1. ON 15 JANUARY 2025 AFTER THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CAF, MWO EDWARD (ED) WHELAN IS RETIRING. BORN AND RAISED IN ST. JOHN’S NL, ED JOINED THE MILITIA ON 11 DECEMBER 1989 WITH 56TH FIELD ENGINEER SQN. AFTER COMPLETION OF GENERAL MILITARY TRAINING HE TRANSFERRED TO THE COMMRES WITH 728 COMM SQN ST. JOHN’S DURING THE SUMMER OF 1990 AS A RADIO-TELETYPE OPERATOR. ED WOULD LIKE TO SEND A SHOUT-OUT (LIKE THE SONG FROM THE HIP) TO ALL THE “DARKEST ONES” THAT GREW UP WITH HIM IN THE OLD 728. 

2. ON 15 SEPTEMBER 1997, AFTER INSTRUCTING COMMRES BASIC TRAINING IN KINGSTON DURING THE SUMMER (AND AFTER RUNNING OUT OF MONEY ATTENDING MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND), NEWLY PTE WHELAN TRANSFERRED TO THE REGULAR FORCE AS A RADIO OPERATOR WITH 1ST CANADIAN DIVISION HEADQUARTERS & SIGNAL REGIMENT (1CDHSR). AS PART OF 1CDHSR HE DEPLOYED TO THE GREAT 98’ ICE STORM IN MONTREAL AND COMPLETED A TOUR TO THE GOLAN HEIGHTS WITH THE UNITED NATIONS DISENGAGEMENT OBSERVER FORCE (UNDOF) IN 1999-2000. 

3. UPON RETURN FROM SYRIA, ED WAS THEN PART OF THE NEW CANADIAN FORCES JOINT SIGNAL REGIMENT (CFJSR), WITH 3 SQUADRON ON DALTON AVENUE. HE COMPLETED TWO TOURS WITH CFJSR; OP APOLLO 2001-02, AND OP ATHENA 2003-04. IN 2004 ED WAS POSTED TO 764 COMMUNICATION SQUADRON OTTAWA TO THE COMFAC AND PROMOTED TO MCPL. IN 2005 ED WAS POSTED BACK TO ‘THE ROCK’ WITH CFS ST. JOHN’S AS THE COMCEN SUPERVISOR, WITH THE SECONDARY DUTY OF “BIRTHING” HMCS FRIGATES AND SUBMARINES. 

4. IN 2008 ED WAS POSTED BACK TO KINGSTON WITH THE CANADIAN FORCES SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION & ELECTRONICS (CFSCE). SERVING IN THE SCHOOL HOUSE AS A QL3/QL5 SIGNAL OPERATOR INSTRUCTOR, AND WHEN PROMOTED TO SGT (2010) AS A ACISS COURSE DIRECTOR, WITH HIS LAST YEAR AS THE OPS SGT IN 1 SQUADRON. IN 2012 ED WAS POSTED TO 2 BRIGADE PETAWAWA WITH THE ROYAL CANADIAN DRAGOONS AS THE REGIMENTAL SIGNALS SERGEANT (HE ALWAYS WANTED TO SERVE WITH THE “CAVALRY”). 

5. IN 2013 ED JOINED CANSOFCOM; SERVING WITH THE CANADIAN SPECIAL OPERATIONS REGT (2013-2018), DEPLOYING ON OP FULCRUM IN 2014. POSTED TO CANSOFCOM TRENTON (2018-2021), AND CANSOFCOM HQ OTTAWA AS THE COMMAND CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OPERATOR (2021-2023). ED HAS COMPLETED HIS CAREER WITH 77 LINE REGT IN KINGSTON, AS THE SSM OF 1 LINE SQN. 

6. ED WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THOSE HE HAS SERVED WITH DURING HIS MILITARY CAREER. MOST IMPORTANTLY ED IS GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL TO HIS WIFE NICKY, AND CHILDREN DECLAN AND FINLEY, FOR THE SUPPORT AND MANY SACRIFICES THEY MADE FOR HIM TO PURSUE HIS CAREER IN THE CAF. ED IS ACCEPTING A PUBLIC SERVICE POSITION WITH RCAF 8 WING TRENTON AND PLANS TO STAY IN HIS & NICKY’S FOREVER HOME IN FRANKFORD, ON. 

7. A DEPART WITH DIGNITY CEREMONY WILL BE HELD AT THE WO & SGT’S MESS AT CFB KINGSTON ON 10 JAN 25, AT 1300. TO RSVP, RECEIVE FURTHER DETAILS ON THE FUNCTION, OR TO PROVIDE CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES, BEST WISHES, AND CAREER ANECDOTES, PLEASE CONTACT CAPT DENNIS TAYLOR AT [email protected].