1. SGT KARIM ABDOU WILL RETIRE FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ON 7 FEBRUARY 2024 AFTER 15 YEARS OF DEDICATED, DISTINGUISHED, AND LOYAL SERVICE TO THE C&E BRANCH, THE ROYAL CANADIAN CORPS OF SIGNALS, CANADA, AND THE CROWN.

2. SGT ABDOU JOINED THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES AS AN INFANTRY SOLDIER IN MONTREAL, QUEBEC AT THE YOUNG AGE OF 18 ON 24 SEPTEMBER 2008. HE SERVED TWO YEARS AT CFB VALCARTIER BEFORE SEEING THE LIGHT AND IN 2010, HE REMUSTERED AS A SIGNALS OPERATOR. UPON COMPLETION OF QL3, HE WAS POSTED TO 2 CANADIAN MECHANIZED BRIGADE GROUP HEADQUARTERS & SIGNALS SQUADRON (2 CMBG HQ & SIGS SQN) IN PETAWAWA, ONTARIO. WHILE AT 2 SIGS, HE WAS EMPLOYED AS A FORWARD COMMAND POST DETACHEMENT MEMBER AND RAPIDLY (LEARNED ENGLISH) BECAME A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT IN TACTICAL RADIO COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS. PRIVATE ABDOU WAS THEN PROMOTED TO CORPORAL IN 2013 AND POSTED TO 450 TACTICAL HELICOPTER SQUADRON (450 THS). DURING HIS TIME WITH THE AIRFORCE, HE GAINED VALUABLE SKILLS AS AN AIR GROUND AIR SIGNALLER, SLING LOAD HOOKUP CREW AND LOVED FLYING INSIDE A CH-47F CHINOOK ANYTIME HE COULD GET IN ONE. CPL ABDOU DEPLOYED ON OP NEVUS AT CFS ALERT IN 2015 IN SUPPORT OF MAINTENANCE OF COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS IN THE HIGH ARTIC. IN THE SUMMER OF 2016 HE WAS THEN POSTED BACK TO 2 SIGS AND PROMOTED TO MASTER-CORPORAL. HE HELD A POSITION IN 99 TAC AS THE 2 BRIGADE COMMANDER SIGNALLER UNITL HIS POSTING THE THE 3RD ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT (3 RCR). WHILE SERVING WITH THE ROYALS, MASTER-CORPORAL ABDOU BECAME NOT ONLY A SKILLED INSTRUCTOR OF DISMOUNTED COMMS BUT A VIRTUOSO AT BREAKING ATVs. HE HELD THE POSITION OF TACTICAL COMMAND POST IC UNTIL HIS POSTING TO THE CANADIAN FORCES SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS (CFSCE) IN 2017. MCPL ABDOU REMAINED AT THE SCHOOL FOR 3 YEARS AND TOUGHT VARIOUS SUBJECTS FROM BASIC DP1 COURSE TO ADVANCED ELECTRONIC COUNTER MEASURES SPECIALIST COURSES, TO OVER 400 STUDENTS. IN 2020 HE WAS POSTED TO THE CANADIAN FORCES JOINT SIGNAL REGIMENT (CFJSR) AS THE NON COMBATTANT EVACUATION OPERATIONS 2 IC. HE DEPLOYED ON OP IMPACT IN THE MIDDLE EAST IN 2021 AS THE SIGS WORKSHOP 2 IC AND ALSO SUPPORTED OP AEGIS DURING THAT SUMMER. IN 2022 MASTER-CORPORAL ABDOU WAS DEPLOYED ON OP UNIFIER IN GERMANY AND POLAND AS A LIAISON OFFICER SIGNALLER SUPPORTING DELIVERY OF ARMORED VEHICLES AND TRAINING TO THE UKRAINIAN MILITARY. HE LOVED THE SHORT NOTICE LIFE AND DEPLOYED ON DIFFERENT TAVs IN 2023 SUCH AS OP PRESENCE IN SENEGAL AND OP UNIFIER IN POLAND AGAIN TO FIX AND/OR UPGRADE BROKEN KIT. MCPL ABDOU WAS THEN FINALLY PROMOTED TO SERGEANT IN JULY 2023 AND HE WRAPPED UP HIS CAREER AS A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ON NATIONAL DEPLOYABLE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, AS THE OPERATOR TRAINING SERGEANT FOR CFJSR.

3. SGT ABDOU WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE SOLDIERS, SAILORS, AND AVIATORS WITH WHOM HE’S BEEN FORTUNATE TO SERVE. THE MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE, GOOD FRIENDS, AMAZING SIGNALLERS AND GREAT EXPERIENCES WILL BE FONDLY REMEMBERED. UPON RELEASE, HE INTENDS TO WORK REMOTELY IN THE IT FIELD AND MOVE TO SPAIN TO SPEND MORE QUALITY TIME WITH HIS SPOUSE, GABRIELLE.

4. A DWD WILL BE HELD AT 1300 @ JACK ASTORs IN KINGSTON, ONTARIO ON 9 FEB 2024 AND WILL BE OPEN TO ALL RANKS. PLEASE SEND ANY CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES, AMUSING ANECDOTES THAT WON’T INVITE PROSECUTION, AND QUOTE SAFE FOR WORK UNQUOTE PHOTOS TO [email protected]