LGen Eyre announces CAF General and Flag Officer senior appointments, promotions, and retirements

Above images courtesy of the CAF. 

Today, the Acting Chief of the Defence Staff Lieutenant-General (LGen) Wayne Eyre announced the appointment of a new Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS), LGen Frances Allen.

The announcement is part of the 2021 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) General and Flag Officer (GOFO) senior appointments, promotions, and retirements.

LGen Allen will be taking over the position from the current VCDS LGen Mike Rouleau. LGen Allen is the first woman to be appointed to the position.

Most recently, LGen Allen served as Canada’s Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee in Brussels, Belgium. She enrolled in the CAF in 1983 and completed her Communication Electronics Engineering Officer (CELE) Air training in 1988 after graduating from Queen’s University.

Following CELE training, her early operational postings included 764 Communications Squadron, the Canadian Forces School of Communications and Electronics in Kingston, Canadian Forces Station Carp, and 76 Communications Group.

Allen has commanded at multiple levels throughout her career, including Officer Commanding the National Systems Management Centre in Ottawa, at the Aerospace and Telecommunications Engineering Support Squadron in Trenton, as well as, the Canadian Forces Network Operations Centre, and the Canadian Forces Information Operations Group.

LGen. Allen Staff Appointments

Staff appointments have included:
the Operations Officer for the Information Protection Centre,
Executive Assistant to the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff,
Director Support Operations in the Strategic Joint Staff.

On promotion in 2014 to Brigadier-General (BGen), she assumed the post of Director General Defence Security at National Defence Headquarters.

Allen also served as Director-General Cyberspace, Director General Information Management Operations at NDHQ, and Joint Force Cyber Component Commander.

She was appointed Deputy Vice Chief of the Defence Staff after being promoted to Major-General (MGen) in June 2018. She was promoted to the rank of LGen in July 2020.

Additional appointments and retirements included in the announcement

In addition to the new VCDS, LGen Eyre announced the following appointments and retirements:

LGen Omer Lavoie will retire from service. MGen Jocelyn Paul will be promoted LGen and be appointed Deputy Commander Allied Joint Force Command in Naples, Italy.

MGen Guy Chapdelaine will retire from service and his responsibilities as the Canadian Armed Forces Chaplain General. Colonel Guy Belisle will be promoted to BGen and appointed Chaplain General in Ottawa.

General and Flag Officer (GOFO) senior appointments, promotions, and retirements

The announcement also included 2021 CAF GOFO senior appointments, promotions, and retirements were also announced.

General Officers (Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force) and Flag Officers (Royal Canadian Navy) lead the CAF in defending Canada’s values and interests, here at home and abroad.

Eyre expressed, “The responsibilities of shaping the CAF of the future are great. I know they are all ready for the challenges ahead. To those retiring, my thanks for your service and dedication to Canada.”

Every year permanent and temporary positions are created and removed. This year, the following permanent and temporary GOFO positions have been created to meet CAF operational requirements.

To steer and control the development and further evolution of joint combat systems within the CAF and the Department of National Defence, a temporary position has been created which will be accountable to the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) and in support of Canada’s Defence Policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged.

This position will set the conditions for the execution of an approved joint combat systems solution, ultimately enhancing and expanding existing and future interoperability of the CAF. LGen Michael Rouleau will be appointed to the new position as Strategic Advisor to the CDS on Future Capabilities in Ottawa.

The CAF will be sending a General Officer to the United States to advise, monitor, and assess the execution of joint and combined combat and crisis operations and planning throughout the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) area of responsibility. MGen Derek Macaulay will be appointed to the new position as the USCENTCOM Vice Director of Operations in Tampa, Florida.

To provide supervision and oversight of all Data, Innovation, Analytics Group business management functions including Public Affairs and Strategic Communications, Human Resources, Finance/Comptrollership, Business Planning and internal Data Analytics. BGen Christopher Zimmer will be promoted to MGen and appointed Chief of Staff (Data, Innovation, Analytics) in Ottawa.

To provide supervision and oversight of Digital Enterprise Modernization activities, including the Defence Resource Business Modernization (DRMIS) Programme, as well as, developing options for future programme or project portfolios for other Defence enterprise digital modernization efforts. Commodore Steven Thornton will be appointed Director General Digital Enterprise Modernization (DG DEM) in Ottawa.

To provide supervision and oversight of all corporate business management functions for the Chief of Combat Systems Integration, provide input into strategic direction for the development of DND/CAF plans, programs requirements and analysis related to the capital equipment procurement, Pan Domain Command and Control solutions, Operational Sustainment optimization, DND digital initiatives development and Professional Military Education oversight. BGen Keith Osmond will be appointed Deputy Chief of Combat Systems Integration in Ottawa.

The CAF will be sending a General Officer on a three-year rotation to NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe to provide cross-cutting authority, direction and requirement setting at the strategic level for all project, maintain and sustain functions of logistics. BGen Carla Harding will be appointed Assistant Chief of Staff J4 (Logistics) in Casteau, Belgium.

Temporary and GOFO positions removed

This year, the following permanent and temporary GOFO positions have been removed:

· CENTCOM J4 (MGen/RAdm)
· NATO Mission Iraq (MGen/RAdm)
· Queens University Fellowship (BGen/Cmdre)
· Associate Director-General – Data, Innovations and Analytics (BGen/Cmdre)
· OPERATION IMPACT Military Liaison Team (BGen/Cmdre)
· Maritime Component Command Deputy Chief of Staff Operations (BGen/Cmdre)
· Combined Task Force 150 (BGen/Cmdre)
· Permanent Mission New York (BGen/Cmdre)