1. AFTER MORE THAN 38 + YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO QUEEN, KING AND COUNTRY, MASTER WARRANT OFFICER FRANÇOIS PITRE WILL RETIRE FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ON 22 MARCH 2024.

2. FRANÇOIS JOINED THE CANADIAN ARMY IN JULY 1985 AS A RADIO OPERATOR NOW KNOWN AS A SIGNAL OPERATOR. UPON COMPLETION LANGUAGE TRAINING AT CANADIAN FORCES SCHOOL LANGUAGE SAINT-JEAN AND RADIO OPERATOR TRADE QUALIFICATION TRAINING AT THE CANADIAN FORCES SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS (CFSCE) IN 1986.

3. THROUGHOUT FRANÇOIS’ CAREER, HE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE IN MANY LOCATIONS, SUCH AS:

a. CFB VALCARTIER, QUEBEC ,430E TACTICAL HELICOPTER SQUADRON (ETAH), 5 MECHANIZED BRIGADE GROUP (CMBG) HEADQUARTERS AND SIGNAL SQUADRON (HQ AND SIG SQN) (FOUR TIMES), 2ND BATTALION ROYAL 22E REGIMENT, 5TH MILITARY POLICE REGIMENT;

b. CFB KINGSTON, 79 COMMUNICATION REGIMENT, CANADIAN FORCES JOINT SIGNAL REGIMENT, CANADIAN FORCES SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS (TWICE), DIRECTOR GENERAL LAND EQUIPMENT PROGRAM MANAGEMENT ( DGLEPM) DET KINGSTON;

c. CFB LONGUE-POINTE MONTREAL, 2ND CANADIAN DIVISON HEADQUARTERS;

d. CFB GAGETOWN, 5TH CANADIAN DIVISION SUPPORT GROUP SIGNAL SQUADRON (TWICE), 2ND BATTALION THE ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT, COMBAT TRAINING CENTRE; AND

e. OUTCAN: NATO AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL (AWACS) GERMANY, HEADQUARTERS SUPREME ALLIED COMMAND TRANSFORMATION USA.

4. HE HAS ALSO DEPLOYMENTS OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY IN BOSNIA (UNPROFOR), EAST TIMOR (INTERFET), AFGHANISTAN (GENERAL CAMPAIGN STAR). DOMESTICALLY IN THE, WINNIPEG FLOOD (TWICE), ICE STORM IN QUEBEC, TO QUOTE ONLY SOME.

5. MWO PITRE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK EACH AND EVERYONE WITH WHOM HE HAS SERVED FOR FRIENDSHIP AND GUIDANCE THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED TO ALLOW HIM TO PROGRESS AND SERVE AS LONG AS HE HAS.

6. FRANÇOIS IS PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL FOR THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF HIS SPOUSE, LEISHA, AND PROMISES NOT TO DRIVE HER CRAZY.

7. HE AND HIS WIFE, LEISHA, WILL REMAIN IN THE FREDERICTON REGION. HE WOULD LIKE TO ESPECIALLY RECOGNIZE HIS FAMILY FOR THEIR SUPPORT DURING HIS CAREER. LEISHA AND FRANK HAVE 3 GIRLS AND 1 BOY AND 6 GRANDKIDS.

8. A DEPART WITH DIGNITY WITH COLLEAGUES, FAMILY AND FRIENDS WILL BE HELD AT 1500 HOURS ON 22 MARCH 2024 IN THE OROMOCTO MALL PIZZA DELIGHT FOR THOSE WHO CAN MAKE IT IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY VIA TEAMS FOR ALL OTHERS WHO WOULD CARE TO PARTICIPATE.

9. BEST WISHES, ANECDOTES, AMUSING STORIES AND PICTURES MAY BE PASSED TO [email protected].