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Current Senior Regimental
Appointments of The Calgary Highlanders
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Colonel-in-Chief Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has been
Canada's monarch since she ascended to the throne of the United Kingdom in 1952, being
crowned on 2 June. In 1981, Her Majesty consented to become Colonel-in-Chief of The
Calgary Highlanders. She receives regular reports from the Regiment on its
activities, and last visited Calgary in June 1990.
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The Regiment
received a new Queen's Colour from Her Majesty while parading before her with the King's
Own Calgary Regiment (RCAC). The Calgary Highlanders were one of the last Canadian
infantry regiments to replace the Union Jack with the new flag of Canada. Her
Majesty continues to take a keen interest in all of her Canadian Regiments.
From the Canadian Heritage Site:
"When the regiments of the
British and Canadian Armies were first formed, many had a royal patron who agreed to
become the ceremonial commander of the unit or its “Colonel-in-Chief.” Perhaps
foremost among the reasons for such patronage was the desire to reinforce, within the
ranks of the regiment, a loyalty to the Crown through this personal relationship with a
member of the Royal Family. The Colonel-in-Chief remains in close contact with his/her
regiment and takes a very personal ongoing interest in its well being and that of its
members. One of the most colourful and significant moments in the life of a regiment is
when its Colonel-in-Chief presents new colours: a flag bearing the insignia of the
Colonel-in-Chief, the regiment and, oftentimes, its battle honours). Old colours are
retired and given a place of honour as the new colours are first presented and marched
past the members of the regiment."
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Honorary Colonel
Colonel Skip MacDonald
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Honorary Lieutenant
Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
Michael Shaw
Lieutenant Colonel
Michael Shaw was born in Montreal, Quebec and educated at Queen's
University, graduating with Honours with a degree in Commerce in 1977.
He was a managing director of Global Enterprises, ATCO Group from 1979
to 2009. Semi-retired, he sits on the board of several companies and
institutions, including Aviva Insurance, Great Western Brewery, Cash
Store Financial, ITC Construction Group, Chariot Carriers Ltd, Canadian
Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute, Calgary Petroleum Club and the
Grief Support Committee of Calgary Health Services. A former Army Cadet
at Lower Canada College and Upper Canada College he currently resides in
Calgary with wife Linda June Sinclair, and his daughters Amanda and
Kathryn. |
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Commanding Officer
Lieutenant Colonel
Michael
Owens, CD
Lieutenant-Colonel Owens was born in
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He joined the Reserves while still
in high school in January, 1990. Later that year he graduated from
Strathmore High School in rural Alberta.
As a young Corporal he deployed to Croatia
for OP HARMONY Rotation 2 in 1993 with 2nd Battalion, Princess
Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. Upon his return to Canada, Corporal
Owens completed his Infantry Section Commanders Course and numerous
trade courses while working on his University degree. He graduated with
a Bachelor of Arts in Military History and International Affairs from
the University of Calgary. |
As a Master Corporal he took the option to
become an officer in 1996 and completed his officer training as an
Infantry Platoon Commander. Since that time Lieutenant-Colonel Owens has
occupied all the normal positions for an infantry officer including
Platoon Commander, Company Second in Command, Officer Commanding "A"
Company, Unit Training Officer, Operations Officer, and Deputy
Commanding Officer. He has completed the Militia Command and Staff
Course, Infantry Dismounted Company Commanders Course, Army Operations
Course, and Command Team Course. Lieutenant Colonel Owens took
command of The Calgary Highlanders on 6 November 2010.
In civilian life, Lieutenant-Colonel Owens
started his own company, Blatant Media Corporation in 2002 that designs
and deploys e-learning. He current employs 21 people with a company that
has a global client list.
Lieutenant-Colonel Owens is married to Sybil Cynthia Owens and has three
sons, Callum, Macallister, and Harrison. |
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Deputy Commanding
Officer
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Officer Commanding "HQ"
Company Captain
Mike Ter Kuile, CD |
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Officer Commanding
"A" Company
Major Simon Cox, CD
Major Cox was born in North York,
(Toronto) Ontario in 1978. He grew up on various army bases across
the country and served as an Army Cadet for eight years, completing
the Basic Parachutist Course and rising to the rank of Cadet Chief
Warrant Officer.
Major Cox joined The
Calgary Highlanders as an Officer Cadet in January, 1998. Concurrent
with pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from The
University of Calgary, Major Cox was employed as a platoon commander
and unit recruiting officer from 1998-2002. In 2002, Major Cox
deployed to Bosnia Herzegovina as a platoon commander with the 1st
Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry for a 7 month
NATO tour.
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Upon return, Major Cox
was posted to the Canadian Parachute Center in Trenton, Ontario where he
served as the Administration officer of the Canadian Forces Parachute
Demonstration Team, The SkyHawks and the team manager for the CISM
Parachuting team. In 2005, Major Cox returned to Calgary and was
employed as a staff officer in the Operations cell of 41 Canadian
Brigade Group Headquarters.
In July 2007, Major Cox
was selected as a Company Commander Mentor in the Operational Mentoring
and Liaison Team, a unit which was force generated by the 3rd
Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. Major Cox
deployed to Afghanistan in February 2008, where he mentored a company
from the Afghan National Army in combat operations and was awarded a
Mention in Dispatches for his actions in combat on June 28th,
2008.
Upon his return in
October 2008, Major Cox returned to the Primary Reserve force on
part-time duty and completed the Army Operations Course. Major Cox
served as the Operations Officer for the 2009-2010 training year and was
promoted to Major in October 2009.
Major Cox assumed command
of "A" Company, The Calgary Highlanders in June 2010. He is currently
employed full-time with Royal Bank of Canada as a Financial Planner and
is a graduate student in the Haskayne School of Business MBA Program at
The University of Calgary. |
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Regimental Sergeant Major
Chief Warrant Officer
Robert Besse, CD
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Pipe Major
Mister George Shears
George
Shears began learning bagpipes at the age of 12 in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia,
taught by his brother, renowned piper Barry Shears, who in turn was taught
by Angus Macintyre, a prominent piping instructor in Cape Breton. After a
period of up to two years of instruction, he took a year off until, at the
age of 14, he attended his first highland games with his brother Barry.
This proved to be an experience which changed his life, for after
returning from the games, he decided to get back in to piping. For the
next three years he was very successful in solo competitions, advancing to
be one of the top Grade 1 pipers in Nova Scotia.
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George
Shears played with several pipe bands in Nova Scotia, including the
Regimental Pipes and Drums of the Nova Scotia Highlanders, Highland Village,
CB Hoare, and The Regimental Pipes and Drums of the Royal Canadian Regiment
out of New Brunswick, as well as competing in solo piping until the age of
18, when he ventured west to Alberta.
In
Edmonton, in the mid 1980s through the 90s, Mr. Shears played with several
bands such as Edmonton Caledonia, Drummond and Big Rock, the latter of which
he was Pipe Major of. Through work, he and his family have been fortunate to
have been able to live around the world, in most cases taking his pipes with
him, practicing traditional and Cape Breton music along the way. In recent
years, while in Calgary, he has played with the Rocky Mountain Pipe Band
before joining The Calgary Highlanders. He took over the reins of Pipe Major
in late 2010.
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Drum Major
Mister Steve Patterson
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