The Canadian Armed Forces has named Gen. Jennie Carignan as chief of defense staff, succeeding Gen. Wayne Eyre. She took command of the post at a Thursday ceremony, with dignitaries including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Governor General and CAF Commander in Chief Mary Simon looking on.
According to National Defence Minister Bill Blair, CAF will be well served with Carignan at the helm, with her over 35 years of experience serving Canada at home and abroad.
Carignan, the first woman to lead the nation’s armed forces, started her military career in 1990 after being commissioned into the Canadian Military Engineers. She moved up the ranks to later command two combat engineer regiments: the Royal Military College Saint-Jean and the 2nd Canadian Division.
From 2019 to 2020, Carignan spearheaded several NATO missions in Iraq. She also commanded expeditionary operations in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Golan Heights. She most recently served as chief of professional conduct and culture.
Carignan expressed her honor to lead CAF and her commitment to defending the nation and contributing to global peace and security. “I feel ready, poised and supported to take on this manifold challenge,” she said at the ceremony.