March 16, 2020 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

General Jonathan Vance, Chief of the Defence Staff, today announced Lieutenant-General Mike Rouleau as the new Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. The announcement is part of the 2020 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) General and Flag Officer (GOFO) senior appointments, promotions, and retirements.

General Officers (Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force) and Flag Officers (Royal Canadian Navy) lead the CAF in defending our country’s values and interests, here at home and abroad. They share the responsibility for the stewardship of the entire institution, and for the profession of arms as a whole.

This year, the following GOFO positions were established to meet CAF operational requirements:

For the first time ever, the CAF will be sending a General Officer to the United States Air Force Space Command (USAFSPC). Brigadier-General K.G. Whale will be appointed to the new position as the Deputy Commander Plans for USAFSPC in Colorado Springs, responsible for plans, programs, requirements and analysis.

To enhance the high readiness requirements of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM), Colonel M. Gros-Jean will be appointed to a new position as Deputy Commander Support to oversee the daily Force Management and Force Sustainment activities of CANSOFCOM in Ottawa.

The one-year temporary assignment of Chief SSE Combat Systems Implementation will be taken on by Rear-Admiral J.B. Zwick to oversee the examination of pan-domain Force Development, Force Generation, Corporate Management, and Command and Control for CAF Joint Combat Systems.

To note, Major-General A.M.T. Downes will retire from service and his responsibilities as the Surgeon General and Commander of the Canadian Forces Health Services Group (CFHSG). Brigadier-General J.G.M. Bilodeau will be appointed as the new Surgeon General and Commodore R.L. Patterson will be appointed to Commander of the CFHSG, in Ottawa.

Lieutenant-General Mike Rouleau will be replaced by Lieutenant-General C.J. Coates who will be appointed Commander Canadian Joint Operations Command, in Ottawa.

Major-General F.J. Allen will be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General and appointed as Canadian Military representative to NATO, in Brussels Belgium, replacing Vice-Admiral D.C. Hawco.

Furthermore, Commodore G. Bernatchez will be promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral and will remain as the CAF Judge Advocate General, in Ottawa ON. Brigadier-General R. Goodyear will be promoted to the rank of Major-General and will remain as Assistant Deputy Minister (Finance) Director General Budget, in Ottawa.