247 new CAF officers begin military careers with RMCC graduation

By: WJO

The 2013 graduation parade saw the commissioning of 93 Air Force, 110 Army, and 44 Naval Officers, for a total of 247 commissioned officers on Parade.

The impressive ceremony took place under sunny skies with a light breeze that picked-up as the parade lasted a little longer than scheduled – which most in attendance did not seem to mind.

Vice-Admiral Bruce Donaldson, vice-chief of the defence staff, pinch hitting for 12192 General Tom Lawson, Class of ‘79 who was out of the country involved with other military related duties gave a straight forward address to the newly minted officers.

Officer-Cadets  Began on the Parade Square and Ended through the Arch – as Officers

Article by: 26659 (I) Danielle Andela – Photos by: Brad Lowe; 25961 (IV) Ethan Strong; & 26549 (III) Kai Zhao

May 17th was the final cultivation of the Graduates time at Royal Military College of Canada. Assembled together and backed by the rest of the Cadet Wing, the Graduating Class of 2013 stood tall and proud in their final time in the traditional scarlet RMC dress.

The distinguished soon-to-be 2nd Lieutenants were met at the parade square by Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, Vice-Admiral A.B. Donaldson, CMM, CD. This parade gave friends and families of graduates the chance to recognize the Class of 2013 for their great achievements and celebrate the continuation from one stage of life as an Officer Cadet to another as a 2nd Lieutenant. This parade gave the years Bar Positions to demonstrate the skills and leadership positions on parade and lead the Cadet Wing in their final parade as officer-cadets of the Royal Military College.

A feu de joie or “fire of joy” was fired in recognition of the hard work and success of the Class of 2013. The newly minted officers performed the long anticipated March through the Arch. They ripped off their pillboxes and their friends saluted them as is tradition (first non-commissioned military member to salute a new officer gets their silver dollar), tears filled their eyes as they embraced friends who will soon be training elsewhere.

These fine men and women, these “Officers, Well Educated” will surly continue on from this day to find continued success in the Canadian Armed Forces as Commissioned Officers.

 TWO FIGHTER JETS SCREAMED OVER-HEAD AS 300 R-M-C STUDENTS COMPLETED THE FINAL PHASE OF THE THEIR GRADUATION.

Marching through the arch

 Complete list of those who received their commission on parade…

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Graduating cadets get tips from Canada’s top General

By Captain Yvette Grygoryev

Canada’s Top General the Chief of the Defence Staff, 12192 Tom Lawson, spoke to fourth year cadets in historic Currie Hall, at the Royal Military College of Canada yesterday. General Lawson made time from his busy schedule to brief the cadets, who will be graduating next week, about where their careers may take them next.

“Everywhere I go, I speak to a greater audience from a higher dais, and that is because of the tremendous efforts of our men and our women,” Gen Lawson said.

“We are really delighted that you will now be joining the ranks with lieutenant bars on,” he added.

Gen. Lawson graduated from RMCC with an Electrical Engineering Degree in 1979. He offered a candid discussion on the current role of the Canadian Forces around the world and discussed his top priorities, including operational excellence, taking care of ill and injured soldiers, procurement of effective equipment and infrastructure.

According to Gen. Lawson, cadets who graduate from RMCC make life-long friends and learn lessons that will take them further on in their careers, as they prepare to begin their careers as officers and leaders of different units in the Canadian Forces.

Gen. Lawson offered sage words of advice for cadets to take the lessons they learned at RMCC and apply those lessons to their future careers.

“Take the lessons you’ve picked up, good and bad, and these will influence your own leadership philosophy,” he advised.

Most cadets at RMCC have spent the past four years learning skills that will allow them to be competent leaders. They have focused on four pillars of learning including athletics, academics, leadership and language in a program that also includes an intensive military training component.

Upon completion of their program, cadets become commissioned officers in the Canadian Forces.

Gen. Lawson also advised cadets to ask questions.

“Ask questions incessantly, ‘Why do we do it this way?’. Some of you will find ways to do things better,” he explained.

“The Canadian Forces like people who first ask the questions and then find the solutions,” Gen Lawson also added.

Gen Lawson shared a few anecdotes of his time at RMCC, including his experience advancing from a shy and quiet cadet in the third rank (row) to the Cadet Wing Commander and marching the parade around.

“Eventually all the tough stuff dumps off and only the outstanding part remains,” the CDS said of his memories of RMCC.

Sandhurst 2013 –

Director of Cadets, LCol Patrick Lemyre – Two Day Diary

Friday – 19 April

Just woke up at 0400. No choice if we want to make the timing for our team departure at approx 0600. They have done extremely well on the ranges and dry runs all week. From Capt (Zach) Gatehouse’s observation, RMC is the team to beat. Our team will depart right after the Aussies (finished first last year). That makes them, the Aussies, very nervous, and it makes our team very hungry… Nav and shooting today, i will keep you posted. Go RMC! Dcdts

So far so good. 0615 they crossed the start line behind a few US teams and just after the South Koreans. Smiling and confident. 7km down the road, first check point, they have gained 2min on the fastest team (physical trg is paying off!!!). Rifle and pistol ranges have just been completed. I don’t have the pistol range score yet, but after 10/39 teams having completed the rifle range, they stand in 3rd. They just left for the Navigation portion. We will RV with them at the finish line at approx 1000hrs. Very proud of them, they are looking strong. Bonus picture of the DI showing his soft side (perhaps a PPCLI thing). Dcdts

1705 – RMC had a strong finish today. They did well through the navigation, missing only 2/15 check points (they found them, but were 5 minutes late checking in). Still, our team is very fast on the run; they built a 30+ minutes lead over the US teams following, and they managed to pass the South Korean team that was also a fast team. They finished with the target range where they hit many targets despite the fatigue. A few US spectators and instructors commented that Team Canada had one of the best performances on the grenade range. We will see where it will take us! Results of the first day will be available at approx 2000hrs tonight. I will keep you posted. Go RMC! Dcdts

Saturday – 20 April

0829 – On our way to the competition for a day of obstacle course and another three events that have been kept secret. We have received initial results: 8/56 for marksmanship (pistol, rifle, grenade), 26/56 for Navigation (small margin between the teams). There is not a team that has been finishing first in everything. It is still anybody’s game. Dcdts

15:08 – The draw put us at position 38 on the starting block. They started the day strong by flying through the indoor obstacle course. We did not get their time, but they were fast. Then a long run to the NBC and weapons handling stand. They had the best score for this stand out of the first 38 teams. They impressed all the spectators at the 12 feet wall when they took only 1min18sec to get over it (2nd best time). Many other teams simply could not do it, or took the max 5 min to complete the obstacle. After having caught up with the Australian team during the boat carry, and having raced them to the finish line, they managed to beat them as the whole Canadian team crossed the line together. A strong performance all day, we are very proud of them. Now we can only wait… Dcdts

19:34 An update… We ended up in 2nd place was for the international competition. We have finished 3rd overall (UK got 1st overall, 2nd was Penn State University (ROTC)). Fifty-six teams competed!  The team was a little disapointed, but I told them to keep their heads up high; it was a tough competition, tougher than previous years, with an extremely challenging course. Some of our boys said they would do better next year… Dcdts

______________________________

Following the competition – Dcdt sent an exclusive report to e-Veritas:

“Three months of hard training and team building have come to an end for our Sandhurst team. Once again, RMCC delivered, and placed the Red Maple leaf high in the standings, where all other 55 participating teams and various countries had no choice but to acknowledge the Cadets from the North. A Second place finish in the international competition (behind the UK, but ahead of China), and a highly respectable Third place overall (behind the UK and Penn State ROTC) saw our Cadets a little disappointed; this is a great example of their outstanding level of pride and competitiveness.

