General Officers and Flag Officers

General and Flag Officers (GOFOs) are senior leaders in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) at the rank of Brigadier-General/Commodore and above.

The Canadian Armed Forces’ requirement for GOFOs is driven by the need:

  • to lead defence priorities at the institutional level;
  • to create and sustain a diverse and inclusive culture; and
  • for Canada to project leadership and influence abroad.

GOFOs work closely with senior Defence Team and other Government department executives, and our Allies and Partners to ensure Canada is strong at home, secure in North America, and engaged in the world.

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How are GOFOs selected?

Service as a GOFO is a tremendous responsibility and an opportunity that is founded upon the trusted relationship with Canadians, the Government, and those within the Defence Team.

The following processes have been introduced for promotion to or within the GOFO cadre from amongst the best of those with the right character, aptitudes, competencies, and behaviours:

More information on the promotion selection process.

The promotion of an officer to the rank of commodore/brigadier-general or to any higher rank requires the approval of the Minister of National Defence on the recommendation of the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS).

The CDS approves the GOFO employment plan based on advice from Armed Forces Council Executive, which is comprised of all serving vice-admirals/lieutenant-generals.

How many GOFOs are there?

The number of GOFO positions fluctuates as priorities evolve to support institutional priorities and the objectives of the Government of Canada which often demand that the most senior and experienced CAF leaders be employed in key roles across a broad spectrum of international and domestic military positions.

Although we have seen an increased demand for CAF GOFOs to assume positions with our Allies and Partners, as well as with other Government departments, every position is scrutinized through the lens of span of control, expertise and the results (including national influence) it creates.

As of 1 January, 2023 there are 138 permanent and temporary Regular Force and Primary Reserve positions in the GOFO establishment.

The Canadian Armed Forces is structured to have 631 Regular Force members per 1 GOFO, which makes us lighter at the top when compared to like-sized military forces of some of our closest Commonwealth Allies.

Diversity in the Canadian Armed Forces

The Department of National Defence is working to build a Defence Team that comprises 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 continues with addressing issues associated with retention, the CAF continues to provide professional development and advancement opportunities to deserving women and members from other underrepresented communities at all ranks. We are committed to promoting diversity through professional development, and by providing leadership opportunities and merited promotions that better represent the rich diversity of Canada.

List of current GOFOs in the CAF (effective January 1, 2023)

