President O’Neil’s introduction to military music was as a snare drummer in the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps Bellerophon Band. He first wore the cap badge of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment in 1968 as a member of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment Army Cadet Corps. During his time in Cadets, he attended Ipperwash Army Cadet Camp and was on parade when the Regiment Trooped the Colours in 1969.  

From 1972 to 1977, he was a member of the Regular Forces as a Radio Operator with the 1st Canadian Signals Regiment, during which time he completed two tours of duty with the UNEF Middle East.  
 

Upon completion of his enlistment, he accepted a position with the Niagara Regional Police Service. Over a 30-year career, he held numerous operational, investigative, and command positions, retiring with the rank of Inspector in 2007. In 1998, he was seconded to the RCMP and was deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina as a member of the UNMIBH International Police Task Force, holding the position of Regional Manager of Advisor and Colocators, Brčko Region.  
 

From 1978 until 2007, President O’Neil was a member of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, enrolling as a Corporal in the Lincoln and Welland Regimental Band until accepting a commission as an Infantry Officer in 1981. He held numerous command positions up to Company Commander until 2007, when he applied for a component transfer and was accepted once again into the Regular Forces as an Armoured Crewman. He spent the next three years with the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (RC), which included a deployment in 2009 with C Sqn on Op Athena in Afghanistan. He returned to Afghanistan in 2010 as a member of the RCMP, attached to NATO Training Mission Afghanistan as Deputy Chief (Training), Police Transitional Group. He returned to Niagara in 2012 and immediately rejoined the Lincoln and Welland Regiment Association Band as a snare drummer.  
 

Prior to being elected president of the L &W Band, he held the executive positions of treasurer and vice president.  

President O’Neil is the recipient of the Canadian Forces Decoration (2 Bars), Police Exemplary Service Medal with Bar, General Campaign Star South-West Asia, Operational Service Medal South-West Asia with Bar, Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal, United Nations Emergency Force Middle East Medal (with 2), and United Nations Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina Medal.  
 

President O’Neil has been awarded a Canadian Army Mobile Command Achievement Award, Regional Commander’s Commendation (Brčko Region, Bosnia-Herzegovina), and is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy, Quantico, VA.  
 

He looks forward to being part of the award-winning Lincoln & Welland Band’s future endeavours and successes as they continue to entertain members of the public locally, nationally, and internationally.
 

Non Nobis Sed Patriae