1. MASTER WARRANT OFFICER JOHANNE OYAMA WILL BE RETIRING FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES AFTER 32+ YEARS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO CANADA; HER RETIREMENT IS SCHEDULED ON 4 NOVEMBER 2020.

2. JOHANNE ENROLLED IN THE CAF AS A TELETYPE OPERATOR IN MONTREAL, QUEBEC ON 28 SEPTEMBER 1988. DURING HER CAREER SHE SERVED WITH 707 COMMS SQN NORTH BAY, WHERE SHE DID A TOUR AT CFS ALERT IN 1990, FOLLOWED BY TASK FORCE CYPRUS FOR OP SNOWGOOSE IN 1992. FROM 1994 – 2000, SHE BECAME A SIG OP WITH THE AMALGAMATION OF RADOP AND TELOP. SHE AIDED CHIEF OF STAFF JOINT OPERATIONS / DIRECTOR GENERAL MILITARY PLANS AND OPERATIONS. IN APRIL 2000, SHE ACTED AS A CLASSIFIED VOICE & VIDEO SERVICE TECHNICIAN 7 COMMUNICATION GROUP HQ BEFORE BEING POSTED WITH 76 COMMUNICATIONS REGIMENT DETACHMENT IN SELFKANT, GERMANY FOR 4 YEARS. WHEN SHE RETURNED TO CANADA IN 2005, SHE CONTINUED ON HER CAREER PATH WITH CANADIAN FORCES JOINT SIGNAL REGIMENT UNTIL 2011, DURING WHICH SHE COMPLETED 3 DEPLOYMENTS (2 TIMES WITH JOINT TASK FORCE AFGHANISTAN, AND HAITI FOR OP HESTIA). IN 2011, SHE CAME TO OTTAWA WHERE SHE HAS SUPPORTED DIRECTOR GENERAL MILITARY CAREERS, DIRECTOR GENERAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS, 7 COMMUNICATION GROUP HQ AND 76 COMMUNICATIONS REGIMENT. SINCE 2017, JOHANNE HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH 7 COMMUNICATION GROUP HEADQUARTERS PROVIDING SUPPORT TO THE CONFIGURATION CHANGE MANAGEMENT TEAM.

3. JOHANNE WILL REMAIN IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION WHERE SHE HAS SECURED EMPLOYMENT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUING IN HER SUPPORT PART OF THE CHANGE MANAGEMENT TEAM OF 7 COMMUNICATION GROUP HEADQUARTERS.

4. DUE TO THE CURRENT PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS, NO DWD IS BEING ORGANIZED.

5. PLEASE SEND ANY CONGRATULARY MESSAGES OR HUMOROUS ANECDOTES TO LT MAYO VRBA BY EMAIL: [email protected].