Digger served in the Royal Canadian Army Cadets and the Canadian Army Reserve (RC Sigs) before graduation from the Royal Roads and Royal Military College of Canada with a BA (Hist/French). He served in the Fort Garry Horse and the RCAC School for 13 years in a variety of regimental positions including commanding both tank and reconnaissance squadrons; serving as an instructor in tactics and commanding Driving and Maintenance squadron. Digger trained and was employed briefly as an Army Pilot. He served with NATO in Europe and on peacekeeping duties in Cyprus. In 1970 Digger became a Personnel Selection Officer (PSO) and Military Psychologist for his final 20 years of service and was the senior military psychologist of the Canadian Army, NDHQ, Communication Command, and Canadian Forces Training Systems. He developed and introduced significant input into leadership training, officer and aircrew selection, stress management in combat operations, counselling for post-traumatic stress, second career assistance, substance abuse education and leadership.
Following retirement Digger was employed as a Certified Human Resources Professional in Career Counselling, Change Management, Management Development, Leadership Training and not-for-profit governance and operations because of his extensive Senior Management, Human Resources and Training Development achievement in both the public and private sectors. He has successfully conceptualized, developed and executed national and international multi-million dollar programs and projects in these areas of expertise. He was selected as one of Canada’s top six interviewers and consulted with various departments of Federal and Provincial Governments as well as business, industrial and government environments around the globe. In recent years he developed and managed, as the only Canadian of an international team for the Bangladesh Open University overseas training project in Dhaka; provided consultation and training as a Senior Consultant to the largest human resources and career transition company in the world; recruited for the United Nations; and, implemented the largest personal financial planning contract ever awarded in Canada. Digger holds 2 Master's Degrees: Counselling Psychology and Education from The University of Western Ontario and two Bachelor degrees. In 1988 while serving as the senior military psychologist of the Canadian Army, he received the Freeman Anderson Award for outstanding achievement in Career Programs. Digger MacDougall is the Founding Chair of Sing Canada Harmony, President of the 2400 member Ottawa Branch of The Royal Military College Club of Canada, former Chair of The Saint-Vincent Hospital Foundation, and has been Past Chairman, Founding Director and trustee of numerous Charity and not-for-profit Boards of Directors since 1968. He also served the business community as a mentor for members of the Ottawa-Carleton Junior Board of Trade. His professional memberships have included: Certified Human Resources Professional Associations of Ontario and Ottawa; Royal Canadian Military Institute (Toronto) and numerous others including military associations. At the Canadian War Museum, as an interviewer for the Museum’s Oral History Project he completed over 70 documented interviews of Military Personnel who served as Canadian Army Pilots prior to 1968 and who served in Canada’s NATO Brigades North (to 1973) and South (after 1973). Digger proudly served as a Volunteer Interpreter in Gallery 4 of the Canadian War Museum where he regaled visitors with tank and army knowledge, experiences and interesting stories. |