Education Day 2023: CP01 Matt Boniface - Resiliency and Mental Health During Deployment
The Tema Foundation is pleased to welcome Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Matt Boniface, MSM, CD to present at Education Day 2023: Community, Connection and Caring: Strategies for Building Resilience and Wellness.
Meet Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Matt Boniface, MSM, CD
Growing up in southern Ontario, CPO1 Matt Boniface enrolled in the CAF Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in August 1992 as a Naval Electronics Technician. On completion of recruit training at CFB Cornwallis, he completed the Naval Combat System Technician Training Programme in St. John’s, NL and was posted to Halifax, NS to begin his naval career.
After a brief stint at Fleet Maintenance Group (Atlantic), he commenced a regular rotation of naval deployments and shore postings on the East Coast which lasted until 2018. During this time he served in HMC Ships Fredericton and Toronto, deploying twice on each and later deploying in HMCS Halifax on Op HESTIA and in HMCS Charlottetown as the Combat Systems Engineering Chief during Op REASSURANCE.
Ashore, he worked to support the Fleet, acting at 5th Maritime Operations Group as an In-Service Support Coordinator and the Senior Naval Electronics Technician for East Coast Minor War Vessels. At the Naval Engineering School in Halifax, he worked both as an instructor and later as the Training Support Division Chief, where he was responsible for the support of over 500 students as well as Infrastructure, Safety and IT operations. During this time he was selected as Coxswain of the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, where he supervised CAF personnel involved in this multi-national event.
Following his tour in HMCS Charlottetown he worked in the HQ of Joint Personnel Support Unit NS-NL as the Region CPO, supporting a geographically disparate team to provide integrated, multi-disciplinary support to ill and injured service members across the two provinces. Upon promotion to CPO1 he was posted to Director Naval Requirements as a Project Director in the field of Unmanned Aerial Systems, after which he was appointed Coxswain of HMCS Halifax and deployed once again on Op REASSURANCE in 2021.
After returning from deployment, he was nominated to the NCM Executive Professional Development Programme at RMC where he completed a Certificate of Advanced Military Studies. He subsequently was appointed back to the CAF Transition Group as the Formation CPO1, where he humbly serves to this day. He is supported in this by his ever-patient wife Michelle and his two sons, Zachary and Simon.
Learn with CPo1 Boniface at Education Day 2023
CPO1 Matt Boniface, along with Capt. Christopher Rochon and Capt. Jon Nicholson, will discuss how they worked to build resiliency and maintain the mental health of their crew while being deployed on Operation REASSURANCE for standing NATO Maritime Group in Northern Europe.
JOIN US FOR EDUCATION DAY 2023:
COMMUNITY, CONNECTION AND CARING - STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING RESILIENCE AND WELLNESS
MAY 17, 2023
CANADIAN MUSEUM OF IMMIGRATION At PieR 21 - HALIFAX, NS
Presented by:
The Tema Foundation is proud to present a full day of education, networking, and skill-building that focuses on making mental health healthier. This in-person event features keynote speakers who have dedicated their time and energy to helping those who keep us healthy & safe.