Gen Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces, announced earlier today that LGen Mike Rouleau will assume the position of Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. This announcement is part of the 2020 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) General and Flag Officer (GOFO) senior appointments, promotions, and retirements.
“It will be a great honour for me to lead as second in command of the Canadian Armed Forces, an institution I deeply respect and is embodied by a military force and Defence Team that is second to none,” said LGen Mike Rouleau. “I … will take this opportunity to further the work of my predecessors to move the organization forward by capitalizing on our strengths as a highly professional, capable fighting force that is empowered by the trust of Canadians.”
General Officers is the categorization of personnel from the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force, while Flag Officers are those of the Royal Canadian Navy. Both sets of personnel are responsible for leading the CAF in defending Canada’s values and interests at home and abroad, stewardship of the entire institution, and for the profession of arms as a whole.
In order to meet the CAF operational requirements, the following GOFO positions were established this year:
- A General Officer to the United States Air Force Space Command (USAFSPC). BGen K.G. Whale will be appointed to the new position as the Deputy Commander Plans for USAFSPC in Colorado Springs, responsible for plans, programs, requirements, and analysis.
- Col M. Gros-Jean will be appointed to a new position as Deputy Commander Support to oversee the daily Force Management and Force Sustainment activities of CANSOFCOM in Ottawa.
- A one-year temporary assignment of Chief SSE Combat Systems Implementation will see RAdm J.B. Zwick overseeing the examination of pan-domain Force Development, Force Generation, Corporate Management, and Command and Control for CAF Joint Combat Systems.
In referring to the newly selected General and Flag Officers, Gen Vance said that they “have demonstrated tremendous ability to assume significant responsibilities and prevail in challenging circumstances, all while exuding exemplary leadership.” He also gave a shoutout to those retiring: “you are institutional leaders and we are grateful for your service to our country.”
The CAF has 136 GOFO personnel of which 14 are women, representing 10 per cent of GOFO positions.
The full list of promotions and appointments due to retirements is as follows:
A. Lieutenant-General S.J. Bowes will retire from service resulting in the following promotions and appointments:
(1) Major-General D.W. Lowthian will be appointed Canadian Armed Forces Senior Advisor to Veterans Affairs Canada, in Ottawa ON, replacing Lieutenant-General S.J. Bowes
(2) Brigadier-General S.N. Clancy will be promoted to the rank of Major-General and will be appointed director of NORAD operations, in Colorado Springs CO, replacing Major-General D.W. Lowthian
(3) Colonel F.W. Radiff will be promoted acting while so employed to the rank of Brigadier-General and will be appointed as Deputy Commander Canadian detachment, at joint base Elmendorf-Richardson, in Anchorage AK, replacing Brigadier-General S.N. Clancy
B. Vice-Admiral D.C. Hawco will retire from service resulting in the following promotions and appointments:
(1) Major-General F.J. Allen will be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General and appointed as Canadian Military representative to NATO, in Brussels Belgium, replacing Vice-Admiral D.C. Hawco
(2) Rear-Admiral C.A. Baines will be appointed as Deputy Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, in Ottawa ON, replacing Major-General F.J. Allen
(3) Rear-Admiral B.W.N. Santarpia will be appointed as Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic, in Halifax NS, replacing Rear-Admiral C.A. Baines
(4) Major-General J.S.S.D. Fortin will be appointed as Chief of Staff Operations, Canadian Joint Operations Command, in Ottawa ON, replacing Rear-Admiral B.W.N. Santarpia
(5) Brigadier-General M. Misener will be promoted to the rank of Major-General and will be appointed as Commander First Canadian Division, in Kingston ON, replacing Major-General J.S.S.D. Fortin
(6) Colonel D.J. Cross will be promoted acting while so employed to the rank of Brigadier-General and will be appointed as Commander Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group, in Ottawa ON, replacing Brigadier-General M. Misener
