Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada)
The Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS; French: Vice-chef d’état-major de la Défense) is the third most senior member of the Canadian Armed Forces, reporting to the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) as well as the Deputy Minister of National Defence. The Directorate General Executive Coordination, the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal, the National Cadet and Junior Canadian Rangers Support Group and several other departments report to the VCDS,[1] who is appointed by the CDS.[2]
Vice Chief of the Defence Staff
Vice-chef d’état-major de la Défense | |
---|---|
![]() Badge of the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff | |
Her Majesty's Canadian Armed Forces | |
Type | Commissioned Officer |
Status | Currently constituted |
Abbreviation | VCDS |
Reports to | Chief of the Defence Staff |
Formation | 1964 |
First holder | Geoffrey Walsh |
Deputy | DG Executive Coordination Chief of Staff VCDS |
Website | Official website |
Recent history
Vice-Admiral Mark Norman was temporarily relieved as VCDS on January 13, 2017, due to an ongoing investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.[3] As a temporary replacement, Vice-Admiral Ron Lloyd was appointed the duties of VCDS on an acting basis, and he was subsequently replaced by Lieutenant-General Alain Parent on May 30, 2017.[4]
On July 16, 2018, Lieutenant-General Paul Wynnyk was named Vice Chief of the Defence Staff.[5] On July 9, 2019, Wynnyk announced his retirement[6] after he claimed that the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Jonathan Vance, planned to replace him as Vice Chief of the Defence Staff with Vice-Admiral Mark Norman.[7] Wynnyk then claimed these plans were reversed when Vice-Admiral Norman settled with the government and retired from the military. Wynnyk was the fifth Vice Chief to serve under Vance.[7]
On July 12, 2019, Lieutenant-General Jean-Marc Lanthier was appointed Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, effective July 18, 2019.[8]
On March 16, 2020, it was announced that LGen Lanthier was retiring in the summer, to be replaced by Lieutenant General Michael Rouleau.[9]
Vice Chiefs of the Defence Staff
No. | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Home Province | Defence branch | Appointed by | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Geoffrey Walsh (1909–1999) | Lieutenant-General1964 | 1965 | 0–1 years | ![]() | ![]() | Frank Miller | [10] | |
2 | Robert Moncel (1917–2007) | Lieutenant-General1965 | 1966 | 0–1 years | ![]() | ![]() | Frank Miller | [11] | |
3 | Frederick Sharp (1915–1992) | Lieutenant-General1966 | 1969 | 2–3 years | ![]() | ![]() | Jean Allard | [12] | |
4 | Michael Dare (1917–1996) | Lieutenant-GeneralSeptember 1969 | 1972 | 2–3 years | ![]() | ![]() | Frederick Sharp | [12] | |
5 | Chester Hull (1919–2012) | Lieutenant-General1972 | 1974 | 1–2 years | ![]() | ![]() | Jacques Dextraze | [13] | |
6 | Robert Falls (1924–2009) | Vice-Admiral1974 | 1977 | 2–3 years | ![]() | ![]() | Jacques Dextraze | [14] | |
7 | Ramsey Withers (1930–2014) | Lieutenant-General1977 | 1980 | 2–3 years | ![]() | ![]() | Robert Falls | [15] | |
8 | Gérard Charles Édouard Thériault (1932–1998) | Lieutenant-General1980 | 1983 | 2–3 years | ![]() | ![]() | Ramsey Withers | [16] | |
9 | Daniel Mainguy (1930–2010) | Vice-Admiral1983 | 1985 | 1–2 years | ![]() | ![]() | Gérard Charles Édouard Thériault | [17] | |
10 | Jack Vance (1933–2013) | Lieutenant-General1985 | 1988 | 2–3 years | ![]() | ![]() | Gérard Charles Édouard Thériault | [18] | |
11 | John de Chastelain (born 1937) | Lieutenant-General1988 | 1989 | 0–1 years | ![]() | ![]() | Paul Manson | [19] | |
12 | Charles Thomas (born 1936) | Vice-Admiral1989 | 11 May 1991 | 1–2 years | ![]() | ![]() | Paul Manson | [20] | |
13 | Fred Sutherland (born 1942) | Lieutenant-General1991 | 1992 | 0–1 years | ![]() | ![]() | John de Chastelain | [21] | |
14 | John Anderson (born 1941) | Vice-Admiral1992 | 1993 | 0–1 years | ![]() | ![]() | John de Chastelain | [22] | |
15 | Patrick O'Donnell (1940–2015) | Lieutenant-General1993 | 1995 | 1–2 years | ![]() | ![]() | John Anderson | [23] | |
16 | Larry Murray (born 1947) | Vice-Admiral1995 | 1997 | 1–2 years | ![]() | ![]() | John de Chastelain | [24] | |
17 | Gary Garnett | Vice-Admiral1997 | 2001 | 3–4 years | ![]() | ![]() | Maurice Baril | [25] | |
