1. AFTER 27 + YEARS OF COMBINED LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE, MASTER WARRANT OFFICER WILLIAM (BILL) RIDING WILL RETIRE FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ON 20 MARCH 2023.
2. BILL EMBARKED ON HIS MILITARY CAREER IN 1988 WHEN, WHILE ATTENDING HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE, HE ENROLLED IN THE PRINCESS OF WALES OWN REGIMENT (PWOR) AS AN INFANTRYMAN WHERE HE SERVED UNTIL 1991. IN 1999 HE REENROLLED IN THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES AS A COMMUNICATOR RESEARCH OPERATOR (COMM RSCH). HE COMPLETED BASIC TRAINING AT CANADIAN FORCES LEADERSHIP AND RECRUIT SCHOOL (CFLRS) SAINT JEAN IN APRIL 1999. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING BASIC TRAINING, WHILE AWAITING THE START OF THEIR COMMS RSCH QL3 COURSE, HE AND OTHER COMM RSCH STUDENTS WERE ATTACHED POSTED TO CFB HALIFAX WHERE THEY SPENT THREE MONTHS PREPARING THE NAVAL GUN RUN KIT AND PARTICIPATING IN THE NAVAL GUN RUN. IN JULY 1999 HE FINALLY COMMENCED HIS COMM RSCH QL3 TRAINING AT THE CANADIAN FORCES SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS (CFSCE) AT CFB KINGSTON.
FOLLOWING HIS TRADES TRAINING, HE WAS POSTED TO CANADIAN FORCES STATION LEITRIM (CFS LEITRIM) FROM APRIL 2000-2004. FROM THERE HE ENJOYED POSTINGS TO CFS LEITRIM/DET CSE FROM 2004-2007, CFSCE FROM 2007-2010, 21 ELECTRONIC WARFARE REGIMENT (21 EW REGT) FROM 2010-2015, CANADIAN FORCES LANGUAGE SCHOOL/DET KINGSTON FROM 2015-2016, 21 EW REGT AGAIN FROM 2016-2017, CFS LEITRIM FROM 2017-2019 AND FINALLY BACK TO HIS 21 EW REGT FAMILY AS SSM 212 ELECTRONIC WARFARE SQUADRON AND YEOMAN/SSM REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS SQUADRON FROM 2019-2023.
BILL COMPLETED TWO OPERATIONAL TOURS DURING HIS CAREER, AFGHANISTAN (2012) AND ONBOARD HMCS VANCOUVER (2018).
3. BILL WOULD LIKE TO THANK HIS WIFE, JEANNIE, HIS SON WILLIAM III AND HIS DAUGHTERS BROOKE AND SOPHIA FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE SUPPORT AND SACRIFICES THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER. HE WOULD ALSO EXTEND HIS HEARTFELT THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO EVERYONE, PAST AND PRESENT THAT HE HAS HAD THE PRIVILEGE AND HONOUR OF SERVING ALONGSIDE. HE IS EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE MILITARY FRIENDSHIPS DEVELOPED THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER.
FOR THE TIMEBEING, BILL WILL REMAIN IN KINGSTON WITH HIS SPOUSE JEANNIE AND HIS CATS AVA AND ZOE.
4. A VERY INFORMAL RETIREMENT SOCIAL WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY 7 MARCH 2023 AT 1900HRS AT THE MERCHANT TAP HOUSE IN KINGSTON, ONTARIO.
THOSE WISHING TO ATTEND OR PASS ON CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES, ANECDOTES, AND STORIES PLEASE CONTACT CWO BRUCE MERCER AT [email protected].