8181 Gordon (Joe) Sharpe

 

1969 Review








1969: Graduated RMC (having married Linda in March) – then on to navigator training followed by the CF 101 Voodoo Operational Training Unit then to 416 AW(F) Squadron in Chatham, NB. Most memorable – son (Gordon) born in 1970.

1973: Posted back to RRMC as a Squadron Commander, along with John Carlson. A lot easier the second tie around. Daughter (Rainie) born at end of second year.

1975: Then the Aerospace Systems Course (ASC) in Winnipeg, marking 6 ½ years of education/training vs 3 ½ years of working at this point.

1976: ASC instructing, New Fighter Aircraft selection team, ASC course director, and eventual promotion to Major.

1980: Back to flying the Voodoo at 425 AW(F) Squadron in Bagotville. Highlights, flying the CNE airshows, flypast for Queen Elizabeth’s constitution visit, marking 1000 hours of flying time in the Voodoo, then off to Staff College in 1983 (another year of education, making 7 ½ vs 8 working).

1984: Back to Winnipeg to initiate Electronic Warfare training in the CAF, promotion then to Air Command for first staff tour.

1985: Appointed to my first Board of Inquiry chairmanship, to examine a suicide in the Air Command Band. Long, complicated and resulted in a finding of responsibility for some very senior officers.

1986: Return to Base Winnipeg for 2 years to initiate CF School of Aerospace Studies and be the first Commandant.

1987: Out of uniform for a year, seconded to Canadian Institute for International Peace and Security (CIIPS) in Ottawa as a Senior Fellow.

1988: Promoted and over to NDHQ on joint staff. Experienced the Gulf War as Command and Control (C2) advisor to CDS and Battle Staff C2, served as ops centre director). Son off to RRMC and RMC.

1993: Attended last course at National Defence College (NDC), increasing years spent on courses and education, now 10 years versus 20 doing “real” work.

1994: Base Commander and Wing Commander at CFB Winnipeg/17 Wing. Highlights were working with outstanding people and simply having such a great job, the Winnipeg ‘flood of the century’, working as Air Component Commander, and working with Rick Hillier as the army brigade commander.

1997: Back to Ottawa, NDHQ on Air Staff but pulled out to chair the Croatia BOI in 1999 – probably the most challenging job I ever had. Faced with the NDHQ expectation of an environmental exposure causing hundreds of soldiers to become seriously ill, we found instead a system that failed to care for our soldier properly resulting in unneeded injuries and death. I learned about PTSD for the first time in my life and spent better than a year trying to fix the problem – with great support from our classmate, Romeo Dallaire.  Despite the clash with the MND and Minister of Veterans Affairs, our recommendations changed the way the CAF deals with mental health. I would recommend the book ‘The Ghosts of Medak Pocket’ by Carol Off, who tells a goodly part of this story, for anyone interested.

Promotion then spent a very short time back on the Air Staff, conducted a special investigation for the CDS, issue with Military Police Provost Marshal and release in 2000.

2000: Started consulting for 20 years with both military and civilian organisations (focus on strategic planning), Honorary Colonel for CFSAS, Military Police Colonel Commandant, working with CAF Ombudsman and Romeo on PTSD issues. Educating VAC on PTSD, Co-chaired the Afghanistan BOI on treatment of prisoners, including several weeks in Afghanistan getting to know how our Special Forces operate, became Honorary member of PPCLI and ended with working with CAF sexual misconduct team for a couple of years.

2020: Full retirement when COVID came along.

Highlights of my 36+ years of service – too many to mention, but flying the Voodoo was a treat and BOIs became my most serious endeavours, bringing a small modicum of justice to some of our service members. Downside – 16 moves in 32 years. Not sure why Linda is still with me.

Have maintained a love for sports cars (MGB’s and now BMW Z 4), bike riding, family activities and so on. Celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary this year.

Still involved with VAC on their policy committee.

Work with neighbour Dave Lowden on Commissionaires governing body, and am regularly pestered by Mike Johnson, another neighbour.

 




Daughter Rainie, wife Linda

 

 

 

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