Senior Officer Biography
MAJOR-GENERAL VANCE J.H. , OMM, MSC, CD
DIRECTOR OF STAFF, STRATEGIC JOINT STAFF
Major-General Vance joined the Canadian Forces in 1982 and was commissioned as an infantry officer into The Royal Canadian Regiment in 1986 following his graduation from Royal Roads Military College.
Major-General Vance has served with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions, The Royal Canadian Regiment, and has commanded at all levels within the field force from platoon commander to brigade commander.
Most notably, Major-General Vance commanded Second Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment in Gagetown, New Brunswick from 2001-2003. He also commanded 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in Edmonton from 2006 to 2008 and subsequently deployed as Commander Joint Task Force Afghanistan and Task Force Kandahar between 2009 and 2010.
Following his tour(s) in Afghanistan, Major-General Vance served on the Army Staff as Chief of Staff Land Strategy until June 2011. He assumed his duties as Director of Staff, Strategic Joint Staff in National Defence Headquarters in July 2011.
Major-General Vance is a graduate of the Canadian Forces Staff School, the UK Combined Arms Tactics Course, the Canadian Army Staff College, the Canadian Forces Command and Staff Course, the Advanced Military Studies Course and the Coalition Forces Land Component Command Course. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Military and Strategic Studies from Royal Roads Military College, and a Master of Arts Degree in War Studies from RMC. His decorations include the Order of Military Merit, the Meritorious Service Cross with bar and a Mentioned-in-Dispatches. In 2011, he was awarded the Vimy Award for his contributions to Canadian defence and security.
