RETIREMENT COMMODORE M.B. WATSON CD MBA MA CMA CPA 00328
1. CMDRE WATSON WILL BE RETIRING FROM THE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY AND
ROYAL CANADIAN LOGISTICS SERVICE AFTER NEARLY THIRTY-SIX YEARS OF
SERVICE TO QUEEN AND COUNTRY.
2. MARK STARTED OUT HIS CAREER AS A MARE ATTENDING THE GREATEST
LEARNING INSTITUTION EVER, ROYAL ROADS MILITARY COLLEGE. WITH AN
OVERAGE OF 58 (BUT NO SUPS), HE QUICKLY LEARNED THAT ENGINEERING WAS
NOT HIS FORTE AND BECAME AN ARTSMAN AND A MARS OFFICER. AFTER
GAINING THE NICKNAME OF MACEMAN FOR HIS SKILLS AS THE SCHOOLS DRUM
MAJOR, MARK MOVED TO THE OTHER MILITARY COLLEGE WHERE HE GRADUATED
IN A CLASS OF FOUR HISTORIANS IN 1987.
3. QUICKLY LEARNING THAT SEA SICKNESS WAS ASSOCIATED WITH BEING A
BRIDGE WATCH KEEPER AND FAILING THE FINAL STAGE OF OFFICER OF THE
WATCH MANOEUVRES, MARK FORTUITOUSLY RECLASSIFIED FOR A THIRD TIME TO
BECOME A SEA LOGISTICS OFFICER. THIS ALLOWED HIM TO DO HIS TRAINING
NEAR HIS HOMETOWN OF BARRIE AND THUS SAVE MONEY ON TRAVEL.
4. SERVING IN HURON HE SAILED TO THE PACIFIC, TRANSITED THE PANAMA
CANAL, SAILED BOTH THE CARIBBEAN AND ATLANTIC, PASSED THRU THE SUEZ
CANAL, PROMOTED WHILE TRAVERSING THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ AND ARRIVED
IN BAHRAIN IN TIME TO MISS THE GULF WAR. RETURNING TO CANADA WITH
GREAT MEMORIES BUT NO MEDAL, HE BECAME THE FIRST SYO IN VAN.
5. DEPLOYED TO NATOS FIRST FORWARD LOGISTICS SITE IN 1993 ON OP
SHARP GUARD, MARK BROUGHT THIS LOGISTICAL CONCEPT BACK TO CANADA. IN
1996, HE WENT BACK TO SEA ON ANOTHER 280, THE ATHABEE, AND ATTAINED
THE SHIPS TEAM DIVING QUALIFICATION AS A LCDR.
6. AFTER CONVINCING THE POWERS TO BE THAT HE NEEDED MORE EDUCATION,
HE WENT TO SMU WHERE HE GOT HIS FIRST OF THREE MASTERS (ALL PAID FOR
BY THE CAF). LOVING HISTORY AND KNOWING THAT WARFARE OFFICERS
NEEDED EDUCATION, HE PENNED A BOOK ON THE IMPORTANCE OF NAVAL
LOGISTICS. BECOMING THE FADMO IN HALIFAX HE OPENED UP JUNO TOWER AND
COMMISSIONED THE LARGEST RCN MURAL IN HISTORY AND REINVIGORATED MESS
LIFE. IN 2006, HE PUT HIS NICE WHITE UNIFORM AWAY AND DONNED ARMY
PJS FOR A STINT IN THE SUDAN AS THE AFRICAN UNIONS SENIOR ADVISER.
7. AS BASE COMMANDER FOR THE OTTAWA REGION IN 2010, MARK STARTED UP
DND FAMILY DAYS AND THE BASE NEWSPAPER. HIS GREATEST POSTING WAS
CEO OF NPF WHERE HE REINVIGORATED CANEX, CREATED THE CFONE CARD,
TOOK INVICTUS TEAMS TO LONDON AND FLORIDA AS WELL AS THE CISM TEAM
TO THE WORLD MILITARY CHAMPIONSHIP IN SOUTH KOREA. MOVING FROM DG
HAPPINESS TO HIS FINAL POSTING AS DGCB, HE OVERSAW MOST OF THE
COMPLAINTS IN THE CAF BUT ALSO NEGOTIATED A CAF A PAY RAISE.
