• 1954 - B.Sc. Electrical Engineering U of Alberta.
  
• 1963 - M.Sc.Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering, U of Mich.
• 1963 - M.Sc. Instrumentation Engineering, U ofMichigan.
• 1966 RCAF Staff College. Short Courses.
• 1961-83)- SAGE RCAF, Middle Management RCAFSenior Management RCAF, Maritime Warfare RCN Software UCLA, Avionics Systems Engineering,UCLA, Systems Design Ottawa. Career:
• 1952-1955: Aircrew, Air/R0435(T) Sqn, 193 Rescue Unit.
• 1955-1968: Engineering Project Officer, CF-100, CF-105(ARROW) Cosmopolitan, CF-S, Buffalo, Falcon, MIL-STD 794 and various ABC and NATO Standards.
• 1968 - 1971 - BTSO and Deputy Base Comd, CFB Moose Jaw.
• 1971 - 1973 - Sec Head Acoustic Detection Sys, Aurora LRPA
• 1973 - 1975 - Dir Avionic Armament Systems Engineering.
• 1975 - 1976 - Seconded MOT as Chief Contract and Review.
• 1976 - 1977 - Dir Professional Edn and Dev (RR/RMC/CMR.)
• 1977 - 1979 - Dep Program Mgr, New Fighter Aircraft.
• 1979 - 1982 - CO, Aerospace Maintenance Development Unit.
• 1982 - 1983 - Dir Fighter, Trainer Engn and Maint.
• 1983 - 1986 - VP Engr and Maint, Worldways Canada Limited.
• 1986 - 1999 - Aircraft Appliances and Equipment Limited, variously as President, Repair and Overhaul Division and Vice President Operations.

Co-Founder and Chairman, AdvaTech Homes Canada Inc., a company developed in Alberta to export houses to the Pacific Rim and currently exporting and building houses in Japan.

AFFILIATIONS: Technical Advisory Committee,Calgary R&D Authority. Faculty of Management International Business Advisory Committee, U of Calgary. Faculty of Engineering Advisory Council, U of Alberta. Advisory Committee Economic Growth Research Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.

Devooght OV (Val) S/L (ret'd)
Val had a military career that spanned 27 years. He was born in Belgium, emigrated to Southwest Ontario as a young boy and joined the RCAF as a Physical Training and Drill Insructor in 1940. He served in this capacity at various locations during WW 11 and at war's end he was Station Warrant Officer at Centralia as a WO 1. Downsizing after the war resulted in Val's reversion to F/S and in 1947 he was posted to RR where he served for five years. It was during this time that we at RR first met him and became acutely aware of his presence there. He taught us drill, PT and various sports and was always an outstanding example of what a professional military person should be.

In 1952 Val was commissioned to the rank of F/O and while serving at different locations rose to the rank of S/L. He retired early from the RCAF in 1967 to assume the position of property manager at CFB Uplands and continued to serve with DND until 1985.

An example of the high regard held for Val is noted from the following excerpt from the 1950 Royal Roads year book known as the Log: "Sgt/Maj Devooght who is 'the flight' to most seniors, is the Air Force member of the 'three ring circus'. He has been at RR since 1947 and by now is one of the few sea minded Sgt/Majors in the RCAF. This year he has had the rare privilege of teaching an entirely new drill book to confused juniors and startled seniors. Off the parade square he could be seen at all of the college games. In the realm of sports he is an able PT Instructor. The smartness of the wing on graduation day is the only tribute necessary to pay to him".

Val lives today with his wife in Gloucester. He has three children and six grandchildren.

McConnel Fred
Fred was raised in Kingston and later moved to Ottawa, where he attended Lisgar Collegiate. While there he tried out with the Ottawa Rough Riders. A bad knee injury ended his promising football career and he enlisted in the Signal Corps in 1936. Fred joined in Ottawa, travelled to Borden and still in civilian clothes was sent to Wasego Beach where the Signals was on exercise. He was immediately assigned sentry duty. After his long day travelling, he soon fell asleep, was discovered by the Guard Commander and arrested. From recruit to defaulter in less than a day without even getting his uniform or rifle!! Fred and Doris were married in 1939. They have two children and three grandchildren.

Fred served in various training appointments and grades until 1943 when he attended OCTU and was commissioned and continued to train officer candidates and later was Training Officer at UNB and St Francis Xavier. In 1946 he reverted to the rank of Sgt as part of post war downsizing. He served in several jobs on the instructional staff, particularly concerned with drill and sports. At the request of Col Brooks he was posted to the College in 1949.

Fred served at RMC until 1954. He coached both Junior and Senior Football and Basketball and the Rifle Team as well as Track and Field. He was chosen to be an honourary member of the Class of 1954. Doris often made up for the gaps in regular mess food and became a surrogate mother to many of us.

In 1959 Fred was invited to join the Fort Henry Guard as their instructor and Commander. He accepted ,retired from the Army and replaced Mr Coggins as the Battalion Sergeant Major. He spent 19 years there and developed the Guard to its current pre preeminent position as the best in North America. Meanwhile, Fred continued his sports career playing, coaching and refereeing football and basketball, softball and tennis. He was and is a member and officer of the Kingston, Pittsburg Township and Canadian Historical Societies and was the recipient of a special award for his contributions along with Dr Preston. Fred (at 83) golfs and sails on occasion.

You will probably remember Fred as "Staff McConnell", but others will remember him as Signalman and Corporal McConnell, several hundreds of officer candidates will remember him as Lieutenant McConnell. Many hundreds if not thousands will remember him as their Commander of the Fort Henry Guard, many of us and others knew him as "coach" or teammate, others as curator of the Murney Tower Museum and still others as an officer of the Pittsburg Township, Kingston and Canadian Historical Societies.