MASTER WARRANT OFFICER NEILL NEATE WILL RETIRE FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ON 08 MARCH 2021 AFTER MORE THAN 27 YEARS OF DISTINGUISHED, DEDICATED AND LOYAL SERVICE TO THE CAF.
NEILL JOINED THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES 22 APRIL 1989 AS AN ARTILLERYMAN WITH THE 3rd REGIMENT OF CANADIAN HORSE ARTILLERY. HE THEN SERVED WITH THE 1st REGIMENT OF CANADIAN HORSE ARTILLERY WHEN THAT UNIT RETURNED TO CANADA. NEILL DECIDED TO TRANSFER TO THE NAVY AND BECAME A MARINE ELECTRICIAN. DURING THIS TIME HE WAS POSTED TO THE SUBMARINE SQUADRON AND THEN JOINED THE FINAL CREW OF THE HMCS TERRA NOVA BEFORE SHE WAS PAID OFF. NEILL THEN DECIDED TO LEAVE THE MILITARY TO PURSUE HIS EDUCATION IN ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY. HE REJOINED THE NAVY FOUR YEARS LATER AS A NAVAL ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN FOR COMMUNICATIONS IN MAY OF 2001. DURING THIS TIME HE SAILED ON THE HMCS TORONTO AND THE HMCS MONTREAL. AFTER A MEDICAL ISSUE PREVENTED HIM FROM SAILING, IN 2007, HE WAS GIVEN A COMPULSORY OCCUPATIONAL TRANSFER TO THE AEROSPACE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN (ATIS TECH) TRADE.
NEILL HAS ALWAYS SAID THE ATIS TECH TRADE FIT HIM LIKE A GLOVE RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING. IN NOVEMBER 2007 HE WAS POSTED TO NORTH BAY. DURING HIS TIME THERE HE WAS SENT TO FLORIDA TO LEARN THE BCS-F SYSTEM AND DID A TOUR IN AFGHANISTAN. A SHORT TIME AFTER, IN 2011, HE WAS POSTED TO THE ATESS INSTALLATION CREWS. THIS WAS ONE OF HIS MOST REWARDING POSTINGS. IN 2015 HE WAS OFFERED THE PRIVILEGE OF TAKING OVER AS THE COURSE DIRECTOR FOR THE ATIS TECH QL5 TRAINING. IN THAT PERIOD, HE AND HIS TEAM REVAMPED AND REWROTE MUCH OF THE COURSE, WHILE CONTINUING TO TRAIN COURSES AND MOVE THE TRAINING TO ITS CURRENT LOCATION AT CFB TRENTON. IN 2016 NEILL WAS PROMOTED AND POSTED TO 14 WING GREENWOOD AS THE RCS FLIGHT WO. IN 2020 HE WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF MWO, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WOULD SUFFER A MEDICAL ISSUE THAT WOULD FORCE HIM TO RETIRE.
OVER THE YEARS NEILL HAS WORKED WITH SOME OF THE MOST TALENTED, MOST PROFESSIONAL, AND MOST INSPIRATIONAL PERSONNEL CANADA HAS EVER PUT INTO A UNIFORM. HE HAS ALWAYS CONSIDERED HIMSELF LUCKY TO HAVE MET AND WORKED WITH ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE. HE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THEM ALL FOR THE GENEROSITY THEY SHOWED HIM BY SHARING THEIR KNOWLEDGE, PROFESSIONALISM, AND COMRADERY WITH HIM.
NEILL AND HIS WIFE KAREN WILL BE MOVING TO CHAPEL’S COVE NEWFOUNDLAND WHERE HE IS PLANNING TO TAKE HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR’S TRAINING.
CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES CAN BE SENT TO MWO TREVOR PORTEOUS ([email protected]).
