15 Wing Commander
Colonel Adam Carlson grew up in Kamloops, British Columbia, where his passion for aviation took flight as an Air Cadet. In 1991, he earned his glider pilot license, setting the stage for a distinguished career in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He joined the Canadian Armed Forces in June 1992 and attended Royal Roads Military College in Victoria, British Columbia, for three years, followed by one year at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. He graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Computer Science.
Colonel Carlson received his pilot wings in December 1997 and was posted to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, with 440 Transport Squadron (440 (T) Sqn). There, he supported operations in remote northern communities, working closely with the Canadian Rangers, Junior Canadian Rangers, and Cadets. In 2001, he was posted to 12 Wing Shearwater, Nova Scotia, where he served for over a decade in a variety of roles: Sea King pilot with 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron; instructor at 406 Maritime Operational Training Squadron; Detachment Commander at 423 Squadron; and planning and tasks officer at 12 Wing Operations.
His operational deployments include OP APOLLO in the Persian Gulf, OP SAIPH in the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa, and missions with the Standing NATO Maritime Group in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. He also participated in OP FOUNDATION (2015) and OP NANOOK (2017). Over the course of his career, he has spent more than 600 days at sea aboard HMCS Fredericton, Preserver, Montréal, Toronto, and Athabaskan.
Colonel Carlson’s leadership and staff experience includes serving as J3 Desk Officer at Canadian Joint Operations Command in support of Operation ATTENTION, and as Senior Staff Officer for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance at 1 Canadian Air Division. From 2016 to 2019, he had the honour of commanding 440 (T) Squadron in Yellowknife.
He completed the Canadian Forces College Joint Command and Staff Programme in 2014, earning a Master of Defence Studies. After completing French language training in 2020, he was posted to Ottawa as Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations and Planning, with the Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers (CJCR). Later that year, he was promoted to his current rank and appointed Deputy Commander of CJCR.
In 2022, Colonel Carlson was posted to 2 Canadian Air Division in Winnipeg as Director of Air Force Training. In 2024, he attended the Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama, where he earned a Master of Strategic Studies. He assumed command of 15 Wing Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, on June 12, 2025.
Colonel Carlson is married to Leigh, and together they have three wonderful children. He enjoys music, camping, and cooking in his spare time.