Hold your heads up high Team RMC, your strong performance has gathered the respect of many international competitors and staffs! All the Canadian fans who witnessed your stamina, team spirit, and skills have gained a long lasting favourable impression too.

Speaking of fans, along with MWO Wallace Rideout and our lovely wives Sonia and Marlene, we made the trip down south to see our team perform. We were not alone to cheer for our gentlemen and lady cadets; we were pleasantly surprised to see the Jobin, Lizee, Touchette-Molsey, Bowser families, and a number of Cadets cheering on Team Canada.

Even General Jacoby, Comd NORAD, made a special detour in his busy schedule to come cheer for the Canadians. As he said to me, “As Commander NORAD your team are my troops too!”. West Point Superintendent, General Huntoon, was also there to witness Canadian skills. His jaw dropped when he saw RMC tackle the 12 foot wall; “Wow! Look at their technique…” was all he could say to me (not sure if he noticed the smirk on my face…).

Team Canada was a force to be recognized right from the start as they showed their marksmanship skills on the ranges but also as they demonstrated their physical and mental strength, acquired over the grueling months of training. That strength was especially made apparent to all that were left in the dust of Canada, as RMCC simply flew by many struggling teams.

Training pays off; thanks to Capts Gatehouse, Warlow, WO Desjardins, PSP Steve Mitchell, and the Cadets support team. Our team looked very good in most part because of the time and effort they spent in training and supporting them. Another thank you is warranted to the Foundation for the financial support. Many of those special activities are possible because of your commitment to enhance our Cadets’ experience, making sure that it is always excellent. Thank you to all!

RMC Cadets showed that they are great competitors, but they also lived up to Canada’s reputation during the closing ceremony and meet and greet, by showing great spirit and camaraderie that will last forever in their international friends’ memories.

You will certainly understand why, once again, Cadets have made me proud to be their old Dcdts.”

Director of Cadets, LCol Patrick Lemyre

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Sandhurst and previous e-Veritas articles:

Sandhurst 2012: RMC Places 3rd in Strong Showing

RMC Stands Tall In Grueling Sandhurst 2012 Competition

Sandhurst Competition 2011

West Point squad wins 2011 Sandhurst Military Skills Competition

2010 Sandhurst Military Skills Competition at West Point

Sandhurst 2009 – The Way It Happened!

Sandhurst ’09 – 4th Win in Five Years for RMC!

RMC gunning for fourth win at 2008 Sandhurst competition

RMC Sandhurst 2008 Team makes Top 5 for fifth consecutive year

2007 Three Peat for RMC, Sandhurst

2006 Sandhurst . . . RMC Cadets Do It Again!

2005 RMC Cadets Capture Sandhurst Championship

History of the Sandhurst Competition

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Ed Note: A point often overlooked by e-Veritas articles is the constant financial support provided by The RMC Foundation for a wide variety of activities encompassing all four pillars of the college.

The 2013 Sandhurst competition is just one example. The Foundation through the generosity of the Class of 1964 contributed $17K for the 2013 RMCC Sandhurst team.

Tangible and impressive support for sure!

______________________________

Sandhurst 20 Year Scorboard

Since 1994, when RMA Sandhurst began competing, either a Sandhurst squad or a RMCC squad has won every competition until 2011 when Company B-3 from West Point won. In only its second appearance at the competition the lone section from the Royal Military College of Australia took the honors in 2012.

2013 – Sandhurst Blue

2012 – Royal Military College of Australia – Duntroon

2011 – USCC B-3

2010 – Sandhurst A

2009 – Royal Military College of Canada

2008 – Sandhurst Red

2007 – Royal Military College of Canada

2006 – Royal Military College of Canada

2005 – Royal Military College of Canada

2004 – Sandhurst Red; 2003 – Sandhurst Blue; 2002 – Sandhurst Red; 2001 – Sandhurst Blue

2000 – Sandhurst 2; 1999 – Sandhurst 1; 1998 – Sandhurst 2; 1997 – Sandhurst 1

1996 – Sandhurst 1; 1995 – Sandhurst 1; 1994 – Sandhurst 1

RMC Commission Report

Ottawa’s cost-cutting casts shadow over Royal Military College’s future

Article

RMC report points to lack of trust between military, civilians

Article

Easter Sunday Shocker! Memorial Arch now covered by Dome. Naming rights – SOLD!

By: WJO

Easter Sunday 2013, a day which will live in infamy for the Royal Military College of Canada? This was a day when the landscape was unexpectedly and drastically changed for one simple reason – the almighty dollar.

RMC was put on notice that no stone will go unturned as the government slashes hundreds of millions of dollars in defence spending. Over a 12 hour period on Easter Sunday the Sports Dome was moved and now covers the Memorial Arch long considered by many the soul of the College.

Why move the Dome to cover the Memorial Arch? We asked the lady who appeared to be directing the work around the two sites. What the heck is going on?

“The Dome has suffered design problems from the start. The terrain in the former area is just not conducive for this type of structure. Soccer players, in particular, have been complaining since day one of its opening.”

Surely there must be better places to locate the Dome? “That could be, but the Memorial Arch is close to 90 years old. The wear & tear over all these years has taken its toll; to repair and refurbish it to an acceptable level will take a lot of money.” She tried to explain with a farfetched rationale that “by being under the Dome it will be better protected”.

For some off the cuff reason she added, “What I can tell you is that in the end – ex-Cadets, Cadets, staff and friends of the College will applaud this change.”

Speaking like a typical bureaucrat she went on, “In addition, the naming rights of both the Dome and the Memorial Arch have been SOLD. New revenues have been generated by this move which will also help the government cut down the deficit.”

The Memorial Arch now sits in one area under the Dome which will not disturb the playing of rugby or soccer. Our photographer was ordered out of the area. A security guard even tried to confiscate his camera. He was elusive and managed to escape with all intact; he was able to hitch a ride with a Cadet with a pilot’s license. They flew near the site and managed to get a great aerial photo.

The spokesperson said, in trying to justify the rationale, “Reserve units across Canada are seeing their budget hit hard, the government will also be charging municipalities and provinces for emergency assistance.” She added, “Quite frankly this is just another step, in the deficit process.”

One other major concern is that the workers used some type of chemical spray to protect the roof of the dome. Being windy, the spray spread over the trees and brush nearby which quickly turned many of them a brownish colour almost what you would expect to see in the Fall of the year. We were assured that there were no health risks.

Because of the extra long weekend we were unable to make contact with the College leadership.

We asked about tradition and respect for the history of the Arch. “Respect and tradition will not help reduce the government deficit,” the spokesperson glibly informed me. We were advised to move along and told “an official announcement would be released later on Monday”. We were asked (not politely) to hold off with an article until they released the official announcement.

Of course, we declined.

