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Senior CF Promotions & Appointments  –  DND Press Release  –  March 2010 News — Canadian Forces Senior Promotions and Appointments The annual announcement of CF senior officer promotions and appointments is usually of little interest to the citizenry outside of  military personnel. This year is different  because of  who is out. As Chief of  the Land Staff, LGen Andrew Leslie had been making some very public warnings about proposed cuts to the Army's budget and curtailed procurement projects. In the latter category, at most risk were armoured vehicle projects  (such as CCV and TAPV ). How these projects were pitched  to Cabinet might have been handled better. But there's a simple reason for that – Leslie is a soldier from a line of  soldiers, not a politician. So why was Leslie dropped from his position as CLS?  No one doubts the capabilities of his replacement, MGen Peter Devlin. But removing a CLS while the Army is fighting and dying in a warzone deserves an explanation beyond political incovenience. It does seem as if the current government has simply lost interest in Afghanistan  –  why,  for example was BGen Ménard promoted as preparations are being made for an offensive in Kandahar? No doubt the promotion is deserved but its timing verges on the bizarre. [ Update:  Speaking of  bizarre developments, following his accidental discharge of a weapon and an alleged, inappropriate personal relationship in the field, BGen Ménard was relieved of his command of JTF-Afghanistan on 29 May 2010 and will now return home. It is unlikely that the announced LFQA appointment still awaits BGen Ménard.] The contents of  the 24 March 2010 DND press release from the MND follows below. The list has been edited for brevity and spellings rationalized – including substitution of DND rank abbreviations. [Brief biographical details are inserted in square brackets.] News Release Minister of  National Defence announces senior promotions and appointments NR - 10.021 - March 24, 2010 OTTAWA – The Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of National Defence, is pleased to announce the senior Canadian Forces (CF) promotions and appointments for 2010. These officers lead the CF in defending Canada's values, interests and sover- eignty at home and abroad. "The men and women of the Canadian Forces are performing at a very demanding tempo and strong leadership is essential for our continued success," said Minister MacKay. "I firmly believe that these General Officers and Flag Officers, with their knowledge, experience and skills will rise to the challenges that lie ahead of them." "I have trust and confidence that these men and women possess the critical leadership attributes to assume these key appointments and command positions both in Canada and internationally," said General Walter Natyncyzk, Chief of the Defence Staff [CDS]. "I know these senior officers, and I am confident in their ability to excel in leading the men and women under their command." The following promotions and appointments for Regular Force senior officers will take place in 2010: •  VAdm AB Donaldson appointed Vice Chief of the Defence Staff [VCDS], replacing     VAdm JAD Rouleau;    [ VAdm Bruce Donaldson was Commander Canada Command. Prior to that, he was     Director of Staff-Strategic Joint Staff, and command of the Canadian Pacific Fleet.] •  VAdm JAD Rouleau appointed Canadian military representative to NATO, replacing     retiring LGen CJR [ Christopher ] Davis;    [ Before becoming VCDS, VAdm Denis Rouleau was Chief of Programmes at NDHQ.] •  MGen PJ Devlin promoted LGen and appointed Chief of the Land Staff, replacing     LGen AB [Andrew] Leslie;    [ MGen Devlin commanded 2 CMBG and the Kabul Multi-National Brigade before     serving as Deputy Commanding General of  III ( US ) Corps at Fort Hood, Texas.] •  MGen W Semianiw promoted LGen and appointed Commander Canada