GEM 1_2007_A_final.cdr - The EME regiment

Branch Chief Warrant Officer’s Speech
By : CWO Dalcourt, Branch Chief Warrant Officer
The CF,
including the
EME Branch, is
a reflection of
Canadian
society. I find
that in 2007 we
are more a part
of our
communities than we have ever been
in the past. The CF has experienced
big changes on many bases where
PMQs and single quarters have been
demolished or sit empty because most
military members and their families
now live on the economy. More of us
have close ties with the communities
we live in. Branch members have
always been very active in
communities across Canada but I
believe we are more connected and
more involved than ever with the
communities in proximity of CF Bases,
sometimes many miles away from our
workplaces.
As Col Wingert states in his address,
“almost all of us are involved in the
community in some way”. Getting
involved is natural for EME Branch
members. It is part of our make up,
one of many qualities that makes us
strong as a Branch and maintains our
high “Esprit de Corps”. Our Branch
will always have members who will go
the extra mile to get involved in the
community, such as Cpl Dan Madouin
as the CFB Cold Lake Willy the Wolf
mascot a few years ago, MCpl Brian
Plsek of 1 Svc Bn who started the 1st
EME team for the Annual Relay of Life
at CFB Petawawa back in 2002, WO
Michel Tremblay of 202 WD who is
very active with Scouts in Valcartier, or
Capt Art Noseworthy who is a Knights
of Columbus Grand Knight in Barrie
Ontario, just to name a few. We
should never hesitate to advertise the
good we accomplish during and after
normal working hours.
The EME Branch family is close knit
and proud as displayed every time we
get together to work or play, wherever
that may be. We don't gather together
in messes as often as we did 10 or 15
years ago, but when we do get
together we still display as much
camaraderie as we did in the past.
That is also a reflection of the society
and the community we live in. While
participating in the LFWA EME
Bonspiel in Feb 07, I arrived early on
Sunday morning to learn that some of
the Bonspiel participants had kept the
curling club opened until 5:00 AM.
What impressed me the most was the
forty one POMVs that had been left in
the parking lot in favor of the duty bus,
taxi or rides from sober friends or
family members.
This will be my last EME Journal
address as the EME Branch CWO.
The last three years have been
extremely fulfilling for me. As it has
been the case for many of you, there
was too much to do to be able to
accomplish everything that needed to
be done, but I believe we have
managed to accomplish many good
things with a lot of help from many of
you. I took great pride in working for
the Branch and its members and I
thank all of you for your help and
support.
Arte
Marte
3