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André Deschamps (RCAF officer)

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Joseph Paul André Deschamps
AllegianceCanada
Service / branchRoyal Canadian Air Force[a]
Years of service1977-2012
RankLieutenant General
Commands8 Wing Trenton
Royal Canadian Air Force
Battles / warsWar in Afghanistan
AwardsCommander of the Order of Military Merit
Canadian Forces' Decoration

Lieutenant-General Joseph Paul André Deschamps, CMM, CD, usually André Deschamps or J P A Deschamps, was Chief of the Air Staff and then Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force between 2009 and 2012.

Career

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Deschamps joined the Canadian Forces in 1977, and completed pilot training the following year. As a junior officer Deschamps carried out instructor duties on the Musketeer trainer. He later flew the CF-104 Starfighter in Europe during the Cold War.[1]

Deschamps served as the Commanding Officer of Squadron 2, NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, Germany, and became Commanding Officer of 8 Wing Trenton in 2004, and then commanded the Theatre Support Element (Camp Mirage) in support of Operation Athena in Afghanistan.[1] He was appointed Chief of Staff - Operations of Canadian Expeditionary Force Command in 2006, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff in June 2008[2] and Chief of the Air Staff in October 2009. It was during his tenure that Air Command was renamed the "Royal Canadian Air Force".[3]

Honours

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RCAF pilot wings






Ribbon Description Notes
Order of Military Merit (CMM)
  • Commander
  • 26 February 2010
  • [4]
Gulf and Kuwait Medal
General Campaign Star
  • With South-West Asia Ribbon
  • With "ISAF+FIAS" Clasp
Special Service Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
  • Canadian Version of this Medal
  • 2012

[5]

Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal
NATO Medal
  • With "FORMER YUGOSLAVIA" Clasp
NATO Medal
Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)
  • RCAF pilot wings He was a qualified RCAF Pilot and as such wore the Royal Air Canadian Forces Pilot Wings.

[6]

Notes

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  1. ^ Known as Air Command until 2011

References

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  1. ^ a b Keep Calm and Carry On
  2. ^ Minister of National Defence announces senior promotions and appointments Archived May 24, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Canadian American Strategic Review, 26 January 2009
  3. ^ Canadian Navy, Air Force 'Royal' Again With Official Name Change Huffington Post, 15 August 2011
  4. ^ "André Deschamps Order of Military Merit Citation". Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  5. ^ "André Deschamps Diamond Jubilee Medal Citation". Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  6. ^ "Lieutenant-General Joseph Paul André Deschamps, CMM, CD Commander – Royal Canadian Air Force 2011 to 2012 Chief of the Air Staff 2009 to 2011" (PDF). Blatherwick. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
Military offices
Preceded by
J D A Hincke
Assistant Chief of the Air Staff
2008-2009
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief of the Air Staff
(Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force from 2011)

2009-2012
Succeeded by