Walter Natynczyk

Quality 0.50 · 1 view · Updated 2 months ago

Canadian general

title: "Walter Natynczyk" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["chiefs-of-the-defence-staff-(canada)", "vice-chiefs-of-the-defence-staff-(canada)", "recipients-of-the-meritorious-service-decoration", "military-personnel-from-winnipeg", "canadian-generals", "commanders-of-the-order-of-military-merit-(canada)", "1958-births", "living-people", "united-states-army-war-college-alumni", "royal-military-college-saint-jean-alumni", "academic-staff-of-the-royal-military-college-of-canada", "commanders-of-the-legion-of-merit", "canadian-military-personnel-of-the-war-in-afghanistan-(2001–2021)", "21st-century-canadian-civil-servants", "canadian-people-of-german-descent", "royal-canadian-dragoons-officers", "canadian-people-of-polish-descent", "canadian-federal-deputy-ministers", "people-from-frontenac-county", "officers-of-the-order-of-canada"] description: "Canadian general" topic_path: "geography/canada" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Natynczyk" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Canadian general ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]

FieldValue
honorific-prefixGeneral
nameWalter Natynczyk
honorific-suffix
imageWalter Natynczyk.png
captionNatynczyk in July 2008
office9th Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs
term_startNovember 3, 2014
term_endMay 21, 2021
minister{{plainlist
predecessorMary Chaput
office2President of the Canadian Space Agency
term_start2August 6, 2013
term_end2November 3, 2014
minister2James Moore
predecessor2{{plainlist
successor2Luc Brûlé (interim)
office316th Chief of the Defence Staff
term_start32008
term_end32012
minister3Peter MacKay
predecessor3Rick Hillier
successor3Thomas J. Lawson
office420th Vice Chief of the Defence Staff
term_start42006
term_end42008
1blankname4Commander
1namedata4Rick Hillier
predecessor4Ronald Buck
successor4Denis Rouleau
birth_nameWalter John Natynczyk
birth_date
birth_placeWinnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
alma_mater{{plainlist
allegianceCanada
branch
serviceyears1975–2012
rank[[File:Canadian Army OF-9.svg
battles{{plainlist
awards{{plainlist
* Commander Legion of Merit, 2012 (United States){{cite weburl
* Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, 2013 {{cite weburl
::

| honorific-prefix = General | name = Walter Natynczyk | honorific-suffix = | image = Walter Natynczyk.png | alt = | caption = Natynczyk in July 2008 | office = 9th Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs | term_start = November 3, 2014 | term_end = May 21, 2021 | minister = {{plainlist|

Walter John Natynczyk ( ; born October 29, 1957) is a Canadian public servant and retired Canadian Army general who has served as deputy minister of Veterans Affairs from 2014 to 2021. He was the president of the Canadian Space Agency from 2013 to 2014 and Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Armed Forces from 2008 to 2012.

Early life

Both Polish-Canadian and German-Canadian, Natynczyk was born to a family of European emigrants from war-ravaged Europe on October 29, 1957, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His Polish father was a soldier in the Polish Army during World War II, and his mother was German. Natynczyk grew up with his two sisters. He worked as a Winnipeg Free Press paperboy and a hamburger flipper at a fast food establishment. Before joining the regular Canadian Army, Natynczyk spent five years in the Royal Canadian Air Cadets.

Military career

Natynczyk joined the Canadian Forces in August 1975. He attended Royal Roads Military College and Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean, graduating in 1979 with a degree in Business Administration. His formative years were spent on NATO duty in West Germany with The Royal Canadian Dragoons in troop command and staff appointments.

In 1983, Natynczyk assumed duties as a Squadron Commander at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario. In 1986, he commenced a five-year regimental tour in Petawawa, serving in several staff and squadron command appointments; this tour included six months of UN peacekeeping duties in Cyprus. On completion of Canadian Forces Command and Staff College, he served on the Army Staff in Saint-Hubert, Quebec.

In May 1994, Natynczyk embarked upon a year-long tour with the United Nations in the former Yugoslavia as Sector South-West Chief of Operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina within HQ 7 (UK) Armoured Brigade, then as the Chief of Land Operations, UNPROFOR HQ in Zagreb, Croatia. In June 1995, Natynczyk was assigned to the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff within National Defence HQ in Ottawa, Ontario. He then commanded his regiment for two years, leading the Dragoons during domestic operations in the Ottawa region during the 1998 ice storm. Natynczyk returned to Bosnia in 1998 as the Canadian Contingent Commander. On his return to Ottawa in March 1999, he was appointed J3 Plans and Operations during the period of deployments to Kosovo, Bosnia, East Timor and Eritrea.

Natynczyk attended the U.S. Army War College, and was subsequently appointed Deputy Commanding General, III Corps and Fort Hood. In January 2004, he deployed with III Corps to Baghdad, Iraq, serving first as the Deputy Director of Strategy, Policy and Plans, and subsequently as the Deputy Commanding General of the Multi-National Corps – Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Natynczyk led the Corps' 35,000 soldiers, consisting of 10 separate brigades, stationed throughout the Iraq Theatre of Operations. He was later awarded the Meritorious Service Cross specifically for his combat efforts in Operation Iraqi Freedom January 2004 to January 2005.

