Who'll be the next CDS? Speculation here, please!!

[Pieman]

Appointment is decided by the Prime Minister, am I right?

I suspect MGen Vance.  Been a lot of direct interaction between him and Harper and they get along well from what I understand.

 

[PuckChaser]

Appointment is decided by the Prime Minister, am I right?

He picks from the shortlist using the MND as an advisor.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The Globe & Mail's take:

With Canada’s grinding, decade-long ground commitment in Afghanistan at an end, there is a sea change needed with respect to Canada’s Armed Forces. Quite literally. Prime Minister Stephen Harper hinted at it eloquently in a recent speech in Ottawa, declaring that “Canada is a maritime nation, a maritime nation with trade, commerce and interests around the world...Canada and its economy float on salt water.”  “Such a nation,” Mr. Harper said, “must have a navy.” .... The case for such an investment in the RCN is compelling. A large share of Canada’s GNP relies on its capacity to trade by sea. Climate change is testing Canada’s will and capacity to defend its vast Arctic waters. And Canadian warships are regularly being called on to do everything from fighting piracy and terrorism, to interdicting drug and human traffickers, delivering humanitarian relief, and even engaging in the protection of foreign nationals as was the case with the navy’s support of NATO’s engagement against the regime of former Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi .... given the defence challenges and its own priorities, it needs to appoint a naval officer as the next Chief of Defence Staff, following the expected departure later this year of General Walter Natynczyk. The last an admiral was in that role was 1997. It’s time again.

 

[Pusser]

What that article fails to mention is that last admiral was widely speculated (amongst sailors) to have been unceremoniously turfed by a new government (Chretien's) over his support for the EH101 project to replace the Sea Kings.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Retired three-star army general Andrew Leslie has been interviewed as a possible successor to Gen. Walt Natynczyk as chief of defence staff, Postmedia News has learned.

According to several recent accounts from those who work closely with Natynczyk, the former tank commander is still heavily involved in the military’s day to day operations. However, the top brass believes it is only a matter of weeks, if not days, before Natynczyk steps aside.

Leslie, an artillery officer, was the author of a report the military commissioned two years ago that provided a broad blueprint for steep staff cuts to military personnel and civilians at national defence headquarters. As part of a major structural rethink, it also called for shrinking the number of civilian contractors at the Department of National Defence.

Leslie’s recommendations have not been an easy sell within the military. But given budget constraints that have not been helped by the global economic crisis, they were precisely what Prime Minister Stephen Harper wanted to hear and their influence could be seen in the federal austerity budget introduced in the spring.

I first floated the possibility of Leslie as a possible CDS in a column several months ago. Then as now, Leslie’s biggest handicap is that if he is chosen to succeed two other army officers, Natynczyk and Rick Hillier, it would interrupt the traditional practise of rotating the top job among the army, air force and navy ....

Postmedia News, 13 Aug 12

 

[Haggis]

Retired three-star army general Andrew Leslie has been interviewed as a possible successor to Gen. Walt Natynczyk as chief of defence staff, Postmedia News has learned.

Seriously?

 

[jollyjacktar]

Agreed.  I don't like him and would not be pleased to see him do a Prince John and come back from retirement.

 

[George Wallace]

We have had long discussions on his character, personality, political background, family tree, Army centric bias, etc. in topics on this site.  To reserect him with all these traits from amongst the RETIRED Service Members to become CDS makes no sense.  About as much sense as bringing back Gen Hillier to become CDS again.  Not like that hasn't been done before.

 

[Journeyman]

LONDON – Retired three-star army general Andrew Leslie has been interviewed as a possible successor to Gen. Walt Natynczyk as chief of defence staff, Postmedia News has learned.
-----------
What is known is that the government was not satisfied with the original list of flag officers proposed by DND, and directed that the list of prospective candidates be expanded. There have been heavy-duty rumours that Leslie has been interviewed for the position. But so have several serving officers.

Even the author of the article doesn't know if he's writing from fact from rumour; you'll forgive me if I don't get too excited just yet.


Although if he does become the next CDS, it will be Night of the Long Knives!

 

[Rifleman62]

Re-enrolled into the Reg F or P Res?

It is easier to slash and hack the P Res as a Reservist.

 

[Kirkhill]

Is it permissible to suggest that if the government wanted to create a small force that could be employed as a tool to support domestic and foreign policy they might do worse than to allow the RCN a shot at the top job and the RCAF as Deputy?