Command,     Ottawa, replacing VAdm AB Donaldson;    [ MGen Walter Semianiw had been Chief of  Military Personnel at NDHQ, Ottawa.] •  MGen SA Beare appointed Deputy Commander - NATO Training Mission-Afghan-     istan (NTM-A), replacing MGen MJ Ward;    [ MGen Stuart Beare was Chief of Force Development after commanding in Bosnia.] •  RAdm NS Greenwood appointed both Commander Joint Task Force Pacific and     Commander Maritime Forces Pacific, replacing retiring RAdm THW [Tyrone] Pile;    [ RAdm Nigel Greenwood was Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific before becoming     the Assistant Chief of the Maritime Staff.] •  MGen JMM Hainse appointed Deputy Director General International Security Policy     at NDHQ, replacing Cmdre DC Gardam;    [ MGen Marquis Hainse commanded 5 CMBG and was the Deputy Commander RC-     South, Afghanistan before becoming Chief of Staff of Canada Command in 2006.] •  RAdm PA Maddison appointed Assistant Chief of the Maritime Staff, replacing     RAdm NS Greenwood;    [ RAdm  Paul Maddison  was Assistant Chief  Military Personnel before becoming     Commander Joint Task Force Atlantic and  Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic.] •  MGen MJ Ward appointed Commander Canadian Defence Academy in Kingston,     replacing MGen JPYD [Daniel] Gosselin;    [ MGen Mike Ward commanded the CF's Land Force Doctrine and Training System,     then COS J3 and CEFCOM COS Ops before becoming Chief of Force Development.] •  Cmdre DC Gardam promoted RAdm and appointed  Commander  Joint Task Force     Atlantic and Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic, replacing RAdm PA Maddison;    [Cmdre David Gardam was the Acting Director General International Security Policy     prior to becaming Deputy Director General International Security Policy in Jan 2010] •  Cmdre RW Greenwood  promoted  RAdm and appointed  Commander  Canadian     Defence Liaison Staff (Washington), replacing retiring MGen DW Langton;    [Cmdre Greenwood was Director General Maritime Equipment Program Management] •  BGen JRMG Laroche promoted MGen and appointed Commander Land Force Doc-     trine and Training System Headquarters, Kingston, replacing MGen JMM Hainse;    [ BGen Guy Laroche was Commander of JTA-Afghanistan (Roto 4) before he was     appointed Commander of  Land Forces Quebec Area and  Joint Task Force East.] •  Cmdre MFR Lloyd promoted RAdm and appointed Chief of Force Development at     NDHQ, replacing MGen SA Beare;    [ Cmdre Ron Lloyd was first Commander Canadian Fleet Atlantic, then Fleet Pacific.] •  BGen JAJ Parent promoted MGen will be appointed Deputy Commander Canadian     Expeditionary Forces Command, NDHQ, replacing MGen PJ Devlin;    [ BGen Alain Parent commanded 1 Wing, Kingston before becoming Chief of Staff,     Canadian Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM).] •  BGen JMC Rousseau promoted MGen and appointed Chief of Defence Intelligence,     NDHQ, replacing retiring MGen MG MacDonald;    [ BGen Rousseau was Deputy CoS for Support with HQ ISAF before becoming the     Director of Operations-Defence/International Security in the Privy Council Office.] •  Cmdre AM Smith promoted RAdm will be appointed Chief of Military Personnel,     NDHQ, replacing MGen W Semianiw;    [ Cmdre Andrew Smith had held the Assistant Chief Military Personnel position.] •  BGen RV Blanchette appointed Director General ADM (Public Affairs) at NDHQ;    [ BGen Richard Blanchette was formerly a spokesman for ISAF in Afghanistan.] •  BGen S Bowes appointed Commander Land Force Atlantic Area Halifax, replacing     BGen AT Stack;    [ BGen Stephen Bowes was Deputy Chief of Staff Plans and Projects, ISAF, Kabul.] •  BGen JAG Champagne appointed Deputy Commander Canada Command Head-     quarters, replacing retiring BGen JPPJ Lacroix;     [BGen Gerry Champagne was Deputy Commander Strategic Effects for RC-South in     Afghanistan and previous Commander