Shilo Stag

The new RSM working alongside new CO LCol Joe O’Donnell is no stranger to 1RCHA.

Enlisting in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in October 1997, CWO Sean McGowan first arrived on this Base where he completed his battle school training after completing his BMQ at CFB St. Jean.

His first military posting was CFB Shilo, where he was posted to 1RCHA’s A Bty as a Gun Detachment member in March 1998.

During his inaugural tour of duty with 1RCHA, CWO McGowan was employed in many positions within A, B and HQ Bty — Gun Det member, CP/RECCE tech, Gun Det 2IC, and OP’s NCO.

Promoted to sergeant in October 2007, he moved back to B Bty as the Gun Det commander.

After completing the Gun Area TSM course in November 2016, he was promoted to warrant officer (WO) and assumed the duties of TSM for D troop.

After a stint in all WO positions within the battery, CWO McGowan was posted to Brandon-based 26 Field Regiment as the 38 ATG operations and training WO.

After two busy years working with the Primary Reserves, he was posted back to CFB Shilo, where he was enrolled in a yearlong French course at the Base’s Language School.

In 2016, CWO McGowan was selected to attend an Army technical WO program at Kingston-based RMC. After successful completion of this program he was awarded the title of Master Gunner (Mr Gunner) and subsequently posted to CFB Valcartier as the senior trial director and unit RSM for the Munition Experimental Test Centre.

In October 2017, he was promoted to MWO, and during the next two years conducted numerous destructive trials on CAF vehicles, weapons and equipment.

In the summer of ‘19, CWO McGowan was appointed RSM E Bty with 2RCHA at Garrison Petawawa, Ont. Two summers later, he was again posted, this time to Director General Military Careers (DGMC) as the senior career manager for the Gunner trade in D MIL C.

After a short, but extremely busy year in the career shop during a pandemic, he was promoted June 21 to his current rank.

Marking his 25-year CAF career this October, CWO McGowan’s operational experiences include a deployment in 2000 to Bosnia as a Gun Det member on Op PALLADIUM.

Four years later that October, he was deployed to Afghanistan as the OP’s NCO for the National Command Element.

In February 2008, he was again deployed to Afghanistan, but this time as a Gun Det commander.

As BSM E Bty with 2RCHA, in August 2020 he was deployed with the battery to Op REASSURANCE. His domestic operations include fighting forest fires in Kelowna, BC, flooding in Winnipeg and Brandon, plus two rotations as TSM for Op PALACI in 2009 and 2011. He was also part of Op LASER in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

When he’s not soldiering, his hobbies include running, plus exploring nature with his wife and three kids.