The Canadian Army has a new commander and that is LGen. Wayne Eyre who officially took over the position on Tuesday, 20th August, 2019, at the Change of Command Parade held on Parliament Hill. The event had all the usual pomp and ceremony one would expect from such a high level position and venue with the Ceremonial Guard on hand to be reviewed by CDS Jonathan Vance, outgoing Commander, LGen. Jean-Marc Lanthier, and the incoming Commander, LGen. Wayne Eyre. There was a march past, speeches giving thanks to all, and the traditional presentation of the Commander’s Pennant to the outgoing Commander by his driver. One change on this occasion is that in lieu of flowers presented to the wives, a donation was made to the Soldier On fund – not a bad change. The day was warm and sunny, but not unbearably so, no-one collapsed on the field, and the event went off without a hitch.
This is the third Commander of the Army in the last 13 months, as LGen. Wynnyk held the position from 2016-2018 when he was replaced by LGen. Lanthier in July, 2018. With the recent retirement of LGen. Wynnyk leaving the VCDS billet empty LGen. Lanthier has been moved up and LGen. Eyre has been tapped to take command of the Army. LGen. Eyre has only been in his current position of Commander of Military Personnel Command for a couple of months so this move leaves that spot open which should be filled in a couple of days. With any luck, all these moves will stick and provide some stability for the defence team.
LGen. Eyre comes to the job with a lot of qualifications. Born on a farm in Saskatchewan he joined the Army Cadets at age 12 and the army has been his home since. A Royal Roads Military College and Royal Military College graduate, he started out with the PPCLI and has held command positions including 3rd Battalion PPCLI, 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, 3rd Canadian Division, Joint Task Force West, and Deputy Commanding General – Operations for the XVIII (U.S.) Airborne Corps. Of outstanding note, he became the first non-American to serve as Deputy Commander of the United Nations Command in South Korea. He has served operationally overseas in Cyprus, Croatia, Bosnia, Afghanistan and Korea, but also domestically in Manitoba (1997 floods), British Columbia (1998 forest fires), Ontario (2010 G8 Summit), Saskatchewan (2015 wildfires) and Alberta (Fort McMurray evacuation).
Along the way he also managed to pick up some qualifications such as graduating the U.S. Army Special Forces Qualification Course, the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College, the U.S. Marine Corps School of Advanced Warfighting, and the U.S. Army War College. Academically he has a Bachelor of Science degree and three Masters Degrees in Military Studies, Operational Studies, and Strategic Studies.
LGen. Eyre was accompanied to the ceremony by his wife Jennifer and has two children, Alexander and Breanna.
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