Former Chief of the Defence Staff relinquishes military honour

Above image: Left, Order of Military Merit, right General (ret’d) Jonathan Vance, the Canadian military’s former Chief of the Defence Staff.

Gen. (ret’d) Jonathan Vance, the Canadian military’s former Chief of the Defence Staff, terminated the Order of Military Merit at his own request.

According to a CANFORGEN released on May 22, Her Excellency the Governor General, Mary May Simon, signed an ordinance accepting the resignation of the Vance from the Order.

Vance’s request to resign from the Order of Military Merit comes just months after pleading guilty to one count of obstruction of justice, where he was sentenced to 80 hours of community service.

Over the last year, Vance faced accusations of inappropriate behaviour in the workplace.

“On behalf of her majesty the Queen, Sovereign of the Order of Military Merit, Her Excellency the Governor General the Right Honourable Mary May Simon, Chancellor and an Extraordinary Commander of the said order, at the request of the member and in accordance with Section 25(1)(B) of the constitution of the said order, has signed an ordinance accepting the resignation of the following former member of the CAF from the order of military Merit effective 20 Apr 22,” stated the CANFORGEN.

According to the Governor General’s website, the Order of Military Merit was founded on July 1, 1972, to recognize merit and exception service displayed by the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces. Many of the recipients have gone beyond the call of duty.