Walter Natynczyk

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General
Walter Natynczyk
OC CMM MSC CD
Natynczyk in July 2008
9th Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs
In office
November 3, 2014 – May 21, 2021
Minister
Preceded byMary Chaput
President of the Canadian Space Agency
In office
August 6, 2013 – November 3, 2014
MinisterJames Moore
Preceded by
Succeeded byLuc Brûlé (interim)
16th Chief of the Defence Staff
In office
2008–2012
MinisterPeter MacKay
Preceded byRick Hillier
Succeeded byThomas J. Lawson
20th Vice Chief of the Defence Staff
In office
2006–2008
CommanderRick Hillier
Preceded byRonald Buck
Succeeded byDenis Rouleau
Personal details
Born
Walter John Natynczyk

(1957-10-29) October 29, 1957 (age 67)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Alma mater
Awards
Military service
Allegiance Canada
Branch/service Canadian Army
Years of service1975–2012
RankGeneral
Battles/wars

Walter John Natynczyk OC CMM MSC CD[3] (/nəˈtɪntʃɪk/ nə-TIN-chik; born October 29, 1957)[4] is a Canadian public servant and retired Canadian Army general who has served as deputy minister of Veterans Affairs from 2014 to 2021.[5][6] He was the president of the Canadian Space Agency from 2013 to 2014 and Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces from 2008 to 2012.

Early life

Both

hamburger flipper at a fast food establishment. Before joining the regular Canadian Army, Natynczyk spent five years in the Royal Canadian Air Cadets.[8]

Military career

Natynczyk joined the

The Royal Canadian Dragoons in troop command and staff appointments.[9]

In 1983, Natynczyk assumed duties as a Squadron Commander at the

UN peacekeeping duties in Cyprus. On completion of Canadian Forces Command and Staff College, he served on the Army Staff in Saint-Hubert, Quebec.[9]

In May 1994, Natynczyk embarked upon a year-long tour with the

East Timor and Eritrea.[9]

Natynczyk attended the

Operation Iraqi Freedom January 2004 to January 2005.[12]

Upon his return to Canada, he assumed command of the Land Force Doctrine and Training System. He was subsequently appointed Chief of Transformation, where he was responsible for implementation of the force restructuring and the enabling processes and policies.[9]

Natynczyk was promoted to lieutenant general (LGen), and assumed the responsibilities of the Vice Chief of Defence Staff on June 28, 2006.[9]

Chief of the Defence Staff

On June 6, 2008, prime minister Stephen Harper appointed Natynczyk as the next Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), replacing retiring general Rick Hillier.[13] Natynczyk was promoted to general, and installed as CDS on July 2, 2008. General Natynczyk transferred his appointment at a change of command ceremony in 2012.

On February 16, 2012, in Washington, the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, general Martin Dempsey, awarded the Legion of Merit (Degree of Commander) to Natynczyk.[14]

Retirement from the Canadian Forces

Natynczyk retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in December 2012 to take on public service, after transferring control of the defence staff to his successor, RCAF General Thomas Lawson, just 2 months earlier.[15]

Post-military career

On August 6, 2013, he was appointed president of the Canadian Space Agency by prime minister Stephen Harper.[16] He was appointed as the 9th deputy minister of Veterans Affairs Canada, effective November 3, 2014,[5] during the Harper ministry and continued in his role under Justin Trudeau.[17][18]

Natynczyk retired from public service in 2021, receiving accolades from prime minister Justin Trudeau for his lifetime dedication and service to Canadians.[6] He was appointed Colonel Commandant of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps in August 2021, and retired from this role in June 2024.[19]

In December 2024, he was appointed as an Officer of the

governor general Mary Simon.[20] He lives in Hartington, Ontario.[21]

Honours and decorations

Source:[22]







Ribbon Description Notes
Order of Canada

Degree of Officer
Awarded in 2024

Order of Military Merit (CMM)
Meritorious Service Cross (MSC)
General Campaign Star Expedition
Special Service Medal
Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal
UN Mission in Cyprus
UN Protection Force (Yugoslavia)
NATO Medal for Yugoslavia
Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Medal
Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)

2 Clasps
32 years of service in the Canadian Forces

Legion d'Honneur

Degree of Commander

Legion of Merit

Degree of Officer
From

United States of America

Awarded in 2012

Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland

Degree of Commander
Awarded in 2013

References

  1. ^ "ARCHIVED — Vol. 146, No. 39 — September 29, 2012". Canadagazette.gc.ca. September 29, 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  2. ^ "Vol. 147, No. 26 — June 29, 2013". Canadagazette.gc.ca. June 29, 2013. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Governor General announces awarding of Meritorious Service Decorations
  4. ^ a b c "Interview: Walter Natynczyk". Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2009.
  5. ^ a b Toolkit, Web Experience (October 29, 2014). "PM announces changes in the senior ranks of the Public Service". Prime Minister of Canada.
  6. ^ a b Office, Prime Minister's. "The Prime Minister announces changes in the senior ranks of the Public Service". www.newswire.ca.
  7. ^ "Natynczyk took his job to heart, say friends". Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  8. ^ The Quiet Canadian, Winnipeg Free Press, June 16, 2008, retrieved November 24, 2011
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Walter Natynczyk". NATO. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  10. Canada.com
    . Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  11. ^ Sanders, Richard (September 1, 2008). "September 2008: Canada's Real Role in Iraq". Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Retrieved January 11, 2009.
  12. Operation Iraqi Freedom
    , and has brought great credit to the Canadian Forces and to Canada.
  13. ^ Harper to name new top general: report Archived 2008-06-19 at the Wayback Machine, The Ottawa Citizen, June 6, 2008
  14. ^ Embassy of the United States Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (February 22, 2012). "22 February 2012: Canadian General Natynczyk Receives Legion of Merit". Embassy of the United States Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved September 7, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ Dow, Katherine (November 30, 2012). "In Conversation with... Gen. Walter Natynczyk". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  16. ^ "PM announces changes in the senior ranks of the Public Service". Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  17. ^ Canadian Department of Veterans Affairs (April 15, 2015). "Deputy Minister – Department Officials". Canadian Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  18. ^ "Deputy Minister: General (retired) Walt Natynczyk CMM MSC CD". Veterans Affairs Canada. February 14, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  19. ^ "General (Retired) Walter Natynczyk, CMM, MSC, CD" (PDF). The Vimy Award. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  20. ^ "A list of the 88 new appointees to the Order of Canada". The Globe and Mail. December 18, 2024 – via www.theglobeandmail.com.
  21. ^ "Appointments to the Order of Canada – December 18, 2024". December 16, 2024.
  22. ^ "Photo of Walter Natynczyk".
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Walter Natynczyk.
Military offices
Preceded by Vice Chief of the Defence Staff
2006–2008 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief of the Defence Staff
2008–2012 		Succeeded by
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