- AFTER 25 YEARS OF LOYAL SERVICE TO THE QUEEN, THE KING AND CANADA, MAJOR J.F. POTVIN WILL OFFICIALLY RETIRE ON JUNE 19, 2023.
- MAJ POTVIN ENROLLED IN THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES IN CHICOUTIMI, ON APRIL 7, 1998, AS AN ARMOURED SOLDIER. AFTER COMPLETING HIS RECRUIT COURSE IN SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU AND TRADES TRAINING IN VALCARTIER, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO 12 RBC IN VALCARTIER. DURING THE NINE YEARS ON THIS ASSIGNMENT, HE PARTICIPATED IN MULTIPLE UNIT AND BRIGADE EXERCISES IN GAGETOWN, WAINWRIGHT AND VALCARTIER. HE DEPLOYED TO BOSNIA IN 2001 AS AN ARMOURED DRIVER AND CREW SURVEILLANCE OPERATOR. IN 2007, HE WAS ACCEPTED IN THE UNIVERSITY TRAINING PLAN FOR NON-COMMISSIONED MEMBERS TO BECOME A SIGNAL OFFICER. MAJ POTVIN ATTENDED LAVAL UNIVERSITY FROM 2007 TO 2010 IN QUEBEC CITY AND COMPLETED A BACHELOR OF COMPUTER SCIENCE. HE COMPLETED HIS COURSE IN KINGSTON AND WAS TRANSFERRED TO QGET IN 2011 IN VALCARTIER. HE WAS PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN AND TRANSFERRED TO 5 RALC IN 2012, WHERE HE DEPLOYED IN AFGHANISTAN AND CAME BACK AS THE UNIT SIGNAL OFFICER FOR THE FOLLOWING YEARS. IN 2015, HE WAS POSTED TO OTTAWA AT THE STRATEGIC JOINT STAFF AS A LEVEL 0 TASKER AND DATA ANALYST. IN 2017, HE BECAME THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF. HE WAS PROMOTED IN 2019 TO HIS CURRENT RANK AND WAS POSTED TO THE DIRECTORATE LAND REQUIREMENT AS A PROJECT DIRECTOR. HE WAS FINALLY POSTED IN 2021 AS OFFICER COMMANDING 4 LINE SQUADRON AT CFB PETAWAWA.
HE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE AWESOME PEOPLE HE SERVED WITH THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER AND THANKS EVERYONE OF THEM FOR THEIR CAMARADERIE, MENTORSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP.
- MAJ POTVIN HAS ACCEPTED A POST WITH PUBLIC SERVICES AND PROCUREMENT CANADA. HE ALSO WISHES TO HIGHLIGHT THAT HE WOULD HAVE NEVER HAD THIS SUCCESSFUL CAREER WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF HIS FAMILY; HIS BELOVED NATHALIE AND HIS TWO CHILDREN, JAMES AND EMY. NOW IS THE TIME TO ENJOY A WELL-DESERVED FAMILY REUNION AFTER TWO YEARS OF IMPOSED RESTRICTION.
- MAJ POTVIN WILL HAVE A SMALL DWD CEREMONY AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER IN GATINEAU THE PLACE AND DATE WILL BE CONFIRMED EARLY SEPTEMBER. PLEASE RSVP YOUR INTEREST AND SEND ANY WELL WISHES OR ANECDOTES TO MAJ S. BLAIS (STEVE.BLAIS2(at)FORCES(dot)GC(dot)CA).