1. WO KEITH NICOLL WILL RETIRE FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ON 15 MAR 2024 AFTER 21 YEARS OF SERVICE.

2. BORN IN CAPE BRETON, NS AND RAISED MIRA, NS HE JOINED THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES IN SEP 2002.

3. WO NICOLL COMPLETED BASIC TRAINING AT CFLRS, QC, POET AND ATIS QL3 TRAINING IN KINGSTON, ON. POSTED TO CFB GREENWOOD IN AUG 2004 WAS EMPLOYED IN MISSION SYSTEMS DURING HIS TIME THERE AS A TECHNICIAN IN THE VOICE SERVICES AND SYSTEM MAINTENANCE SECTIONS. HE WAS THEN POSTED TO THE VOICE SERVICES SECTION AT CFB HALIFAX IN 2009, WHERE HE THRIVED WITH THE FAST PACE. PROMOTED TO MCPL IN 2011 HE WAS MOVED TO THE NRS RX SITE AND TOOK ON THE ROLE AS SECTION SUPERVISOR.

4. PROMOTED TO SGT AND POSTED TO CFB BORDEN CFSTG IN 2015 ASSUMED THE ROLE AS PROJECT MANAGER FOR WTIS. AFTER APPROX. ONE AND A HALF YEARS HE SPENT THE REMAINDER OF HIS TIME AS THE RADIO MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR OVERSEEING GREEN FLEET RADIO AND THE TRUNK RADIO SYSTEM MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR. IN 2018 WAS POSTED TO THE MOTHERSHIP – CFSCE FIRST AS A QL6A INSTRUCTOR UNTIL 2020 WHERE HE WAS PROMOTED INTO THE POSITION OF ONE SQN RCAF FLT FLIGHT WARRANT OFFICER.

5. WO NICOLL AND HIS FAMILY WERE FINALLY ABLE TO BE POSTED HOME TO HALIFAX WHERE HE TOOK OVER THE CIS FLT WARRANT OFFICER POSITION WHERE HE WAS BUSY TRYING TO FIND ORGANIZATION IN A SOMEWHAT UNCERTIAN ENVIRONMENT WITH RESPECT TO IT ASSET MANAGEMENT. HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE SUCCESSUL FULFILLMENT OF TWO RESERVE POSITIONS AIMED TO IMPROVE IT ASSET MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND PROCEDURAL COMPLIANCE FOR 12 WING.

6. HIS CAREER HIGHLIGHT OCCURRED DURING HIS TIME AT CFSCE WHERE HE WAS PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO INSTRUCT FOR THE FIRST TIME. ALTHOUGH THIS WASN’T NECESSARILY A CAREER GOAL OF HIS HE WAS THANKFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AS IT WAS SOMETHING OUTSIDE HIS COMFORT ZONE, WHICH ULTIMATELY PREPARED HIM FOR THE NEXT RANK. WHILE IN THE POSITION OF FLT WARRANT OFFICER HE WAS COMMENDED ON THE EFFORT AND DEDICATION HE DISPLAYED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WHEN HE AND HIS TEAM DEVELOPED AN ONLINE VERSION OF THE QL6A COURSE IN APPROX. THREE MONTHS. THIS ALLOWED FOR THE CONTINUATION OF CRUCIAL LEADERSHIP TRAINING DURING THE PERIOD WHEN CFSCE WAS NOT CONDUCTING RESIDENTIAL CLASSES. DURING THIS PERIOD OF DOWNTIME FOUR SERIALS OF QL6A STUDENTS HAD OBTAINED THEIR QL6A QUALIFICATION REQUIRED FOR CAREER ADVANCEMENT. WO NICOLL WAS NOT ONLY PROUD OF HIMSELF FOR THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT BUT EQUALLY THANKFUL OF HIS SUBORDINATES, THE ATIS QL6A INSTRUCTORS, THAT CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TOWARDS THIS ENDEAVOUR.

7. WO NICOLL IS CURRENTLY TAKING THE CYBER NETWORK ASSOCIATE PROGRAM THROUGH CODING FOR VETERANS AND UPON COMPLETION PLANS ON PURSUING EMPLOYMENT IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE. HE WILL REMAIN IN THE HRM WITH HIS LOVELY WIFE AND TWO DAUGHTERS AND IS EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SUPPORT THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER. HIS GET IT DONE WORK ETHIC, POSITIVE ATTITUDE, AND DEDICATION DURING HIS TIME IN THE CAF WILL BE GREATLY MISSED.

8. RETIREMENT WELL WISHES AND ANECDOTES CAN BE SENT TO MWO VICKI VEILLEUX ([email protected]).

9. WO NICOLL HAS REQUESTED A SMALL DWD RETIREMENT LUNCHEON.