Presentation of Military and Bravery Decorations

His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, presented Meritorious Service Decorations (Military Division) and Bravery Decorations to members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and allied forces, during a ceremony at Rideau Hall.

Meritorious Service Decorations were presented to individuals whose specific achievements have brought honour to the CAF and to Canada. The Medals of Bravery were presented to CAF members who have performed acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances.

Lieutenant-General Guy Thibault, Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, also spoke during this ceremony.

"Service and bravery. These two words say so much about the members of our military, so much about your dedication to helping others and to making our country a better place to live. These words say so much about who you are and what you do.

And in hearing of your accomplishments, I’m humbled by what you’ve done.

You took an assigned task and excelled at it. You addressed challenges and showed leadership in the field. You saw someone in danger and reacted without hesitation or concern for your own well-being. And through your actions, through your service, through your bravery, you’ve brought great honour to the Canadian Armed Forces, to Canada and to yourselves."

On January 13, 2013, Warrant Officer Stanley Dwayne Mercredi, M.B., C.D. (Fort Smith, Northwest Territories and Petawawa, Ontario) disarmed a soldier who was threatening to kill himself, in Kabul, Afghanistan. As the distraught man drew his service pistol from its holster, Warrant Officer Mercredi tackled him to the floor, wrestled the weapon from his hand and restrained him until help arrived.

On June 19, 2013, Leading Seaman Evan Beaton, M.B., C.D. (New Haven, Prince Edward Island and Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia) rescued a fellow diver who had become tangled in his lifeline during a deep-diving operation in the Bedford Basin, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Leading Seaman Beaton was forced to disregard the normal safe rate of descent to reach the victim, whose air supply was severely limited. At great personal risk, Leading Seaman Beaton then skipped decompression protocol to bring the victim quickly to the surface, thus saving his life.

On February 6, 2013, Corporal Garet James Avery, M.B. (Sudbury and Kanata, Ontario) and Ordinary Seaman Benne Wiebe, M.B. (Aylmer, Quebec and Kingston, Ontario) put their lives at risk to prevent a man from setting himself on fire in Kingston, Ontario. They slowly approached the distraught man and pinned him to the ground before he could set fire to his gasoline-soaked clothing, thus saving him from tragedy.

In 2009, Honorary Colonel James Gerald Massie, M.S.M. (Barrie, Ontario) initiated the establishment of the Operation Hero scholarship fund, which has since raised more than $850,000, benefiting military dependants who attend Georgian College. His mentorship inspired creative, collaborative projects where military and civilian personnel worked together for the betterment of their shared communities. Honorary Colonel Massie’s energy, professionalism and dedication have benefited the Canadian Armed Forces as well as his local community of Barrie.

Between 2009 and 2011, Major Heather Joy MacCharles, M.S.M., C.D. (Kingston, Ontario) exhibited personal courage, professionalism and leadership in her efforts to champion the issue of family violence and sexual assault. While spearheading a Canadian Forces-wide review on the subject, she identified deficiencies in the existing Canadian Forces policy. As a direct result of her perseverance, this sensitive issue was brought to the attention of the Armed Forces Council, which resulted in a complete review of and subsequent changes to the Canadian Forces’ approach.

On October 27, 2011, Sergeant Bradley Douglas Hiscock, M.S.M., C.D. (Grand Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador) and Captain Dean Harvey Vey, M.S.M., C.D. (Labrador City, Newfoundland and Labrador) were respectively the flight engineer and the first officer onboard Rescue 915, a Cormorant helicopter, when they were tasked to rescue two hunters stranded in the Arctic waters near Igloolik, Nunavut. Facing high winds and rough seas, Sergeant Hiscock skilfully operated the hoist, while Captain Vey used his expert flying skills to recover the two hunters, as well as three search and rescue technicians who had previously parachuted in to assist them. Through their commendable efforts and actions, Sergeant Hiscock and Captain Vey contributed to the mission success, and brought great credit to the Canadian Armed Forces.

From July 2010 to July 2012, Major Bryan Dockter, M.S.M. (United States Air Force) (Richland, Washington, United States of America) was the chief training officer at 436 Transport Squadron, in Trenton, Ontario, during its transition to the newly acquired CC130J Hercules aircraft. With dedication and professionalism, and despite limited resources at his disposal, he developed and sustained a robust aircrew training program while simultaneously supporting operations worldwide in minimal time. Major Dockter’s efforts have had a lasting and positive impact on the development of this new capability in the Canadian Armed Forces.

As the commanding officer of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Regina, Commander Daniel Alan Charlebois, M.S.M., C.D. (Kingston, Ontario) was crucial to the success of two different missions between February 15 and August 3, 2014. Initially deployed in an antiterrorism role in the Indian Ocean, his ship was re-tasked on short notice to reinforce NATO allies in the Mediterranean Sea. Despite this sudden change, Commander Charlebois displayed great leadership and command presence, ensuring the crew adapted seamlessly, which brought great credit to the Canadian Armed Forces.

While deployed with the Armed Forces Academy of Medical Science in Afghanistan, from July 2012 to July 2013, Lieutenant-Colonel Marie Hélène Gisèle Fontaine, M.S.C., C.D. (Ottawa, Ontario) distinguished herself by her expertise and excellent work. Her efforts to develop and advance training programs for health care providers have greatly improved the quality of care offered to the Afghan National Security Forces. Lieutenant-Colonel Fontaine’s dedication has brought great honour to the Canadian Armed Forces.

From July 2011 to July 2012, Colonel Steve Joseph Yves Charpentier, M.S.C., C.D. (Trois-Rivières, Quebec) did an outstanding job as chief of staff of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. As the head of a multinational headquarters, he calmly and with great wisdom rose to every challenge before him, even in such complex situations as civil unrest and tropical storms. Colonel Charpentier’s leadership, diplomacy and work ethic were tremendously beneficial to the mission and brought honour to the Canadian Armed Forces.