New CAF Commander for OP REASSURANCE

DND Press Release - February 19, 2016

Department of National Defence / Canadian Joint Operations Command

OTTAWA – The new commander of the Operation REASSURANCE Land Task Force, Major Éric Beauchamp, assumed command from Major Simon Côté today in Warsaw, Poland. Hosted by Canada’s Ambassador to Poland, Stephen de Boer, the ceremony at the Canadian embassy was presided over by Colonel Pascal Demers, Canadian Defence Attaché.

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) presence in the region demonstrates Canada’s commitment to work with NATO allies and react rapidly to international crises as part of Allied assurance measures to promote security in Central and Eastern Europe.

Canadian Armed Forces simulated casualties are loaded onto a UH-60 Blackhawk medical evacuation helicopter during Exercise ALLIED SPIRIT IV at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center Training area in Hohenfels, Germany on January 30, 2016 during Operation REASSURANCE. Photo: CAF Combat Camera

 

Air Task Force Iraq gets new Commander

Written by David Pugliese 

Brigadier-General James Irvine assumed command of Joint Task Force-Iraq (JTF-I) from Brigadier-General Lise Bourgon yesterday as part of a previously planned rotation for Operation IMPACT, the Canadian Forces announced.

Brigadier-General Irvine commands approximately 600 Canadian Forces personnel deployed on the Iraq/Syria mission.

JTF-I includes Air Task Force-Iraq (ATF-I) as well as planning teams and liaison officers working within the U.S.-led coalition.

Brigadier-General Irvine, a Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140 Aurora pilot, has served in command roles at the crew, flight, detachment, squadron, and wing levels, including as Commanding Officer of 405 “Pathfinder” Squadron during Operation ATHENA in Afghanistan, according to a statement from the Canadian Forces. He recently served as Director of Plans at the Canadian Joint Operations Command. Brigadier-General Irvine was promoted to his current rank on October 19 of this year.

In addition, following a ceremony on October 19, at Camp Patrice Vincent in Kuwait, Colonel Shayne Elder assumed command of Air Task Force-Iraq (ATF-I) from Colonel Sean Boyle.