18 | George MacDonald | Lieutenant-General2001 | 2004 | 2–3 years | . | ![]() | Raymond Henault | [26] | |
19 | Ronald Buck | Vice-Admiral2004 | 2006 | 1–2 years | ![]() | ![]() | Raymond Henault | [27] | |
20 | Walter Natynczyk (born 1957) | Lieutenant-General28 June 2006 | 15 June 2008 | 1 year, 353 days | ![]() | ![]() | Rick Hillier | [28] | |
21 | Denis Rouleau | Vice-Admiral15 June 2008 | 25 July 2010 | 2 years, 40 days | ![]() | ![]() | Rick Hillier | [29] | |
22 | Bruce Donaldson | Vice-Admiral26 July 2010 | 11 September 2013 | 3 years, 47 days | . | ![]() | Walter Natynczyk | [30] | |
23 | Guy Thibault | Lieutenant-General11 September 2013 | 5 August 2016 | 2 years, 329 days | ![]() | ![]() | Thomas Lawson | [31] | |
24 | Mark Norman (born 1964) | Vice-Admiral5 August 2016 | 13 January 2017 | 161 days | ![]() | ![]() | Jonathan Vance | [32] | |
- | Ron Lloyd (born 1963) Acting | Vice-Admiral13 January 2017 | 30 May 2017 | 137 days | . | ![]() | . | . | |
- | Alain Parent Acting | Lieutenant-General30 May 2017 | 16 July 2018 | 1 year, 47 days | . | ![]() | . | . | |
25 | Paul Wynnyk (born 1964) | Lieutenant-General16 July 2018 | 9 July 2019 | 358 days | ![]() | ![]() | Jonathan Vance | [5] | |
26 | Jean-Marc Lanthier | Lieutenant-General18 July 2019 | 15 July 2020 | 363 days | . | ![]() | Jonathan Vance | [33] | |
27 | Michael Rouleau (born 1967) | Lieutenant-General15 July 2020 | Incumbent | 35 days | . | ![]() | Jonathan Vance | [34] |
References
- "VCDS - Organization". Vcds.forces.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
- "National Defence Act". Department of Justice. Retrieved 2012-05-08.
- "Updated – Vice Chief of the Defence Staff Mark Norman removed from command". Ottawa Citizen. 2017-01-17. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
- Defence, Government of Canada, National. "National Defence | Canadian Armed Forces | Article | New A/VCDS to assume position May 30". www.forces.gc.ca. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
- "New Commander for the Canadian Army: changes in the Canadian army command". July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
- Change to the senior ranks of the Canadian Armed Forces
- "Vice-chief of defence staff resigns, citing plan Mark Norman was to replace him - National | Globalnews.ca". globalnews.ca. July 9, 2019.
- "Lanthier to become Vice Chief of the Defence Staff". Canadian Army. July 12, 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
- "Lt.-Gen. Mike Rouleau named Vice Chief of the Defence Staff". Ottawa Citizen. 16 March 2020.
- "Army cadet league" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
- Robert Moncel Generals.dk
- DND Language Reform: Staffing the Bilingualism Programs 1967-1977
- 427 Squadron Association
- Admiral Robert Hilborn Falls CMM, CD
- Ramsey Muir Withers
- Gérard-Charles-Édouard Thériault The Canadian Encyclopedia
- Vice-Admiral Daniel Nicholas Mainguy, CMM, CD, RCN (Retd)
- Lieutenant-General J.E. "Jack" Vance, CMM, CD (Ret'd) Passes Archived October 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Royal Canadian Regiment
- General John De Chastelain, OC, CMM, CD, CH, LL.D., BA Army Cadet History
- Charles Thomas The Nauticapedia
- 8 Wing / CFB Trenton to host leadership seminar The Contact, March 27, 2009
- John Rogers Anderson The Nauticapedia
- Patrick O'Donnell CFN Consultants
- Parliament of Canada Evidence, October 29, 1996
- Vice Admiral (Retired) Gary L. Garnett, CMM CD Senate Committee for National Security and Defence
- George MacDonald CFN Consultants
- "Ron Buck, CMM, CD" (PDF). Navy League of Canada. Retrieved 2013-02-27.
- "Walter Natynczyk". NATO. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
- Rear-Admiral Denis Rouleau is Announced as Next Vice Chief of the Defence Staff for the Canadian Forces
- Vice-Admiral Bruce Donaldson Assumes Role as Vice Chief of the Defence Staff
- Lieutenant-General Guy Thibault assumes role as Vice Chief of the Defence Staff Archived October 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- Tasker, John Paul (19 January 2016). "Top ranks of Canadian Forces get shake-up with new army, navy commanders". CBC News. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
- "Lt.-Gen. Lanthier named as new vice chief, more generals promoted". Ottawa Citizen. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
- "Lt.-Gen. Lanthier named as new vice chief, more generals promoted". Ottawa Citizen. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.