Colonel Richard A.J. Jolette, CD
Born in North Bay, ON, Colonel Richard A.J. Jolette joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2001 as a Direct Entry Officer after completing a Bachelor of Arts (Geography) at the University of Ottawa. He began his career at the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Control Operations (CFSACO) in Cornwall, ON in 2002. After completing his training in 2003, he served as a Weapons Director (WD) with the Canadian Air Defence Sector (CADS) at 22 Wing, North Bay, ON.
After a short tenure in North Bay, he was posted to Bagotville, QC with 12 Radar Squadron (12 RS) in 2004. In his time at 12 RS, Col Jolette participated in numerous training exercises in the United States and Canada, deployed in support of Op LOBOS for the North American Leaders Summit, and completed the Fighter Weapons Instructor Course (FWIC). In 2007, Col Jolette left the operational world to become an instructor at CFSACO, where his adventure initially began.
Following three very rewarding years at CFSACO, Col Jolette returned to Operations as a Mission Crew Commander aboard the USAF E-3 AWACS with the 552nd Air Control Wing, Tinker Air Force Base (AFB), Oklahoma. He deployed in support of Op ENDURING FREEDOM where he flew 41 combat missions. In 2013, Col Jolette returned to 12 RS as Commanding Officer, a position he held until 2015. He was then selected to attend the USAF Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, where he was a Distinguished Graduate. In 2016, Col Jolette assumed the role of Staff Officer to the Chief of Force Development in Ottawa. In 2017, he deployed as the Joint Task Force-Iraq J3 in support of Op IMPACT, Canada’s contribution to the Coalition against ISIS. On his return from deployment, Col Jolette assumed the role of Director Air Domain Development 4/RCAF C4ISR Projects and Air Battle Management, within the Air Staff. In 2018, Col Jolette assumed command of 21 Aerospace Control and Warning Squadron. Here he also served as the CADS Director of Operations, overseeing daily NORAD operations, where he had the privilege of watching CADS operators execute multiple Air Sovereignty Intercepts over Canada’s Arctic.
Returning to Ottawa in 2020, Col Jolette benefitted from an extremely rewarding year as Executive Assistant to the Chief of the Defence Staff, in what proved to be a very challenging year for the CAF. On promotion to Colonel in 2021, Col Jolette assumed the position of Director Plans North America within the Strategic Joint Staff.
On 29 April 2022, Col Jolette returned to North Bay to assume Command of 22 Wing/Canadian Forces Base North Bay and the Canadian Air Defence Sector.
Col Jolette holds a Master of Science in Aerospace Administration and Logistics from Southeastern Oklahoma State University and a Master of Military Operational Art and Science from ACSC.