Captain K.R. McAtasney, CD

Operations Officer

Captain Keary McAtasney enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in Sept 2001 as a Crewman. He completed basic training in St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC in Nov 2001 and then completed QL3 Crewman in Wainwright, AB in Feb 2002. He was posted to LdSH(RC) on 01 Apr 2002. There he was assigned to Recce Sqn and trained as a Coyote driver. 

Captain McAtasney deployed with Recce Sqn as the OC’s driver on Op ATHENA in Kabul, Afghanistan 2004/2005. Upon return he was trained as a 25mm gunner. In 2006 he moved to A Sqn and was trained as Leo 1 MBT gunner/loader. Captain McAtasney deployed on his 2nd tour on Op ATHENA 1-07 to Kandahar, Afghanistan as Tp Ldr loader in 2007. Upon return he then completed Armoured Recce Crew Commander (ARCC) in 2008. At that time the CA purchased the Leo 2A6M MBT from Germany for operations in Afghanistan. Captain McAtasney was trained in Munster, Germany on Leo 2 MBT at the Panzer Truppen Schule. He then deployed on his 3rd ROTO of Op ATHENA 3-08 to Kandahar, Afghanistan as the Battle Captain’s loader in 2008/2009. 

Upon return Captain McAtasney moved back to Recce Sqn and completed his Armoured Recce Patrol Commander (ARPC) course. While employed in Recce Sqn he participated in many serials of Ex UNIFIED RESOLVE and Ex MAPLE RESOLVE as well as many levels 4 to 7 dry and live fire exercises with LdSH(RC) and 1 CMBG.

Captain McAtasney deployed to Starychi, Ukraine as an Ops Sgt on Op UNIFIER in 2017. Upon return he completed his Armoured Recce Troop Warrant (ARTW) course. He was then promoted to WO and was employed as a Troop WO as well as Sqn Operations Warrant Officer in Recce Sqn, LdSH(RC).

In 2020 Captain McAtasney deployed to Aman, Jordan on Op IMPACT, CTAT-J to as a CSS Mentor. There he trained JAF members on CSS echelon system and deployed logistics as well as mounted and dismounted navigation, Convoy Ops, Running Replenishment etc.

Captain McAtasney was then posted to CMTC, Ops Grp as an Armd OCT.  There he was employed as a Armd sub-unit OCT on Ex MAPLE RESOLVE and Ex UNIFIED RESOLVE 2021, 2022, 2023. He was also employed as an OCT on Integrated Capstone Exercise (ICE) SILVER ARROW and CRYSTAL ARROW in support of the combat readiness evaluations (CREVAL) to Adazi, Latvia on 6 subsequent ROTO’s.

Captain McAtasney commissioned from the ranks on 15 July 2022 and was posted back to LdSH(RC) June 2024. He was promoted to his current rank on 15 Jul 24 and was employed as Regt’l Training Officer. Captain McAtasney is currently the Regt’l Operations Officer while the LdSH(RC) BG HQ is deployed to Lativa on ROTO 25-01.

 Captain McAtasney and his wife Dawn have 2 daughters, Roisin and Saoirse. They enjoy camping and quadding by summer and skating and snowshoeing by winter.