1. MAJOR MARK YOUNG WILL RETIRE FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES AND THE COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS BRANCH ON 15 JULY 2018 AFTER 33 PLUS YEARS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO CANADA.

2. MAJOR YOUNG JOINED THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES UNDER THE YOUTH TRAINING EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM (YTEP) IN 1983 IN OTTAWA. AFTER COMPLETION OF BASIC TRAINING IN CORNWALLIS NOVA SCOTIA HE COMPLETED HIS TEL OP (212) TRAINING AT THE CANADIAN FORCES SCHOOL OF COMMUNCATIONS AND ELECTRONICS AT KINGSTON, ONTARIO.

3. FOLLOWING HIS TRADE BASIC COURSE HE WAS POSTED TO NANAIMO BRITISH COLUMBIA FOR OJT UNDER THE YTEP PROGRAM. ON 29 OCTOBER 1984 HE TRANSFERRED TO THE REGULAR FORCE WHERE HE PROCEEDED TO 706 COMMUNICATIONS SQUADRON AT BORDEN ONTARIO WHERE HE WAS EMPLOYED IN THE ADDN NODE. DURING HIS POSTING HE COMPLETED A UN TOUR IN NICOSIA, CYPRUS.

4. FOLLOWING HIS TOUR TO CYPRUS, HE SAW POSTINGS TO 733 COMMUNICATIONS SQUADRON IN WINNIPEG, MANITOBA WHERE HE WAS PROMOTED TO CORPORAL AND UNLTIMATELY POSTED TO THE CANADIAN FORCES COMMUNICATIONS COMMAND (CFCC) INTEGRATED DATA NETWORK (IDN) WHERE HE WAS PROMOTED TO MASTER CORPORAL IN 1990.

5. HE REMAINED IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION UNTIL HIS POSTING TO SHAPE BELGIUM IN 2015. DURING HIS TIME IN OTTAWA HE SAW TOURS TO GOLAN HEIGHTS, SYRIA AND VELIKA KLADUSA, BOSNIA. ADDITIONALLY DURING HIS TIME IN OTTAWA HE WOULD BE POSTED TO 764 COMMUNICATIONS SQUADRON AND FOLLOWING THAT A TWO YEAR SECONDMENT TO THE NDHQ CWO WHERE HE WAS A DRILL INSTRUCTOR AND LIAISON WITH VETERANS AFFAIRS PERFORMING CEREMONIES AROUND THE WORLD AND THE CAPITAL FOR VISITING DIGNITARIES AND NUMEROUS STANDING CEREMONIES.  HIGHLIGHTS WOULD BE A FIVE YEAR POSTING TO JOINT TASK FORCE TRAINING CENTRE AND THE FIRST SO TO DIRECTOR GENERAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT (DGIMO).

6. FOLLOWING HIS RETURN FROM SYRIA IN 2004 WHERE HE WAS THE SIGS SSM HE WAS OFFERED HIS CFR WHICH HE ACCEPTED. HE WAS PROMOTED TO HIS CURRENT RANK IN 2009.

7. MARK WILL RETIRE AND REMAIN IN BRUSSELS BELGIUM HAVING LOST THE ABILITY TO SURVIVE CANADIAN WINTERS.  HE WILL SEEK EMPLOYMENT IN BELGIUM BUT IS NOT IN ANY HURRY AT THE MOMENT.

8. ANECDOTES AND FAREWELL MESSAGES MAY BE SENT TO CWO MARTIN CARTIER AT [email protected].