Sgt. William McDougall poses with proud parents Eddy and Diane and brother Justin during his retirement celebration following 20 years of service to the Canadian Armed Forces.
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Share'Namgis man retires from military service
By Teresa Bird - North Island Gazette
Published: October 14, 2008 5:00 PM
Updated: October 15, 2008 5:50 PM
ALERT BAY – A soldier has done his community proud during 20 years of service to his country.
Sergeant William (Bill) McDougall, ‘Namgis, retired from the Canadian Armed Forces Sept. 21.
A large contingent of McDougall’s family - including his parents, in-laws, grandmother and brother - travelled to CFB Suffield, near Medicine Hat, Alberta for the retirement. The family brought with them a book signed by friends, teachers and family who could not be there, says Jessie McDougall, the sergeant’s aunt.
“Many of William’s family and friends entered (the ceremony) wearing their button blankets, which is a first for CFB Suffield,” says Jessie. “A member of the mess staff commented that in the 60 years he has worked he had never witneesed anything like that, guests wearing their regalia.”
William McDougall grew up in Alert Bay and signed up in 1988 at the recruiting centre in Victoria. Initially McDougall trained as a parachutist, driver and storeman, says information given out at the ceremony. He was awarded Sapper of the Year in 1990. But that same year he changed his training and became a field engineer equipment operator.
His new skills took him overseas in 1991, to the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observer Mission as an equipment operator. In 1992, he went to Somalia with the Canadian Airborne Regiment and after the tour was posted to the regiment.
In 1995, the regiment disbanded and McDougall began training to go to Bosnia for a tour. He also assisted with flood relief in Winnipeg and ice storm relief in Ontario and Quebec.
In 1998 and 2001, he returned to Bosnia.
Further training as a field engineer led to McDougall’s promotion to master corporal in 2003 and to sergeant in 2006.
In 2007, McDougall was posted to Defence Research and Development, working in the detection and identification section as part of the explosives detection group.
In the spring of this year, he went to Afghanistan to conduct trials with explosive detection equipment. In April, he accepted the position of Alberta Regional Military Co-Chair for the Defence Aboriginal Advisory Group, which assists with the recruitment, training and retention of aboriginal people in the Canadian Forces.
During the retirement ceremony, McDougall was presented with several certificates and letters from the prime minister, the premier of Alberta, other dignitaries and family, including letters from his wife Shannon and nine-year-old daughter Emily, said Jessie. He also received a button blanket from his grandmother Christine McDougall and a raven mask from his father Eddy McDougall.
