- MASTER WARRANT OFFICER J. BEARD WILL RETIRE FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES (CAF) ON 31 MAY 2023 AFTER 33+ YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO CANADA.
- SHE ENROLLED WITH THE CAF RESERVE FORCE IN JUNE OF 1989 AT 728 COMMUNICATION SQUADRON IN ST. JOHN’S, NL. AFTER COMPLETION OF GENERAL MILITARY TRAINING AS A RADIO OPERATOR, SHE WAS HAVING SUCH A GOOD TIME WITHIN THE C AND E BRANCH THAT SHE DECIDED TO JOIN THE REG FORCE IN JANUARY OF 1990. SHE CHANGED HER ELEMENT TO AIR FORCE AND WENT ON TO BASIC RECRUIT TRAINING IN CORNWALLIS NS. SHE ATTENDED THE CANADIAN FORCES SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION AND ELECTRONICS (CFSCE) IN KINGSTON ON. AFTER THE COMPLETION OF HER PERFORMANCE ORIENTED ELECTRONICS TRAINING AND RADIO TECHNICIAN TRAINING SHE WAS POSTED TO CFB EDMONTON WHERE SHE WAS EMPLOYED AS A RADIO MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN. AFTER MEETING HER HUSBAND AND HAVING HER FIRST CHILD, SHE WAS THEN POSTED TO 8 WING TRENTON ON HER PROMOTION TO CORPORAL WHERE SHE SPENT 9 YEARS IN A VARIETY OF ROLES FROM AUDIO VISUAL TECH TO DESKTOP SUPPORT. IN 2003, WHEN PROMOTED TO MCPL, SHE WORKED IN NETWORK MAINTENANCE. IN HER FREE TIME, SHE TOOK ON ANOTHER ROLE AS BELLEVILLE’S SUPERINTENDANT OF ST. JOHN AMBULANCE MEDICAL FIRST RESPONDERS. THIS ROLE PUT HER ON A PATH TO BECOME A MILITARY FIRST AID INSTRUCTOR WHICH SHE DID FOR THE NEXT 25 YEARS, BECOMING A MILITARY FIRST AID INSTRUCTOR TRAINER. WHILE POSTED TO TRENTON, SHE HAD HER SECOND CHILD AND CONTINUED TO PROGRESS IN HER CAREER. IN 2005, SHE WAS POSTED TO 14 WING GREENWOOD AS HELPDESK SUPERVISOR AND THEN A TEAM 2 LEAD FOR NETWORK SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION WHERE SHE RECEIVED A WING COMMANDER’S COMMENDATION. AFTER ONLY 3 YEARS IN GREENWOOD, SHE WAS PROMOTED TO SGT AND POSTED TO 4 WING COLD LAKE WHERE SHE WAS INTRODUCED TO THE WORLD OF SQUARE TIRES AND BATTERY HEATERS. HER NEW ROLE WAS WITH COMMUNICATION SECURITY. AS THE COMSEC CUSTODIAN, SHE WAS ABLE TO EMBRACE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OF INFORMATION AND SECURITY MANAGEMENT AND AFTER 2 YEARS, SHE MOVED POSITIONS AND WORKED AS THE SMC WO MANAGER AT WTIS, BEING APPOINTED DEPUTY ISSO FOR 4 WING. WHILE STILL IN COLD LAKE, SHE WAS HONOURED TO RECEIVE THE MOST VENERABLE ORDER OF ST. JOHN, WHERE SHE WAS AWARDED HER MEDAL BY THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF ALBERTA AND INVESTED INTO THE ORDER. IN DEC 2010, SHE WAS POSTED ON IMPOSED RESTRICTION (IR) BACK TO C.F.S. ST. JOHN’S WITH THE ARMY RESERVE UNIT OF 728 COMMUNICATION SQUADRON AS THE TRAINING AND SUPPORT NCO. WITH HER FAMILY STILL IN COLD LAKE, SHE KEPT BUSY WORKING DAY SHIFTS, AS WELL AS NIGHTS AND EVERY SECOND WEEKEND. IN SEP 2011, HER CAREER MANAGER POSTED HER AND HER SERVICE SPOUSE TO THE HALIFAX AND SHEARWATER AREAS. SHE ONCE AGAIN BECAME A COMSEC CUSTODIAN, THIS TIME AT 12 WING SHEARWATER. IN 2013, SHE WAS PROMOTED TO WARRANT OFFICER AND OFFERED THE YEAR LONG SECOND LANGUAGE TRAINING AT CFNOS AND JUMPED AT THE OPPORTUNITY. AFTER SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION, SHE WAS THEN POSTED TO CFB HALIFAX WITH MARITIME ATLANTIC COMMAND HQ WHICH SHE ENJOYED VERY MUCH, WORKING AS THE NATIONAL NETWORKS SUPERVISOR, BIS HELPDESK MANAGER AND FINALLY CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER. WITH A PROMOTION TO MWO, JACQUELINE WAS AGAIN POSTED TO 4 WING COLD LAKE, THIS TIME TO THE LODGER UNIT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND TEST ESTABLISHMENT (AETE). SHE REMAINED THERE UNDER ADM(MAT) AS THE TECHNICAL SERVICES MASTER WARRANT OFFICER UNTIL THE UNIT MOVED TO OTTAWA AND ALL ATIS POSITIONS WERE REMOVED IN 2019. HER LAST POSTING WAS A TRANSFER TO THE TRANSITION CENTRE AT 4 WING, WORKING WITH OUTSTANDING, SUPPORTIVE, AND EXTREMELY DEDICATED PEOPLE.
- MWO BEARD IS TREMENDOUSLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE WONDERFUL FRIENDSHIPS SHE HAS DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS BUT NONE OF THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF HER HUSBAND JOHN, HER CHILDREN AND GRAND-CHILDREN. FOR NOW, SHE IS FOCUSING ON NEW VOCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS A MOVE BACK TO NOVA SCOTIA TO ENJOY THE EAST COAST LIFESTYLE.
- AN INFORMAL DEPART WITH DIGNITY (DWD) WILL BE HELD AT BOSTON PIZZA COLD LAKE AT 1200HRS ON 5 MAY 2023. PLEASE SEND ANY CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES AND HUMOROUS ANECDOTES TO SGT J. MATE BY EMAIL: JENNIFER(dot)MATE(at)FORCES(dot)GC(dot)CA.
Congratulations Jackie!!! All the best to you and your family
Congratulations Jackie!
Congratulations Jackie, best wishes to you and your family.