Jonathan Vance

Vance at a speech in Afghanistan (2010)

Jonathan Holbert "Jon" Vance (born January 3, 1964 in Kingston , Ontario ) is a Canadian general . He is since 17 July 2015, the military commander of the Canadian Forces ( Chief of the Defense Staff ).

Career

Vance came from a military family and joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1982 . In 1986, after graduating from Royal Roads Military College, he was appointed Infantry Officer of the Royal Canadian Regiment . With these he was stationed in Canada and Germany and participated in UN peacekeeping missions . On March 10, 1995, he was raised to the rank of major . Between 2001 and 2003 he led the Second Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment. Between 2006 and 2008 he led the First Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group . In 2009 and 2010 he was head of Canada's Afghanistan mission . He was then appointed head of the Army, the Canadian Army . In April 2015, then Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that he would appoint Vance Chief of the Defense Staff and raise him to the rank of General beforehand . On July 17, 2015, he took over the position of Chief of the Defense Staff from Thomas J. Lawson .

Awards

	Order of Military Merit (CMM)
	Meritorious Service Cross (MSC)
	General Campaign Star
	Special Service Medal
	Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal
	UNPROFOR
	Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
	Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
	Canadian Forces Decoration (CD)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Mention in Dispatches. Retrieved July 18, 2016 . 
2. ↑ ^{a b c} General JH Vance, CMM, MSC, CD. Retrieved July 18, 2016 . 
3. ↑ ^{a b} Gen. Jonathan Vance becomes chief of defense staff, vows to tackle harassment. Retrieved July 18, 2016 . 
4. ^ Upcoming Appointment of New CDS: LGen JH Vance, CMM MSC CD. April 27, 2015, accessed July 18, 2016 . 

predecessor	Office	successor
Thomas J. Lawson	Chief of Defense of the Armed Forces of Canada since 2015	in office