1. SERGEANT JOEL MERRIFIELD WILL BE RETIRING FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ON 25 AUGUST 2020 WITH 16 YEARS AND 12 DAYS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED REGULAR FORCE SERVICE TO CANADA, THE CAF, AND THE ROYAL CANADIAN CORPS OF SIGNALS AS A LINEMAN.

2. SGT MERRIFIELD ENROLLED ON 13 AUGUST 2004 (YES IT WAS FRIDAY THE 13TH) IN VICTORIA, BC. AFTER COMPLETING HIS LINE APPRENTICE TRAINING IN KINGSTON, PTE MERRIFIELD’S FIRST POSTING WAS IN 2005 TO 1RCR IN PETAWAWA.IN 2007 CPL MERRIFIELD WAS THEN POSTED LOCALLY TO 2ASG, WHERE HE REMAINED UNTIL 2011. AFTER THAT, IT WAS BACK HOME TO CFB ESQUIMALT FOR A COUPLE YEARS FROM 2011 TO 2013, WHERE HE EARNED THE RANK OF MCPL. FINISHING HIS THIRD POSTING, MCPL MERRIFIELD WAS POSTED TO 3 PPCLI IN EDMONTON TO COMPLETE 4 YEARS FROM 2013 TO 2017. WITH ANOTHER PROMOTION IN 2017 CAME ANOTHER POSTING, SGT MERRIFIELD’S NEXT POSITION WAS ACROSS THE ROAD TO LLWC EDMONTON, WHERE HE REMAINED FOR ONLY 1 YEAR. IN 2018 HE MOVED ACROSS THE ROAD “AGAIN” TO RLWC DET EDM. SPENDING A YEAR ON THE ROAD, HE WAS THEN POSTED TO HIS FINAL POST AT LLWC ESQUIMALT.

3. SGT MERRIFIELD COMPLETED A 7+ MONTHS TOUR SERVING IN AFGHANISTAN WITH THE JOINT TASK FORCE PROVINCIAL RECONSTRUCTION TEAM AT CAMP NATHAN SMITH. THIS EARNED HIM THE GENERAL CAMPAIGN STAR PLUS A ROTATION BAR (GCS-SWA+1) MEDAL IN 2017.

4. SGT MERRIFIELD WILL BE RETIRING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA WITH HIS WIFE ANNIE, THEIR DAUGHTER BOWIE AND, FROM TIME TO TIME, SGT MERRIFIELD’S OTHER DAUGHTER OLIVIA. THEY PLAN ON MOVING TO NANAIMO, BC, WHERE JOEL WILL BE SHARING HIS TRADE KNOWLEDGE WITH A COMPANY CALLED FMI. THERE HE WILL BE INSTALLING FIBER OPTIC CABLE WHILE WORKING ON HIS ELECTRICAL JOURNEYMAN TICKET. HE SAID NOT CALL HIM FOR HOME INSTALLATIONS.

5. A DWD FUNCTION WILL BEHELP TO HONOUR SGT MERRIFIELD ON 21 AUGUST 2020 AT 328 TAPHOUSE AND GRILL LOCATED AT 328 WALE RD, COLWOOD, BC FROM 1300 TO 1500.

6. CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES, ANECDOTES, STORIES AND PHOTOS ARE WELCOME AND MAY BE SENT TO SGT T.J. CLARK AT [email protected] BY EMAIL AND THEY WILL BE PRESENTED TO HIM.