1. SERGEANT ROBERT STEVEN SMITH WILL BE RETIRING FROM THE CAF ON 31 OCT 2021 WITH 30 PLUS YEARS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO CANADA, THE CAF, THE ROYAL CANADIAN HORSE ARTILLERY AND THE ROYAL CORPS OF SIGNALS AS A LINEMAN.

2. SGT SMITH ENROLLED IN JAN OF 1989 COMPLETING HIS BASIC TRAINING AT CFB CORNWALLIS. HE THEN WENT ON TO BATTLE SCHOOL IN CFB SHILO AS A GUNNER IN THE ROYAL CANADIAN HORSE ARTILLERY. HIS FIRST POSTING WAS TO 2 RCHA, CFB PETAWAWA BEFORE BEING POSTED TO 1 RCHA, LAHR GERMANY, WHERE HE MET HIS WIFE ALLISON. IN 1992 HE WAS TASKED TO BASE CLOSURE WORKFORCE, CFE LAHR, AND PROMOTED TO BOMBARDIER IN 1993. HE WAS POSTED TO THE NEW HOME OF THE 1ST REGIMENT ROYAL CANADIAN HORSE ARTILLERY IN SHILO, MB IN 1994.

3. NOW A FAMILY MAN WANTING A TRANSFERABLE TRADE HE REMUSTERED IN 2003 INTO THE COMMUNICATIONS BRANCH AND STARTED HIS NEW PATH AS A LINEMAN. COMPLETING HIS COURSE HE WAS POSTED TO 742 COMM SQN, CFB EDMONTON, AB. REMAINING IN EDMONTON HE THEN WENT TO CDN FORCES JOINT SIGNALS REGT DET EDMONTON FROM 2008-2010. IN 2010, AFTER 20 YEARS OF SERVICE, NOW MCPL SMITH RETIRED BRIEFLY. REALIZING HE WANTED TO CONTINUE TO SERVE, HE REENLISTED IN 2013. HIS FIRST POSTING BACK WAS 1 CMBG HQ & SIGS, EDMONTON. IN 2014 HE WAS POSTED TO CFB DUNDURN, SK ON IR, WITH HIS FAMILY REMAINING IN EDMONTON UNTIL HIS POSTING BACK TO 77 LINE REGT 3 LINE SQN IN 2016.

4. A PROMOTION TO SGT IN 2018 BROUGHT A POSTING TO CFB SHEARWATER, NS AT 77 LINE REGT 5 LINE SQN WHERE HE IS FINISHING OUT HIS 30 PLUS YEARS OF SERVICE.

5. SGT SMITH HAS COMPLETED MULTIPLE TOURS DURING HIS CAREER. HE WAS DEPLOYED TO BOSNIA WITH THE GUNS IN 2000, AFGHANISTAN 2006 & 2010, AND LATVIA 2021.

6. SGT SMITH WILL BE RETIRING IN NOVA SCOTIA WITH HIS WIFE ALLISON. HE HAS ACCEPTED A POSITION AT 77 LINE REGT 5 LINE SQN AS A GL-EIM 10 DND PUBLIC SERVANT, 1 NOV, 2021.

7. A DWD FUNCTION WILL BE HELD TO HONOUR SGT SMITH ON THE 29 OCT 2021 AT THE SEA KING CLUB IN CFB SHEARWATER.

8. CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES, ANECDOTES, STORIES AND PHOTOS ARE WELCOME AND MAY BE SENT TO SGT MARTINEAU BY EMAIL AT [email protected]