1. AFTER MORE THAN 35 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE IN THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES, THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE, AND THE COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS BRANCH, MAJ WENDALL DECK WILL RETIRE FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ON 30 SEPTEMBER 2024.
2. WENDALL JOINED IN 1989 WITH THE ASPIRATION OF BECOMING A PILOT, BUT INSTEAD ACCEPTED AN OFFER TO BECOME AN AIR FORCE COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEER, AND HAS NEVER REGRETTED IT.
3. WHILE UNDERGOING QUALIFICATION TRAINING IN KINGSTON, WENDALL MET BARBARA, A SCHOOL TEACHER WHO HAD TRAVELLED THE WORLD AND WHO WENDALL FOUND THE MOST INTRIGUING WOMAN HE HAD EVER MET. THEY WED A YEAR LATER AND HAVE NOW BEEN MARRIED FOR OVER 32 YEARS, WITH FOUR ADULT CHILDREN AND EIGHT GRANDCHILDREN.
4. WENDALL’S AIR FORCE CAREER INCLUDED POSTINGS AT 8 AIR COMMUNICATIONS AND CONTROL SQUADRON TRENTON, AEROSPACE AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING SUPPORT SQUADRON TRENTON, 1 CANADIAN AIR DIVISION WINNIPEG, NORAD SYSTEM SUPPORT FACILITY TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE FLORIDA, ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE KINGSTON, JOINT OPERATIONS SUPPORT GROUP KINGSTON, AND DEFENCE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CANADA OTTAWA RESEARCH CENTRE. HE ALSO DID A UN PEACEKEEPING TOUR IN HAITI AND WENT ON SHORT MISSIONS TO SINGAPORE, CYPRUS, FRANCE, AND TO VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THE US AND CANADA.
5. IN RETIREMENT, WENDALL EXPECTS THAT HE WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM FINDING THINGS TO DO, SUCH AS TRAVEL WITH BARBARA, PROJECTS AROUND THE HOUSE, SELF-INTEREST COURSES, AND SPENDING TIME AT HIS HOBBIES OF WOODWORKING AND GARDENING. BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, HE INTENDS TO SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY.
6. A DEPART WITH DIGNITY CEREMONY WILL BE HELD AT 1300 HRS ON FRIDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2024 AT THE VIMY OFFICERS’ MESS, 1 PRINCESS ROYAL AVENUE, KINGSTON, ONTARIO. DRESS FOR CIVILIAN AND MILITARY GUESTS IS CASUAL. MILITARY GUESTS MAY ALSO WEAR DRESS OF THE DAY. FINGER FOOD AND REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED DURING THE CEREMONY. PLEASE CONTACT MAJ FRANCOISE BLANC ([email protected]) TO CONFIRM ATTENDANCE BY SEP 13 OR SHARE CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES, MEMORIES, AND PHOTOS TO BE PASSED ON TO WENDALL.