For more than 56 years, Base General Safety Officer (BGSO) Bill Lewis has been protecting Canadians, both as a soldier, and a member of the Public Service.
“Because of my military service, I have a strong sense of duty and loyalty,” Lewis says, reflecting on his 33 years in uniform. “Part of what’s kept me here, as well, is that sense that I owe back what’s been given to me.”
Lewis began his military career as an infanteer in 1967.
“I’m so old, I joined when the Black Watch was a permanent force in Gagetown,” he jokes.
During his time in uniform, Lewis served overseas many times including a posting in Germany, deployments to Cyprus, the former Yugoslavia, Iraq, and Kuwait with PPCLI, and Syria, Israel and Lebanon as a UN peacekeeper.
Closer to home, he was called up to respond to the 1970 FLQ crisis in Quebec, where he was tasked with safeguarding local public servants, and has responded to help Canadians in need during natural disasters.
Today, Lewis’ job may be a little less intense, but his approach is the same: diplomacy and care for others.
“It’s a rewarding job for me,” he says. “It’s an opportunity for me to provide assistance for people sometimes just in the form of advice, other times by spending money to help them out.”
According to Lewis, the day-to-day job of the BGSO is to consult and provide advice to members of the Defence Team, all the way up to the base commander.
“Our position is advisory,” he says. “I can give advice on how to make work areas safer. I can provide materials to make them safer.”
Throughout the pandemic, Lewis has been an integral part of the garrison’s response, providing advice to facilities around the base to ensure the safety of the Defence Team and visitors.
“I had to do site visits to the museum, the gymnasium, and all of this, to assist people that are trying to make it a safe environment,” he says. “It sure kept me busy—especially at the onset.”
When not dealing with such urgent matters, Lewis spends his time among unit lines, where he provides advice and equipment to improve office ergonomics such as sit/stand desks and specialized furniture, installs and inspects emergency equipment such as automatic external
defibrillators and first aid kits, and interacts with members of the Defence Team regarding their safety concerns—all tasks he particularly enjoys, as it allows him to speak to people in person.
“So much of our help today is coming from positional mailboxes, telephone conversations, and Teams meetings, that I still think a site visit—a face-to-face (or mask-to-mask) conversation—to help people solve their problems is worthwhile, and I’m able to do that most times,” he says.
So, if you see Lewis at your workplace, or in your travels around the base, take a moment to strike up a conversation, ask for assistance, or—most importantly—join us in thanking him for all he does to keep the CFB Kingston team safe.
Written by: SLt Nathan Charbonneau, Public Affairs Officer