTCAN POSTING. GEOFF IS AN EXTREMELY PROUD FATHER OF AVIATOR ALEXANDER PRIEMS (ATIS TECH), SAMUEL PRIEMS, AND WILLIAM (LIAM) PRIEMS, AND STEP-FATHER OF BROOKE PRIEMS AND LIAM MCKILLEN.

14. GEOFF HAS ACCEPTED A POSITION IN THE FEDERAL PUBLIC SERVICE WITHIN CAF CYBER COMMAND STARTING 16 JANUARY AS A SENIOR PLANNING ADVISOR.

15. GEOFF HAS TRIED TO NOT NAME ANYONE IN SERVICE THROUGHOUT THIS MESSAGE AS THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY TO NAME, AND WISHES TO HONOUR ALL OF YOU.

16. GEOFF INVITES ALL WHO CAN ATTEND TO ATTEND A DEPART WITH DIGNITY EVENT WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY 15 JANUARY 2025 WITH MEALS STARTING AT 1300 HRS (1PM) AT THE AULDE DUBLINER & POUR HOUSE (2ND FLOOR, 62 WILLIAM STREET, OTTAWA) IN THE MARKET. PRESENTATIONS START AT 2PM. PLEASE RSVP TO ANDRE GENDREAU [email protected] ALONG WITH ANY WELL WISHES, ANECDOTES, STORIES, ETC.