The release of Government press releases often seem deliberately timed to be out of sync with the regular news cycle, ie: when they are least likely to be noticed. However, with still no official announcement or even a warning of these changes this verges on the bizarre.

RMCC Band Marks 60th Anniversary with Successful Concert

Article and Photos by 25366 Mike Shewfelt

The Concert in Scarlets, held each year at the Kingston Gospel Temple, is one of two headline performances for the Band of the Royal Military College of Canada. More relaxed and creative than Graduation Parade and other similar events (you can do more when you’re not marching), the event showcases the talent of RMCC Cadets (and staff, as we found out), while at the same time raising money to support the United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox, and Addington Counties.

Under the direction of Band Officer MWO Ronald Reedy, Bandmaster WO Catherine Norris and the Cadet Wing Band Officer, 25846 OCdt (IV) Tyler Molloy, all the elements of the Band, including the Brass and Reed section, the Choir, the Stage Band, and the Pipes & Drums and Highland Dancers, lent their talents to the event, as they performed old classics and modern favourites. Songs performed included “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” Stan Roger’s “Northwest Passage,” U2′s “Beautiful Day,” “Fever,” and a number of traditional pieces by the Pipes & Drums. A black light drum salute and a combined performance of “Amazing Grace” helped to round out the show.

The surprise revelation of the afternoon was the College Chief Warrant Officer. CPO1 Keith Davidson proved that he can indeed sing when he received a standing ovation for his rendition of “Feeling Good”. He later returned for a duet on “Unforgettable” with Mrs. Judy Duguay. This year’s program had an element of humour to it as well, including the moment when M2080 OCdt (I) Jonathan Page “broke” his post horn and substituted in a rifle thoughtfully provided by a “guard” sent to arrest him for destruction of government property.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the RMC Band, and if the talent, humour, and sheer ability to entertain that the Cadets displayed over the course of more than two hours are any indication, the future of the Band is a bright one. As College Commandant BGen Eric Tremblay said when he addressed the audience at the end of the show, the Cadets truly are great Canadians.

Photos from the Concert (click to enlarge):

Cadets prêts pour le défi d’une inspection

Écrit par 25842 Élof (IV) Constance-Aurélie Ratelle, Élof des Services d’Information de l’Escadre 

Photos par 25366 Mike Shewfelt

Chaque année les élèves-officiers du Collège militaire doivent passer par une inspection complète de leurs chambres et de leurs uniformes. C’est souvent une ou deux semaines à l’avance qu’ils préparent leur standard d’inspection, cirent leurs bottent et astiquent les planchers. Le commandant lui-même, son équipe ainsi que les chefs de divisions et d’escadrons inspectent les chambres. Les plus hauts gradés de l’aile militaire inspectent les plus hauts gradés de l’escadre des élofs. 

Un tel événement n’est pas à négliger puisqu’il est essentiel à la réussite du programme AFAN. Chaque élof, s’il échoue, se voit donner une deuxième chance et doit obligatoirement atteindre le standard d’hygiène minimum. Les inspections, même si elles ne sont pas appréciées des élofs, démontrent une capacité d’organisation, de gestion du temps et de maîtrise de la base des connaissances militaires. Les 4 divsions ont été minutieusement évaluées sur leur standard de propreté. De façon générale, chacune d’entre elle s’en est bien tirée. 

Photos de l’inspection (cliquez sur pour agrandir.):

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Minister of National Defence announces Canadian Armed Forces senior promotions and appointments

Brigadier-General J.G.E. Tremblay will be promoted Major-General and appointed Commander of the Canadian Defence Academy, in Kingston, Ontario. Bio

Brigadier-General A.D. Meinzinger will be appointed Commandant of the Royal Military College, in Kingston, Ontario. Bio

Other General and Flag Officer retirements, promotions and appointments will occur in 2013. We did our best to identify as many Ex Cadets as we could by adding their College number; if we missed anyone, let us know.

• 13551 Lieutenant-General G.R. Thibault will be appointed Vice Chief of Defence Staff at National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ), in Ottawa,; Bio

• 12966 Lieutenant-General J.M.M. Hainse will be appointed Commander of the Canadian Army, in Ottawa; Bio

• 15696 Major-General J.H. Vance will be promoted Lieutenant-General and appointed Deputy Commander Allied Joint Force Command, in Naples, Italy; Bio

• 14245 Major-General R.D. Foster will be appointed Deputy Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, at NDHQ, in Ottawa; Bio

• 16340 Colonel J.P.A. Pelletier will be promoted Brigadier-General and appointed Deputy Commander Continental NORAD Region at Tyndall Air Force Base, in Florida; Bio

• 14596 Brigadier-General D.J. Milner will be promoted Major-General and appointed Deputy Commanding General Army – Combined Security Transition Command/NATO Training Mission Headquarters, in Kabul, Afghanistan,; Bio

• 14274 Major-General A.J. Howard will retire from service Bio

• 14369 Rear-Admiral A. Smith will be appointed Military Lead of the Defence Renewal Team, at NDHQ, in Ottawa; Bio

• 14474 Major-General D.B. Millar will be appointed Chief of Military Personnel, at NDHQ, in Ottawa; Bio

• 16707 Commodore D.C. Hawco will be appointed Director General Cyber at NDHQ, in Ottawa; Bio

• 17793 Captain (Navy) J.R. Auchterlonie will be promoted Commodore and appointed Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific, in Esquimalt. Bio

• 16816 Colonel C.J. Turenne will be promoted Brigadier-General (acting while so employed) and appointed Deputy Commanding General United States (U.S.), I Corps in Fort Lewis, Washington. Bio

13260 Brigadier-General M.K. Overton will retire from service. Bio

E1014 Brigadier-General T.E. Putt will retire from service upon completion of his deployment with the U.S. V Corps in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Joint Command, in Kabul, Afghanistan. Bio

• 16247 Colonel N. Eldaoud will be promoted Brigadier-General and appointed Commander Land Forces Atlantic Area, in Halifax. Bio

• 14429 Colonel J.M. Fletcher will be promoted Brigadier-General and appointed Chaplain General, in Ottawa. Bio

The following General and Flag Officers will be promoted substantively to their rank:

• 16158 Acting Commodore M.B. Watson will be promoted Commodore and remain Director General Personnel Family Support Services, in Ottawa; Bio

• 13909 Acting Brigadier-General R.G. Mazzolin will be promoted Brigadier-General and remain Director General Information Management Group, at NDHQ, in Ottawa; Bio

• 14493 Acting Brigadier-General P. Rutherford will be promoted Brigadier-General and remain Director General Security Transformation, at NDHQ, in Ottawa; Bio

• 14458 Acting Brigadier-General H.J. Kowal will be promoted Brigadier-General and remain Director General Military Careers, at NDHQ, in Ottawa; Bio and

The following Colonels will be promoted Brigadier-General (acting while so employed):

• 16068 Colonel T.N. Balfe will be promoted Brigadier-General (acting while so employed) and appointed ISAF Deputy to the Deputy Chief of Staff Communications in Kabul, Afghanistan; Bio

For the complete list of General and Flag Officer retirements, promotions and appointments which will occur in 2013 – Here

Senior ranks of Canadian military get makeover ahead of tough federal budget

Source

Update #1

From the Implementation Team of the Royal Military Colleges Club of Canada

For the Strategic Review Report “The Road Ahead”

 Current Status

This is a quick update on progress being made by the Implementation Team addressing the recommendations outlined in “The Road Ahead”, the report based on the year-long Strategic Review of the RMCCC conducted last year under the direction of the General Council of the Club.

