Rick Patterson:
CLASS OF 1973
Ekcoe Central SchoolClass of 1973
Glencoe, ON
Glencoe District High SchoolClass of 1978
Glencoe, ON
Rick's Story
To many years in the army:1975-1978 No. 11 Strathroy Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corp.
1978-1989 The 4th Battalion The Royal Canadian regiment Hilites: Deployed to Egypt 1979. Took part in the RCR Centennial and met HRH Prince Philip
1990- 1995 I joined the Regular Force and became an artilleryman. My initial trg was with Air defence and later I became what is known as a mud gunner.
I was trained on the light howitzer and also drove the 25 ton M109 self propelled howitzer.(yes i have lost some hearing due to that)
Hilite: 1 month deployment to the UK to train with British gunners. Deployed to Rogers pass (Rocky mountains)avalanche control
1995-1996 Rebadge to signals 1 yr training in Kingston
1996-1999 Posted to 1 Service Battalion
attache to Lord Strathconas Horse for NATO trg.
Hilite: Deploying to Bosnia with Roto 1 SFOR
low point: lost a frind while there.
1999-2006 Back to Kingston Ontario
entered the yr 2000 with 79 Communications Regiment then posted in spring to Communications school where I taught until 2006
Hilite: Deploying to Newfoundland and taking part in the Marconi centenary.
2006-2009 Toronto definately not a good posting
2009 to present posted to NDHQ Ottawa and looking at retirement ...Expand for more
soon.
Well the clock is ticking seems my back has finally started to give.I've been told no more deployments so Afghanistan will always be the one that got away. Now I staring down the barrel of something called medical release hopefully will get my 20 min before they decide to do anything.
I must admit though the thought of hanging up the combat gear and being a civvie again is intriguing. I am even starting to think of Glencoe, Strathroy and most of all North Ekfrid.
An update, well it seems I have degenerative disc disease brought on by military life and age, so I am definately releasing medically from the army, not sure what awaits me after so many years wearing a uniform.
Out of the army, back home. Is it what I thought it would be, maybe not , but then again nothing is.
Trying to adjust to a life I left years ago. Still haven't found my stride, hopefully with the possibility of a new business I'll get back in it.
Well it's been awhile since I put anything down.I went back to college and received my diploma in Social Service work in Apr 2013.That following September my daughter passed away.The business I had hoped to start failed. I was sent back to college and that did not work out either.
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