Formation Chief Warrant Officer -
Land Force Training System
Chief Warrant Officer (Master Gunner)
M.L. McDonald, MSC, CD

Chief Warrant Officer McDonald enrolled in the Canadian Forces on 26 May 1977 in Doaktown, NB. Following his initial basic and artillery training, Chief Warrant Officer McDonald was posted to W Battery of the Field Artillery School.

From 1978 to 2000, Chief Warrant Officer McDonald served Regimental tours with the guns of 1 RCHA in Lahr, Germany (1978-1984), 2nd Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery in Petawawa, ON (1984-1986 and 1990-1993) and finally with 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery in Shilo, MB (2000-2002). He served two tours in Cyprus, the first as a Sergeant in 1995 and the second as a Master Warrant Officer in 1993.

His Regimental time was divided by postings to the Artillery School and the Land Force Trials and Evaluations unit, both in Gagetown, NB. In 1986, after becoming an Assistant Instructor-in-Gunnery, he instructed at the Artillery School until 1990. Following his second posting to 2nd Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, Chief Warrant Officer McDonald returned to the Artillery School in 1993, this time as the Battery Sergeant-Major of Field Troop. In 1995, he attended the Master Gunner Course and returned to the Artillery School where he took over as Battery Sergeant-Major of W Battery. In 1997, was appointed the Regimental Sergeant-Major of the Artillery School for six months before attending second language training from 1998 to 1999. It was during this time that he was promoted to his present rank on 13 Oct 1998.

After completing second language training in 1999, Chief Warrant Officer McDonald was posted to the Land Forces Trials and Evaluations Unit at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown as a Trials Officer. In 2000, he was appointed Regimental Sergeant-Major of 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery After a busy two years that saw all three gun batteries deploy to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Op PALLADIUM, Chief Warrant Officer McDonald was posted to DGMC in Ottawa as the Artillery Non-Commissioned Members Career Manager. In 2005, Chief Warrant Officer McDonald was appointed Regimental Sergeant-Majo of 1 CMBG in Edmonton, AB where, from February to November 2006, he deployed to Afghanistan with 1 CMBG HQ & Sigs as the Command Sergeant-Major of the Multi-National Brigade Regional Command (South) in Kandahar. On his return from theatre, Chief Warrant Officer McDonald attended second language training before his current appointment, in July 2007, as the Formation Chief Warrant Officer for the Land Force Doctrine and Training System.

Chief Warrant Officer McDonald is an avid hockey player and has competed in 22 Canadian Forces National Hockey Championships. Chief Warrant Officer McDonald is married and they have two children.