The project is progressing on schedule, with 3 working teams having been created.  All 28 recommendations have now been analyzed, and a “triage” has been done to prioritize the work.

The next major milestone will be the submission of Implementation Plans for Tier 1 recommendations by March 16/13, for approval by the EC/GC.

For handy reference, details of the recommendations and our work flow and schedule follow.

Terms of Reference

The Terms of Reference of the Implementation Team are as follows:

1. Develop a priority list of the plan recommendations accompanied by an impact analysis (resources and staffing).
2. Develop an actionable implementation plan for each of the recommendations.
3. Ensure that all recommendations that could be quickly implemented are put into action in year 1.
4. Evaluate ways and means to provide funding for the items which appear to be unaffordable by the Club.
5. Report regularly to the EC and the GC.
6. Communicate the plan and progress to Club members regularly.
7. Complete the project by August 31, 2013.

Recommendations

The recommendations to be implemented are summarized as follows:

A)     Organizational Structure and Governance

1. Review our Governance Model, looking at:

- Definition of “membership” and categories of membership

- Size and composition of GC and EC

- Official recognition of the role of the Class President and Secretary

- Terms of office for the Officers of the Club

- Official linkages between the Club and the Colleges, and the Club and the Foundation

2. Clearly define the functions of the Club’s National Office, and the role it plays in the direct delivery of services to the membership vs. the role it plays supporting the Branches and the Classes.

3. Structure our organization so that it is less reliant on the Branches and more dependent on the Classes in the engagement of the membership and the delivery of programme and service offerings.

4. Create a 4^th year 4 bar liaison position in the Cadet Wing HQ to be a member of the GC, and ultimately to become Class President or Secretary of the graduating class.  This would help build a strong connection to the Club amongst the Cadet Wing.

5. Make club membership automatic, not voluntary, perhaps paid for with automatic payroll deductions like mess dues.

6. Create Associate Membership category for parents of cadets, to raise public awareness  and  engagement  with  the  college,  increase  College  advocacy,  support funding,  and  help  track  down  lost  ex-cadets.  Programmes and services should be defined for this group.

7. Negotiate a resource sharing agreement with the Colleges covering administrative staff, funding, technology and space, in view of the value the alumni association provides  the  Colleges  in  terms  of  reputation  building,  recruiting, advocacy, and funding.

B)      Programmes and Services

MUCH, MORE…

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Teaching “is necessary for the advancement of society”: Celebrating teaching excellence and the dynamic relationship between teaching and research at the RMC Class of 1965 Teaching Excellence Award Public Lecture

By Dr Heather Evans, Department of English, Chair of the Class of 1965 Teaching Excellence Award Committee

On Thursday evening, January 17, 2013, about seventy members of the RMCC community and visitors to the College gathered in Currie Hall to honour and celebrate the RMC Class of 1965 Teaching Excellence Award winner for 2012, Dr Yahia Antar of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The Award was established in 1990 on the occasion of the twenty-fifth reunion of the Class “to recognize excellence in teaching and to promote that standard throughout the College.” This year’s public lecture attested to the commitment of the Class of 1965 to celebrating the standard of teaching excellence that is the hallmark of RMCC and that has been especially demonstrated by Dr Antar.

The evening began with a welcome address by our principal, Dr Joel Sokolsky, who anticipated several of the central themes of Dr Antar’s lecture, particularly in his emphasis on the “essential bond between students and teacher” that contributes to effective student learning and to the cultivation of strong leaders. Teaching, he noted, involves more than the mere conveyance of information, and students “must know us as people who listen to them as people.” Moreover, as Dr Sokolsky observed and Dr Antar later affirmed, this dynamic relationship is mutually beneficial, and “teachers also benefit by being students themselves” as they continue to participate actively in research, often itself inspired by engagement with students. Through their research, faculty ensure that they will be able to continue to inform students at the university, as well as non-academic industries and the broader Canadian public.

Following Dr Sokolsky’s address, 6604 Jim Carruthers, Vice President of the RMC Club Foundation and a member of the Class of 1965, described the work of the Foundation and of the Class, and their vital contributions to the college. This year alone, Mr Carruthers noted, the Foundation has put in place over a hundred and ten projects that have contributed to both the beauty of the RMCC campuses and the enrichment of students, faculty, and staff. Of the tremendous role of the Class of 1965 Mr Carruthers declared, “I believe our class can demonstrate what can be done. To quote a great philosopher, Buzz Lightyear, ‘to infinity and beyond.’” Summing up, Mr Carruthers reminded the audience that “both campuses need your support. The amount of money raised is directly related to the quality of the projects” that can be developed at the College for the benefit of current and future students and researchers.

6496 Charles Emond, the Class of 1965 representative on the Teaching Excellence Award Committee, spoke about the Award and its origins, and emphasized that it was motivated by a desire to give back to the institution that had provided members of the Class with a strong foundation for success in their professional and personal lives. As members of the Class approached middle age and were “mi-carrière, nous avons réfléchi comment dû remercier ceux qui nous avons influencé.” Looking back, it struck the members of the Class “qu’il y a tellement de bon professeurs au collège,” an observation that has been borne out by Mr Emond’s involvement for the past two years with the TEA Committee. Commenting specifically on Dr Antar, Mr Emond observed that “what struck me was that . . . this is a person who has sustained his commitment to teaching excellence throughout his long career.”

Dr Antar’s highly impressive career of accomplishments as a researcher and a teacher were the subject of Dr Phil Bates’ introduction of his colleague. The Dean of Engineering noted that although “many people know Dr Antar because of his research accomplishments, out of all these accomplishments, it is probably the students [from the College] that Dr Antar is most proud of.” As Dr Bates remarked, echoing Dr Sokolsky’s address, “For people like Dr Antar, the line between teaching and research is blurred; maybe even non-existent.” Moreover, Dr Antar’s influence extends far beyond the walls of the college: his “research, through his students, who wear many different ‘uniforms,’ allows him” and his tremendous knowledge “to go out into Canada” at large.

In his lecture entitled “Integrating Teaching and Research for Excellence in Teaching,” Dr Antar similarly highlighted the importance of teaching, not only at RMC, but beyond: “teaching is a key important function of the university life,” he told us, “it is necessary for the advancement of society.” It is an especial honour, Dr Antar noted, to teach “at an institution that trains so many leaders,” and he acknowledged the many, many students who have “helped [him] fight” his “battle” towards excellence.

Giving us a “crash course in electromagnetics,” Dr Antar introduced us to James Clark Maxwell, a nineteenth-century scientist whom many believe to be in a class with Einstein and Newton for his contributions to science and society. As Dr Antar explained, Maxwell “formulated some of what we know about electromagnetism and affected all of human life.” Dr Antar took us back to the beginning of the study of electromagnetics in 1834 and introduced us to some of the many electromagnetic devices that are all around us, including antennas, radars, the microwaves we use to jump-start our mornings, and microwave cardiac ablation therapy to treat cardiac conditions – an application of electromagnetics that saved Dr Antar’s own life: “That’s why I always say microwave is close to my heart,” he quipped.

