Up for the Challenge: Brigadier General William Fletcher Discusses Division Command
December 21, 2020 - Ashley Materi, 3 Cdn Div Public Affairs
Assuming command of thousands of people can be a daunting prospect. Factoring in the logistical challenges that accompany an area of responsibility that spans from western Ontario to Vancouver Island as well as two northern territories, coupled with tremendous levels of output; it’s a big job. Add a pandemic to the mix and it can seem like an insurmountable task, but Brigadier General (BGen) William Fletcher is up to the challenge.
He became Commander of 3rd Canadian Division and Joint Task Force West in August after taking over from outgoing Commander BGen Steve Lacroix. After moving to Fort Bragg, North Carolina in 2018 to serve as Deputy Commanding General Operations of the U.S. Army’s XIII Airborne Corps, BGen Fletcher is happy to be back home in Alberta.
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Brigadier General William Fletcher
“Coming back to 3 Div, my first reaction was comfort,” he says. “More was the same than was different from what I remembered having left here two years ago.”
Commanding during the COVID-19 crisis
In addition to the difficulties caused by the disruption and tragic losses of the pandemic, the Canadian Army has had to adapt to a dispersed workforce while maintaining a required baseline of competency. BGen Fletcher says that it has been a journey of discovery as the Army went from a full-stop to a slow and deliberate resumption of training and operations. COVID-19 has forced the Army to reexamine the necessary level of collective readiness for a deployed footprint, which will likely reduce the output and tempo in garrison for the vast majority of members, he says. “Something that I’ve always believed is that we are way more ready than we give ourselves credit for.”
Another challenge has been maintaining contact with soldiers as the military adapted to individuals and elements working from home during the first and second waves of the pandemic. He says that checking in with the health and wellness of soldiers is easy when they’re coming into work each day or parading every week, but it is much more difficult when troops are isolating or working from home. However, junior leadership has been stepping up to the plate and reaching out to the soldiers in their chain of command. By leveraging available technologies and not shying away from the responsibility, Master Corporals and Sergeants have been instrumental in maintaining communications and getting to know their people.
“These junior leaders that have had to connect with their soldiers in this environment, that is muscle memory that shouldn’t go away and I think that they will be better leaders because of it,” says BGen Fletcher. “We need our leaders to be invested in the lives of their soldiers.”
The way forward
Underpinning each decision made by BGen Fletcher is his priority of readiness for the members of the 3rd Canadian Division One Team. This means ensuring that the Defence Team is prepared to serve on behalf of Canada and respond to Canadians in their time of need.
Mission success is achieved by building and fostering resilience in the Defence Team and their families. For BGen Fletcher, this means recognizing the realities of service in a modern context and ensuring that families are supported in the military community.
“Resilience isn’t kid gloves and hugging and that kind of stuff,” he says. “Resilience is about making sure people are well-trained, that they know why they’re training and what they’re doing and making sure they’re well-equipped and well-led.”