p>A new chapter for CFFCA Command team.
On 20 June 2022, Canadian Forces Fire & CBRN Academy (CFFCA) conducted a Change of Appointment. CWO Donnie Matthews relinquished his appointment as the Unit Chief Warrant Officer to CWO Jeremy Buckingham. The ceremony was presided by Major Teslin Bruhn, CFFCA Commandant.
The Major General John Arthur Stewart Trophy is awarded annually to the top Military Engineer cadet in their graduating year from the Royal Military College Kingston. Sponsored by the Canadian Military Engineer Association, the award is based on high standards of proficiency in each of the four components of RMC: academic studies, athletic capability, military performance and bilingualism.
On 18 May 2022, MGen Dan Benjamin, our Colonel Commandant, presented the award to OCdt Devin Theodore Mercer.
The “Faces to Graves” project in the Netherlands has reported in their Spring 2022 Newsletter that it has now published about 550 life stories on their website. The newsletter includes a number of interesting ‘stories behind the stories.’ New life stories are being added every week and the group intends to eventually tell the stories of the more than 2300 Canadians who rest in Groesbeek. The newsletter is attached.
My motivation for writing this book originates from my interest to review my Armed Forces services, especially my tours of duty in Afghanistan in 2008 and 2011. My 2008 tour was unique because my direct involvement in warfare was my introduction to not only encountering “life and death” situations, but also a lesson in overcoming mixed emotions about personal life-changing experiences. As I wrote this book, I reassessed the timeframe during my two tours about personal complications which plagued my mind, and which I have come to rationally accept as justifiable.
On 27 February 2014 our Colonel Commandant, BGen DesLauriers (Ret’d), handed over the latest volume in our set of RCE/CME Books of Remembrance to the MGen Whitecross, CAF Chief Military Engineer, for display at CFSME and safekeeping in the CME Museum.
The Fortress of Gibraltar Group (FoGG) has recently completed the restoration of a pillbox on The Rock of Gibraltar that was constructed by Royal Canadian Engineers during the Second World War.
On 29 April 2022, we will commemorate the 119th Anniversary of the Canadian Military Engineers, which originated from the creation of the Canadian Engineer Corps in 1903.