Vice Chief of the Defence Staff | |
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Vice-chef d’état-major de la Défense | |
Badge of the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff | |
Incumbent Lieutenant-General Stephen Kelsey since 1 August 2024 | |
His 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 |
The Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS; French: Vice-chef d’état-major de la Défense) is the second 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, who is appointed by the CDS.
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. 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.
On July 16, 2018, Lieutenant-General Paul Wynnyk was named Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. On July 9, 2019, Wynnyk announced his retirement 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. Wynnyk then alleged that 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.
On July 12, 2019, Lieutenant-General Jean-Marc Lanthier was appointed Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, effective July 18, 2019. On March 16, 2020, it was announced that Lanthier was retiring in the summer, to be replaced by Lieutenant-General Michael Rouleau.
In March 2021, it was announced that Rouleau would be succeeded by Lieutenant-General Frances J. Allen, the first woman to hold the position. On June 28, 2021, she formally assumed the role of VCDS in a ceremony at National Defence Headquarters.
Vice Chiefs of the Defence Staff
No. | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Home Province | Defence branch | Appointed by | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Walsh, GeoffreyLieutenant-General Geoffrey Walsh (1909–1999) | 1964 | 1965 | 0–1 years | Ontario | Canadian Army | Miller, FrankFrank Miller | ||
2 | Moncel, RobertLieutenant-General Robert Moncel (1917–2007) | 1965 | 1966 | 0–1 years | Quebec | Canadian Army | Miller, FrankFrank Miller | ||
3 | Sharp, FrederickLieutenant-General Frederick Sharp (1915–1992) | 1966 | 1969 | 2–3 years | Saskatchewan | Royal Canadian Air Force | Allard, JeanJean Allard | ||
4 | Dare, MichaelLieutenant-General Michael Dare (1917–1996) | September 1969 | 1972 | 2–3 years | Quebec | Canadian Army | Sharp, FrederickFrederick Sharp | ||
5 | Hull, ChesterLieutenant-General Chester Hull (1919–2012) | 1972 | 1974 | 1–2 years | Ontario | Royal Canadian Air Force | Dextraze, JacquesJacques Dextraze | ||
6 | Falls, RobertVice-Admiral Robert Falls (1924–2009) | 1974 | 1977 | 2–3 years | Ontario | Royal Canadian Navy | Dextraze, JacquesJacques Dextraze | ||
7 | Withers, RamseyLieutenant-General Ramsey Withers (1930–2014) | 1977 | 1980 | 2–3 years | Ontario | Canadian Army | Falls, RobertRobert Falls | ||
8 | Allan, JohnVice-Admiral John Allan (1928–2014) | 1980 | 1982 | 1–2 years | Ontario | Royal Canadian Navy | Withers, RamseyRamsey Withers | ||
9 | Thériault, Gérard Charles ÉdouardLieutenant-General Gérard Charles Édouard Thériault (1932–1998) | 1982 | 1983 | 0–1 years | Quebec | Royal Canadian Air Force | Withers, RamseyRamsey Withers | ||
10 | Mainguy, DanielVice-Admiral Daniel Mainguy (1930–2010) | 1983 | 1985 | 1–2 years | British Columbia | Royal Canadian Navy | Thériault, GérardGérard Charles Édouard Thériault | ||
11 | Vance, JackLieutenant-General Jack Vance (1933–2013) | 1985 | 1988 | 2–3 years | Ontario | Canadian Army | Thériault, GérardGérard Charles Édouard Thériault | ||
12 | Chastelain, JohnLieutenant-General John de Chastelain (born 1937) | 1988 | 1989 | 0–1 years | Romania | Canadian Army | Manson, PaulPaul Manson | ||
13 | Thomas, CharlesVice-Admiral Charles Thomas (born 1936) | 1989 | 11 May 1991 | 1–2 years | British Columbia | Royal Canadian Navy | Manson, PaulPaul Manson | ||
14 | Sutherland, FredLieutenant-General Fred Sutherland (born 1942) | 1991 | 1992 | 0–1 years | Nova Scotia | Royal Canadian Air Force | Chastelain, JohnJohn de Chastelain | ||
15 | Anderson, JohnVice-Admiral John Anderson (born 1941) | 1992 | 1993 | 0–1 years | British Columbia | Royal Canadian Navy | Chastelain, JohnJohn de Chastelain | ||
