MWO BERNARD FRENCH, CD, SUP TECH (00168)
1. MWO BERNARD (BERNIE) FRENCH WILL RETIRE ON 28 FEB 2019 AFTER COMPLETING MORE THAN 37 YEARS OF COMBINED LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES (CAF) AND THE LOGISTICS SERVICE.
2. BERNIE ENROLLED IN THE CAF 17 JUNE 1981 IN SYDNEY, CAPE BRETON UNDER THE POET PROGRAM TO BE AN ELECTRICAL MECHANICAL ENGINEER (ELM). HE COMPLETED HIS QL3 IN 1982 AND WENT TO 202 WORKSHOP IN MONTREAL TO DO HIS QL4. WELL, PARTWAY THROUGH HIS TRAINING HE DECIDED THAT WASN’T WHAT HE WANTED TO DO AND REMUSTERED TO ELECTRICIAN, ONLY TO DISCOVER HALFWAY THROUGH THE COURSE THAT HE DIDN’T LIKE CLIMBING POLES. SO, WITH THAT REVELATION HE REMUSTERED YET AGAIN IN 1985, AND THAT PUT HIM ON THE ROAD OF BEING A SUPPLY TECH FOR THE NEXT 34 YEARS.
3. UPON COMPLETION OF HIS QL3 IN 1986 BERNIE WAS POSTED TO CFB CHILLIWACK WHERE HE HONED HIS TRADE SKILLS BY WORKING IN A VARIETY OF POSITIONS SUCH AS CSO MUX, RPSS AND THE WAREHOUSE. 1990 WAS ANOTHER YEAR OF CHANGE AS CPL FRENCH MOVED FROM THE WARM WEATHER OF THE WEST COAST TO THE COLD WINTERS OF THE EAST. BERNIE WAS POSTED TO HMCS FRASER IN HALIFAX N.S. WHILE ABOARD THE SHIP HE VISITED THE PORTS OF ST. JOHN’S, DUBLIN AND CARDIFF, WALES AMONG OTHERS. HIS MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS OF THE FRASER ARE WORKING FOR “MICRO-CHIEF”, SPENDING 34 STRAIGHT DAYS AT SEA IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC WHEN MOST SHIPS HEADED FOR SHELTER AND HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEPLOY TO THE GOLAN HEIGHTS IN 1991 WHILE THE SHIP WAS IN REFIT.
4. NOT A PERSON TO STAY IN ONE PLACE VERY LONG, AND THE NAVY NOT WANTING TO RELEASE THEIR GRAPPLING HOOK, BERNIE WAS POSTED IN 1993 TO SAINT JOHN, NB WHERE HE WORKED ON THE CANADIAN PATROL FRIGATE PROJECT FOR 2 YEARS. HE THEN MOVED TO 31 (SAINT JOHN) SERVICE BATTALION WHERE HE GOT A CHANCE TO CATCH HIS BREATH. HE SPENT 4 YEARS IN CHARGE OF THE RQ.
5. SUMMER OF 1999 SAW A PROMOTION TO MCPL AND A POSTING TO THE ARMY OF THE WEST, 1 GENERAL SUPPORT BATTALION (1 GS BN) AS 2 1/C CUSTOMER SERVICES. DURING HIS TIME IN EDMONTON, AB, HE DEPLOYED TO BOSNIA IN 2000, WHERE HE WAS PART OF THE NATIONAL SUPPORT ELEMENT (NSE) IN VELIKA KLADUSA WORKING IN R&I. UPON HIS RETURN TO CANADA HE WENT BACK TO 1 GS BN AND WORKED AS THE 2 I/C OF R&D. AFTER A FAST PACED 8 MONTHS IN 2001 MCPL FRENCH WAS THEN POSTED TO 2 GS BN IN GLORIOUS PETAWAWA, ON. AND WORKED IN SPSS AND CQ 2 1/C OF TRANSPORTATION AND ADMINISTRATION COMPANY. SUMMER OF 2003 CAME WITH A PROMOTION TO SGT AND A POSTING ACROSS THE BASE TO 2 SERVICE BATTALION AS TQ REAR PARTY ROTO 0. AFTER A SHORT 1 YEAR OF LEARNING THE WORKINGS OF A RQ SHOP, SGT FRENCH WAS POSTED TO 2 CER AS THE TQ. WHILE AT 2 CER HE DEPLOYED WITH 1 RCR BG TF 3-06 TO KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN AS THE TQ WITH 23 FD SQN. WHILE ON TOUR INSTEAD OF COMING BACK TO CANADA FOR HLTA BERNIE DECIDED THAT HE WANTED TO SEE WHAT THAILAND WAS LIKE, SO IN DEC 2006 OFF HE WENT ON A LIFE CHANGING ADVENTURE. I SAY IT WAS LIFE CHANGING, BECAUSE DURING HIS TRIP HE MET THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE, RADSAME BOON-KERD.
6. 2007 BERNIE WAS PROMOTED TO WO AND WITH IT CAME A POSTING TO JTF-X IN KINGSTON ON, WHERE HE WAS THE RQ. HE STAYED WITH THEM FOR 4 YEARS AND COMPLETED 2 TAV’S TO AFGHANISTAN, MADE MANY TRIPS TO THAILAND AND FINALLY AFTER A 3 1⁄2 YEAR LONG DISTANCE
RELATIONSHIP MADE AN HONEST WOMAN OF RADSAME AND THEY WERE MARRIED IN MAY 2010. 2011 TURNED OUT TO BE THE LAST GEOGRAPHICAL MOVE IN BERNIE’S CAREER, HE WAS PROMOTED TO MWO AND POSTED BACK TO 2 SVC BN PETAWAWA, WHERE HE WAS THE MCO PL 2 1/C. UPON COMPLETION OF HIS ALP IN 2013 MWO FRENCH MOVED OVER TO 4 CDSB AS THE SUPPLY ADVISOR AND IS PL COMMANDER WHERE HE STAYED UNTIL THE START OF HIS VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION IN SEP 2018.
7. MWO FRENCH WILL BE STAYING IN THE PETAWAWA AREA AND WILL BE PURSUING A SECOND CAREER WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE. DURING HIS SPARE TIME HE ENJOYS HUNTING, FISHING AND DOING WHAT EVER ACTIVITY HIS SON WINNIE WANTS TO DO, WITHIN REASON OF COURSE.
8. THERE WILL BE AN ALL RANKS LUNCHEON AT THE REICHWALD SGT AND WO MESS IN CFB PETAWAWA FRIDAY 22 FEB 19, COMMENCING AT 1300HRS. DRESS WILL BE DRESS OF THE DAY AND/OR APPROPRIATE CIVILIAN ATTIRE. A COST OF $20.00 PER PERSON WILL BE COLLECTED AT THE DOOR TO PAY FOR THE COST OF FOOD, GIFTS ETC. ANYONE WISHING TO ATTEND PLEASE CONTACT MWO HEATHER RIDLEY AT, and HEATHER.RIDLEY@FORCES.GC.CA. CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES, HUMOROUS ANECDOTES, STORIES AND RETIREMENT BEST WISHES MAY BE FORWARDED VIA EMAIL AS WELL.