Master Warrant Officer Bill Chisholm is in his 37th year in the RCAF

Bill grew up in a military family. His grandfather was Air Force, his father was Army, his mother an Army clerk during the Cold War, and his sister completed a basic engagement then served over 30 years in the Cadet Instructor Cadre.

Bill also married into a military family. His father-in-law and mother-in-law are both retired Air Force, and his brother-in-law is retired Army.

Growing up, Bill was involved in the Scouting program and the Air Cadets before he joined the military himself. Born and raised in New Brunswick, his father’s postings included Churchill, Yellowknife, and Whitehorse.

Having lived a good portion of his life in parts of rural Canada, it was no surprise that Bill became a big fan of camping and the outdoors. While living in Alberta, Bill enrolled both his sons in the Junior Forest Wardens (AJFWA) to learn about being a responsible leader through environmental and outdoor programs.

When Bill met his wife, he was glad that she too was happier living outside of town. While living in Europe, their first house was on the edge of a town with hundreds of open acres directly out their back door. When they moved to Baden, their house was directly beside a path that led into the Black Forest.

Bill has had an extensive military career serving in various capacities throughout the world. Bill was a Crew Chief for the Maintenance team at a back-to-back Relief in place detachments in Dubai and Cyprus. Bill was also involved in multiple short trips into Afghanistan, transporting troops returning from their deployments.

In 2007, the RCAF bought the first C-17 Globemaster III. Bill moved to Trenton to be on the very first maintenance cadre. The C-17 is an impressive aircraft that can rapidly transport troops, cargo, and oversized combat equipment over long distances between continents. Bill has been physically onboard the C-17 during multiple repatriations.

In doing research about the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign (HOHTC) after a repatriation, he stumbled upon the Private Landowner Partnership and contacted us to use his property as it can be seen from the 401 Highway of Heroes.

In 2019, Bill was able to commemorate our Canadian heroes – past and present – by participating in a pilot planting through the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign.

Bill speaks very highly of his experience and recommends any landowners interested in planting to contact HOHTC. “The actual planting was seamless, the people who were on my property were polite, informative and answered any questions. The follow-up has been amazing.”

“It makes you grow a little taller when people say ‘Thank you for your service!’”, says Bill, but he tells us it makes him proud to know he has trees growing on his property that serve to honour those that have gone before him and those serving now.