Command Team of the Naval Reserve
Commander Naval Reserve
Commodore P.J. Montgomery, OMM, CD
At Malahat, Commodore Montgomery served as the Deck Officer while completing his B.Sc. and M.Sc. at the University of Victoria. He obtained his Bridge Watchkeeper’s Certificate in 1989 and spent several summers serving in Porte Class gate vessels, PBs and “YAG” (Yard Auxiliary, General) training vessels. In 1993 he transferred to HMCS Nonsuch, Edmonton’s Naval Reserve Division, while continuing his postgraduate studies at the University of Alberta. While at Nonsuch, he served as the Operations Officer, and continued to go to sea at every opportunity, including as Executive Officer (XO) for the unit’s final Gate Vessel Weekend, which brought HMCS Porte Quebec alongside for the last time.
On completion of his Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics, Commodore Montgomery moved to Prince George as faculty at the University of Northern British Columbia. While there, he maintained his part-time career with the Naval Reserve, and trained with Nonsuch whenever possible. After gaining knowledge on the new Kingston class, he was awarded his Minor Warship Command qualification in 2004, serving several periods as XO of HMCS Nanaimo during the summer months.
In 2008, after a tour as XO of HMCS Kingston, Commodore Montgomery moved to Victoria and assumed command of HMCS Edmonton followed by a hull transfer to HMCS Saskatoon. During nearly four years in command, he was involved in the full range of coastal operations, including Operation Podium, the CAF contribution to the Centennial of the Navy and Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics security efforts, Exercise RIMPAC 2012, and a variety of port visits from Juneau, Alaska to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. On completion of his sea posting, he moved ashore as the Mine Warfare Officer for Coastal Forces (Pacific), working towards growing our Navy’s capability in this important warfare area.
In 2015, Commodore Montgomery transitioned back to part-time service while joining the faculty at Camosun College in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. He served as the Naval Reserve Western Region Captain from 2015 to 2018, followed by a posting as Special Assistant to the Director General, Naval Strategic Readiness. Commodore Montgomery was promoted to his current rank and appointed Commander Naval Reserve in July of 2021. He currently resides in Victoria with his wonderfully supportive wife and enjoys spending time with his two sons, sailing the Gulf Islands, and playing tuba in the Greater Victoria Community Band.
Formation Chief Naval Reserve
Chief Petty Officer First Class T.D. Kelly, MMM, CD
Chief Petty Officer 1st Class (CPO1) Kelly enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces as a Naval Signalman in 1983 at HMCS Brunswicker in Saint John, NB. After completion of his basic and occupation training, he joined his first Minor War Vessel in 1985 as Yeoman. In 1987 he took his first staff position as an International Courier for the Canadian Patrol Frigate Program. CPO1 Kelly left this position to serve on HMCS Algonquin in 1989 on its deployment as COMSTANAVFORLANT, now known as Standing Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1). Following this deployment, he returned to university whilst continuing to serve the RCN in a variety of part-time capacities at CFFS Halifax, Naval Radio Station Mill Cove, Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Saint John, Harbour Defence Units, and within CFFS Quebec.
As a Petty Officer 2nd Class, he was appointed Coxswain of HMCS Brunswicker in July 2006. He served in this capacity until September 2008. Later that year, CPO1 Kelly was selected as one of only four representatives for the CAF in the role of Canada’s Security and International Co-operation delegate to AESOR (Association européenne des sous-officiers de réserve).
He worked with 14 countries to develop training and professional development exchange opportunities amongst the AESOR membership. In this role he attended the Senior NCO Orientation course at the NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany. CPO1 Kelly then assumed the role of Assistant to the NAVRES Formation CPO, and held both this and the AESOR position concurrently until being appointed as NAVRES Western Region CPO in 2011.
He was appointed as the Naval Communicator Occupational Advisor in 2012. In this role, he worked through the final pieces of the training alignment within the RCN, along with developing the material for the Naval Reserve Skills Competition. In December of 2012, he was appointed as a Member of the Order of Military Merit. On promotion to CPO1 in 2013 he became the Operations Branch NCM CPO and was appointed a year later as NAVRES Atlantic Region CPO until 2018. In February 2018, he assumed the new position of Naval Reserve NCM Succession Planning Chief. In July 2020, CPO1 Kelly was appointed to his current position as Fleet Chief Naval Reserve.
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