Lt. Gen. Peter Devlin takes command of Army 21 Jun 10

[old medic]

Canada's army gets a new boss
By BRYN WEESE, Parliamentary Bureau
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2010/06/19/14449096.html

OTTAWA — As Canada's army gets set to stop fighting in Afghanistan next year, the force is getting a new boss.

Lt. Gen. Peter Devlin, who served in Iraq with the U.S. like Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walter Natynczyk, will take command of Canada's army Monday.

He takes over from Lt. Gen. Andrew Leslie, who has been the army's top brass for an unusually long four years since Canada began its fighting mission in Kandahar in 2006.

While in Iraq as an exchange officer with the U.S. army, Devlin was effectively chief of intelligence for the 22,000-strong marine corps there.

In April 2006, he caught the attention of the American press for authoring an "unusual secret report," according to the Washington Post, that painted a grim picture of the forces' chances of beating out al-Qaida from the previously troubled Anbar province in Western Iraq.

In his report, which was widely reported on in the US Press, Devlin blamed the lack of a strong government presence and having too few U.S. and Iraqi troops in the province for creating a power vacuum that was being increasingly filed by al-Qaida.


While Devlin could not be reached for comment Friday, as the army winds down operations in Afghanistan, retired Col. Alain Pellerin said Devlin's experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he has been deputy commander of Canada's force there since August 2008 will serve him well.

Most importantly, according to Pellerin who is the executive director of the Conference of Defence Associations, Devlin will oversee a major transition in the army, from war to peace, which requires “close” attention.

"The army has been in a state of war for a number of years, and then you come back to garrison duties in Petawawa, Valcartier and Edmonton. It's not quite the same,” Pellerin said. “There will be a period of decompression, if you will, that will need to be managed closely by the new commander."

As for what changes a new army commander can make, Elinor Sloan, an associate international development professor at Carleton University, said there's very little "wiggle room.

"They have points of view, and certainly their personality will come through. This is true too of the Chief of Defence Staff, but ultimately their political masters will make the decisions," she said. "The government calls the shots. The minister calls the shots, and, in this particular government, the Prime Minister calls the shots."

Before going to Iraq, where Devlin served for 15 months, he was appointed deputy commanding general of the U.S. army's 50,000-strong III Corps, based in Fort Hood, Texas, as part of an officer exchange.

That's a post both Natynczyk and his predecessor Gen. Rick Hillier held previously.

Devlin, a graduate of Western University in London, Ont., joined the army in 1978. He served in Cyprus in the mid-80s, the former Yugoslavia in 1992, and served two NATO tours in Bosnia in 1996 and 1997.

He also played a leading role in Kabul during the early stages of the war in Afghanistan.

Defence Minister Peter McKay, said he was thankful for Leslie's efforts, and congratulated Devlin in his new job as Chief of the Land Staff.

Leslie has been made Chief of Transition for the Canadian Forces, and is reportedly eyeing slimming the Forces top-heavy bureaucracy at headquarters in Ottawa as part of his mandate.

 

[vonGarvin]

(Pedantic Mode on)
LGen Devlin attended, and graduated from, the University of Western Ontario, not "Western University"
Then BGen Devlin did more than play a "leading role" in Kabul, he was Commander, Task Force Kabul (for the Canadians), as well as Commander, Kabul Multi National Brigade.
Oh, he was a mortar platoon commander as well.  And he is the senior serving officer of The Royal Canadian Regiment.

(Pendantic Mode off)
Welcome aboard, LGen Devlin! 

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Canadian Army To Get New Commander
CLS MA 10-01 - June 18, 2010

OTTAWA – Lieutenant-General Andrew Leslie will hand over command of Canada’s Army to Lieutenant-General Peter Devlin at a ceremony that will take place at the Canadian War Museum on Monday, June 21, 2010, at 10:00 a.m.

The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, and General Walter Natynczyk, Chief of the Defence Staff, will preside over the ceremony. Lt.-Gen. Devlin is the former deputy commander of Canadian Expeditionary Force Command. Lt.-Gen. Leslie will assume the duties and responsibilities of Chief of Transformation. 

Location: Canadian War Museum, 1 Vimy Place, Ottawa
Date: Monday, June 21, 2010
Time: 10:00 a.m. Media are requested to be in place no later than 9:30 a.m.

On completion of the parade, there will be a media opportunity with both Lt.-Gen. Leslie and Lt.-Gen. Devlin.

-30-

Note to news editors/news directors: In order to facilitate access to the ceremony, members of the media are asked to confirm their attendance with Army Public Affairs, Major Dale MacEachern at 613-943-5257 or [email protected] no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, June 18, 2010.

 

[stealthylizard]

Don't let it be known to the masses we had any role in Iraq, lol.

 

[tomahawk6]

In the official photo his beret looks like a chef's hat. His aide ought to be fired maybe the photographer too.

 

[George Wallace]

In the official photo his beret looks like a chef's hat. His aide ought to be fired maybe the photographer too.

Unfortunately, that, or many similar, photo(s) of him have been in circulation for years now.  I am surprised that some Master Jack hasn't reamed him a new one over it.  >

 

[jollyjacktar]

Ah yes, the Jiffy Pop look.  At least he looks happy.