Dr Antar guided us along his professional journey that took him from sunny Egypt to windy Winnipeg, and on to chilly Ottawa, a journey that took him through academia and industry, and finally brought him to sunny Kingston where he built the lab and developed undergraduate and graduate courses that have contributed to the establishment of RMC as not only the best place in Canada to study electromagnetism, but one of the best places in the world. That success, Dr Antar emphasized, is in large part due to the commitment and accomplishments of undergraduate and graduate students at the College.

That success, Dr Antar reminded us, is also attributable to collaboration with other academic institutions, industry, agencies such as Defence Research Development Canada, and learned societies. “Teaching is closely dependent on research and research benefits from teaching,” Dr Antar asserted. Recognizing that what he was doing as he launched his career in the 1960s is not the same as what he is doing now in the twenty-first century, Dr Antar emphasized the importance of preparing engineers for their work forty years hence in an ever-changing field. This, he suggested, requires encouraging and financially supporting students to attend conferences, to contribute articles to scholarly publications, and to participate in learned societies, all of which promote exchanges of knowledge, and ensure students and professionals learn about the latest advances and new technologies in the field. “Our students benefit from interacting with industry, scientists in government, foreign teammates, visiting scholars, doctoral fellows,” and others in the field of engineering. The remarkable accomplishments of Dr Antar’s many award-winning former graduate students who have moved on to highly successful professional careers attests to the merits of his approach to teaching. Ultimately, as Dr Antar’s work has shown, what best serves the students, also best serves the College now and in the future.

Following Dr Antar’s warmly received lecture, Dr Aboelmagd Noureldin from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering presented Dr Antar with a gift on behalf of the Egyptian Student Association of Queen’s and RMCC. 14037 Dr Scott Knight, Head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, formally thanked Dr Antar for his presentation and his incalculable contributions to teaching and learning at the College. Dr Sokolsky and Jim Carruthers returned to the podium to present Dr Antar with a framed copy of the poster that advertised Dr Antar’s lecture and the Teaching Excellence Award honorarium generously provided by the Class of 1965. The thoroughly enjoyable evening wrapped up with a reception in Baronial Hall, graciously sponsored by the Commandant, 14835 BGen Eric Tremblay.

More photos from the evening (click to enlarge):

Advancing Leadership Opportunities through Parliamentary Internships

Between September and December 2012 I had the privilege to serve as the Member’s Assistant for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, Chris Alexander, Member of Parliament for Ajax-Pickering and Canada’s former ambassador to Afghanistan, as part of RMCC’s first House of Commons internship made possible through the Politics and Economics Department.

This four month posting to Ottawa offered many unique and practical experiences in everything from intergovernmental relations and political communications to relations with embassies, networking and the parliamentary representation of the Department of National Defence.

The opportunities and relationships afforded by this role made for an exceedingly interesting and productive semester spent between Parliament Hill and the riding of Ajax-Pickering, west of Toronto. Beyond my responsibilities on specific projects, the role also provided deep insights into the lives of our elected officials and non-elected professionals throughout government – including the demands they face, their opportunities for positive impact, and the sacrifices they and their families sometimes make tied to public service.

The aim of this article is twofold: one, to offer a summary of this evolved internship, and more importantly – through providing this – to demonstrate why these innovative off-campus opportunities enhance the value of RMCC’s leadership training.

I arrived in Ottawa at the beginning of September, a week before the commencement of the 41^st parliament. With the parameters for the two academic courses set by Dr. David Last, the internship program’s founder and supervisor, I was good to go. This would not be my first off-campus experience – I had led adventure and cultural expeditions to South America and Africa, and whilst at Wilfrid Laurier University, I served as a Research Assistant at the Centre for International Governance Innovation. I had an idea of the high-value learning tied to policy and politics to be unlocked within this short period of time, but the four month experience exceeded any possible expectations.

The first week saw me introduced to the small, diligent team of parliamentary and constituency staff. Natalia, the executive assistant to MP Alexander, and I were to work together out of the Ottawa office. After receiving a parliamentary pass, a Blackberry and a set of office keys, I got to work. The general duties included overseeing and responding to all communication through the Member of Parliament account, staffing Chris when need be, and developing a variety of special projects in collaboration with Natalia and Chris. Over the course of the internship, these special projects would tie deeply into the academic credits and engage a wider span of thinking.

I met Chris on the first day of the parliamentary session. As a politician and diplomat, his respected profile in the news and work as an author preceded him. In person, his strong work ethic set the tone for the office, and we immediately established a connection through which it was easy to share ideas, writing styles and build an ongoing dialogue on world and legislative affairs.

Left to right: Chris with the Afghan Ambassador, interview in the House of Commons lobby, coffee & conversation in Ajax-Pickering, and a snapshot of my desk.

From these first weeks forward, the legislative agenda set the schedule for myself and several politically-engaged colleagues throughout neighbouring offices. In collaboration with Chris and caucus liaisons, I developed intergovernmental and external correspondence for issues including but not limited to (in quasi-chronological order): the definition of human life (M312), the Canadian embassy closure in Iran, electoral boundary redistribution, the role of the Senate, clean energy investments, refugee system reformation (C-31), various infrastructure projects, public financial disclosure for labour organizations (C-377), War of 1812 commemoration, Old Age Security, supervisas, Member of Parliament pensions, carbon tax, Pickering Lands, the second budget bill (C-45), the CNOOC-Nexen takeover, access to medicine regimes, FIPA with China, anti-bullying strategies, job growth at a national level, the situation in Syria, the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, CF-18 replacement and transgender legislation.

Outside of the dayside work hours, evenings involved official receptions on the Hill or events at Ottawa venues tied to certain agendas and days within the session.  These included a Nanos event at the Rideau Club, a reception for the Jamaican Prime Minister at Ottawa International Airport, the unveiling of RIM’s Blackberry 10 at the Chateau Laurier, a celebration for the Japanese Emperor at the Westin, and a preview of quantum communication technologies that offer security benefits.

Throughout October and November, the special projects – a result of collaborations with Natalia on political communications and conversations with Chris – took a dominant role. This began with speech-writing and developed into briefing notes and deliverables on meetings with the Danish, Kazakh and Afghan ambassadors, formal letters to ministers, and reviews on a variety of readings. Well into November, Natalia and I contributed to an outreach program including direct mail to constituents, media releases and virtual communications.

As a component of the outreach strategy, I created a video purposed for social media. This project – filmed in Ajax-Pickering and Ottawa – not only allowed me to engage with Chris on a variety of government portfolios, but directly scale a political message at younger demographics. This unique experience unlocked a wealth of practical, documented evidence for my academic courses.

As December arrived and the internship end-date approached in a climax of video-editing and CF-18 replacement correspondence, the last weekend – spent moving out of the apartment – allowed for a reflection on the four-month life-experience. Not only had I learned about the legislative and committee processes, I had also seen firsthand what makes Ottawa really function. I had listened to various personalities, come to understand the strategies and observed the nuanced perspectives of persons across the political spectrum.

