We regret to advise of the death of Chief Warrant Officer Glen Simpkin, CD (Ret’d), on 4 June 2025 at the General Hospital in Ottawa ON, at age 60. Glen was a former Canadian Military Engineer Chief Warrant Officer (2017-20).
Glen joined the Canadian Forces as an Artilleryman in 1982. While posted to the Artillery School in Gagetown, NB, he applied for a remuster to Topographic Surveyor in January 1994. After completing his basic Geomatics Technician training at the Mapping and Charting Establishment in Ottawa, Glen took part in several Arctic survey missions. He attended the Advanced Topographic Analysis Course at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, in 1999. During this MCE posting, Glen also deployed on three tours in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1996, 1998, and 2000). Domestically, Glenn deployed to the Winnipeg floods in 1997 and was the first to use radar to depict floodwater movements. He also completed several Arctic gravity survey missions,
In 2002, Glen was posted to the Joint Headquarters in Kingston ON. During this two-year tour, he deployed twice to Afghanistan (2003 and 2004) and to Haiti. Glen was posted back to MCE as an instructor in the School of Military Mapping. In 2005, after a year-long French Language course, Glen held various positions at MCE before being posted to Naples, Italy with his family. While in Naples, he worked on multiple missions, deployed to Iraq for the NATO Training Mission and was heavily involved in Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR for Libya.
Glen returned to MCE in 2012, where he served as the Geomatics Support Squadron Sergeant Major, Operations Master Warrant Officer, and School Chief Warrant Officer before being appointed MCE Regimental Sergeant Major in 2016.
CWO Simpkin was appointed the sixteenth Canadian Military Engineering Branch Chief Warrant Officer in 2017 and served in that capacity until 2020. One of the highlights of that appointment was the opportunity to meet and have an audience with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on 27 June 2018, along with Colonel Commandant.
Retiring from the Canadian Forces in 2021, Glen took on the Services Coordinator position with the Canadian Forces National Capital Region Transition Unit.
Condolences can be sent toBeechwood. A Celebration of Life will take place on 26 July from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at the NDHQ Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess {4 Queen Elizabeth Drive, Ottawa}. Dress is Casual - no uniforms. Online condolences can be sent to Beechwood.
