Outgoing 8 Wing Commander, Colonel Ryan Deming (centre), conducts the transfer of the 8 Wing Trenton Chief Warrant Officer (CWO), from CWO Dan Baulne (left) to CWO Andree Hansen (right), during the 8 Wing Change of Appointment ceremony, at 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario, on July 29, 2022. They are joined by 1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Daniel Campbell (back row).
Sunshine and a cooling breeze on 8 Wing Trenton’s airfield was the setting for two Change of Command ceremonies Friday.
8 Wing Trenton’s Pipe and Drums lead a march of about 200 8 Wing members in to the Change of Command ceremonies Friday July 29 2022. (Photo: Quinte News)
Colonel Ryan Deming handed over command of Canada’s largest air force base to Colonel Leif Dahl.
Deming has been base commander since the summer of 2019.
Also, the position of 8 Wing Chief Warrant Officer was turned over to Chief Warrant Officer Renee Hansen by outgoing CWO Dan Baulne.
Over 200 local community leaders and other invited guests were on hand to witness the ceremonies while the commanders spoke to around 200 members of
Wing Trenton.
Outgoing 8 Wing Trenton Commander Colonel Ryan Deming. (Photo: Quinte News)
Incoming 8 Wing Trenton Commander Leif Dahl watches the ceremony with his family. (Photo: Quinte News)
In his address to 8 Wing members Colonel Deming said the past 3 years have been very challenging for the base, what with fires, floods, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Afghanistan and Ukraine missions.
“I stand here honored and humbled by the exceptional efforts, dedication and professionalism that underpin your commitment placed on you by Canadians. I want to thank each and
every one of you for fully understanding that a significant portion of our Wing and base is currently deployed around the globe right now. Our mission never stops and we are called
upon to deliver again and again and folks you’ve delivered in droves. Thank you.”
Reflecting on his and the 8 Wing’s member’s relationship with the people of the wider Quinte region Deming had this to say.
“I thought 3 years ago I understood the full impact of this positive influence of our great communities. I didn’t fully grasp the depth and the impact of our amazing communities
on our members and their families. Our community and business leaders understand the enormity of our responsibility and are there at every instance to support our members and their
families. More importantly they treat us like their own family. To all of you, a sincere thank you.”
Colonel Deming has been posted to Ottawa to serve as Director Defence Programme Coordination.
For his part incoming Commander Colonel Leif Dahl said in his years of experience CFB Trenton was the best base to work at and he promised to lead with respect and dignity.
“I’ll be coming to work every day with a smile on my face and I’ll do everything I can to make sure you (the members) come to work that way too.”
Dahl joked that 8 Wing’s members have been so effective that they got Russian President Vladimir Putin to add Colonel Deming to his black list.
8 Wing members, against the hulking backdrop of a Globemaster transport plane, listen to the Change of Command ceremonies. (Photo: Quinte News)
Meanwhile in the 8 Wing Trenton Chief Warrant Officer Change of Command outgoing CWO Dan Baulne commended the members for their dedication.
“You are truly the best. It’s amazing to see how such a relatively small group of people can have such an impact. You not only rose above the challenges of the last
few years but you knocked it out of the park. You are all part of a wheel that makes everything run so smoothly. Without you we can’t achieve our mission.”
Baulne quoted a predecessor of his saying “every aircraft has a thousand fingerprints and each and every one of you contribute to the successes of 8 Wing Trenton.”
The ceremony featured a happy surprise as Colonel Deming promoted CWO Baulne to the commissioned officer status, handing him the epaulets of a Lieutenant.
Then he shocked onlookers by, just two minutes later, saying “Lieutenant Baulne has done such a great job as a Lieutentant we are right now going to promote him to
the rank of Major”.
CWO, then Lieutenant, then Major Dan Baulne (beard) gets promoted by Colonel Ryan Deming (to his left). (Photo: Quinte News)
Incoming 8 Wing Chief Warrant Officer Renee Hansen said it was an honor and a privilege to serve at 8 Wing and that her responsibilities as leader of the Wing’s
non-commissioned officers were ones not to be taken lightly. “I am thrilled to return to Trenton. We are the heartbeat of the Royal Canadian Air Force.”
Incoming 8 Wing Chief Warrant Officer Renee Hansen is greeted by outgoing Wing Commander Colonel Ryan Deming. (Photo: Quinte News)
The Presiding Officer at the Change of Command ceremonies was Major-General Iain Huddleston the Chief of Staff for the Canadian Joint Operations Command Headquarters.
BIO’S
Col Dahl grew up in Chicoutimi, Quebec. He joined the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), in May 1997, as an Infantry Officer in the Reserve Force. In January 2000, Col Dahl joined the Regular Forces and started pilot training with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
He has held multiple operational and command positions in Trenton, Ontario. After earning his Wings in 2003, he was sent to Trenton to fly the CC-130 Hercules with 424 Transport and Rescue Squadron and 436 Transport Squadron. He was then posted to 437 Transport Squadron, in 2009, there he flew the CC-150 Polaris. Promoted to the rank of Major in January 2010, Col Dahl served as the Squadron Operation Officer and Deputy Commanding Officer. From July 2016 to June 2018, he commanded 437 Transport Squadron.
Col Dahl has also been posted to NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, in 2012, where he served as Executive Assistant of the Military Representative of Canada to the NATO Military Committee.
Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel (LCol) in July 2015, Col Dahl became the Officer in Charge of the Strategic Situation Centre, within the Strategic Joint Staff (SJS), at National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ), in Ottawa. In June 2018, he was posted to the Directorate of Air Requirements, in Ottawa. Promoted to his current rank in June 2019, he served as Director General Coordination within the SJS, at NDHQ, in Ottawa. From July 2021 to July 2022, he was the Director Defence Programme Coordination at Chief of Programme Division.
CWO Renee Hansen is a native of Brandon, Manitoba, and enrolled in the Primary Reserve as an Administration Clerk in 1992.
In 2001, CWO Hansen transferred to the Regular Force and was posted to the Armour School at Combat Training Centre (CTC) Gagetown. Promoted to the rank of Master Corporal in 2004, and posted to the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) in Shilo, Manitoba. She deployed to Afghanistan twice, once as the Chief Clerk with the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team in 2006, and again in 2008 with Task Force 1-08 as the Battalion Group Orderly Room Sergeant.
Posted to the Canadian Army Headquarters in Ottawa as the Chief Clerk in 2009, CWO Hansen was soon promoted to Warrant Officer in 2010 and posted to the Director Military Career Support Services. In 2013, CWO Hansen was posted to the Director Senior Appointments as the Director Senior Appointments Coordinator. Promoted to Master Warrant Officer in 2015 and named a member of the Order of Military Merit, CWO Hansen was then posted to 8 Wing Trenton as the Wing Superintendent Clerk.
In 2017, CWO Hansen accepted the position of Station Warrant Officer in Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Alert, and was then posted back to Ottawa as part of the Director Air Staff Coordination team. Promoted to her current rank of CWO in 2019, she served as the Squadron CWO for two years at 426 Transport Training Squadron, in Trenton, before a posting to the Royal Military College of Canada in 2021 where she earned a Certificate in Advanced Military Studies.
A c177 Globemaster flies over the Change of Command ceremonies. (Photo: Quinte News)
