Following his retirement from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Rob Bacchus became an active member of the RCMP Veterans Association and has been advocating for other RCMP Veterans for over 40 years.
Rob retired from the RCMP in 1981 and joined the RCMP Veterans Association in 1982 in Yellowknife, becoming their second president. In 1989, Rob moved to Nanaimo, British Columbia, and was soon elected president for the newly established Central Island Division. During that time, Rob was instrumental in advocating for his division and in increasing number of memberships.
After moving to Edmonton in 1995, Rob joined the Edmonton Division of the RCMP Veterans Association and soon became a member of the executive. His first assignment was chairman of the Canteen Committee. He eventually became the editor of the Edmonton Division’s newsletter and held that role for many years. Due to Rob’s efforts, the Division’s registration numbers increased significantly during this time period. Rob continued to serve the Edmonton Division executive until 2023, when he had to step down due to health and mobility problems however, he still attends regular monthly meetings.
Rob’s leadership in each location was noted for his advocacy for retired RCMP members and the Veterans’ association. Each division he served in saw a noticeable increase in membership, and increased awareness of the association and the benefits it provides to RCMP Veterans in need of assistance.