LEST WE FORGET 129 COAKWELL, Colin Colin Coakwell joined the CF as a pilot in 1994 and was admitted to Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP). He attended the University of Saskatchewan and took Electrical Engineering. He trained on the CT-114 Tutor at 15 Wing Moose Jaw and was selected for rotary-wing training. He received his wings in 2001 and was posted to 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (THS) in Edmonton, to fly the Griffon helicopter for six years. He deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina and was involved in the Kananaskis G-8. He was posted to 403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron in Gagetown, New Brunswick. After two years, he deployed to Afghanistan. He was promoted to Major and posted back to 408 THS in 2009 as a Fighter Command. For two years he served on the CH146 Griffon on the CH-47D Chinook, which included training with the US Army and exercises and domestic operations in Canada (including Muskoka G-8 summit and Vancouver Olympics). In 2011, he deployed to Afghanistan as the Officer Commanding Chinook Flight in the Canadian Helicopter Force. During that five-month tour, he commanded all the Canadian Chinook crews and flew on routine sustainment and deliberate airmobile missions. This deployment was a very fulfilling experience: commanding in combat challenged his leadership abilities and the fling provided much needed aviation support that reduced the IED risk to Canadian and coalition soldiers. After the deployment, Colin returned to 408 THS for two years as Operations Officer. Colin earned a Masters of Defence Studies and spent one year working in the RCAF HQ in Ottawa within the Strategic Plans section. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 2015 and posted back to CFC as a Curriculum Development Officer. COATES, Robert Allen WWII Robert was born in Leask, Saskatchewan, on March 7, 1926. He joined the Army on November 29, 1944. Bob was on a train being deployed to join the war when they got word the war was declared over. He returned to the base where he completed his training as a Driver Mechanic. In 1947, he finished a diesel mechanic course in Saskatoon, SK, where he also started flying lessons which was a lifelong passion of his. Bob worked as a journeyman mechanic in Leask and moved to Kindersley in the fall of 1953. Bob married Dorothy Jupe on April 17, 1954, and they raised four children: Sylvia, Donald, Patricia and Brian. Bob passed away on December 5, 1969. He had been a member of The Royal Canadian Legion Kindersley Branch 57 for seventeen years.
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