The ability to ask and test “why questions” while working for the Parliamentary Secretary for our Department – who also served as the ambassador in Afghanistan – in Ottawa’s high-stakes environment yielded learning complimentary to the obvious academic component. Organizational leadership, the power of persuasion and strategic thinking were some of the richest lessons of this internship.

And it was a compelling process to apply these lessons from Ottawa to our mission as Officer Cadets. In an age of asymmetric warfare and a period of less tail and more teeth, the concept of ingenuity in the face of risk aversion and material restrictions, and the ability to match and disable our future adversaries’ out-of-the-box thinking, are paramount career-development goals. Off-campus opportunities, under the right mentorship, like internships, exchanges and expeditions – which strategically position Canada’s future leaders in the centres of problems and power – not only catalyze this span of thinking, but raise the value of leadership being developed and inspired at RMCC through the direct targeting of young minds at a complex future.

This timely and multidimensional advancement to learning and leadership training stands to benefit enormously from the support of all stakeholders within the RMCC community.

A very special thanks goes to LCol (Ret’d) Dr. David Last for facilitating parliamentary and Privy Council internship opportunities for Officer Cadets, as well as BGen Eric Tremblay and LCol Patrick Lemyre for supporting the vision of this progressive program.

Anthony Matlock is a fourth-year Infantry cadet and Political Science student with a minor in History. He is the founder of the RMCC Expedition Club and has led teams on two successful expeditions throughout Chile, Argentina, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda to the highest summits in South America and Africa respectively. He founded the Dallaire Child Soldier Scholarship which empowers former child soldiers to undertake graduate studies at Dalhousie University. Anthony is also a regular contributor to eVeritas, the creator of the RMC Club’s “University with a Difference” promotional video-series, and has written on culture and training at RMCC.

Short video which kicked-off the Town Hall Meeting produced by:

25881 (IV) Anthony Matlock –

also producer of “University with a Difference” videos

Commandant Recognizes Accomplishments, Speaks to Staff Concerns

Article and Photos by 25366 Mike Shewfelt

This past Wednesday morning, the College took time out of its busy end of semester schedule to recognize the accomplishments of deserving Cadets, military staff, and faculty. BGen Eric Tremblay, College Commandant, presented awards, medals (including many Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medals), promotions, commendations, and Commandant’s Coins to individuals from all throughout the College who had stood out in some manner over the past year.

The Commandant also took the time to speak to the current state of the College and any concerns that Cadets, military staff, or faculty may have had. “Why do we do this…? Take time to recognize deserving individuals…?” he asked. “We’re building pride in who we are. From the Cadets to the cleaners and the dish washers and the French professors, the academic faculty, and military staff, we are all here for the same reason: to produce officers, well educated.”

BGen Tremblay went on to describe the current state of the Work Force Adjustment process. “We accomplished what we were asked to do over the last year. The individuals affected by it have been notified,” he said. “However, we had originally planned to eliminate vacant positions. Unfortunately, we have now been asked for full-time employees. There are a total of 21 positions, some in the support staff and some in the faculty, that we have been asked to cut in order to make up the $1 million that we have been asked to cut further.” That process, the Commandant said, is only just beginning, and will be spread out over the next several fiscal years. “Twelve will be affected by fiscal year 12-13, and 25 by fiscal year 14-15,” he explained. The faculty and staff of the College are to receive more information over the coming weeks.

The following individuals received the Operational Service Medal – Expedition, at the Town Hall:

The following individuals were promoted to Major, effect 1 Dec 2012:

6604 Capt(N) (ret) James Carruthers, Class of ‘65 -pictured (below) with the Commandant, was personally on hand to make individual presentations of $5,000 each to four 2012 RETP recipients. The James Carruthers RETP scholarships are valued at $20,000 and handed out annually to help RETP Cadets with their financial needs.

Among the very special presentations was the Commandant’s coin. In addition to some very hard work military and civilian staff members receiving this recognition were six Cadets who stepped up throughout the past year and made a mark around the college:

25781 OCdt James Courtney, the Cadet Wing FYOP Commander, and 25766 OCdt Robert Cohoe, the Cadet Wing FYOP Training Officer for their outstanding performance in the planning and execution of FYOP 2012. Through their efforts and leadership FYOP 2012 was the most successful and disciplined FYOP RMCC has conducted.

25892 NCdt Meghan Thompson, for her commitment to excellence in the Cadet Wing. She has risen above expectations in her dedication to the RMCC program through the organization of numerous Training Wing activities. Her extraordinary devotion to the College and her peers is an example for all OCdts to follow.

25763 OCdt Jason Wonchala, for committing a notable act of selflessness during the summer training period. OCdt Wonchala demonstrated a great amount of courage and personal integrity in standing up to his peers in the face of questionable acts. His strong moral compass and actions are a testament to his commitment to excellence and the RMCC Community.

25827 OCdt Nicholas Lauwers, for his exemplary success in all four pillars of the RMCC program. In addition to being top in his program, holding several notable leadership positions, and being a member of last year’s winning colour party, OCdt Lauwers has taken it upon himself to organize fundraising initiatives to recognize injured soldiers and assist their families. Both his performance and conduct are most definitely worthy of this recognition.

25366 NCdt Michael Shewfelt, for his outstanding work with eVeritas as both a photographer and journalist. His untiring enthusiasm and dedication to quality work in ensuring the right message is delivered on behalf of the Royal Military College of Canada has been exemplary.

For the full list of award and medal recipients,

Continue:

Read the rest of this entry »

Classmates from ’79 Hand Over Top Position

Since the position of Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) was created in 1964, this is the first time that one member of a graduating class has followed another into the position. 12192 Gen Tom Lawson, who graduated from RMCC in 1979, replaced 12320 Gen Walter Natynczyk, who began at Royal Roads Military College before graduating from RMC Saint-Jean in 1979. Gen Lawson’s entry into the position became official as of today, 29 October.

Since the creation of the position, seven ex-Cadets, including Gen Lawson, have served as CDS. Before Gen Lawson assumed the role, 2420 General Frederick Ralph Sharp, CMM, DFC, CD ; class of 1934, He was CDS from 1969 to1972.  H2951 Ramsay Withers (Class of ’52) served from 1980 to 1983, 3528 Paul Manson (Class of ’56) served from 1986 to 1989, H4860 John de Chastelain (Class of ’1960) held the post from 1989 to 1993 and again from 1994 to 1995, 8790 Joseph Édouard Jean Boyle (Class of ’71) served as CDS in 1996, and 12320 Gen Walter Natynczyk (Class of ’79) served from 2008 to 2012. For a complete list of all of the officers who have served as Chief of the Defense Staff, click here.

General Tom Lawson was officially appointed as Canada’s new Chief of the Defence Staff for the Canadian Forces (CF) during a Change of Command ceremony held today at the Canadian War Museum. The event was presided over by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, and marked the official transfer of the Command of the CF from General Walt Natynczyk to General Tom Lawson. The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, as well as the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Associate Minister of National Defence were also in attendance.

Along with the many dignitaries present were some recognizable faces with an NHL connection, including Guy Lafleur, Tiger Williams and Brian Burke, GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs. All three have been part of past moral building groups which have visited the troops in Afghanistan.

