P 071127Z APR 09
FM CFSU E DET CASTEAU//DCO//
TO AIG 1876
BT
NATO UNCLAS 004/09

SUBJ: RETIREMENT FROM THE CF - COL NEIL ANDERSON - AERE

1.  COL NEIL ANDERSON WILL BE RETIRING ON 9 SEPT 09 FROM REGULAR
FORCE SERVICE AFTER AN AMAZING THIRTY-SEVEN YEAR CAREER WITH THE CF
AND AERE BRANCH.

2.  COL ANDERSON ENROLLED, BAGPIPES IN HAND, AT CFRC HAMILTON IN
1972. HIS BASIC TRG TOOK HIM THROUGH ROYAL ROADS MILITARY COLLEGE,
EARNING HIM A B. ENG, FOLLOWED Y ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE AND
CULMINATING IN HIS GRADUATION AS THE TOP STUDENT FROM CFSAOE BORDEN
IN 1976 AS A FULLY QUALIFIED AERE OFFICER.  HAND IN HAND WITH
GRADUATION WAS HIS MARRIAGE TO HIS WIFE SUSAN, IN 1976

3.  OVER THE NEXT THIRTY YEARS, SUSAN FOLLOWED NEIL TO A NUMBER OF
EXCITING POSTINGS: AS A YOUNG CAPT HE WAS POSTED TO TRENTON IN 1977,
FOLLOWED BY A TOUR AT CDLS(W) IN 1980. HERE HE SHOWED THE AMERICANS
HOW IT WAS DONE AT THE US NAVAL TEST PILOT SCHOOL, PLACING SECOND OF
TWENTY-EIGHT FLIGHT TEST ENGINEER CANDIDATES. THEN IT WAS ON T AETE
COLD LAKE IN 1981. WHAT BETTER PLACE TO WELCOME DAUGHTER SARAH IN
SEPT OF THAT YEAR FOLLOWED BY SCOTT IN 1983. WITH PROMOTION TO MAJ
IN JULY 1984 CAME A POSTING TO DGAEPM OTTAWA, WHERE NEIL SPENT THE
NEXT FOUR YEARS HONING HIS ENGINEERING SKILLS.  COMMAND AND STAFF
COLLEGE BECKONED IN 1988 AND HE ANSWERED THE CALL. UPON GRADUATING
STAFF COLLEGE IN 1988, A POSTING BACK OUT WEST SAW THE FAMILY IN
EDMONTON FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.  IN 1993 NEIL WAS PROMOTED TO LCOL
AND THE FAMILY HEADED BACK TO ONTARIO, THISTIME TO CFSATE BORDEN
WHERE HE PASSED ON HIS CONSIDERABLE KNOWLEDGE TO YOUNG AND
IMPRESSIONABLE MINDS.  BUT THE LURE OF CSC TORONTO WAS TOO STRONG
AND HE FOUND HIMSELF BACK IN TORONTO AS A VENERABLE DS FOR THE NEXT
THREE YEARS.  PROMOTED TO COL IN 2000, THE ANDERSON FAMILY HEADED
BACK TO NDHQ OTTAWA, WHERE NEIL HAD VARIED POSITIONS WITH DGAEPM,
RESPONSIBLE FOR ENGINEERING AND LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT FOR MOST OF THE
CF TPT, HELO AND SAR FLEETS. A TOUR WITH DGIS POL FOLLOWED. IN 2005
NEIL WAS SELECTED FOR HIS CURRENT POST AT HQ SACT IN SHAPE CASTEAU
BELGIUM. DURING HIS LONG AND VARIED CAREER, HE WAS AWARDED THE ORDER
OF MILITARY MERIT

4. NEIL AND SUSAN WILL RETURN TO OTTAWA WHERE NEW CHALLENGES BECKON

5. A RETIREMENT DINNER CELEBRATING NEILS VARIED AND ILLUSTRIOUS
CAREER WILL BE HELD AT THE SHAPE CLUB, CASTEAU BELGIUM ON 25 APR
09.ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND, AND THOSE WISHING TO DO SO ARE
REQUESTED TO CONTACT LCOL ROBERT MOSNIER BY E-MAIL AT ROBERT.MOSNIER
(AT SYMBOL)FORCES.GC.CA NLT 17 APR 09

6.CONGRATULATORY MESSAGES, ANECDOTES, WELL WISHES MAY BE SENT T MCPL
G RUSHTON AT GREGORY.RUSHTON (AT SYMBOL)FORCES.GC.CA NLT 17 APR 09
OR VIA FAX 011 32 65 6231 TO THE DET CASTEAU OR NLT 17 APR 09, C/O
MCPL RUSHTON
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