Upon his return to Canada, he assumed command of the Land Force Doctrine and Training System. He was subsequently appointed Chief of Transformation, where he was responsible for implementation of the force restructuring and the enabling processes and policies.

Natynczyk was promoted to lieutenant general (LGen), and assumed the responsibilities of the Vice Chief of Defence Staff on June 28, 2006.

Chief of the Defence Staff

On June 6, 2008, prime minister Stephen Harper appointed Natynczyk as the next Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), replacing retiring general Rick Hillier. Natynczyk was promoted to general, and installed as CDS on July 2, 2008. General Natynczyk transferred his appointment at a change of command ceremony in 2012.

On February 16, 2012, in Washington, the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, general Martin Dempsey, awarded the Legion of Merit (Degree of Commander) to Natynczyk.

Retirement from the Canadian Forces

Natynczyk retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in December 2012 to take on public service, after transferring control of the defence staff to his successor, RCAF General Thomas Lawson, just 2 months earlier.

Post-military career

On August 6, 2013, he was appointed president of the Canadian Space Agency by prime minister Stephen Harper. He was appointed as the 9th deputy minister of Veterans Affairs Canada, effective November 3, 2014, during the Harper ministry and continued in his role under Justin Trudeau.

Natynczyk retired from public service in 2021, receiving accolades from prime minister Justin Trudeau for his lifetime dedication and service to Canadians. He was appointed Colonel Commandant of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps in August 2021, and retired from this role in June 2024.

In December 2024, he was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada by governor general Mary Simon. He lives in Hartington, Ontario.

Honours and decorations

Source: ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Canadian_jump_wings.png"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/CAN_Order_of_Canada_Officer_ribbon.svg" caption="x30px]][[File:CAN Order of Military Merit Commander ribbon.svg"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/CAN_Meritorious_Service_Cross_(military_division)_ribbon.svg" caption="x30px]][[File:CPSM Ribbon.png"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/UNFICYP.gif" caption="x30px]][[File:QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/CAN_Canadian_Forces_Decoration_ribbon_with_two_bars.svg" caption="x30px]][[File:POL Order Zaslugi RP kl3 BAR.svg"] ::

References

References

  1. (2012-09-29). "ARCHIVED — Vol. 146, No. 39 — September 29, 2012". Canadagazette.gc.ca.
  2. (2013-06-29). "Vol. 147, No. 26 — June 29, 2013". Canadagazette.gc.ca.
  3. [http://archive.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=4653 Governor General announces awarding of Meritorious Service Decorations]
  4. "Interview: Walter Natynczyk".
  5. (October 29, 2014). "PM announces changes in the senior ranks of the Public Service". Prime Minister of Canada.
  6. Office, Prime Minister's. "The Prime Minister announces changes in the senior ranks of the Public Service".
  7. "Natynczyk took his job to heart, say friends".
  8. (16 June 2008). "The Quiet Canadian". [[Winnipeg Free Press]].
  9. "Walter Natynczyk". NATO.
  10. Fisher, Matthew. (30 March 2011). "Canadians punch above their weight in international military command".
  11. Sanders, Richard. (2008-09-01). "September 2008: Canada's Real Role in Iraq". Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
  12. (Jan 24, 2006). "Governor General announces awarding of Meritorious Service Decorations". Governor General of Canada; Media release.
  13. link. (2008-06-19 , ''The Ottawa Citizen'', June 6, 2008)
  14. Embassy of the United States Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (22 February 2012). "22 February 2012: Canadian General Natynczyk Receives Legion of Merit". Embassy of the United States Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
  15. (November 30, 2012). "In Conversation with... Gen. Walter Natynczyk". Winnipeg Free Press.
  16. "PM announces changes in the senior ranks of the Public Service".
  17. Canadian Department of Veterans Affairs. (15 April 2015). "Deputy Minister – Department Officials". Canadian Department of Veterans Affairs.
  18. (February 14, 2019). "Deputy Minister: General (retired) Walt Natynczyk CMM MSC CD". Veterans Affairs Canada.
  19. "General (Retired) Walter Natynczyk, CMM, MSC, CD". The Vimy Award.
  20. (December 18, 2024). "A list of the 88 new appointees to the Order of Canada". The Globe and Mail.
  21. (December 16, 2024). "Appointments to the Order of Canada – December 18, 2024".
  22. "Photo of Walter Natynczyk".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

chiefs-of-the-defence-staff-(canada)vice-chiefs-of-the-defence-staff-(canada)recipients-of-the-meritorious-service-decorationmilitary-personnel-from-winnipegcanadian-generalscommanders-of-the-order-of-military-merit-(canada)1958-birthsliving-peopleunited-states-army-war-college-alumniroyal-military-college-saint-jean-alumniacademic-staff-of-the-royal-military-college-of-canadacommanders-of-the-legion-of-meritcanadian-military-personnel-of-the-war-in-afghanistan-(2001–2021)21st-century-canadian-civil-servantscanadian-people-of-german-descentroyal-canadian-dragoons-officerscanadian-people-of-polish-descentcanadian-federal-deputy-ministerspeople-from-frontenac-countyofficers-of-the-order-of-canada