8. AS THE SNR PUSSER IN THE RCN, HIS GREATEST SUCCESS HAS BEEN
MENTORING SO MANY OFFICERS AND SAILORS ON HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY AND
HAPPILY SERVE THE SNR SERVICE INCLUDING THE IMPORTANCE OF OPENING
BOTTLES OF CHAMPAGNE EFFECTIVELY WITH A SWORD.
9. AFTER VISITING MORE THAN FIFTY NATIONS, MARK WILL BE RETIRING ON
4 JUNE AND WILL REMAIN IN CHELSEA (AND SARASOTA FLORIDA) WITH HIS
WIFE LISA AND THEIR FOUR CHILDREN. HIS DWD WILL TAKE PLACE AT HMCS
BYTOWN ON 31 MAY AT 1400 WITH SHIPMATES AND FRIENDS ALL OF WHOM ARE
INVITED TO ATTEND. DITS AND TRUTHS CAN BE FORWARD TO CDR CYNTHIA
SMITH AT CYNTHIA.SMITH AT FORCES.GC.CA NLT 24 MAY 2019. FOR PLANNING
PURPOSES, PLEASE RSVP TO CDR SMITH REGARDING DWD ATTENDANCE NLT 17
MAY 2019.
RETRAITE DU COMMODORE M.B. WATSON CD MBA MA CMA CPA 00328
1. LE CMDRE WATSON PRENDRA SA RETRAITE DE LA MARINE ROYALE
CANADIENNE ET DU SERVICE DE LA LOGISTIQUE APRES PRESQUE 36 ANS DE
SERVICE A SA MAJESTE ET A SON PAYS.
2. MARK A DEBUTE SA CARRIERE EN TANT QUE G MAR AU SEIN DE LA PLUS
GRANDE INSTITUTION D ENSEIGNEMENT, LE COLLEGE MILITAIRE ROYAL ROADS.
AVEC UNE MOYENNE DE 58 (MAIS PAS PLUS), IL A VITE COMPRIS QUE L
INGENIERIE N ETAIT PAS SON FORT ET EST DEVENU UN HOMME D ART ET UN
OFFICIER MAR SS. APRES AVOIR GAGNE LE SURNOM DE MACEMAN POUR SES
COMPETENCES EN TANT QUE TAMBOUR MAJEUR DE L ECOLE, MARK A DEMENAGE
DANS L AUTRE COLLEGE MILITAIRE OU IL A OBTENU SON DIPLOME DANS UNE
CLASSE DE QUATRE HISTORIENS EN 1987.
3. APPRENANT RAPIDEMENT QUE LE MAL DE MER ETAIT ASSOCIE AU METIER D
OFFICIER DE PONT ET A LA SUITE DE L ECHEC DE LA DERNIERE ETAPE DES
MANOEUVRES D OFFICIER DE QUART, MARK A ETE RECLASSIFIE FORTUITEMENT,
POUR LA TROISIEME FOIS, POUR DEVENIR UN OFFICIER DE LA LOGISTIQUE DE
LA MARINE. CELA LUI A PERMIS DE FAIRE SA FORMATION PRES DE SA VILLE
NATALE DE BARRIE ET DE REALISER AINSI DES ECONOMIES DE VOYAGES.
4. AYANT SERVI SUR LE NCSM HURON, IL A NAVIGUE DANS LE PACIFIQUE,
TRAVERSE LE CANAL DE PANAMA, NAVIGUE DANS LES CARAIBES ET DANS L
ATLANTIQUE, TRAVERSE LE CANAL DE SUEZ, IL A ETE PROMU EN TRAVERSANT
LE DETROIT D ORMUZ PUIS EST ARRIVE A BAHREIN JUSTE A TEMPS POUR
RATER LA GUERRE DU GOLFE. DE RETOUR AU CANADA, AVEC DE BONS
SOUVENIRS MAIS AUCUNE MEDAILLE, IL EST DEVENU LE PREMIER SYO DE VAN.
