19 Wing gets commander’s thumbs up
Upon his arrival at 19 Wing Comox earlier this month, the Chief of the Defence Staff, Gen. Walt Natynczyk, took the time from his busy schedule to recognize 19 Wing.
During a townhall with approximately 200 members, Natynczyk presented 19 Wing commander Col. Michel Lalumière with a Canadian Forces Unit Commendation.
19 Wing received the Canadian Forces Unit Commendation for its outstanding performance that contributed to the operational success of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The flawless security for the duration of Operation PODIUM was a massive undertaking, and 19 Wing’s exceptional contribution in this regard was paramount to the mission’s success.
“This award is about recognizing the hard work done by the men and women of 19 Wing during the Olympics,” said Natynczyk. “This is my way of saying ‘thank you’ to each and every member of this team for what they did in the service of Canadians and to support those in need at home and abroad.”
Two individual members were also recognized and rewarded with a CDS Commendation.
Master Cpl. Douglas Neufeld and Cpl. Richard Kennedy received the CDS Commendation for their accomplishments while deployed to Haiti from January to March 2010.
As part of Canada’s inaugural deployment of an Urban Search and Rescue Team, Neufeld and Kennedy faced the horrific reality of locating, extracting and removing the remains of those who perished in the devastating earthquake. Their resolve and dedication helped ease the suffering of families and portrayed the skill and compassion of the Canadian Forces amongst our international partners and the Haitian people.
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