Media Response Lines on General Officers and Flag Officers Plot

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• Media Lines
  • Overview
  • Key Messages
  • Q&As
• GOFO Plot Announcement – Acting Chief of the Defence Staff announces the 2021 Canadian Armed Forces General and Flag Officer senior appointments, promotions, and retirements

Media Lines

Issue:

First 2021 announcement of General/Flag Officer appointments/retirements

Media Query:

Produced in anticipation of media queries

Reporter:

NA

Date:

March 8 2021

Deadline:

NA

Overview

The 2021 Canadian Armed Forces senior appointments, promotions, and retirements is ready to be announced. A CANFORGEN has been prepared with intent to release shortly. Subsequently, PLS PA has drafted a News Release to be distributed immediately following the CANFORGEN.

Approach: Active. These MLs will be used by PLS PA to address any questions that may arise after the announcement.

Biographies and pictures can be found at: Director of Senior Appointments - Senior Officer Biographies (accessible only on the National Defence network).

Key Messages

• A number of senior promotions, appointments and retirements of General and Flag Officers were officially announced on March 8, 2021, by Lieutenant-General Wayne Eyre, Acting Chief of the Defence staff.
• Lieutenant-General F.J. Allen will be appointed Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, in Ottawa, replacing Lieutenant-General M.N. Rouleau, who will be appointed to a new position as Strategic Advisor to the CDS on Future Capabilities.
• The total number of permanent General and Flag Officers positions to meet operational headquarters, international engagements, and internal management requirements is 118.
• The release of a Canadian Forces General Orders (CANFORGEN) to announce the promotions, appointments and retirements internally is part of a routine process. It is produced regularly to announce the senior appointments of officers.
• General Officers and Flag Officers lead the CAF in defending our country’s values and interests, here at home and abroad, and they are considered institutional leaders. They share the responsibility for the stewardship of the entire institution, and for the profession of arms as a whole.

Q&As

Q1. How many General and Flag Officers will there be in 2021?

A1. The current plan for 2021 is to have 118 permanent Regular and Reserve Force General and Flag Officer positions (108 Regular Force and 10 Reserve Force).

Q2. How many of the General Officers and Flag Officers are women?

A2. As of March 2021, there are 14 female General Officers and Flag Officers (13 Regular Force and one Reserve Force), representing 10.1% of all GOFOs in the CAF.  For comparison, women make up 15.9% of the total CAF.

Q3. Will Lieutenant-General Allen be the first woman Vice Chief of the Defence Staff?

A3. Lieutenant-General Allen will be the first woman Vice Chief of the Defence Staff in the Canadian Armed Forces.  Her exemplary career as a Communication Electronics Engineering Officer, coupled with leadership roles within Strategic Joint Staff, Defence Security, Information Management, Cyber, NATO and as Deputy Vice Chief of the Defence Staff make her the top choice to lead the continuation of change and modernization within the Canadian Armed Forces.

Q4. Despite the appointment of Lieutenant-General Allen, the vast majority of GOFOs are men. Can you explain why, at a time when the CAF is claiming to value diversity in its ranks, that the majority of GOFO promotions this year remain white men?

A4. National Defence is working to build a Defence Team that is comprised of members who reflect the rich diversity of Canada and who are recognized and encouraged to contribute through their unique experiences, abilities and perspectives. While we know that developing this diverse force starts at recruitment and retention, the CAF continues to provide professional development and advancement opportunities to deserving women and minorities at all ranks. The current women GOFOs are leading the charge in multiple important aspects of the CAF, from leading NATO deployments, to representing the CAF at SHAPE, to now leading policy and strategic objectives of the Department of National Defence. We are committed to continue promoting diversity through professional development, leadership opportunities and merited promotions to better represent the diversity of Canada.

Q5. Rear-Admiral Auchterlonie will be promoted and appointed Commander Canadian Joint Operations Command. What will Lieutenant-General Coates’ new role be?

A5. Employment options for Lieutenant-General Coates are yet to be confirmed and will be made available in future iterations of this year’s GOFO plot.

Q6. What is the explanation for the amount of General and Flag Officers?

A6. General Officers and Flag Officers (GOFO) are instrumental to meet the increased coordination and leadership requirements associated with Canada’s complex operational commitments. They are also essential to better support Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel who are the backbone of this organization.

In 2021, the CAF will have 118 permanent GOFO positions.

Q7. How do the number of General and Flag Officers compare over the past three years?

A7. Over the past three years the number of General Officers and Flag Officers (GOFOs) has varied slightly.

• In 2018, there were 120 permanent GOFO positions (108 Regular Force and 12 Reserve Force).
• In 2019, there were 116 permanent GOFO positions (105 Regular Force and 11 Reserve Force).
• In 2020, there were 116 permanent GOFO positions (107 Regular Force and 9 Reserve Force).
• In 2021, there will be 118 permanent GOFO positions (108 Regular Force and 10 Reserve Force).

The number of GOFO positions fluctuates as a result of the needs of the military to meet government and institutional objectives which demand that the most senior and experienced Canadian Armed Forces leaders be employed in key roles across a broad spectrum of military positions. For example, at present, certain positions are helping us to meet our commitments under the Defence Policy: Strong, Secure, Engaged.

