Wayne Eyre

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wayne Eyre
Wayne Eyre.jpg
Eyre as a Major-General in July 2018
AllegianceCanada
Service/branchCanadian Army
Years of service1988–present
RankGeneral
Commands heldChief of the Defence Staff
Commander of the Canadian Army and Chief of the Army Staff
Military Personnel Command
Deputy Commander United Nations Command
3rd Canadian Division
2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan
AwardsCommander of the Order of Military Merit
Meritorious Service Cross
Canadian Forces' Decoration
Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States)[1][2]
Commander of the National Order of Merit (France)[3]
Order of National Security Merit, Gukseon Medal (South Korea)[4]

General Wayne Donald Eyre, CMM, MSC, CD is a Canadian Forces officer serving as the chief of the Defence Staff (CDS). Eyre was named acting CDS on February 24, 2021, and appointed to the full position on November 25, 2021. He is also the commander of the Canadian Army and chief of the Army Staff.

Early life[]

Wayne Donald Eyre was born on a farm in Saskatchewan, joining the Army Cadets at age 12. He attended Royal Roads Military College and the Royal Military College.[5][6]

Military career[]

Eyre was commissioned into the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in 1988.[1] He became commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in 2004.[7] He went on to become commander of 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in 2009 and,[1] after that, Deputy Commanding General of Operations for the United States Army's XVIII Airborne Corps in 2012, in which role he was deployed to Afghanistan.[7] He was appointed General Officer Commanding 3rd Canadian Division and Joint Task Force West in 2014.[7]

In May 2018,[8] Eyre became the first non-American to serve as deputy commander of the United Nations Command in South Korea.[8][1][9][10] He was succeeded by Vice Admiral Stuart Mayer of the Royal Australian Navy in June 2019, and returned to Canada as Commander Military Personnel Command.[11]

On July 12, 2019, it was announced that Eyre would be appointed the commander of the Canadian Army, effective from August 20.[11][12]

Eyre was appointed acting chief of the Defence Staff on February 24, 2021, following the stepping aside of Admiral Art McDonald pending an investigation by the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service.[13][14][15] He was promoted to full general on August 13, 2021[16] and appointed as the official Chief of Defence Staff on November 25, 2021.[17]

Eyre was made a Commander of the United States' Legion of Merit on April 24, 2021.[2] He had previously been appointed as an officer of the American order while a brigadier-general in 2015 and,[18] in 2020, was awarded an Oak Leaf Cluster (second award) of the Legion.[19]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d "Deputy Commander UNC". United States Forces Korea. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Government of Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada (April 24, 2021). "Canada Gazette, Part 1, Volume 155, Number 17: GOVERNMENT HOUSE". canadagazette.gc.ca.
  3. ^ "Canada Gazette, Part I, Volume 155, Number 44: GOVERNMENT HOUSE".
  4. ^ "Canada Gazette, Part I, Volume 155, Number 9". Government of Canada. February 27, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  5. ^ General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor. "Colonel Wayne Donald Eyre". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  6. ^ Lawrence, Richard (August 21, 2019). "Canadian Army Change of Command Parade". espritdecorps. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  7. ^ a b c Dykstra, Matt (July 18, 2014). "Command of the 3rd Canadian Division changes hands at Edmonton Garrison". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  8. ^ a b Chase, Steven (May 13, 2018). "UN Command names Canadian to key post in South Korea for the first time". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  9. ^ Pinkerton, Charlie (November 5, 2018). "Canadians at centre of 'potentially historic turning point' in Korea". Ipolitics.ca. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  10. ^ Shorrock, Tim. "Can United Nations Command become catalyst for change in the Korean peninsula?". The National Interest. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  11. ^ a b "Lieutenant-General Jean-Marc Lanthier to become Vice Chief of the Defence Staff amid other senior staff changes". Canadian Army. July 12, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  12. ^ Pugliese, David (July 12, 2019). "Lt.-Gen. Lanthier named as new vice chief, more generals promoted". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  13. ^ "National Chief of Defence Staff steps aside amid investigation". CityNews. The Canadian Press. February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  14. ^ Jackson, Hannah (February 24, 2021). "Canada's chief of defence staff to step aside amid CFNIS investigation: defence minister". Global News. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  15. ^ Pugliese, David (February 24, 2021). "Admiral Art McDonald steps aside as Defence Chief as military police launch investigation". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  16. ^ "Liberals promote Eyre to general, signalling plan to keep him as defence chief". Globe and Mail. August 13, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  17. ^ "Prime Minister announces the appointment of the Chief of the Defence Staff". Prime Minister of Canada. November 25, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  18. ^ Government of Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada (April 4, 2015). "Canada Gazette – GOVERNMENT HOUSE". canadagazette.gc.ca.
  19. ^ Government of Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada (February 29, 2020). "Canada Gazette, Part 1, Volume 154, Number 9: GOVERNMENT HOUSE". canadagazette.gc.ca.
Military offices
Preceded by Deputy Commander United Nations Command
2018–2019 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the Canadian Army
2019–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by Chief of the Defence Staff

2021–present 		Incumbent
Retrieved from ""