Governor General to Invest 35 Recipients into the Order of Military Merit at the Citadelle

June 28, 2019

OTTAWA—Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, will preside over an Order of Military Merit investiture ceremony on Wednesday, July 3, 2019, at 10:30 a.m., at the Citadelle. The Governor General will bestow the honour on 1 Commander, 7 Officers and 27 Members. The ceremony will be streamed online at www.gg.ca/ and on social media platforms.

Created in 1972, the Order of Military Merit recognizes meritorious service and devotion to duty by members of the Canadian Armed Forces. The Order honours them for their commitment to Canada, according to the following three levels of membership: Commander (C.M.M.), Officer (O.M.M.) and Member (M.M.M.).

A media schedule for the investiture ceremony, the list of recipients and additional information on the Order of Military Merit are attached.

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Media interested in covering the ceremony are asked to confirm their attendance with the Rideau Hall Press Office and must arrive no later than 10:15 a.m. on the day of the ceremony. Accreditation must be shown at the Citadelle gate (Côte de la Citadelle, near the St. Louis Gate) prior to accessing the Ballroom via the administration door.

Those wishing to interview recipients are asked to contact
the Department of National Defence.

For information on the ceremony:

Charles Anido
Rideau Hall Press Office
343-548-1784 (cell)
charles.anido@gg.ca

For information on the recipients:

Department of National Defence
Media Relations Office
1-866-377-0811
613-996-2353
mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca

Follow GGJuliePayette and RideauHall on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

CEREMONY SCHEDULE

Media are asked to observe the following schedule:

10:30 a.m.:
Ceremony begins
The Governor General speaks 
The Governor General presents the insignia
(Commanders first, followed by Officers and Members)
The Chief of the Defence Staff speaks
12:00 p.m.:
Interviews with recipients

ORDER OF MILITARY MERIT RECIPIENTS

COMMANDER

Major-General Carl Jean Turenne, C.M.M., M.S.C., C.D.

Deputy Commander – Canadian Army

Ottawa, Ontario

(This is a promotion within the Order)

OFFICERS

Commodore Geneviève Bernatchez, O.M.M., C.D.

Judge Advocate General

Ottawa, Ontario

Colonel Joseph Raoul Stéphane Boivin, O.M.M., M.S.C., C.D.

5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters and Signal Squadron

Courcelette, Quebec

Brigadier-General Marie Hélène Lise Bourgon, O.M.M., M.S.C., C.D.

Strategic Joint Staff

Ottawa, Ontario

Lieutenant-Colonel Catherine Jocelyne Marchetti, O.M.M., C.D.

Office of the Chief Force Development

Ottawa, Ontario

Lieutenant-Colonel Kristopher Robert Purdy, O.M.M., C.D.

Canadian Joint Operations Command

Ottawa, Ontario

Colonel Roger Leigh Scott, O.M.M., C.D.

Canadian Forces Health Services Group Headquarters

Ottawa, Ontario

Lieutenant-Colonel Eleanor Frances Taylor, O.M.M., M.S.M., C.D.

5th Canadian Division Headquarters

Halifax, Nova Scotia

MEMBERS

Warrant Officer Charles Barton Ansell, M.M.M., C.D.

Royal Military College of Canada

Kingston, Ontario

Warrant Officer Jason Eric Armstrong, M.M.M., C.D.

2 Service Battalion

Petawawa, Ontario

Master Warrant Officer James Matthew Aucoin, M.M.M., C.D.

The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery School

Oromocto, New Brunswick

Master Warrant Officer Dean Stanley Burgher, M.M.M., C.D.

Real Property Operations Unit (Atlantic)

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Eugene Campbell, M.M.M., C.D.

Canadian Forces Base Halifax

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Master Warrant Officer Patrick Joseph Noël Crépeau, M.M.M., C.D.

5e Régiment d’artillerie légère du Canada

Courcelette, Quebec

Master Warrant Officer Joseph Olivier Richard Descheneaux, M.M.M., C.D.

5 Combat Engineer Regiment

Courcelette, Quebec

Warrant Officer Joseph Daniel Steve Desgagné, M.M.M., M.B., C.D.