 

[The Bread Guy]

In the official photo his beret looks like a chef's hat. His aide ought to be fired maybe the photographer too.

I'm thinking the MCPL or SGT tasked with taking the photo might not have as much influence as we would like in these situations  ;D

It appears CBC.ca didn't read the media advisory closely enough:

Lt.-Gen. Peter Devlin was named the new commander of the Canadian troops in Afghanistan, in a ceremony held in Ottawa Monday, as his predecessor also began an important new role ....

I shudder to read the rest of the account...

 

[Michael OLeary]

Corrections and Clarifications

    * Lt.-Gen. Peter Devlin was named the new commander of army and chief of the land staff. He is not the new commander of all Canadian Forces in Afghanistan, as incorrectly reported in an earlier version of this story. June 21, 2010 | 12:30 p.m. ET


Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/06/21/devlin-leslie-afghanistan021.html#ixzz0rVXznDhD

 

[vonGarvin]

I'm thinking the MCPL or SGT tasked with taking the photo might not have as much influence as we would like in these situations  ;D

It appears CBC.ca didn't read the media advisory closely enough:I shudder to read the rest of the account...

I sent off a correction email to them via their links.  I'll keep watching, of course.  I also pointed out that as CLS (which I pointed out was army-speak for "Commander of the Army", ) that he is charged with training army units.  If used on domestic operations, then those units fall under CANADA COMMAND, and foreign operations fall under "CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES COMMAND".  So, that's what I told them.

Corrections and Clarifications

    * Lt.-Gen. Peter Devlin was named the new commander of army and chief of the land staff. He is not the new commander of all Canadian Forces in Afghanistan, as incorrectly reported in an earlier version of this story. June 21, 2010 | 12:30 p.m. ET

Just saw that.  I guess they do read the reader input.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Michael O'L spotted the correction - sure enough, when I refreshed the story, the lead paragraph was correct.

 

[dapaterson]

In fact, they are two distinct appointments:


Commander, Land Force Command - commands CC2, has the powers of the commander of a command.

Chief of the Land Staff - head of the staff that advises the CDS on Land warfare and related issues.


One is part of CC2; the other is part of NDHQ.  Unfortuantely, we confuse the two - orders are issued to the LFAs and LFDTS by the Commander, LFC; staff communications within the NCR are issued by the CLS.


Thus, when attending Armed Forces Council he sits as CLS.  When he reviews the troops, he's commander LFC.

 

[vonGarvin]

I learned something today


(Can I go home now?) ;D

 

[Infanteer]

What a stupid legality.  Just roll it into one please.

 

[Old Sweat]

There was a story on the local CTV channel at 1800. His beret looked a bit like a malnourished orca's dorsal fin.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

a malnourished orca's dorsal fin.

..and that kind of description is why some can make a fortune on writing.  [it'll happen some day my friend] ;D

 

[daftandbarmy]

There was a story on the local CTV channel at 1800. His beret looked a bit like a malnourished orca's dorsal fin.

I kinda like it. It proves that he wants to connect with even the newest soldiers under his command.  ;D

But seriously, it gives the guy a kind of slighty disheveled 'human' edge. Leslie is a little too polished and smarmy looking, in a 'cat that ate the canary' kind of way, for my liking.

 

[Old Sweat]

Leslie is a little too polished and smarmy looking, in a 'cat that ate the canary' kind of way, for my liking.

Interesting, now that you mention it. His paternal grandfather was no clothes horse, while his father (BGen EMD Leslie) always looked like his uniform had been pulled from the bottom of a kit bag. In Dad's case it may have been an affectation as he was a charismatic leader with extremely high standards, especially for his officers. He was commandant of the School of Artillery when I was an officer cadet, and we worshiped him. However, when drinking he used to light the filter end of his cigarette, which was the subject of some amazement by we peons.

 

[armyvern]

..and that kind of description is why some can make a fortune on writing.  [it'll happen some day my friend] ;D

It better happen soon - judging by the first half of his moniker.  >

 

[pbi]

I've had the very great pleasure to know the CLS since we were Capts together on the Intermediate Officers' Course in Gagetown many years ago. (His career has, shall we say, had a somewhat different trajectory than mine...). I've watched his progress with great interest, as well as a degree of satisfaction in the realization that the good and decent may also achieve high reward. Now that I'm on my way out, I'm glad to know things are in good hands--very good hands.

Last week, he spoke to us all at the AOC graduation here at Foxhole U. I was reminded once again that with this man, what you see is what you get. There is no bullsh*t, no ambiguous play-acting, no feigned or patronizing interest, just a solid, experienced leader who genuinely likes people and loves soldiering. He connected almost instantly with the students, listening and responding to their questions, and solicited all of us, students and staff, to write our thoughts about the Army on index cards. He read those cards, along with the RSM of the Army, and within two days responded by e-mail on the suggestions and criticisms that we offered.

This man has a huge and very difficult job ahead of him (as do all of those who will be staying in uniform) and I don't envy him as he tries to figure out how he will keep the flame alive, as everything we have known and accepted as "normal" for the last decade fades away.  I don't envy him one bit, but I believe that he is the man for the hour. God bless him, and good luck. I'll be watching with great interest.

Cheers