AFTER 36 YEARS OF LOYAL SERVICE, WARRANT OFFICER (WO) THOMAS DOBRANSKI WILL OFFICIALLY RETIRE ON JUNE 4, 2024.

WO DOBRANSKI ENROLLED IN THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ON JULY 21, 1988, AS AN INFANTEER. AFTER BASIC TRAINING AND BATTLE SCHOOL, HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO HIS FIRST POSTING TO CANADIAN FORCES BASE GAGETOWN, IN BURTON, TO SERVE WITH THE 2ND BATTALION, THE ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT (RCR). DURING HIS TIME WITH THE RCR, HE ACQUIRED MANY TRADE-SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS AND FILLED MANY ROLES SUCH AS; HEAVY WEAPONS DET COMMANDER, ASSISTANT MORTAR FIRE CONTROLLER, AND BATTALION TRANSPORT 2 I/C. HE ALSO DEPLOYED FOR NUMEROUS DOMESTIC OPERATIONS AND OVERSEAS.

IN 2004, WO DOBRANSKI OCCUPATIONALLY TRANSFERRED TO LAND COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS (LCIS) TECH AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE SUBSIDIZED EDUCATION PLAN THAT WAS OFFERED. HE COMPLETED HIS EDUCATION AT THE NORTHERN ALBERTA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (NAIT) IN EDMONTON, WITH A DIPLOMA IN ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY IN 2006. HE WAS THEN POSTED BACK TO CFB GAGETOWN, THIS TIME AS A JUNIOR TECHNICIAN. WHILE THERE, HE LEARNED TO PUT THEORY TO PRACTICE MAINTAINING THE METEOROLOGICAL EQUIPMENT FOR THE JOINT MET CENTER, RADAR AND OTHER SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT FOR THE COMBAT TRAINING CENTER (CTC), AND VARIOUS COMMUNICATIONS AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS FOR THE BASE INFRASTRUCTURE.

IN 2009, WO DOBRANSKI WAS APPOINTED TO THE RANK OF MASTER CORPORAL (MCPL) AND POSTED TO 1 CANADIAN MECHANIZED BRIGADE GROUP HEADQUARTERS AND SIGNAL SQUADRON (CMBG HQ& SIGS SQN) AS THE TECH SECTION COMMANDER. WHEN HE ARRIVED, THE SHOP HAD ONLY ONE OTHER MCPL AND 2 NEWLY QUALIFIED PRIVATES. OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT THREE YEARS, THE SHOP GREW TO 73 TECHNICIANS AND SUCCESSFULLY SUPPORTED 1 CMBG THROUGH MULTIPLE MAJOR EXERCISES.

IN 2013, WO DOBRANSKI WAS POSTED TO THE 4TH AIR DEFENCE REGIMENT IN CFB GAGETOWN, SUPPORTING THE ADATS UNTIL ITS DECOMMISSIONING AND OTHER SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT AFTER THAT.

IN 2015, WO DOBRANSKI WAS PROMOTED TO SGT AND TRANSFERRED TO THE EQUIPMENT FIELDING DEPOT. THERE HE ACTED AS THE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS CONFIGURATION MANAGER AND OVERSAW THE DELIVERY OF THE TACTICAL ARMOURED PATROL VEHICLE (TAPV) AND LIGHT ARMOURED VEHICLE (LAV6) FLEET TO THE UNITS WITHIN THE DIVISION, EARNING A COMMAND COMMENDATION FOR HIS EFFORTS. HE WAS THEN MOVED TO THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT FOREMAN OF SIGNALS FOR 5 CANADIAN DIVISION SUPPORT GROUP (CDSG) AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO THE POSITION OF FOREMAN OF SIGNALS, PROVIDING ADVICE TO THE BASE AND COMBAT TRAINING CENTRE (CTC) SIGNALS OFFICERS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND SUPPORT OF COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE.

IN 2021, HE WAS PROMOTED TO WO AND POSTED TO DIRECTOR GENERAL LAND EQUIPMENT PROGRAM (DGLEPM) IN GATINEAU AS A LIFE CYCLE MATERIAL MANAGER AND TECHNICAL AUTHORITY FOR THE ARMY’S MOBILE PLATFORM COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS.

WO DOBRANSKI IS MARRIED TO HIS LOVELY WIFE JENNIFER, WHO HAS PUT UP WITH HIM THROUGH THESE MANY YEARS AND TOURS. THEY HAVE TWO BOYS ADEN, 22 AND NATHAN, 13 WHO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE NO UNINTERESTING OR UNEVENTFUL DAYS.