C. Lieutenant-General J.M. Lanthier will retire from service resulting in the following promotions and appointments:
(1) Lieutenant-General M.N. Rouleau will be appointed Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, in Ottawa ON, replacing Lieutenant-General J.M. Lanthier
(2) Lieutenant-General C.J. Coates will be appointed Commander Canadian Joint Operations Command, in Ottawa ON, replacing Lieutenant-General M.N. Rouleau
(3) Major-General J.P.A. Pelletier will be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General and will be appointed as Deputy Commander North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), in Colorado Springs CO, replacing Lieutenant-General C.J. Coates
(4) Brigadier-General E.J. Kenny will be promoted to the rank of Major-General and will be appointed as Commander 1 Canadian Air Division, in Winnipeg MB, replacing Major-General J.P.A. Pelletier
(5) Brigadier-General I.S. Huddleston will be appointed as Director General Air Readiness, in Ottawa ON, replacing Brigadier-General E.J. Kenny
(6) Colonel M.W. Goulden will be promoted acting while so employed to the rank of Brigadier-General and will be appointed as Deputy Commander Force Generation 1 Canadian Air Division, in Winnipeg MB, replacing Brigadier-General I.S. Huddleston
D. Major-General S.M. Cadden will retire from service resulting in the following promotions and appointments:
(1) Brigadier-General M.H. St-Louis will be promoted to the rank of Major-General and will be appointed Commander Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Centre, in Kingston ON, replacing Major-General S.M. Cadden
(2) Brigadier-General M.C. Wright will be appointed as Commander Joint Task Force impact, in Iraq, replacing Brigadier-General M.H. St-Louis
(3) Commodore C.T. Skjerpen will be appointed as Chief of Staff Canadian Forces Intelligence Command, in Ottawa ON, replacing Brigadier-General M.C. Wright
(4) Captain(N) D.J. Patchell will be promoted acting while so employed to the rank of Commodore and will be appointed as Director General Naval Strategic Readiness, in Ottawa ON, replacing Commodore C.T. Skjerpen
E. Rear-Admiral L. Cassivi will retire from service resulting in the following promotions and appointments:
(1) Brigadier-General D.C. Aitchison will be promoted to the rank of Major-General and will be appointed Commander Canadian Defence Academy, in Kingston ON, replacing Rear-Admiral L. Cassivi
(2) Colonel M.L. Lapointe will be promoted acting while so employed to the rank of Brigadier-General and will be appointed as Deputy Commander US Army Alaska, in Elmendorf AK, replacing Brigadier-General D.C. Aitchison
F. Major-General F.J. Chagnon will retire from service resulting in the following promotions and appointments:
(1) Brigadier-General Jayne will be promoted to the rank of Major-General and appointed as Chief of Staff, Assistant Deputy Minister Information Management (ADM IM), in Ottawa ON, replacing Major-General F.J. Chagnon
(2) Brigadier-General P.C. Sabourin will be appointed as Director General Cyber, in Ottawa ON, replacing Brigadier-General A.R. Jayne
(3) Brigadier-General D.J. Lambert will be promoted to the substantive rank of Brigadier-General and will be appointed as Director General Information Management Operations, in Ottawa ON, replacing Brigadier-General P.C. Sabourin
(4) Brigadier-General G.R. Smith will be appointed Director General Intelligence Enterprise, in Ottawa ON, replacing Brigadier-General D.J. Lambert
G. Major-General A.M.T. Downes will retire from service generating the separation of the responsibilities of the Surgeon General from the responsibilities of the Commander Canadian Forces Health Services Group and resulting in the following appointments and promotion:
(1) Brigadier-General J.G.M. Bilodeau will be appointed to and assume the responsibilities of the Surgeon General, in Ottawa ON, from Major-General A.M.T. Downes
(2) Commodore R.L. Patterson will be appointed to and assume the responsibilities of the Commander Canadian Forces Health Services Group, in Ottawa ON, from Major-General A.M.T. Downes
(3) Colonel A.J. Atherton will be promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General and will be appointed as Director General Professional Military Conduct, in Ottawa ON, replacing Commodore R.L. Patterson
H. Rear-Admiral J.A.S. Page retired from service resulting in the following promotions and appointments:
