Art McDonald (admiral)

Art McDonald
Art McDonald
	McDonald as a Vice-Admiral
Birth name	Arthur Gerard McDonald
Born	1967 (age 53–54); New Waterford, Nova Scotia
Allegiance	Canada
Service/branch	Royal Canadian Navy
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	Chief of the Defence Staff; Commander of the RCN; Maritime Forces Pacific; HMCS Halifax;
Awards	Order of Military Merit; Meritorious Service Medal[1]; Canadian Forces' Decoration;

Arthur Gerard McDonald CMM MSM CD (born 1967)[2] is a Royal Canadian Navy admiral who has served as Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Forces since January 14, 2021. McDonald previously served as Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy. He is Canada's first full admiral since Admiral John Anderson held the rank in 1993.

Education

McDonald graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in military and strategic studies. He also holds a master's of defence studies degree.[3]

Career

In 2010, McDonald served as the Maritime Component Commander of Canadian Joint Task Force Haiti. He received a Meritorious Service Medal in recognition of his coordination of the disaster relief activities of HMCS Halifax and HMCS Athabaskan.[4] He served as commanding officer of HMCS Halifax from 2007 to 2009 before taking command of Fifth Maritime Operations Group in December 2009.[5]

McDonald was appointed Director General of Maritime Forces Development in February 2014,[6] Commander of Maritime Forces Pacific in January 2016[7] and Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy in June 2019.[8]

On December 23, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that McDonald would succeed General Jonathan Vance as Chief of the Defence Staff, with the change of command taking place on January 14, 2021.[9]

Awards and decorations

McDonald's personal awards and decorations include the following:

Ribbon	Description	Notes
	Order of Military Merit (CMM)	Appointed Commander (CMM) on 4 October 2018[10]
	Meritorious Service Medal (MSM)	Decoration awarded on 30 June 2010[11] Military division
	South-West Asia Service Medal	with AFGHANISTAN Clasp
	Operational Service Medal	May 2010 - For Op Hestia
	Special Service Medal	with NATO-OTAN Clasp
	Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal
	NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia	with FORMER YUGOSLAVIA clasp
	Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal	Decoration awarded in 2012[12] Canadian version
	Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)	with two Clasp for 32 years of services
	Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan	27 May 2005

By virtue of his position, he serves as an Aide-de-camp to the Governor General of Canada, and as such he wears the Gold Aiguillette to denote this.

References

"Governor General Announces the Awarding of Military Decorations". The Governor General of Canada. 28 October 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
"Commander of the RCN". Royal Canadian Navy. Government of Canada. June 13, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
"Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy – Défi vélo de la Marine". navybikeride.ca. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
"Honours & Recognitions for the Men and Women of the Canadian Forces 2010" (PDF). Directorate of Honours and Recognition. 31 March 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
Beaton, Virginia (July 2010). "Fleet welcomes new commander" (PDF). Trident News. 44 (15): 5.
"The Chief of the Defence Staff announces senior promotions, appointments, and retirements in the Canadian Armed Forces". Canadian Forces. February 7, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
Connolly, Amanda (January 19, 2016). "Government announces rash of military leadership changes". iPolitics. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
"Senior navy appointments released" (PDF). Lookout. 11 February 2019. p. 9.
"Vice-Admiral Art McDonald named new chief of the defence staff". CBC. 23 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
"Order of Military Merit List". The Governor General of Canada.
"Meritorious Service Decorations List". The Governor General of Canada.
"The Diamond Jubilee Medal List". The Governor General of Canada.

Military offices
Preceded by Jonathan Vance	Chief of the Defence Staff 2021–	Incumbent
Preceded by Ron Lloyd	Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy 2019–2021	Succeeded by Craig Baines
Preceded by unknown	Commander Maritime Forces Pacific 2016–2018	Succeeded by J.R. Auchterlonie

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[1] "Governor General Announces the Awarding of Military Decorations". The Governor General of Canada. 28 October 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2016.

[cmdr_of_rcn-2] "Commander of the RCN". Royal Canadian Navy. Government of Canada. June 13, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2019.

[3] "Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy – Défi vélo de la Marine". navybikeride.ca. Retrieved 2021-01-29.

[4] "Honours & Recognitions for the Men and Women of the Canadian Forces 2010" (PDF). Directorate of Honours and Recognition. 31 March 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2016.

[Trident-5] Beaton, Virginia (July 2010). "Fleet welcomes new commander" (PDF). Trident News. 44 (15): 5.

[Forces-6] "The Chief of the Defence Staff announces senior promotions, appointments, and retirements in the Canadian Armed Forces". Canadian Forces. February 7, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2016.

[ipolitics-7] Connolly, Amanda (January 19, 2016). "Government announces rash of military leadership changes". iPolitics. Retrieved February 22, 2016.

[8] "Senior navy appointments released" (PDF). Lookout. 11 February 2019. p. 9.

[9] "Vice-Admiral Art McDonald named new chief of the defence staff". CBC. 23 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.

[10] "Order of Military Merit List". The Governor General of Canada.

[11] "Meritorious Service Decorations List". The Governor General of Canada.

[12] "The Diamond Jubilee Medal List". The Governor General of Canada.