1. AFTER 19.5 YEARS OF EXEMPLARY SERVICE TO THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES (CAF) AND THE ROYAL CANADIAN CORPS OF SIGNALS, MASTER CORPORAL MARK PELTON WILL RETIRE ON 17 MAY 2021.

2. BORN AND RAISED IN WATERVILLE N.S., MARK JOINED THE CAF ON 12 SEPTEMBER 2001 AS A LINEMAN. UPON COMPLETION OF BASIC TRAINING IN GAGETOWN, HE WENT ON TO COMPLETE HIS LINEMAN TRAINING AT CANADIAN FORCES SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS & ELECTRONICS.

3. MCPL PELTON WAS POSTED FIVE TIMES OVER HIS CAREER: CFB EDMONTON, CFB HALIFAX, AND THEN RETURNING BACK TO THE MOTHER SHIP CFJSR KINGSTON ONTARIO. DURING HIS TIME WITH THE REGIMENT, HE WAS RECOGNIZED AND AWARDED AS THE TOP CPL AFTER COMPLETING MANY DEPLOYMENTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD THAT INCLUDED OP UNIFIER, IN UKRAINE; OP IMPACT ERBIL THEATRE ACTIVATION; TF MIDDLE EAST CTS BUILDUP AMMAN, JORDAN; OP ARTEMIS CTF 150, BAHRAIN; AND OP RENAISSANCE (DISASTER ASSISTANCE RESPONSE TEAM) CAF CONTRIBUTION TO HUMANITARIAN RELIEF EFFORTS IN KATHMANDU, NEPAL.

4. FOLLOWING HIS TIME WITH THE REGIMENT, HE WENT ON TO 2RCR AND A SHORT TIME LATER WAS SAVED BY THE BROTHERS AND POSTED BACK TO HIS HOME CFB GREENWOOD TO REJOIN THE LINEMEN, AND WHERE NOW HE WILL HANG HIS SPURS UP.

5. MARK WOULD LIKE TO THANK HIS WIFE APRIL AND HIS DAUGHTER BECKY FOR BEING SO UNDERSTANDING DURING COUNTLESS TIMES AWAY FROM HOME. WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT HIS SERVICE WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN POSSIBLE. HE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK HIS MANY LIFELONG FRIENDS AND COLLEGUES.

6. MARK WILL REMAIN IN THE VALLEY AREA OF NOVA SCOTIA WHERE HE PLANS TO RELAX WITH HIS WIFE APRIL AND SIT BACK AND WATCH HIS DAUGHTER BECOME THE NEXT BEST MOVIE DIRECTOR IN THE WORLD. DUE TO COVID RESTRICTIONS THERE WILL BE NO FORMAL RETIRMENT FUNCTION.

7. CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES, ANECDOTES, AND RETIREMENT BEST WISHES CAN BE FORWARDED TO WO RILES VIA EMAIL [email protected].