LCDR WILLIAM JAMES (JIM) BAIRD-FOLEY, CD, 00328 LOGISTICS-SEA
AFTER 33 PLUS YEARS OF SERVICE, LCDR WILLIAM JAMES BAIRD-FOLEY, CD, WILL RETIRE FROM THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES ON 14 MARCH 2024.
LIEUTENANT-COMMANDER BAIRD-FOLEY WAS BORN AND RAISED IN GRAND FALLS-WINDSOR, NEWFOUNDLAND. HE ENROLLED AS A SUPPLY TECHNICIAN IN APRIL 1990. FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF BASIC TRAINING IN CORNWALLIS, AND HIS QL3 SUP TECH COURSE, HE WAS POSTED TO CFB EDMONTON. IN 1995, HE RECEIVED A POSTING TO CFB HALIFAX WHERE HE SAILED IN HMCS TERRA NOVA AND HMCS PRESERVER.
POSTED TO 8 WING TRENTON IN 1999, LCDR BAIRD-FOLEY WAS SELECTED IN 2002 FOR THE UTPNCM PROGRAM AND WAS POSTED TO HALIFAX TO ATTEND SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY.
UPON GRADUATION, HE ATTENDED LOGISTICS OFFICER PHASE TRAINING AND THEN COMPLETED A/HOD TRAINING IN HMCS ATHABASKAN SUCCESSFULLY CHALLENGING HIS AILK BOARD IN JULY OF 2007. AFTER A TWO YEAR POSTING TO THE CANADIAN FORCES MARITIME WARFARE CENTRE, HE WAS SELECTED FOR HIS HEAD OF DEPARTMENT TOUR IN HMCS MONTREAL. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A POSTING TO CFS ST JOHN’S AS THE STATION ADMINO/XO.
PROMOTED TO LCDR IN 2014, HE RETURNED TO HALIFAX IN 2014 AND WAS POSTED TO THE FORMATION COMPTROLLER TEAM AT MARLANT HQ.
HE DEPLOYED FROM JAN-JUN 2016 TO ESTONIA IN SUPPORT TO OP REASSURANCE.
IN 2017, LCDR BAIRD-FOLEY RECEIVED AN OUTCAN POSTING TO CANADIAN FORCES SUPPORT UNIT COLORADO SPRINGS AS THE DCO BEFORE RETURNING TO CANADA IN 2020 WITH A POSTING TO OTTAWA WITH THE NAVAL STAFF AT DIRECTOR NAVAL LOGISTICS.
IN JULY 2022, HE RECEIVED HIS LAST POSTING WITH THE CAF, TO THE CADETS AND JUNIOR CANADIAN RANGERS GROUP AS THE FORMATION COMPTROLLER.
LCDR BAIRD-FOLEY IS GRATEFUL FOR A CHALLENGING CAREER AND FOR THE MANY FRIENDSHIPS HE HAS MADE OVER THE PAST THREE DECADES OF SERVICE. HE WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF HIS WIFE, MICHELLE, DAUGHTERS ALLISON AND KENDRA, SON NATHAN WITHOUT WHICH, MOST OF WHAT HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED IN UNIFORM WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE.
JIM HAS ACCEPTED A POSITION WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO STARTING WORK AS A FINANCIAL ANALYST WITH THE RCN COMPTROLLER TEAM.
LCDR BAIRD-FOLEY HAS DECIDED HAS OPTED NOT TO HAVE A FORMAL DWD.
ANECDOTES, WELL WISHES, AND FAREWELL MESSAGES CAN BE SENT TO WO FANNY CHALIFOUX AT FANNY.CHALIFOUX(AT)FORCES.GC.CA