Lieutenant-Colonel (LCol) Neil Prescott was welcomed as the new Commanding Officer of 424 Transport and Rescue Squadron yesterday. Chief Warrant Officer Carl Phaneuf was also welcomed by 424 Squadron members as Squadron CWO.
After enrolling in the Canadian Armed Forces in January 2000 and following pilot training, LCol Prescott was posted to 436 Squadron in Trenton, Ontario. While there, he specialized in Tactical Air Transport and was deployed to OP ATHENA several times.
In 2011, LCol Prescott was posted to 435 Squadron in Winnipeg, Manitoba where he specialized in air-to-air refueling, participated in numerous international and domestic exercises, and flew in support of the initial OP IMPACT deployment of Canada’s CF-18s to the Middle East. LCol Prescott deployed to Kuwait in 2015 before returning to Trenton at 424 Squadron in 2016.
Changing airframes in 2018, Lieutenant-Colonel Prescott moved to 429 Squadron where he achieved Aircraft Commander qualification on the CC-177 Globemaster aircraft.
LCol Prescott has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba, a Masters of Defence Studies degree from the Royal Military College of Canada and is a graduate of the Joint Command and Staff Program at Canadian Forces College.
Chief Warrant Officer Carl Phaneuf was born in Chicoutimi, QC in 1969 and joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1987 as an infanteer with the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment in Belleville. During his time there, he had the opportunity to deploy to Lahr, Germany for EX REFORGER 88. Upon his return he transferred to the Royal Canadian Hussars in Montreal.
In 1990 he changed direction and joined the Air Force as an Airframe Technician and was sent to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan for CT-114 Tutor exposure. After trade training in Borden, CWO Phaneuf was posted to 14 Wing Greenwood where he deployed on OP APOLLO. Following his return, he was posted to the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering at 16 Wing in Borden. CWO Phaneuf was then posted to 8 Wing in Trenton where he worked at 8 Air Maintenance Squadron, 424 Squadron, and 436 Squadron.
Upon being promoted to his current rank in 2021, CWO Phaneuf was posted to National Defence Headquarters – Carling Campus in Ottawa.
