8185  William (Bill) St Jean

  1969 Review


 

         





 

 Military Life

Joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1965 under the Regular Officer Training Plan and after two years at Royal Roads later graduated from Royal Military College in Kingston, in 1969 with a Bachelor of Applied Science degree. Married right after Grad to Christine MacKay from Belleville and later while in Winnipeg we were blessed with two sons Scott (1974) and Brad (1975). Throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s I held a wide variety of air force operational and staff appointments in the aerospace engineering and maintenance environment. These tours of duty included management responsibilities for flight line servicing, base level maintenance inspection and repair, weapon system management and airworthiness of a variety of military aircraft including transports, fighters and helicopters. My military career was comprised of serving at military bases located in Borden, Cold Lake, Winnipeg, Bagotville, Edmonton, Summerside, Kingston, Trenton and three (3) assignments to National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. I was a graduate of the National Defence College in Kingston in 1992 and later retired from the Canadian Forces at the rank of Colonel in 1995, after 30 years’ service.

 Aviation & Defence Industry

In 1995-97, I served as the Executive Director of the Canadian Aviation Maintenance Council (CAMC) and led the development and implementation of a human resource strategy for Canada's aviation maintenance and repair and overhaul (R&O) industry.  During the years 1997-2006, I worked as a defence industry business development consultant, providing program management in direct support of evolving opportunities for In-Service Support of DND's major aircraft fleets. Companies supported included: Spar Aerospace Ltd, Canadian Helicopters, Bombardier, L-3 Canada and Sikorsky.

 Retirement Life as a Volunteer

During the period, 2005-2016, I served as a member of the Air Cadet League of Canada initially as the Chairperson for the Squadron Sponsoring Committee for 585 Rideau Squadron in Smiths Falls followed by performing the additional responsibilities as a Squadron Director overseeing a number of eastern ontario area air cadet squadrons. Throughout all of my retirement years we have been living year-round on beautiful Bass Lake in the Township of Rideau Lakes. Christine and I were extremely active in our Parish Life in the Smiths Falls community which in my case included serving as the Parish Finance Officer. During the five-year period 2018-2023 I also served as president of the Bass Lake Property Owners Association.

 This year (2024) has been most heartbreaking for unexpectedly, Christine my life partner of 55 years died in early April. I was so impressed and appreciative of the support of 10 fellow RMC classmates and 3 NDC classmates who joined me for her Funeral Mass. I continue to remain immersed in my community work with the amazing support of family and friends.




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