Senior Corps Appointments

Colonel F.G. Auld, OMM, MSM, CD
Director
Royal Canadian Armoured Corps

General (retired) W. Natynczyk, CMM, MSC, CD
Colonel-Commandant
Royal Canadian Armoured Corps.

Colonel Fraser Auld joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1990 as a Private soldier in the infantry with the Lorne Scots in Brampton, Ontario. In 1992, he became an officer and transferred to the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, completing his Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) in May 1996. After taking a release from the military and working as an engineer in the aerospace and defence industry in Toronto, he missed the esprit and challenge of military life and, in 1998, re-enrolled in the Canadian Army as an Armour Officer.

A proud member of Canada’s senior serving armoured regiment, The Royal Canadian Dragoons, since 1999, Colonel Auld served in a wide range of positions, including Reconnaissance Troop Leader, Adjutant, Officer Commanding a Reconnaissance Squadron, Officer Commanding the Headquarters Squadron, and as the 56th Commanding Officer of The Regiment. His extra-Regimental postings were varied and included tank and reconnaissance tactics instructor at the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps School, Base Operations Officer in Petawawa, Joint Capability Development Officer for the Chief of Force Development, and Deputy Director of Current Operations at the Strategic Joint Staff.

Colonel Auld deployed on five operational tours in the service of Canada: in 2001 as a Reconnaissance Troop Leader in NATO’s multinational division in Bosnia-Herzegovina; in 2005 as the Second-in-Command of NATO’s Kabul Multinational Brigade’s Reconnaissance Squadron; in 2008-09 as the J35 Future Operations Officer with Canada’s Task Force Kandahar; in 2012-13 as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Commanding General of the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan; and, in 2018 as the Commander of Canada’s Joint Task Force Ukraine.

Colonel Auld holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) and a Master of Defence Studies from The Royal Military College of Canada, and a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from the US
Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies. He is also a Registered Professional Engineer in Ontario, a graduate of army staff training at the Canadian Army’s Command and Staff College in Kingston, and joint staff training at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto.

Alongside his wife, Ms. Tammy Richard, Colonel Auld enjoys physical fitness training, traveling, and golf.

A native of Winnipeg, General (retired) Walt Natynczyk is a leader of national distinction, an advocate for veterans and their families, and an agent for change. He joined the Canadian Forces in 1975 after spending five years as an Air Cadet, served in countless Royal Canadian Armoured Corps (RCAC) command positions and rose to the position of Chief of the Defence Staff.

General Natynczyk’s operational experience consists of four years on NATO duty in Germany; six months of UN peacekeeping duties in Cyprus (1989); a one-year-long mission with the United Nations in the Former Yugoslavia as Sector South-West Chief of Operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1994) with British forces, then as the Chief of Land Operations, UNPROFOR HQ in Zagreb, Croatia (1995). He commanded The Royal Canadian Dragoons in domestic operations during the Winnipeg floods of 1997 as well as in the Ottawa region during the 1998 Ice Storm. He returned to Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1998-1999, where he served as the Canadian Contingent Commander.

As an exchange officer, he served as Deputy Commanding General, III (US) Armored Corps and Fort Hood, Texas and deployed with the Corps to Baghdad, Iraq throughout 2004, serving first as the Deputy Director of Strategy, Policy and Plans and subsequently as the Deputy Commanding General of the Multi-National Corps.

Upon his return to Canada, he assumed command of the Canadian Army’s Doctrine and Training System. He was subsequently appointed Chief of Transformation where he was responsible for implementation of the force restructure. He served as the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff from 2006-2008.

General Natynczyk served as Canada’s Chief of Defence Staff from 2 July 2008 to 29 October 2012. Key events over his tenure were the combat mission in Afghanistan, the 2010 Winter Olympics, humanitarian support to Haiti and the NATO mission over Libya.

General Natynczyk attended Royal Roads Military College, Victoria, BC and Collège Militaire Royal, Saint-Jean, QC (Business Administration). He is a graduate of the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College, the U.K. All-Arms Tactics Course and the US Army War College (Master in Defence Studies).

His decorations include the Commander of the Order of Military Merit (Canada), the Meritorious Service Cross (Canada), the Commander Legion of Merit (US), Commander Légion d’Honneur (France), Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit (Poland) and the Medal of Merit in Gold (Netherlands).

He enjoys jogging and sailing. He and his wife Leslie have three children, Margaret, William and John, who are serving in the Canadian Navy, Air Force and Army respectively.

General Natynczyk’s most recent position was as President of the Canadian Space Agency from August 2013 to November 2014. On November 3, 2014, he began his role as Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs Canada, until his retirement in May 2021

Chief Warrant Officer J.G.Leamon, CD
Corps Sergeant-Major
Royal Canadian Armoured Corps

Chief Warrant Officer Jeramie Leamon, MMM, CD was born and raised in Port-Aux-Basques Newfoundland. Initially joining the Primary Reserve as a member of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Newfoundland Regiment, he transferred into the Regular Force in 1991. After completion of basic training and trades qualifications, CWO Leamon was posted to A Sqn, The Royal Canadian Dragoons. Remaining with The Regiment until 2004, he served in multiple positions, highlighted by his time as the crew commander of 12C plow tank. In addition to various Sqn, Regiment,
Combat Team and Bde level exercises, he was fortunate to deploy on various operations including, OP DELIVERANCE to Somalia in 1992, OP CAVALIER in 1994, OP ALLIANCE in 1998 and OP PALLADIUM in 2004, all in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

In 2005, after attending a year of French training, he was posted to the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps School (RCACS) in CFB Gagetown, occupying various positions while instructing on multiple courses that encompassed the various levels of training within the Armour Corps. In 2009, CWO Leamon returned to Petawawa and deployed to Afghanistan with the Operational Mentor Liaison Team as the Operations Warrant Officer. In 2011 he returned to the RCACS, instructing at the Patrol, Troop Warrant and Troop Leader level.

In 2013 he returned to Petawawa and was appointed B Squadron Sergeant Major, which was appointed as the 2 CMBG Recce Sqn and participated in Ex MAPLE RESOLVE 2014 as part of the road to high readiness. In 2015 he was assigned the duties of the Technical Quartermaster. In 2016, CWO Leamon was posted to the Strategic Joint Staff at the strategic level in Ottawa and in 2017 attended his level CBC French course in Petawawa. From 2018 until present he was appointed the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Royal Canadian Dragoons. CWO Leamon was appointed to his new position September 4th 2020.

CWO Leamon contributes his success from the support of his lovely wife Rhonda, son Jordan and his passion to serve.

Royal Canadian Armoured Corps Association (Cavalry)

Senior Corps Appointments