Honorary Colonel Brigadier-General Eldren B. Thuen (Retired)

Biography / June 14, 2018

Brigadier-General Eldren “ET” Thuen (retired) was appointed as Honorary Colonel of 402 Squadron, 17 Wing Winnipeg, MB in March 2017. Honorary Colonel Thuen also served with 1 Canadian Forces Flying Training School, Winnipeg MB.

Honorary Colonel Thuen was born in Tisdale Saskatchewan. He attended Royal Roads Military College in Victoria and graduated from Royal Military College in Kingston. Gaining his Wings from the CF Air Navigation School, he was posted to 407 Squadron in Comox to fly on the Argus aircraft before conversion to the Aurora aircraft.

Honorary Colonel Thuen completed several flying tours: instructing at the Air Navigation School; on exchange with the USAF at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma on the E-3A Airborne Warning and Control aircraft; and operationally with 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron.

In 1997, Honorary Colonel Thuen transferred from the Regular Force to the Air Force Primary Reserves and rose through the ranks to Brigadier General to assume the dual roles of Deputy Commander for Mission Support and Director General of the Air Reserves.Following more than 37 years of Air Force service, he retired in 2011.

Honorary Colonel Thuen is an avid golfer and proud supporter of military families. He is a long-standing supporter of the cadet movement which includes being a member of the Board of Directors for the Hubbell Awards, a charity whose mission is to provide scholarships to Manitoba-based Cadets who will continue studies at a technical institute, college or university. He and his wife Barb reside in Winnipeg.