The Army has had a long run but it still hasn't convinced the RCN to spend some of their money on hulls that will get the Army where the government needs or wants them to be.  BHS still wants an H.  Currently it is only BS.  Perhaps with the RCN driving the boat for a change they could be convinced to see the merits of Jackie Fisher's dictum (IIRC) to the effect that the Army is just another weapon to be launched by the Navy.  The Marines being the Navy's Army SMEs.

Equally, it might make sense to let the RCAF have a crack at determining how to launch and support light troops, and even militiamen, domestically. 

If the RCN and RCAF are put in the top chairs might they not suddenly find the Army to be a useful tool rather than merely a rival for funding?

Long ago and far away in a snowy field in Gagetown I discovered something fascinating about people.
It was a basic daylight navigation exercise: five man syndicate; point-to-point navigation; snowshoes; radio - a chance to practice navigation and voice procedures.  The drill was you got the radio, called in a locstate, navigated to the next point and handed the radio over to the last man in the file who repeated the procedure.  Regularly the last man in the file was lagging behind, whining about the pace, offering free advice and generally just making life difficult.  Strange thing:  when this sluggard was actually handed the radio, AN-PRC 77 weighing 13.5 lbs, far for slowing him down further, due to the extra weight, it appeared to act like Red Bull to a raver and give him wings.  He was positively running through 10 foot drifts and oblivious to the screams of the dead and dying struggling to follow in his wake.

Just a thought

 

[Haggis]

Re-enrolled into the Reg F or P Res?

It's a full-time job, which would require him to be on Class B or C.  If he opts to continue receiving his pension, the most he could serve is one year as CDS.  However, the precedent that would be set by having a P Res CDS would be awesome, opening up a whole raft of succession possibilities for P Res GO/FOs who now face a 2* ceiling.

It is easier to slash and hack the P Res as a Reservist.

No, it's easier to do when you are outside the P Res and not subject to the politics of within.  You also have a perceived air of impartiality by not being part if the system you are slashing and cutting.

 

[Rifleman62]

It is easier to slash and hack the P Res as a Reservist.

My comment was meant to mean hack and slash is coming, not who was going to do it!

 

[Teeps74]

This reservist felt a tremor in the force... And no sir, I do not like it.

 

[Jarnhamar]

This reservist felt a tremor in the force... And no sir, I do not like it.

Don't forget your kind never felt order 66 coming 

 

[Snakedoc]

I'm sure there is another thread out there on this (and I think I posted on it before) but I can't seem to find it in my search.  Mods, feel free to move this article to a more appropriate thread if I missed it. 

Some interesting speculation on the search for the next CDS.


Battle brewing for top job of Canadian Forces

The Canadian Press
Published Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012 4:10PM EDT

OTTAWA - A behind-the-scenes battle over who will succeed the country's defence chief has spilled out in public and exposed the bitter, often conflicting visions of where the Canadian military is headed following the Afghan war.

Rumours have been rampant that the Harper government is willing to go outside the ranks of Canadian Forces brass in order to recall a trusted, retired officer to fill the shoes of Gen. Walter Natynczyk, whose departure is expected within weeks.

One name in particular has been that of former lieutenant-general Andrew Leslie, who headed the Canadian army until 2010 and penned a milestone report that recommended a radical overhaul of the military command structure.
An online media report claiming Leslie had been been interviewed for the job was roundly denied today by several well-placed sources. Leslie, now a senior executive at the CGI Group, would not comment.

The other name churning through the rumour mill is retired air force lieutenant-general Angus Watt, who now heads the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority.

Douglas Bland, chair of defence management studies at Queens University, says the prime minister is intent on reforming National Defence, and the rumours suggest there's resistance to the changes on the way.


Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/battle-brewing-for-top-job-of-canadian-forces-1.914045#ixzz23YeY9pHq

 

[Gunner98]

Re-enrolled into the Reg F or P Res?

It is easier to slash and hack the P Res as a Reservist.

Gen De Chastelain was a re-enrolled as CIC officer when he was CDS the second time.

 

[Northalbertan]

That is correct.  Gen De Chastelaine was over 60 yrs old.  The only way they could bring him back was as a CIC officer, CIC officers being allowed to serve until 65 years of age.

Northalbertan

 

[OldSolduer]

Seriously?

I almost puked when I read that he may re appear.

 

[George Wallace]

................Rumours have been rampant that the Harper government is willing to go outside the ranks of Canadian Forces brass in order to recall a trusted, retired officer to fill the shoes of Gen. Walter Natynczyk,

I think "trusted" is the word open to quite a bit of debate here.  Trusted by whom?