of 5e GSS (Groupe de soutien de Secteur).] •  Cmdre JETP Ellis appointed Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific, replacing Cmdre     MFR Lloyd;    [ The former Deputy Commander of  the Canadian Fleet Pacific (from 2006 to 2008),     Cmdre Peter Ellis later became the Director General, Maritime Force Development.] •  Cmdre PTE Finn appointed Director General Maritime Equipment Program Manage-     ment, NDHQ, replacing Cmdre RW Greenwood;    [ Cmdre Pat Finn was PM for the Canadian Surface Combatant project. Prior to that,     then-Capt(N) Finn was Commandant of the Canadian Forces Fleet School, Halifax.] •  Cmdre LM Hickey appointed Commander Canadian Fleet Atlantic, replacing Cmdre     MAG Norman;    [ Cmdre Larry Hickey had been Director General Maritime Personnel and Readiness.] •  BGen HF Jaeger appointed Director General Reserves and Cadets, replacing retiring     Cmdre JR MacIsaac,;    [BGen Hilary Jaeger had been Surgeon General since 2004. In 2007 she also took on     being Commander CF Health Services Group and Director General Health Services] •  BGen MP Jorgensen appointed Deputy J5 [Director of Plans, Policy, and Programs],     Joint Force Command (JFC) HQ Brunssum, the Netherlands;    [ BGen Mike Jorgensen commanded the Combat Training Centre at CFB Gagetown     prior to assuming the command of Land Force Western Area] •  Acting BGen CR King promoted BGen and appointed Director General Operations,     Strategic Joint Staff, NDHQ, replacing BGen RV Blanchette;    [ BGen Craig King became the Army G3 (operations officer) responsible for strategic     force generation in June 2008 having come from commanding CMTC, Wainwright.] •  BGen JC Madower appointed Assistant Chief Military Personnel, NDHQ, replacing     Cmdre AM Smith;    [ After NORAD, BGen John Madower became Director General Military Careers.] •  BGen EN Matern appointed  Chief of  Staff  (Operations)  Canadian Expeditionary     Forces Command, replacing BGen JAJ Parent;    [ BGen Nicolas Matern, former head of JTF2, was Deputy Commanding General for     Operations of the US Army's XVIII Airborne Corps, recently deploying to Haiti.] •  Acting BGen JBD Ménard  promoted BGen and appointed  Commander Land Force     Quebec Area, replacing BGen JRMG Laroche;    [Acting BGen JBD Ménard is best known as the Commander of JTF-Afghanistan.] •  BGen DB Millar appointed Director of Operations, Defence / International Security,     Foreign and Defence Policy Secretariat at the Pricy Council Office in Ottawa,     replacing BGen JMC Rousseau;    [ BGen David Millar has an aircraft maintenance background. He was Director Opera-     ions Support/Specialists before assuming the command of  Joint Task Force North. ] •  BGen DG Neasmith appointed to Combined Security Transition Command Assistant     Commanding General for Afghan National Army development in Afghanistan,     replacing BGen PF Wynnyk;    [BGen Dave Neasmith was Commander, Land Force Atlantic Area since June 2008.] •  Cmdre MAG Norman appointed Director General Maritime Force Development at     NDHQ, replacing Cmdre JETP Ellis;    [ Cmdre Mark Norman was Commander Canadian Fleet Atlantic from March of 2009.] •  Acting BGen JGE Tremblay promoted BGen and remains as Deputy Commanding     General (US)  I Corps,  Fort Lewis, Washington;    [ A/BGen Eric Tremblay commanded 5CMBG before being assigned to the US Army,     becoming Deputy Commanding General for 1 US Corps in January of 2009.] •  BGen JH Vance appointed Director General Land Capability Development, NDHQ,     replacing BGen JRA Tremblay;    [ BGen Jonathan Vance is best known as the Commander of JTF-Afghanistan.] •  BGen JYRA Viens appointed Director General Military Careers at NDHQ, replacing     BGen JC [John] Madower;    [ BGen André Viens was Deputy Commander of Continental US NORAD Region.] •  BGen CT Whitecross appointed International Secrutity and Assistance Force [ISAF]     Deputy Chief of Staff Communication in Afghanistan;    [ BGen Chris Whitecross has an Air Force Construction Engineering background.     