16 | O'Donnell, PatrickLieutenant-General Patrick O'Donnell (1940–2015) | 1993 | 1995 | 1–2 years | Ontario | Canadian Army | Anderson, JohnJohn Anderson | ||
17 | Murray, LarryVice-Admiral Larry Murray (born 1947) | 1995 | 1997 | 1–2 years | Ontario | Royal Canadian Navy | Chastelain, JohnJohn de Chastelain | ||
18 | Garnett, GaryVice-Admiral Gary Garnett | 1997 | 2001 | 3–4 years | British Columbia | Royal Canadian Navy | Baril, MauriceMaurice Baril | ||
19 | Macdonald, GeorgeLieutenant-General George Macdonald | 2001 | 2004 | 2–3 years | . | Royal Canadian Air Force | Henault, RayRaymond Henault | ||
20 | Buck, RonaldVice-Admiral Ronald Buck | 2004 | 2006 | 1–2 years | Quebec | Royal Canadian Navy | Henault, RayRaymond Henault | ||
21 | Natynczyk, WalterLieutenant-General Walter Natynczyk (born 1957) | 28 June 2006 | 15 June 2008 | 1 year, 353 days | Manitoba | Canadian Army | Hillier, RickRick Hillier | ||
22 | Rouleau, DenisVice-Admiral Denis Rouleau | 15 June 2008 | 25 July 2010 | 2 years, 40 days | Quebec | Royal Canadian Navy | Hillier, RickRick Hillier | ||
23 | Donaldson, BruceVice-Admiral Bruce Donaldson | 26 July 2010 | 11 September 2013 | 3 years, 47 days | . | Royal Canadian Navy | Natynczyk, WalterWalter Natynczyk | ||
24 | Thibault, GuyLieutenant-General Guy Thibault | 11 September 2013 | 5 August 2016 | 2 years, 329 days | Quebec | Canadian Army | Lawson, ThomasThomas Lawson | ||
25 | Norman, MarkVice-Admiral Mark Norman (born 1964) | 5 August 2016 | 13 January 2017 | 161 days | Ontario | Royal Canadian Navy | Vance, JonathanJonathan Vance | ||
- | Lloyd, RonVice-Admiral Ron Lloyd (born 1963) Acting | 13 January 2017 | 30 May 2017 | 137 days | . | Royal Canadian Navy | . | . | |
- | Parent, AlainLieutenant-General Alain Parent Acting | 30 May 2017 | 16 July 2018 | 1 year, 47 days | . | Royal Canadian Air Force | . | . | |
26 | Wynnyk, PaulLieutenant-General Paul Wynnyk (born 1964) | 16 July 2018 | 9 July 2019 | 358 days | Alberta | Canadian Army | Vance, JonathanJonathan Vance | ||
27 | Lanthier, Jean-MarcLieutenant-General Jean-Marc Lanthier | 18 July 2019 | 15 July 2020 | 363 days | . | Canadian Army | Vance, JonathanJonathan Vance | ||
28 | Rouleau, MichaelLieutenant-General Michael Rouleau (born 1967) | 15 July 2020 | 14 June 2021 | 334 days | . | Canadian Special Operations Forces Command | Vance, JonathanJonathan Vance | ||
29 | Allen, FrancesLieutenant-General Frances J. Allen | 28 June 2021 | 1 August 2024 | 3 years, 190 days | . | Royal Canadian Air Force | Eyre, WayneWayne Eyre (acting) | ||
30 | Kelsey, StephenLieutenant-General Stephen Kelsey | 1 August 2024 | Incumbent | 156 days | . | Canadian Army | Carignan, JennieJennie Carignan |
References
- ^ "Lieutenant-General Stephen Kelsey assumes the role of Vice Chief of the Defence Staff". Government of Canada. 1 August 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- "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.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "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.
- Brewster, Murray (March 9, 2021). "Canadian military gets its 1st female vice-chief of the defence staff in major shakeup". CBC News. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
- ^ "Lieutenant-General Allen assumes the role of the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff". National Defence – Canadian Armed Forces. June 28, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
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- 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
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- 8 Wing / CFB Trenton to host leadership seminar The Contact, March 27, 2009
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- 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 E. C. Macdonald" (PDF). Royal Canadian Air Force Association. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
- "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.
- Brewster, Murray (March 9, 2021). "Canadian military gets its 1st female vice-chief of the defence staff in major shakeup". CBC News. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
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