5. DEPLOYE SUR LE PREMIER SITE LOGISTIQUE AVANCE DE L OTAN EN 1993
SUR L OP SHARP GUARD, MARK A RAMENE CE CONCEPT LOGISTIQUE AU CANADA.
EN 1996, IL RETOURNE EN MER SUR UN AUTRE 280, L ATHABEE, ET A OBTENU
LA QUALIFICATION DE PLONGEUR EN EQUIPE DU NAVIRE EN TANT QUE CAPC.
6. APRES AVOIR CONVAINCU SES SUPERIEURS QU IL AVAIT BESOIN DE PLUS
D EDUCATION, IL S EST RENDU A SMU, OU IL A OBTENU SA PREMIERE DE
TROIS MAITRISES (TOUTES PAYEES PAR LES FAC) AIMANT L HISTOIRE ET
SACHANT QUE LES OFFICIERS DE GUERRE AVAIENT BESOIN D EDUCATION, IL A
ECRIT UN LIVRE SUR L IMPORTANCE DE LA LOGISTIQUE NAVALE. DEVENANT LE
FADMO A HALIFAX, IL A OUVERT LA TOUR JUNO ET COMMISSIONNE LA PLUS
GRANDE PEINTURE MURALE DE LA MRC DE L HISTOIRE, ET REVIGORE LA VIE
DANS LES MESS. EN 2006, IL A RANGE SON BEL UNIFORME BLANC ET A
ENDOSSE LE PYJAMA DE L ARMEE PENDANT UN SEJOUR AU SOUDAN EN TANT QUE
CONSEILLER PRINCIPAL DE L UNION AFRICAINE.
7. EN TANT QUE COMMANDANT DE LA BASE DE LA REGION D OTTAWA EN 2010,
MARK A LANCE LES JOURNEES DE LA FAMILLE DU MDN ET LE JOURNAL DE LA
BASE. SON POSTE LE PLUS REMARQUABLE A ETE CELUI DE PDG DES FNP, OU
IL A REVIGORE CANEX, CREE LA CARTE CFONE, CONDUIT LES EQUIPES D
INVICTUS A LONDRES ET EN FLORIDE, AINSI QUE L EQUIPE DU CISM AU
CHAMPIONNAT MONDIAL MILITAIRE EN COREE DU SUD. PASSANT DE LA DG
BONHEUR A SON DERNIER POSTE EN TANT QUE DGRA, IL A EXAMINE LA
PLUPART DES PLAINTES AU SEIN DES FAC MAIS A EGALEMENT NEGOCIE UNE
AUGMENTATION DE SALAIRE POUR LES FAC.
8. EN TANT QUE CAPITAINE DE LA MRC, SON PLUS GRAND SUCCES A ETE DE
GUIDER DE NOMBREUX OFFICIERS ET MARINS SUR LA FACON DE SERVIR AVEC
SUCCES ET AVEC JOIE LE SERVICE SUPERIEU NOTAMMENT L IMPORTANCE D
OUVRIR LES BOUTEILLES DE CHAMPAGNE AVEC UNE EPEE.
9. APRES AVOIR VISITE PLUS DE CINQUANTE PAYS, MARK PRENDRA SA
RETRAITE LE 4 JUIN, IL RESTERA A CHELSEA (ET A SARASOTA EN FLORIDE)
AVEC SON EPOUSE LISA ET LEURS QUATRE ENFANTS. SON DEPART DANS LA
DIGNITE AURA LIEU AU NCSM BYTOWN LE 31 MAI A 14 H 00, AMIS ET
COMPAGNONS DE BORD SONT TOUS INVITES. VOUS POUVEZ FAIRE PARVENIR VOS
ANECDOTES A CAPF CYNTHIA SMITH A CYNTHIA.SMITH A FORCES.GC.CA AU
PLUS TARD LE 24 MAI. AFIN DE BIEN PLANIFIER LA CEREMONIE, VEUILLEZ
CONFIRMER VOTRE PARTICIPATION AU CAPF SMITH AU PLUS TARD LE 17 MAI
19.