Senior Officer Biography
REAR-ADMIRAL BENNETT J.J. , CMM, CD
CHIEF RESERVES AND CADETS
Rear-Admiral Jennifer Bennett, a native of Hamilton, Ontario, enrolled in the Naval Reserve in 1975 in HMCS STAR as a Naval Communicator. In 1977, Rear-Admiral Bennett transferred to the Naval Reserve Officer Cadet program for training as a Logistics Officer and was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant in August 1979. Since then, she has served with the Reserve Force in a variety of training, staff and command positions across Canada.
Rear-Admiral Bennett holds a Bachelor of Physical Education from McMaster University, a Bachelor of Education from Queen's University and a Master of Arts in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University. She is also a graduate of the Canadian Forces Staff School, Canadian Forces Staff College, NATO School and NATO Defence College.
Rear-Admiral Bennett commanded HMCS MALAHAT, Victoria, British Columbia from 1995 to 1998 and the Naval Reserve Basic Recruit Training Detachment, Borden, Ontario in the summer of 1999.
Promoted to Captain (Navy) in January 2000, Rear-Admiral Bennett was appointed Director Reserves within the Chief Reserves and Cadets Division in National Defence Headquarters. Other national appointments include Director Professional Development and Director of the Ottawa Detachment of the Canadian Defence Academy, Director of Training and Education Policy and Project Director (Military) for the Defence Learning Network.
Rear-Admiral Bennett was promoted to Commodore on December 1, 2007, upon appointment as the Commander Naval Reserve and served as the Formation Commander until January 2011. She was promoted to her current rank in April 2011 and appointed Chief Reserves and Cadets in May 2011.
In her civilian career, Rear-Admiral Bennett has been a teacher and administrator in elementary and secondary schools in Ontario and British Columbia.
Rear-Admiral Bennett's family has amassed over a century of service in the Naval Reserve starting with her father who retired at the rank of Commodore as the Senior Naval Reserve Advisor and continuing with her sister and brother who also joined in HMCS STAR.