Q8. What does ‘acting while so employed’ mean?

A8. “Acting while so employed” is a temporary promotion given to a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) member which allows the CAF to meet national and international commitments. An officer who is “acting while so employed” is promoted to that higher rank while serving in that role, and therefore receives the pay and benefits associated with that temporary rank. Upon completion of the role, the member could revert to their previous rank, unless they have been permanently promoted in the interim.

Q9. Are the number of Canadian military generals, admirals growing at faster rate than soldiers, sailors?

A9. As of December 2020, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) comprised of 65,833 Regular Force members, and 30,633 Primary Reserve Force members.  Both the Regular and Reserve Forces are continuing to grow overall in accordance with renewed efforts under Strong, Secure, Engaged, and striving to maintain or regain the health of individual CAF occupations, while increasing the diversity of those occupations.

Q10. Per capita how does our number of General Officers and Flag Officers compare to other countries?

A10. As of January 31, 2021, Canada had 704 Regular Force and Primary Reserve Force members per General Officer or Flag Officer (GOFO), which makes us lighter at the top than the United Kingdom and Australia.

For the ratios from United Kingdom (UK)/ Australia (AU):

For the UK, as of April 1 2020, there is 1 GOFO per 318 members of other ranks (including regular and reserve members). *Data from January 1, 2021 from the UK Armed Forces Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics. (you are now leaving the Government of Canada website)

For AU, as of June 30 2020, 1 GOFO per 180 members of other ranks.  This includes reservists, which Australia now counts differently.  If looking only at Regular Forces, the ratio is 1:307.  *Data from the Australian Government’s Defence Annual Report 2019-20 (you are now leaving the Government of Canada website).

Q11. Why are six additional General Officer and Flag Officer positions being created?

A11. Three new permanent, and three temporary assignment General Officer and Flag Officer positions are being created to meet the latest operational requirements for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).  Details of these positions are as follows:

• To steer and control the development and further evolution of joint combat systems within CAF/DND, a two-year temporary position has been created which will be accountable to the CDS and in support of Canada’s Defence Policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged. This position will set the conditions for the execution of an approved joint combat systems solution, ultimately enhancing and expanding existing and future interoperability of the CAF. Lieutenant-General Michael Rouleau will be appointed to the new position as Strategic Advisor to the CDS on Future Capabilities, in Ottawa.
• The CAF will be sending a General Officer to the United States to advise, monitor and assess the execution of joint and combined combat and crisis operations and planning throughout the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) area of responsibility. Major-General Derek Macaulay will be appointed to the new position as the USCENTCOM Vice Director of Operations in Tampa, Florida.
• To provide supervision and oversight of all Data, Innovation, Analytics Group business management functions including Public Affairs and Strategic Communications, Human Resources, Finance/Comptrollership, Business Planning and internal Data Analytics. Brigadier-General Christopher Zimmer will be promoted to Major-General and appointed Chief of Staff (Data, Innovation, Analytics) in Ottawa.
• To provide supervision and oversight of Digital Enterprise Modernization activities, including the Defence Resource Business Modernization (DRMIS) Programme, as well as developing options for future programme or project portfolios for other Defence enterprise digital modernization efforts. Commodore Steven Thornton will be appointed Director General Digital Enterprise Modernization (DG DEM) in Ottawa.
• To provide supervision and oversight of all corporate business management functions for the Chief. Of Combat Systems Integration, provide input into strategic direction for the development of DND/CAF plans, programs requirements and analysis related to the capital equipment procurement, Pan Domain Command and Control solutions, Operational Sustainment optimization, DND digital initiatives development and Professional Military Education oversight. Brigadier-General Keith Osmond will be appointed Deputy Chief of Combat Systems Integration in Ottawa.
• The CAF will be sending a General Officer on a three-year rotation to NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe to provide cross-cutting authority, direction and requirement setting at the strategic level for all project, maintain and sustain functions of logistics. Brigadier-General Carla Harding will be appointed Assistant Chief of Staff J4 (Logistics) in Casteau, Belgium.

Q12. How many GOFO positions were removed this year?

A12. This year, the following permanent and temporary GOFO positions have been removed:

• CENTCOM J4 (MGen/RAdm)
• NATO Mission Iraq (MGen/RAdm)
• Queens University Fellowship (BGen/Cmdre)
• Associate Director General - Data, Innovations and Analytics (BGen/Cmdre)
• Operation IMPACT Military Liaison Team (BGen/Cmdre)
• Maritime Component Command Deputy Chief of Staff Operations (BGen/Cmdre)
• Combined Task Force 150 (BGen/Cmdre)
• Permanent Mission New York (BGen/Cmdre)

Q13. Which Lieutenant-Generals are retiring?

A13. After their distinguished service to Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces, the following Lieutenant-Generals will retire in 2021:

• Lieutenant-General O.H. Lavoie

Drafted by:

• Maj Larose, Senior Communications Advisor, PLS PA
• LCol Stadnyk, Head PLS PA

Consulted: DGMC

Approved by: CDSO

Date of approval: 8 March 2021

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