(1) Commodore C.S. Earl was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral and was appointed as Chief of Staff, Assistant Deputy Minister material, in Ottawa ON, replacing Rear-Admiral J.A.S. Page
(2) Commodore L. Carosielli will be appointed as Director General Maritime Equipment Program Management, in Ottawa ON, replacing Commodore C.S. Earl
(3) Captain(N) R.C. Gray will be promoted acting while so employed to the rank of Commodore and will be appointed Assistant Deputy Minister (Material) Project Manager Canadian Surface Combatant, in Ottawa ON, replacing Commodore L. Carosielli
I. Major-General J.S. Sirois will retire from service resulting in the following promotions and appointments:
(1) Brigadier-General K.G. Horgan will be promoted to the rank of Major-General and will be appointed as Chief of Staff, Assistant Deputy Minister Infrastructure and Environment, in Ottawa ON, replacing Major-General J.S. Sirois
(2) Brigadier-General S.M. Lacroix will be appointed as Chief of Staff, Vice Chief of the Defence staff, in Ottawa ON, replacing Brigadier-General K.G. Horgan
(3) Brigadier-General W.H. Fletcher will be appointed as Commander Third Canadian Division, in Edmonton AB, replacing Brigadier-General S.M. Lacroix
(4) Colonel R.T. Ritchie will be promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General and will be appointed as Deputy Commander with XVIII Airborne Corps of the US Army, in Fort Bragg NC, replacing
Brigadier-General W.H. Fletcher
J. Brigadier-General D.J. Anderson will retire from service resulting in the following promotions and appointments:
(1) Commodore J. Hamilton will be appointed Chief of Staff Readiness, Canadian Joint Operations Command, in Ottawa ON, replacing Brigadier-General D.J. Anderson
(2) Captain(N) S.M. Thornton will be promoted to the rank of Commodore and will be appointed Director General Defence Force Planning, in Ottawa ON, replacing Commodore J. Hamilton
K. Brigadier-General D.B. Cochrane will retire from service resulting in the following appointment:
(1) Commodore M.T.J. Kurtz will be appointed Commander National Cadet and Junior Canadian Rangers Support Group, in Ottawa ON, replacing Brigadier-General D.B. Cochrane
L. Brigadier-General J.J.M. Girard will retire from service resulting in the following promotion and appointment:
(1) Colonel K.E. Osmond will be promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General and will be appointed as Permanent Representative Mission New York, with the United Nations, in New York NY, replacing Brigadier-General J.J.M. Girard
M. Brigadier-General M. Leblanc will retire from service resulting in the following promotion and appointment:
(1) Colonel D.P. O’Reilly will be promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General and will be appointed as Commander 2 Canadian Air Division, in Winnipeg MB, replacing Brigadier-General M. Leblanc
N. Brigadier-General B.W.G. McPherson retired from service resulting in the following appointment and promotion:
(1) Brigadier-General J.W. Errington will be appointed as Commandant Canadian Forces College, in Toronto ON, replacing Brigadier-General B.W.G. McPherson
(2) Colonel J.J. (Joshua) Major will be promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General and will be appointed Chief of Staff Army Operations, in Ottawa ON, replacing Brigadier-General J.W. Errington
The following promotions and appointments result from new and continuing service requirements:
A. Rear-Admiral J.B. Zwick will be appointed to a one-year temporary assignment as Chief Strong Secure and Engaged Combat Systems Implementation resulting in the following promotions and appointments:
(1) Brigadier-General S.R. Kelsey will be promoted to the rank of Major-General and will be appointed as Chief of Force Development, in Ottawa ON, replacing Rear-Admiral J.B. Zwick
(2) Brigadier-General C. Ayotte will be appointed Director General Army Capability Development, in Ottawa ON, replacing Brigadier-General S.R. Kelsey
(3) Brigadier-General P. Peyton will deploy as Ministerial Liaison Team Director Operation Impact, in Iraq, replacing Brigadier-General C. Ayotte
(4) Captain(N) M.D. Bowen will be promoted acting while so employed to the rank of Commodore and will be appointed as the J7 to United States Cyber Command, in Maryland VA, replacing Brigadier-General P. Peyton
B. Commodore G. Bernatchez will be promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral and will remain as Canadian Armed Forces Judge Advocate General, in Ottawa ON.
