Branch Retirement Messages

RETIREMENT - Master Warrant Officer Kenneth Howe CTC HQ 00015

1. MASTER WARRANT OFFICER KEN HOWE WILL RETIRE FROM THE CANADIAN FORCES ON 3 SEPTEMBER 2009 AFTER 24 PLUS YEARS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CANADAIN FORCES, THE C AND E BRANCH AND MOST NOTABLY THE LINE TRADE.

2. MASTER WARRANT OFFICER HOWE ENROLLED IN THE CF ON 27 JUNE 1985 IN ST JOHN, NB. UPON ENROLLMENT, KEN WAS POSTED TO 724 COMM SQN GAGETOWN AND WAS PROMOTED TO CPL IN 1987. THE FOLLOWING SUMMER HE WAS POSTED TO 4 SVC BN LAHR, GERMANY AND AFTER 4 YEARS OF BRATWURST AND BEER HE FOUND HIMSELF AT 726 COMM SQN DET GREENWOOD, SO STILL NO HONEST EMPLOYMENT TO DATE. IN AUGUST OF 1995, KEN WAS POSTED TO 742 COMM SQN DET COLD LAKE. DO YOU SEE A PATTERN HERE? COLD LAKE ONLY LASTED LONG ENOUGH TO GET HIM PROMOTED TO MCPL AND SHIPPED OFF TO 3 PPCLI IN EDMONTON, FINALLY - A REAL JOB. THREE YEARS LATER HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE EDMONTON MOTHER SHIP, 1 CMBG HQ AND SIG SQN, WHERE HE COMPLETED A DEPLOYMENT TO VISOKO, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA FROM FEB TO SEP 2000. UPON HIS RETURN TO CANADA, AS A SGT, KEN WAS POSTED TO THE CFJSR DET EDMONTON, WHERE HE STAYED HIDDEN AS BEST HE COULD. THE MOTHER SHIP OF ALL MOTHER SHIPS LOCKED ON TO HIS COORDINATES AND DRAGGED HIM HOME TO THE CFJSR IN KINGSTON IN JULY OF 2001. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE TRAGIC EVENTS OF 911, SGT HOWE WAS ASSIGNED TO MCDILL AFB IN TAMPA, FLORIDA AS PART OF THE NCE PLANNING STAFF AT CENTCOM IN SUPPORT OF OP APOLLO. IT WAS DURING HIS TENURE THERE THAT HE LED A CRITICAL LINE SURGE ONTO THE KANDAHAR AIR FIELD IN AFGHANISTAN, BURYING IN EXCESS OF 80 MILES OF FIBER AND COPPER IN ORDER TO BRING THE MM ON LINE FOR THE 3 PPCLI BATTLEGROUP. IN OCT 2006, WHILE STILL AT THE CFJSR IN KINGSTON, KEN WAS PROMOTED TO WARRANT OFFICER AND THE FOLLOWING SUMMER IL A MUTE A LA BFC KINGSTON POUR SUIVRE LE COUR DE FRANCAIS POUR UN ANNEE, JUSQU A LA FIN DE JUILLET 2008. HIS FINAL POSTING WAS TO CTCHQ GAGETOWN AS THE TRAINING PLAN MANAGER FOR ALL LINE TRAINING. AS A FINAL COUP, KEN WAS PROMOTED TO MWO IN JUNE OF 2009.

3. KEN IS MARRIED TO MAUREEN AND HAS TWO DAUGHTERS, MADDISON AND VALERIE. HE HAS OPTED TO FILL A RESERVE POSITION AT 3 ASG SIGS AND WILL BE REMAINING IN THE OROMOCTO AREA.

4. HIS FINAL CURTAIN CALL WILL BE AN INFORMAL LUNCHEON AT THE KINGSWOOD GOLF COURSE (LODGE) IN FREDERICTON (31 KINGSWOOD PARK, FREDERICTON, NEW BRUNSWICK) ON TUES, 1 SEP 2009 STARTING AT 1200 HOURS. ATTENDEES ARE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY FOR THEIR OWN MEALS AND REFRESHMENTS, HYPERLINK TO THE LODGE MENU FOLLOWS: HTTP://WWW.KINGSWOODPARK.COM/ERNIES-RESTAURANT/CATEGORY/295/MENU/ THERE IS ALSO A SPECIAL BUFFET MENU FOR THIS EVENT, IF YOU WISH TO VIEW IT LET THE POC KNOW WHEN YOU RSVP. CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES, ANECDOTES (TRUE OR NOT) AND OTHER OFFERINGS CAN BE FAXED (506-422-1241) OR EMAILED TO MWO LOVETT, CTCHQ GAGETOWN (STEPHEN.LOVETT AT FORCES.GC.CA). IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON ATTENDING PLEASE RSVP TO MWO LOVETT BY 15 AUGUST 2009.