July 23: Letter from Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS)

July 23, 2020 - Defence Stories 

To my Sailors, Soldiers, Aviators, Special Forces Operators and your families;
To our Deputy Minister, DND and NPF Employees, and my friends and Colleagues;
To the members of the CDS Council;
To my Senior Leadership,

I wish to inform you that I have conferred with our Minister of National Defence, our Prime Minister and, Her Excellency the Governor General and have conveyed to them my intent, and with their permission, to relinquish command of the Canadian Armed Forces in the months to come. The selection of a new Chief of the Defence Staff and subsequent change of command date will be determined by‎ the Government.

You, the members of the Canadian Armed Forces, have been the inspiration for my life and I have given you my all. Now in my 39^th year of service, and in my sixth year as CDS, and with the CAF gaining an ever stronger strategic posture I am excited at the prospect of a new CDS being appointed to lead the profession of arms in Canada and take you even further.

Until I relinquish command I will continue to serve you and Canadians with the same energy and effort I always have. In the meantime remember, you mean everything to Canada, you are more important to the success of this nation than ‎most will ever know, and I am so very proud to be counted among your ranks.

Pro Patria

J.H. Vance
General