Senior Officer Biography
MAJOR-GENERAL NEASMITH D.G. , OMM, MSC, CD
CHIEF OF STAFF ASSISTANT DEPUTY MINISTER (INFORMATION MANAGEMENT)
Major-General Dave Neasmith joined the Canadian Forces in 1980. He graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science (Math and Physics).
After completing signal officer training, MGen Neasmith served with the 1st Canadian Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment (1 CDHSR) in Kingston. He then served as Signal Officer with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment in Gagetown.
MGen Neasmith completed the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff course in 1990, and he subsequently served at National Defence Headquarters in a variety of staff positions. In 1994, he served as a Squadron Commander in 1 CDHSR.
After completing studies at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto in 1997, he served on the Land Staff. In 1999, he was appointed Commanding Officer (CO) 1 CDHSR and was responsible for amalgamating 1 CDHSR and 79 Communication Regiment. He then served as the first CO of the newly formed Canadian Forces Joint Signal Regiment in Kingston. MGen Neasmith was then appointed Acting Director, Information Management Security, in September 2001 and deployed on OP PALLADIUM. In June 2003, he was appointed Commander of the Canadian Forces Information Operations Group. In 2006, he attended the United States National Defence University's National War College, in Washington, D.C., and completed a Master's Degree in Science (National Security Strategy). He then returned to the Land Staff as Director, Land Force Development. He took over as Commander, Land Force Atlantic Area, in Halifax in July 2008.
From March 2010 to March 2011, MGen Neasmith deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan, as the Assistant Commanding General of Afghan National Army (ANA) Development. He oversaw the continued development of the ANA as a professional fighting force and set the conditions for Canada's increased involvement in OP ATTENTION.
MGen Neasmith was promoted to his current rank in June 2011. Since July 2011 he has served as CF J6 and Chief of Staff (Information Management), as well as the Branch Leader for the Communication and Electronics Branch.