C. Brigadier-General M.H.L. Bourgon will be appointed to a fellowship at Queens University resulting in the following promotion and appointment:
(1) Colonel J.D. Smyth will be promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General and will be appointed as Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, Canadian Joint Operations Command, in Ottawa ON,
Replacing Brigadier-General M.H.L. Bourgon
D. Brigadier-General R. Goodyear will be promoted to the rank of Major-General and will remain as Assistant Deputy Minister (Finance) Director General Budget, in Ottawa ON
E. Brigadier-General J.R.P. Laroche is posted to RCAF HQ, in Ottawa ON, resulting in the following appointments:
(1) Brigadier-General A.R. Day was appointed as Deputy Director of Operations for the United States Indo-Pacific Command, in Oahu HI, replacing Brigadier-General J.R.P. Laroche
F. Commodore B.A. Peats will deploy as Commander standing NATO Maritime Group resulting in the following promotions and appointments:
(1) Brigadier-General E.D. Simoneau will be appointed Director General Plans, Strategic Joint Staff, in Ottawa ON, replacing Commodore B.A. Peats
(2) Brigadier-General J.P.R. Prevost will be appointed to the Privy Council Office as Director Operations Foreign and Defence Policy, in Ottawa ON, replacing Brigadier-General E.D. Simoneau
(3) Brigadier-General P.K. Scott will be appointed Director General Operations, Strategic Joint Staff, in Ottawa ON, replacing Brigadier-General J.P.R. Prevost
(4) Colonel J.E.S. Boucher will be promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General and will deploy as Commander Task Force Jerusalem, Operation Proteus, in Jerusalem, replacing Brigadier-General P.K. Scott
G. For the first time ever, the CAF will be sending a General Officer to the United States Air Force Space Command (USAFSPC). Brigadier-General K.G. Whale will be appointed to a new position as the Deputy Commander Plans, USAFSPC, in Colorado Springs CO, resulting in the following promotion and appointment:
(1) Colonel G.M. Adamson will be promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General and will be appointed Director General Space, in Ottawa ON, replacing Brigadier-General K.G. Whale
H. Captain(N) D.A. Charlebois will be promoted to the rank of Commodore and will deploy as Commander Combined Task Force 150
I. Colonel M. Gros-Jean will be promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General and will be appointed to a new position as Deputy Commander Support, Canadian Special Operations Force, in Ottawa ON
The following general officers and flag officers will be promoted from Acting While So Employed (AWSE) to substantive:
(1) Brigadier-General F.G. Carpentier will be promoted to the Substantive rank of Brigadier-General and remain Commander, 2nd Canadian Division and Joint Task Force (East)
(2) Brigadier-General R.B. Dundon will be promoted to the substantive rank of Brigadier-General and remain Director General Land Equipment Program Management
(3) Brigadier-General M.I.N. Tremblay will be promoted to the substantive rank of Brigadier-General and remain Director General Aerospace Equipment Program Management
After distinguished service to Canada and the CAF, the following General Officers and Flag Officers retired in the latter stage of 2019 or will retire in 2020:
A. Lieutenant-General S.J. Bowes
B. Vice-Admiral D.C. Hawco
C. Lieutenant-General J.M. Lanthier
D. Lieutenant-General C.T. Whitecross
E. Major-General S.M. Cadden
F. Rear-Admiral L. Cassivi
G. Major-General F.J. Chagnon
H. Major-General A.M.T. Downes
I. Rear-Admiral J.A.S. Page
J. Major-General J.S. Sirois
K. Brigadier-General D.J. Anderson
L. Brigadier-General D.B. Cochrane
M. Brigadier General K.R. Cotten
N. Brigadier-General J.J.M. Girard
O. Brigadier-General M. Leblanc
P. Brigadier-General B.W.G. McPherson
Q. Brigadier General J.P.L. Meloche
R. Brigadier-General J.M. Theriault
Image: Commander Canadian Joint Operations Command Lieutenant-General Mike Rouleau salutes during the Operation PRESENCE-Mali medals parade at Camp Castor on June 8, 2019. Photo: Corporal François Charest 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (430 Tac Hel Sqn) TM02-2019-0076-0015