7982

 

7982 Lea Vachon                                                                                                               

             

The Review 1969
                                      

                                                                             Le Défilé                                                              

Degree: Economics & Commerce

Branch: Infantry, Royal 22e Régiment

Career: After graduation, who would have thought (certainly not me) that I would embark on a 37-year military career. But things got off to a quick start:

·         One month after graduation in 1969, I was in Cyprus for my first 6-month tour.

·         A year after that I was posted to Germany with 1 R22eR.

·         Two years later, I was on exchange with the French Army for 2 ½ years, in Reims, Paris (Ecole d’état Major) and Bourg St Maurice with an alpine battalion.

That seemed to set the pace for a very active, whirlwind career:

·         17 moves and postings

·         5 of which were one year

·         12 years overseas (Germany, France, Netherlands, Syria, and Italy)

·         4 operational/training deployments (Cyprus (2), Jamaica, Australia, Bosnia)

From 1969-1984:

·         Served with all three battalions of the Regiment (Quebec, Valcartier, Lahr)

·         The Airborne Regiment (Petawawa)

·         The Combat Arms School (Gagetown) and Mobile Command Headquarters (St Hubert)

Interestingly, in 1984, twenty years after entering CMR, I was posted back as Vice-Commandant and Director of Cadets. I was surprised to see that most of my profs were still there teaching. They also were surprised to see me as many of them never thought I would even graduate. For four years (my longest posting), I was able to have an input and influence a whole generation of future military leaders.

In 1988, went to the Netherlands for two years on the war plans staff of Allied Forces Central Europe (AFCENT) in Brunssun. Followed by two years (1990-92) in Valcartier as Deputy Brigade and Base Commander.

In 1992, with the outbreak of the conflict in the Former Yugoslavia, I was off to Croatia as the Chief of Operations and Canadian Contingent Commander with the European Community Monitor Mission in Zagreb.

I then entered the world of military diplomacy. Following an 8-month Arabic language course, I spent two years at our embassy in Damascus, as the military attaché covering Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. That was followed, after a crash course in Italian, by two years at the embassy in Rome, covering Italy and Greece. Prior to retirement in Ottawa, I was Director of Foreign Liaison, responsible for our attachés around the world and the foreign attachés accredited to Canada.

Retirement from the CF led me back to university, consulting for DND and work in the public service until my real retirement in 2005. Then:

·         Took up the frustrating and masochistic sport of golf.

·         Spend the last 17 winters on the Florida panhandle.

·         Volunteered for the past 13 years at the Ottawa Mission homeless shelter working in the kitchen preparing and serving meals.

Wouldn’t have made it through all this turmoil without my love, best companion and supporter, Martine who has been with me for almost 45 years.  My two adult children from my previous marriage, Daryl and Christine as well as my two favorite grandchildren, Milo and Zack all live on the West Coast in Vancouver and the Island.

                                   


 

Would love to hear for those of you I haven’t see in years…contact me:

martlea@rogers.com

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