It was wonderful to finally meet my online buddy and colleague Colonel Shawn.  We arrived in Regina about 30 minutes before the ceremony and changed in our camper to be presentable for the event.  Our plans for early morning showers had been interrupted by that rude tornado the night before.

At any rate, I ran into Shawn minutes after he had been promoted (10 minutes earlier).  We had a short time to catch up and I got to meet Mrs. Shawn – Michelle.

The ceremony was very different from the one the day before.  Colonel Shawn is now the brigade commander which means he commands a number of very diverse regiments across 3 provinces.  The diversity was also reflected in an Indigenous smudging ceremony, and a number of other traditional re-enactments that represent the heritage of the various army regiments which form this brigade.

The Indigenous group was led by a familiar looking Warrant Officer.  After the ceremony, we had a chance to catch up with him only to discover he had been an MP for his riding in 2015.  I remember having drinks with him and others during the 2019 election period, likely in Ottawa, and thinking what a funny and charming man he is.  He is currently running for mayor in his area, so we wish him the best of luck.  I will have to make sure I check the mayoral races in Manitoba come October.

Robert-Falcon Ouellette (photo from his Linked In page) I was blown away when I read his bio!

There were a lot of other names to which I finally got to put a face. The event was impressive and we were well received. After saying our goodbyes, we headed east again stopping in Moosomin Lake for the night.  Let’s hope it is uneventful.  We are off to a good start.  So far, I’ve managed to cook dinner and do 2 loads of laundry.  Glitz and glamour are fleeting.