3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment

Petawawa, Ontario

Chief Warrant Officer Joseph Jacques Friolet, M.M.M., M.S.M., C.D.

403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron

Oromocto, New Brunswick

Master Warrant Officer Maryse Yolande Nancy Guay, M.M.M., C.D.

35 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters

Québec, Quebec

Chief Warrant Officer Robert Hains, M.M.M., C.D.

2nd Canadian Division Training Centre

Courcelette, Quebec

Ranger Linda Marie Kamenawatamin, M.M.M.

Bearskin Lake Canadian Ranger Patrol

Bearskin Lake, Ontario

Sergeant Marie-Élaine Michèle Labrèche, M.M.M., C.D.

2nd Canadian Division Headquarters

Montréal, Quebec

Petty Officer 1st Class Natasha Tanya Lea Leavitt, M.M.M., C.D.

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Montréal

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Warrant Officer Angel Margaret MacEachern, M.M.M., M.B., C.D.

Combat Training Centre Headquarters

Oromocto, New Brunswick

Chief Warrant Officer David Francis McNeil, M.M.M., C.D.

4th Canadian Division Headquarters

Toronto, Ontario

Petty Officer 2nd Class Pier-Vincent Michaud, M.M.M., M.M.V., C.D.

Canadian Special Operations Forces Command

Ottawa, Ontario

Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class John Dwayne Oake, M.M.M., C.D.

Canadian Fleet Atlantic Headquarters

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Warrant Officer Suzie Marie Paquin, M.M.M., C.D.

5 Service Battalion

Courcelette, Quebec

Chief Warrant Officer Richard Plante, M.M.M., C.D.

Canadian Special Operations Forces Command

Ottawa, Ontario

Master Warrant Officer Daniel Robichaud, M.M.M., C.D.

2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery

Petawawa, Ontario

Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Stanley Jerome Ryan, M.M.M., C.D.

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Montréal

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Warrant Officer Pierre Hugo St-Laurent, M.M.M., C.D.

19 Wing Comox

Lazo, British Columbia

Major Timothy Morgan Utton, M.M.M., C.D.

Canadian Forces National Counter-Intelligence Unit

Ottawa, Ontario

Master Warrant Officer Ruel Delroy Walker, M.M.M., C.D.

1 Canadian Air Division Headquarters

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Warrant Officer Casey Todd Welbourn, M.M.M., C.D.

5 Canadian Division Support Base Detachment Aldershot

Aldershot, Nova Scotia

Lieutenant-Commander Kelly Lynne Williamson, M.M.M., C.D.

5th Canadian Division Headquarters

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Please note that the information in this media advisory was provided by the
Department of National Defence and reflects the rank and posting of the members 
at the time of their nomination.

ORDER OF MILITARY MERIT FACT SHEET

The Order of Military Merit recognizes distinctive merit and exceptional service displayed by the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces, both Regular and Reserve. Many have demonstrated dedication and devotion beyond the call of duty, and the Order honours them for their commitment to Canada, according to the following three levels:

The level of Commander (post-nominal: C.M.M.) recognizes outstanding meritorious service and demonstrated leadership in duties of great responsibility.

The level of Officer (post-nominal: O.M.M.) recognizes outstanding meritorious service in duties of responsibility.

The level of Member (post-nominal: M.M.M.) recognizes exceptional service or performance of duty.

Eligibility and Nominations

The military chain of command and the Advisory Council recommend to the chief of the Defence Staff the names of those serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, both Regular and Reserve, they consider eligible. The chief of the Defence Staff then submits the names to the governor general for approval.

The number of appointments per year is limited to one-tenth of one per cent of the average number of persons who were members of the Canadian Armed Forces during the previous year. There are no posthumous appointments.

Recipients may be promoted within the Order. They must exchange their insignia for that which corresponds to the new level, since no member may hold more than one appointment at any time.

The Order’s constitution permits members of the armed forces of another country to be appointed as honorary Commanders, Officers and Members. Appointments are made for outstanding meritorious service to Canada or to the Canadian Armed Forces in the performance of military duties.

For more information about the Order of Military Merit,
visit our website at
www.gg.ca/honours.