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Rank Rank Sort Initials Surname Position
Lieutenant-General2S.J.R.WhelanPending Formal Assignment
Major-General3P.S.DaweSpecial Assistant to the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff
Major-General3J.S.S.D.FortinSenior Advisor to Commander Canadian Joint Operations Command
Major-General3J.P.H.H.GosselinTransition from the Canadian Armed Forces
General 1 W.D. Eyre Chief of the Defence Staff
Lieutenant-General 2 F.J. Allen Vice Chief of the Defence Staff
Vice-Admiral 2 J.R. Auchterlonie Commander Canadian Joint Operations Command
Vice-Admiral 2 A.I. Topshee Commander Royal Canadian Navy
Vice-Admiral 2 S.E.G. Bishop Military Representative of Canada to NATO
Lieutenant-General 2 M.A.J. Carignan Chief Professional Conduct and Culture
Lieutenant-General 2 E.J. Kenny Commander Royal Canadian Air Force
Lieutenant-General 2 S.R. Kelsey Deputy Commander Allied Joint Force Command Naples
Lieutenant-General 2 J.P.A. Pelletier Deputy Commander North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)
Lieutenant-General 2 J.J.M.J Paul Commander Canadian Army
Lieutenant-General 2 M.H.L. Bourgon Acting Chief of Military Personnel and Acting Commander Military Personnel Command
Major-General 3 D.C. Aitchison Commander Canadian Defence Academy
Major-General 3 D.D. Basinger Chief of Staff Assistant Deputy Minister (Material)
Major-General 3 J.A.S. Bernard Director General Military Personnel - Strategic
Rear-Admiral 3 G. Bernatchez Judge Advocate General
Major-General 3 J.G.M. Bilodeau Surgeon General
Major-General 3 J.M.S. Boivin Commander Canadian Special Operations Forces Command
Rear-Admiral 3 C.F. Sutherland Deputy Commander Military Personnel Command and Assistant Chief of Military Personnel
Major-General 3 J.B.P. Carpentier Director of Operations NORAD Headquarters
Rear-Admiral 3 D.A. Charlebois Director General Future Ship Capability
Major-General 3 B.F. Frawley Deputy Vice Chief of the Defence Staff
vacant vacant vacant vacant Director General Financial Management
Rear-Admiral 3 J.M.S. Hamilton Chief of Programme
Major-General 3 M. Gros-Jean Chief of Staff Assistant Deputy Minister (Infrastructure & Environment)
Major-General 3 P.K. Scott Chief of Staff Canadian Joint Operations Command
Rear-Admiral 3 L. Carosielli Chief of Staff Assistant Deputy Minister (Information Management)
Major-General 3 S.T. Boyle Deputy Commander Continental United States NORAD Region
Major-General 3 C.R. Keiver Deputy Commander Royal Canadian Air Force
Major-General 3 P.J. Peyton Chief of Force Development
Major-General 3 I.S. Huddleston Commander 1 Canadian Air Division
Major-General 3 D.A. Macaulay United States Central Command (CENTCOM) Vice J3
Major-General 3 S.Y. Menard Chief of Fighter Capability
Major-General 3 C.J.J. Mialkowski Deputy Commander Canadian Army
Major-General 3 M. Misener Commander 1st Canadian Division Headquarters
Major-General 3 R.L. Simoneau Chief of Staff Chief Professional Conduct and Culture
Major-General 3 J.P.R. Prevost Director of Staff Strategic Joint Staff
Rear-Admiral 3 B.W.N. Santarpia Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic
Rear-Admiral 3 R.L. Patterson TBD
Major-General 3 D.E. Molstad Deputy Commander Canadian Joint Operations Command
Major-General 3 G.R. Smith Director General International Security Policy
Major-General 3 R. Pelletier Commander Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Centre
Rear-Admiral 3 S.M. Waddell Deputy Commander Royal Canadian Navy
Major-General 3 M.H. St-Louis Defence Attaché, Canadian Defence Liaison Staff (Washington)
Rear-Admiral 3 C.A. Robinson Commander Maritime Forces Pacific
Rear-Admiral 3 D.J. Patchell Vice Commander United States 2nd Fleet
Major-General 3 M.C. Wright Commander Canadian Forces Intelligence Command
Major-General 3 C.J. Zimmer Chief of Staff, Data Innovation and Analytics
Rear-Admiral 3 J.B. Zwick Chief of Combat Systems Integration
Brigadier-General 4 R.T. Ritchie Chief of Staff for the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff
Brigadier-General 4 J.J.C. Potvin Deputy Director General Continental Defence Policy
Brigadier-General 4 D. Chafai Deputy Commander 2nd Canadian Division
Brigadier-General 4 G.M. Adamson Commander 3 Canadian Space Division
Brigadier-General 4 M.W. Goulden Director General Air and Space Readiness
Commodore 4 J.S. Armstrong Director General Naval Force Development
Brigadier-General 4 L.W. Rutland Commander Joint Task Force IMPACT
Brigadier-General 4 A.J. Atherton Chief of Staff Operations, Chief of Military Personnel
Brigadier-General 4 P.F.A. Demers Director General Army Capability Development
Brigadier-General 4 J.G.L. Belisle Chaplain General
Brigadier-General 4 J.R.S. Boivin Commander 2nd Canadian Division
Major-General 3 J.E.S. Boucher Director General Culture Change
Commodore 4 M.D. Bowen J7 United States Cyber Command
Brigadier-General 4 T.A. Morehen TBD
Brigadier-General 4 K.D. Brodie Commander Military Personnel Generation Group
Commodore 4 K.H. Coffen Director General Maritime Equipment Program Management
Brigadier-General 4 F.G. Carpentier National Military Representative to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
Commodore 4 K.W.A. Monaghan Director General readiness, Canadian Joint Operations Command
Brigadier-General 4 D.P. Conley Privy Council Office Military Advisor
Brigadier-General 4 S.A. Connor Deputy Commander, Force Generation, 1 Canadian Air Division
Commodore 4 J.J.L.D. Bouchard Commander Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group
Brigadier-General 4 A.R. Day Deputy J3 US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM)
