After more than 45 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, MWO Mike Baumann, CD, will retire on 23 November 2022. Anecdotes and retirement wishes may be sent to WO S.L. Darrow at Lee.Darrow@forces.gc.ca.
Mike was born in Vancouver, BC, and grew up in areas throughout the Lower Mainland. In January 1977, he enrolled in the reserve with the 12 Service Battalion as an MSEOP, reaching the rank of MWO. In 2001, he left his civilian job as a carpenter foreman and superintendent to deploy to the Golan Heights as the Transport Officer. Upon returning from deployment, he transferred to the Regular Force as a Cpl Construction tech.
In 2006, he deployed to Kandahar. While on tour, he was promoted to MCpl and took over as I/C of the Carpenter section. One of his memorable projects was the installation of Tim Horton’s and the rocket that landed on the opposite side of the Kandahar boardwalk the night before opening.
In 2007, he was posted to CFSME as an instructor, then to 4 ESR as Recce Sgt. In 2009, he was posted to Trenton as part of the MSS team. In January 2010, he deployed to Haiti to provide humanitarian assistance to the earthquake survivors and provide engineer support to keep the Jacmel Airport operational and provide runway assessments. Being one of the first Engineers on the ground and last to leave gave him the opportunity to meet several dignitaries and celebrities, such as Angelina Jolie, the PM, and the Governor General. A month after returning home, he deployed to Camp Mirage as the Contracts Officer. In 2013, he deployed to Kabul, where he was a mentor for an Afghan Colonel at the National Military Hospital.
WO Baumann had several minor deployments between tours including exotic places like Savannah Georgia twice, March AFB in California, and to Puerto Rico. He was posted to Wainwright in 2014, where he was promoted to his current rank, undertaking the SSM responsibilities. In 2017, he was posted to Dundurn as the OC for Real Property Operations, his most challenging and rewarding position.
Highlights of his career have been the many deployments and opportunities to meet with family in remote locations, see sites that no longer exist, and to visit places one normally never would.
After proudly wearing the CAF uniform for 45 years, Mike has accepted a position with RPOU and will remain in the Dundurn area with his wife Britt.