She has been Commander of Joint Task Force (North), Yellowknife since July 2006 ] •  Cmdre KE Williams will be appointed Commander Canadian Defence Liaison Staff     (London, England), replacing retiring MGen JDA [Joe] Hincke;    [Cmdre Kelly Williams has been Assistant Chief of  the Maritime Staff since 2007.] •  BGen PF Wynnyk appointed Commander Land Force Western Area, replacing BGen     MP Jorgensen;    [ BGen Paul Wynnyk was Assistant Commanding General responsible for ANA     development with the Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan.] •  Capt(N) MS Adamson promoted Commodore and appointed Project Manager     Canadian Surface Combatant, NDHQ, replacing Cmdre PTE Finn;    [Capt(N) Martin Adamson commanded the Fleet Maintenance Facility at Esquimalt.] •  Capt(N) BW Belliveau promoted Commodore (acting while so employed) appointed     Deputy Chief of Staff Operations Maritime Component Command [Northwood, UK];    [ Capt(N) Bruce Belliveau had been the DCOS, Operations at Canada Command.] •  Col JC Coates promoted BGen and appointed Deputy Commander CONUS NORAD,     Tyndall AFB, Florida, replacing BGen JYRA Viens;    [ Col Christopher Coates was the first Commander of  JTF-Afghanistan Air Wing.] •  Col KA Corbould promoted BGen (acting while so employed) and appointed Deputy     Commander 10th Mountain Division HQ in Afghanistan;    [ Col Andre Corbould, a combat engineer, is the CoS of  Land Force Western Area.] •  Col MD Day promoted BGen (acting while so employed) and remains Commander     Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, Ottawa;    [ Col Mike Day headed JTF2 before assuming command of  CANSOFSOM in 2007.] •  Col JJRG Hamel promoted BGen and appointed Commander Joint Task Force North,     Yellowknife, replacing BGen DB Millar;    [Col Guy Hamel was Director of Air Strategic Plans before commanding CFB Borden] •  Col MJ Hood promoted BGen and appointed Director General  Air Force Develop-     ment at NDHQ Ottawa, replacing retiring BGen DA Davies;    [ Col Mike Hood commanded 8 Wing - CFB Trenton after being the J5 at CEFCOM.] •  Col JCG Juneau promoted BGen (acting while so employed) and appointed  Deputy     Commanding General XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, California [sic], replacing     BGen EN Matern; [1]    [Col Christian Juneau was Deputy Commander, JTA-Afghanistan, Roto 4, until May     2008. In June 2008, Col Juneau took command of CMTC at CFB/ASU Wainwright.] •  Col FA Lewis promoted BGen and appointed Commander Land Force Central Area,     replacing BGen JGJC Collin;    [ Col  Fred Lewis was Military Staff Officer to TF Jerusalem (Op Proteus) having     previously commanded the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College.] •  Col DJ Milner promoted BGen (acting while so employed) & appointed Commander     Joint Task Force in Afghanistan (JTA-A) replacing BGen JBD Ménard;    [Col Dean Milner commanded 2 CMBG after being Director Army Training, LFDTS.] •  Col LN Russell promoted BGen and appointed Director General Air Personnel at     NDHQ, replacing retiring BGen TFJ Leversedge; •  Capt(N) DL Sing promoted Commodore (acting while so employed) appointed     Director General Naval Personnel, NDHQ, replacing Commodore LM Hickey; •  Col JPJ St-Amand promoted BGen, appointed J5 Director Strategic Plans in Supreme     Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) HQ, Mons Casteau, Belgium; and •  Col CC Thurrott promoted BGen and appointed Deputy Commander and Chief of     Operations and Plans Canadian Operations Support Command, Ottawa, replacing     BGen CT Whitecross. [1] The XVIII Airborne Corps (and 82nd Airborne) are, of course, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina not the small city of  the same name in Mendocino County, California.