Brigadier-General 4 D.P.G.G. Boucher Director General Defence Security
Brigadier-General 4 S.M. Parsons Task Force Commander Operation PROTEUS
Brigadier-General 4 R.B. Dundon Director General Land Equipment Program Management
Brigadier-General 4 J.D. Hawthorne Deputy Director of Strategy, Policy and Plans NORAD and United States Northern Command
Brigadier-General 4 R.T. Strickland Commandant Canadian Forces College
Brigadier-General 4 S.G. Graham Commander 3rd Canadian Division
Brigadier-General 4 K.A. Gallinger Director General Military Careers
Brigadier-General 4 J.P.P. Godbout Commander Joint Task Force North
Brigadier-General 4 P.J. Doyle Deputy Commander 1 Canadian Air Division
Brigadier-General 4 P.H.G.H. Robichaud TBD
Commodore 4 J.R.M. Thibault Project Manager, Canadian Surface Combatant Project
Brigadier-General 4 M.F.J. Pelletier Chief of Staff Canadian Special Operations Forces Command
Brigadier-General 4 C.M. Harding Assistant Chief of Staff J4, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers
Brigadier-General 4 L.J. Girouard J4, Strategic Joint Staff
Brigadier-General 4 S.J. Hunter Deputy Commander Canadian Special Operations Forces Command
Commodore 4 M.T.J. Kurtz Commandant Royal Military College
Brigadier-General 4 E. Laforest Director General Operations, Strategic Joint Staff
Brigadier-General 4 D.R. Yarker Director General Information Management Operations
Brigadier-General 4 M.L. Lapointe (United States) 11th Airborne Division, Deputy Commanding General – Operations
Brigadier-General 4 J.G.P. Lemyre Chief of the Defence Staff Liaison Officer to the Pentagon
Brigadier-General 4 J.A.D. Abboud Chief of Staff Army Operations
Brigadier-General 4 S.F. Malcolm Commander Canadian Forces Health Services Group
Commodore 4 D.E. Mazur Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific
Brigadier-General 4 C.A. McKenna Director General Air and Space Force Development
Brigadier-General 4 J.P.S. McKenzie Director General Support, Canadian Joint Operations Command
Vacant until June 2023 Vacant until June 2023 Vacant until June 2023 Vacant until June 2023 Combined Air Operations Center Director, 609th Air Operations Center
Brigadier-General 4 C.I. Oberwarth Deputy Commanding General Operations, US I Corps
Commodore 4 J.P. Olivier Director General Professional Conduct and Development
Brigadier-General 4 J.J. Alexander Commander 2 Canadian Air Division
Brigadier-General 4 K.E. Osmond Director General Joint Integration and Operational Sustainment
Commodore 4 J.L. Murray Director General Naval Strategic Readiness
Brigadier-General 4 T.M. Arsenault Director General Operations
Brigadier-General 4 M.R. Perreault Director General Public Affairs
Brigadier-General 4 J.D.S. Masson Commander 5th Canadian Division
Brigadier-General 4 J.J.L.N. Pilon Director General Defence Force Planning
Brigadier-General 4 D.P. O'Reilly Chief of Staff for the Chief of the Defence Staff
Brigadier-General 4 W. Radiff Alaskan NORAD Region Deputy Commander
Brigadier-General 4 J.P. Thibert Director General Air Strategic Resources and Air Reserve
Brigadier-General 4 J.P. Huet Deputy Commanding General – Operations, (United States) XVIII Airborne Corps
Commodore 4 T.J.C. MacLean Commander Canadian Fleet Atlantic
Brigadier-General 4 M.W.J. Rodgers Director General Aerospace Equipment Program Management
Brigadier-General 4 P.C. Sabourin Director General Information Capabilities Force Development
Brigadier-General 4 J.J. Major Commander 4th Canadian Division
Brigadier-General 4 J.W. Errington Director General Plans, Strategic Joint Staff
Brigadier-General 4 J.A.D. Goulet Chief of Staff Canadian Forces Intelligence Command
Brigadier-General 4 J.D. Smyth Director General Strategic Effects and Readiness, Strategic Joint Staff
Brigadier-General 4 J.R. Speiser-Blanchet Commander National Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers Support Group
Brigadier-General 4 V.C. Tattersall Director General Compensation and Benefits
Brigadier-General 4 C.A. Heilman Deputy Chief of Staff, Chief Professional Conduct and Culture
Commodore 4 R.M. Dagenais Chief Financial Management/Dep CFO
Brigadier-Genera 4 J.D.V. Vass Director General Intelligence and Plans
Commodore 4 S.M. Thornton Director General Digital Enterprise Modernization
Brigadier-General 4 J.S. Trudeau Canadian Forces Provost Martial
Brigadier-General 4 J.F. Cauden Multinational Division North, Deputy Commander Maneuvre
Brigadier-General 4 E.M. Vandenberg Director General Intelligence Enterprise
Brigadier-General 4 K.C. Paul Deputy Commanding General-Transformation, United States Space Force
Major-General 3 R.R. MacKenzie Chief of Reserves and Employer Support
Brigadier-General 4 G.M. Bourque Deputy Commander 3rd Canadian Division
Brigadier-General 4 J.M. Valtonen Deputy Commander 4th Canadian Division
Brigadier-General 4 G.B. Thomson Deputy Commander 5th Canadian Division
Brigadier-General 4 J.G.S. Tardif TBD
Brigadier-General 4 S.D. Bindon Deputy Chief of Reserves and Employer Support
Brigadier-General 4 N.D. Stanton Director General Army Reserve
Commodore 4 P.J. Montgomery Commander Naval Reserve
Commodore 4 M.B. Mulkins Reserve Special Advisor to the Royal Canadian Navy
Commodore 4 M.A. Hopper Reserve Advisor to the Commander Royal Canadian Navy
Brigadier-General 4 M.B. Larsen Deputy Director General Military Personnel Strategic and Director Strategic Development
Brigadier-General 4 T. Balfe Fighter Capability
Brigadier-General 4 R.L. Scott Director General External Review Implementation Secretariat
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