We regret to advise of the death of Captain James “Jamie” Betts, CD (Ret’d) of Petawawa ON at age 64 on 26 February 2024. Jamie served for nearly 32 years with the Canadian Forces.
Jamie enrolled in the Canadian Forces in 1978 as an Infantryman and joined the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) in London ON, for his first posting. His company was transferred overseas the next year to Germany to join 3 RCR in Baden-Solingen.
After four years in the Infantry, Jamie joined the Canadian Military Engineers in 1982 when he remustered to the Draftsman-Surveyor trade. This was a high school dream. After completing his trades training at the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering (CFSME) in Chilliwack BC, he was posted to the Base Construction Engineering (BCE) Section in Kingston ON.
Jamie was next posted to Calgary AB in 1989, where he was employed as the PMQ Service Centre Supervisor. Three years later, he was posted to CFSME as an Instructor, Standards Representative, D&S cell Warrant Officer and a Doctrine Technical Writer. Promotion to Warrant Officer in 1999 led to a posting to 1 Construction Engineer Unit in Moncton NB. At that time he had become a Construction Technician as the Draftsman-Surveyor trade was eliminated in 1999.
Jamie deployed with 1 CEU in 2002 on a tasking to the Middle East as part of a Force Protection Study. The short study became a year-long deployment to Israeli-occupied Syria, and he was promoted to Master Warrant Officer that summer. Jamie became the first Task Force Engineer Sergeant Major on Operation DANACA. On his return to Canada in 2003, he was posted to BCE in Petawawa.
Jamie returned to Afghanistan in 2006 as the Task Force Engineer/Engineer Support Unit Sergeant Major. He considered this assignment to be the pinnacle of his career. Jamie was promoted to Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) in 2007 upon his return from Afghanistan and was posted to Edmonton as the Engineering Services Company CWO. Jamie was commissioned in 2008 at the rank of Captain and became the Facility Manager at BCE in Petawawa.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, 30 March 2024 from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM at the Murphy Funeral Home {296 Isabella St, Pembroke, ON}. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, 30 March 2024 at 11:00 AM at the same location. In memory of Jamie, donations to the Ottawa Heart Institute would be appreciated. Online condolences can be sent to the funeral home.