“I am honoured to be chosen as your new Chief of the Defence Staff. I’m also very proud to be leading a team of such highly professional and dedicated sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen,” said General Lawson. “I am very fortunate to follow in the steps of the inspirational example set by my friend and mentor General Walt Natynczyk On behalf of all of us in the Canadian Forces, I extend my heartfelt thanks to General Natynczyk and his wife Leslie for all of their years of remarkable service to Canada.”

“It has been my honour to serve Canada for the past 37 years, and in particular to serve as your Chief of the Defence Staff during these last four. Canadians can be very proud of their soldiers, sailors, airmen, and women who have worked hard to protect our peace and security,” said General Natynczyk. “I also appreciate the support of our civilian team members who have enabled the success of our forces. As I pass the torch to General Tom Lawson, I am confident that he and his leadership team will continue to provide outstanding service to protect Canada and Canadian interests. I wish to thank all the men and women of the Canadian Forces and their families for their support and loyal service. You are Canada’s finest! I am proud of you and proud to have been your Chief of the Defence Staff.”

e-Veritas had extensive coverage of Gen Lawson during his tenure as Commandant of RMCC. A list of the highlights of his time at the College is below.

New CDS & His RMCC Roots

2011 e-Veritas interview with Gen Lawson, when he was Assistant Chief of the Air Staff

Send off that Cadets gave Gen Lawson on his departure as Commandant

Commandants in Transition

Bittersweet Departure: Commandant to leave RMC (2009 Article from The Kingston Whig Standard)

Gangnam Style: Royal Military College of Canada

RMCC STYLE!

Article by 26549 OCdt (II) Kai Zhao

Whether it’s the catchy beat or the silly dance moves, Gangnam Style by South Korean pop singer Psy has swept through the top music charts of western countries.  The music video itself has been a source of parodies for many different groups including universities, workplaces and even the North Korean government. For us cadets, we were particularly interested in the parody videos produced by the American military academies starting with US Naval Academy (USNA) and soon joined by USAFA and later USMA.

I am 26549 OCdt (II) Kai Zhao and I was the director of the RMC parody of Gangnam Style.  When my buddies and I first saw the USNA video, we were really impressed by their production and we had joked on how hilarious it would be if we also made a parody and danced around in our Scarlets. However no one really thought seriously about the idea because to the best of our knowledge, no such thing has been attempted at RMC for a while, and there might be a lot of red tapes as we would be dancing in our uniforms. Moreover, with all the academic pressures and preparations (endless parade practices) for Reunion Weekend, no one had the time or energy to actually attempt such a feat.

Right after Reunion weekend on October 2^nd, USAFA posted their parody on Youtube too. It was then that I decided there was no way that RMC was going to lag behind and we had to produce our own video. When I approached the Chain of Command for permission, it was met with enthusiasm and soon approved.  The C Division Cadet Division Leader helped me to draft up an admin order but I was in charge of the plan, the coordination and finally the execution of this plan.

The first thing I had to do was to send a call out to the wing for volunteers who also wanted to show off our College on the world stage. I was extremely pleased with the talented individuals who came forward. The production crew were all skilled individuals who each had something to offer towards producing the video, between script writing to video-editing; and the dance crew were all enthusiastic and eager to perform.  Together, they helped me to turn my vision in to reality; I couldn’t have done it without them.

The week after Thanksgiving was a busy one; everyone was stuffed full of turkey and whatever treats had waited for them at home. But when we came back, we gave ourselves a very strict timing of one week to finish filming all the footage required.   No one complained because we all wanted to get this video aired before the hype faded away.  The next several days were the busiest days I’ve had since entering the college.  Between preparing midterms and managing the minor hockey officials, I also had to coordinate with my production and dance crew to figure exactly how we were going to be ready for Saturday.  We had two practices scheduled and in between that, tonnes of emails being exchanged inquiring who else in the wing could and would like to make appearances in the production.

On filming day, although some of our plans did not work out, we did get a few spontaneous scenes along the way.  We had not planned for the Paladin’s solo on the point, but as we were shooting the pier scene, I had noticed the point behind me and I couldn’t help but try to have something on the point as the scene was just so dramatically laid out.   Another random add-in was 26229 OCdt (II) Richard Harding’s wedding which we had unintentionally crashed; they had spotted the Paladin as they were doing a photo shoot on the steps of Currie hall and wanted some pictures to include the school mascot.  I thought, why not have them dance too?  There are a few more unplanned surprises, but I won’t give them all away.  Decide for yourself which one you think is an add-in.

Members of the production crew:

26193 OCdt (III) Vanessa Banks (Manager) was my 2IC for the entire production. Not only did she spend countless hours coordinating with the dancers and people who wanted to appear in the video, she also danced in the video itself.  On filming day, she provided rides and used her car as a portable boom box for all of our outdoor scenes.

25804 NCdt (IV) Francis Holtken (Executive Producer)gave me his full support from day one, drafting up an admin order and giving me endless help in coordinating with the Chain of Command.

26140 OCdt (III) Hansen Tan (Screenwriter) was my official screen writer. Even though I knew what I wanted, it was he who actually took the time to come up with a working script that saw us through the chaos during the production week.

25664 OCdt (III) Francois Savard (Editor) handled all of the post-production by himself, stitching all of our footage together and syncing it to the music. Without him, you would be watching silly videos of a dancing Paladin and a lot of yelling from me instead.

26346 OCdt (II) Dan Ryan (Cinematographer) is an aspiring pilot, a skilled photographer, and best of all a really good friend. Initially he had doubts that he would have the time to help me film the production, but like a true gentleman cadet, he pulled through with his prior commitments and filmed us for the entire day. His brilliance behind the lens brought us fantastic footage to work with, and I am truly grateful for his help.

25596 OCdt (IV) Alida Stockermans (Choreographer / Dance Lead) currently holds the position of CWHDL (Cadet Wing Highland Dance Leader).  When we began casting for a female lead, she was my first choice and she agreed without hesitation.  She also handled the choreography for our talented dance crew, overseeing the two practices that we were able to squeeze in due to our tight schedule.  She wasn’t too happy to be in a dress on a chilly October morning but still gave a spectacular performance!

26318 OCdt (II) Stephen Kane (Paladin) was initially our back up Paladin, but stepped up to the call at the last minute.  I don’t know how he managed to put up with me on film day, but I know I owe him beers.  As he was the lead, he had to be there in every single take of every last scene we filmed, yet as the day dragged on his enthusiasm never faded.

25881 OCdt (IV) Anthony Matlock (Distributor) uploaded and manages the final product on the North Cadet Youtube channel, which is also home to the University with a Difference series. He also works on our internal publicity, such as here on e-Veritas.

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CDS & His Connection With the Peninsula

12192 T.J. (Tom) Lawson was recently appointed as Canada’s next Chief of the Defense Staff. Gen Lawson entered Royal Military College of Canada in 1975, served as the Cadet Wing Commander from 1978-79, and graduated in 1979 with an Electrical Engineering Degree. He returned  in 1985 to complete a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and then served as a lecturer on the Electrical Engineering staff.

The former fighter pilot returned, once again  and served as XLII Commandant from 2007 to 2009, and also taught in the Engineering Department. Imagine being a cadet and having the commandant as one of your profs.

e-Veritas contacted former classmates of the General and other ex-Cadets from various vintages to get their response to his appointment.

