Chief Warrant Officer (Retired) Bert Lapointe, MMM, CD grew up in New Brunswick and enrolled in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1967 as an Aircraft Electrical Technician.  Following training he was posted in 1969 to the Cold Lake, Alberta Aerospace Test Establishment known as AETE.  

Other significant postings included in 1977 to 441 Squadron Baden, Germany; as a Technical Instructor Canadian Forces Base Borden in 1981; 425 Squadron Bagotville, Quebec; the Canadian Forces Leadership School Penhold, Alberta as an instructor/Flight Commander in 1990 and Chief Instructor in 1991; the United States Air Force Senior Leadership Academy for Non-Commissioned Officers Gunter, Alabama in 1992; and following promotion to Chief Warrant Officer rank in 1993 a return to the Aerospace Test Establishment in Cold Lake, Alberta.  

Key senior appointments for Bert included Wing Chief Warrant Officer at 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia in 1996; being the first 1 Canadian Air Division/NORAD Chief Warrant Officer Winnipeg in 1997; and in 2001 becoming the first Air Force College Chief Warrant Officer at the Royal Military College Kingston, Ontario.  

In 2003 CWO Lapointe retired from the military following 36 years outstanding service.  Following retirement he taught at the Canadian Forces School of Communications and Electronics until 2005 and then moved to Lethbridge, Alberta.  Within the Lethbridge community he has served as Vice President and Treasurer of 702 Wing RCAF Association, a Director of the Lethbridge Military Museum Committee and as a member of the Royal Canadian Legion.  In 2012 he was honoured to receive the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal, in 2013 was the National recipient of the Member of the Year Award of the Royal Canadian Air Force Association, and in 2014/15 was the Peter Allen Memorial Award recipient from Alberta Group for his commitment and devotion to the Royal Canadian Air Force Association.  He now resides in Calgary, Alberta.