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Col Mike Atkins, commander of 19 Wing Comox, B.C., presided over an investiture ceremony to welcome the Wing’s newly-appointed HCol Robert Quartermain on July 4, 2019. HCol Jeff Stibbard had held the appointment since June 2016.
Quartermain is the executive chairman and founding shareholder of Pretium Resources Inc. (Pretivm). He proudly accepted the appointment and says he looks forward to advancing the interests of 19 Wing.
Stibbard is the chairman and CEO of JDS Energy and Mining and, during his three year appointment, he was an ardent supporter of 19 Wing and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
Quartermain’s passion for the RCAF started in 1970 at 527 Simonds Squadron in Saint John, N.B. He obtained an air cadet pilot license in 1973. His vocation as an exploration geologist has allowed him to blend his passion for camping and adventure, with flying to remote areas of the globe in search of minerals.
His great uncle served in the RCAF and Quartermain says he is honoured by the appointment and privilege of serving as honorary colonel for the wing.
Honorary colonels are integral members of the Air Force community. They may be former Air Force officers or distinguished Canadian citizens, hailing from a diverse range of backgrounds, including many well-known public and community figures. They are officers in all respects except operations. They are vital to fostering esprit de corps, and they may mentor the commanding officer and members of the unit, help build relationships with other units through the honorary colonel network, and aid in ensuring the maintenance of customs and traditions.
By their very presence and name, they build and develop community support for their units by providing a public profile — a public face — for the unit. Perhaps one of their most important attributes, however, is simply the time they spend with all members of the unit, no matter what their rank or position, just as a highly respected member of the family would.
The practice of appointing honorary colonels is relatively new in the RCAF, with most RCAF squadrons appointing their first honorary colonels beginning in 1992. 19 Wing Comox, comprising several squadrons and units, appointed its first honorary colonel in 2002: Over the years, Iona Campagnolo (2002-2007), Dr. Lou Dryden (2007-2012), Don Hewson (2012-2016), and Stibbard (2016-2019) have served in the post.