What others are saying…

“On Tuesday evening, 28 August, I was sitting in the lobby of a Toronto hotel, casually glancing at a TV monitor showing images of the evening news while I waited for a colleague to join me for dinner. Something caught my eye on the scroll bar that was panning across the bottom of the screen that caused me to focus in: “LGen Tom Lawson named Canada’s top general.” This happy announcement caught me by surprise. We had been expecting a change of CDS this summer but the short list of eligible candidates was long and one could only guess at which service and which person was going to get the nod from the government.

You see, Tom Lawson and I had flown fighters together in Germany some 30+ years ago during the waning days of the service life of the CF-104 Starfighter. He was a first-tour pilot on 421 Sqn. and I was a somewhat longer-in-the-tooth CO of 441 Sqn. Those two squadrons occupied different halves of the same ops building at CFB Baden Soellingen and, despite the ever-present, inter-squadron rivalry, there was a special bond between us “old boys” from RMC in a fighter-pilot community where ex-cadets were very much in the minority. Tom always stood out from the crowd by virtue of his enthusiastic team spirit, his ready smile, and that air about him that made it clear that he had everything firmly under control.

Tom and I went our separate ways after those tours but, as military people so often do, we would continue to bump into each other in the years that followed. We always shared the good vibrations and fond memories of the glory days flying jets together — very low and very fast — as part of Canada’s NATO contingent during the Cold War. Indeed, he and I had occasion to do some official business together many years later after I had retired from the Air Force and which included a lengthy interview session in the Commandant’s office, right here at RMC.

I am absolutely delighted with Tom’s appointment as CDS as are, I am sure, virtually all Canadians. He is definitely the right man for the job at this important time in our history. I know he will discharge his new and challenging responsibilities with competence and aplomb and will make us proud as cadets, ex-cadets and, indeed, all members of the Canadian Forces’ family – prospective, serving and retired.”

7264 Col (ret’d) K. Ross Betts

“I have known Gen Lawson since 1975 when he arrived as a recruit to RMCC. He was a precocious young man, who already was demonstrating a high level of initiative. I had the honour of being appointed CWC for my final year (in those days our bar appointments lasted the whole year) and at one point if, I remember correctly, I “awarded” him 5 circles, I think for stepping between the salad table and the Wing HQ table…He went on to be the CWC of his class, so obviously he did not get into any more “trouble”. I then ran into Gen Lawson many times over our careers; he commanded 412 Squadron which flew the Challenger jets in support of VIPs in Ottawa and I had occasion to work with him then, and of course, when I arrived as Academic Director of RMC Saint-Jean in Dec 2007, he had been Commandant of RMCC since the summer. He was an excellent Commandant, who even taught in the Elec Engr Dept at one point…how would YOU like to have the Commandant be one of your professors? A great choice for this gentleman to be our CDS, and my wife Barbara and I wish him and his wife Kelly the best in this challenging appointment.”

10966 LGen (ret) Michel Maisonneuve, Class of ’76

“My long and valued relationship with Gen Lawson began in August 1975, when we were both assigned to the same rook flight in 2 Squadron; his door was 2 down from mine in Fort Lasalle. His leadership and engaging personality were evident even then, as we plotted and executed some of the more visible and (to us) memorable skylarks, including the one that resulted in the 2 squadron flag flying over Mackenzie for a week. Within 4 years, Gen Lawson was at the helm of the wing as the Cadet Wing Commander, and I found myself as his right-hand man. The experiences I gained in this leadership position, both from observing Tom in action and from doing my part to meet his expectations, proved invaluable throughout the remainder of my career.

As a fellow fighter pilot and friend, I have kept closely in touch with Gen Lawson over the ensuing years, and have shared many an hour discussing the way of the world and the meaning of life with him. On the eve of retirement, I was extremely happy to find that I would once again be serving in a key subordinate position to Gen Lawson, then Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, for the final year of my service. Once again I marvelled at his leadership abilities, and continued to learn from him as we shaped the issues and prepared the ground for the success of our Commander and the Air Force in general.

I was both excited and extremely pleased to learn that the Prime Minister had also recognized the extraordinary talents of Gen Lawson, and had selected him to assume Command of the entire Canadian Forces. While there will certainly be no shortage of challenges in the years to come, I know from my direct personal experiences that Gen Lawson is perfectly suited to lead the team forward.”

 12162 BGen (ret) D.A. Davies

“I have known LGen Lawson since we stood opposite each other on day one of Rook Camp in Lasalle in August 1975. He later confided that he was going to try RMC till Christmas and would then decide if he would continue. Obviously he decided to stay and make a career of it.

Tom is an inspiring and innovative leader and it will be interesting to see how he deals with the challenges the CF will face in this age of governmental restraint and cutbacks to the DND budget. By his own admission he told them what he thought during the screening process and did not try to win the appointment by giving them the answers they wanted. The Canadian military will be well served by this appointment.”

12207 Kevin McCarthy

“My friendship with General Lawson goes back to our RMC rook days when he arrived in Kingston with a pretty good 70′s hairdo. After RMC we were both posted to Germany to fly CF104s where I witnessed his professionalism and drive to the Forces and his commitment to the people around him. With his calm and personable demeanor, along with his intelligence and dedication, I am not surprised by Tom’s career progression and how he has succeeded in his past appointments. In General Lawson they have found a great leader who is also a loyal friend and the Class of ’79 email traffic over his appointment to CDS supports my rather biased opinion. (In rook camp – who would have thought – Class of ’79 two CDS’s).

The one mistake General Lawson may have made in accepting this position is the negative affect it will probably have on his golf game. However, this is all good news for me as I have the potential of earning $3.25 more a game.”

12240 Jim Sullivan

“As a cadet and grad student, I was around the college for four different commandants, and although I can’t say I had a bad experience with any of them, General Lawson was different from the rest. He really made an effort to connect with cadets and athletes and was a very approachable, great influence around the college. I remember one morning after some pretty intense rugby training getting a personal email from Gen. Lawson saying to keep up the good work, and then when we played at Queen’s, which was never a great experience, he was sitting front row in his college blazer with his dog. At times it’s tough being an athlete at RMC, and he really made our team feel proud to be cadet-athletes.The first thing I did when I found out, was to send a message to Ben Lawson asking him to pass my congratulations on if he wouldn’t mind. I feel like we were really fortunate to have just had Gen. Natynczyk as our CDS, and although my military experience ended when I left the college, it makes me proud that our favourite commandant is the CDS, and I think he’ll do a fantastic job.”

23785 Matthew McLeod – Articling Student – Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP – Toronto

“I was extremely pleased to hear of Lt-Gen Lawson’s promotion. He was the Cmdt of RMC during my fourth year as a cadet. He inspired me to get more out of my RMC experience and get involved in a leadership position. I followed his advice and became a Cadet Squadron Leader and it was one of my best experiences at RMC. I am positive he will be an inspiration to the members of the Canadian Forces. Congratulations Lt-Gen. Lawson!”

23988 Gino Bruni, 2012 graduate from Oxford Law on a Rhodes Scholarship

Interesting Links:

2011 e-Veritas interview with Gen Lawson, when he was Assistant Chief of the Air Staff, click here.

Send off that Cadets gave Gen Lawson on his departure as Commandant, click here.