Prime Minister Stephen Harper has formally named Lt.-Gen. Walter Natynczyk as the replacement for Gen. Rick Hillier -- the outgoing chief of defence staff (CDS) of the Canadian Forces.
Natynczyk, who currently serves as vice-chief of defence staff, will replace Hillier after he steps down on July 1.
"Lieutenant-General Walter J. Natynczyk brings strong leadership and unparalleled experience to his new position," Harper said in a statement Friday.
"His service record includes a broad range of achievement at home and abroad. The Canadian Forces are a vital institution making a tremendous contribution to our country. Walter Natynczyk is the ideal person to lead the Canadian Forces forward."
Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Natynczyk spoke to reporters in the House of Commons foyer following the announcement.
"We have great confidence, clearly, in his capability, in his approach to military and this is a very good-news story for Canada," said MacKay.
Noting some people may have difficulty with the general's name, the defence minister tried to help out.
"The thing we're all going to have to do is (learn) how to pronounce his name correctly. It's nuh-TIN-chuck," MacKay said.
He called Natynczyk -- a tank officer who also has a business degree -- a "gentleman's general." The description appears to have caught the soldier off guard.
"It is an interesting comment," Natynczyk said. "Some might know me as a rugby player and a football player."
Natynczyk, who is affectionately known among the troops as "Uncle Walt," told reporters he was honoured to be selected as the new CDS.
"I'm looking forward to providing the leadership to the men and women of the Canadian Forces, providing security for Canada, for Canadians, and... for all those families of our military men and women," he said.
In 2006, Natynczyk travelled with Harper to Afghanistan and they developed a close bond, CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife said Friday.
"People close to the prime minister have told me that the prime minister really, really respected him," said Fife.
Natynczyk, a native of Winnipeg, joined the Canadian Forces in August 1975. He became the vice-chief of defence staff in June 2006. Some career highlights:
- He attended Royal Roads Military College and Coll�ge Militaire Royal in St-Jean, Que., graduating with a Business Administration degree in 1979.
- He has operational experience at various levels in Bosnia, Herzegovina, and with UNPROFOR HQ in Zagreb, Croatia.
- His key command appointments include Commanding Officer of the Royal Canadian Dragoons; Deputy Commanding General, III Corps; Deputy Commanding General of the Multi-National Corps (Iraq); and command of Land Force Doctrine and Training System in Canada.
- He was also Chief Transformation where he was responsible for implementation of the force restructuring and the enabling processes and policies. Natynczyk became the vice-chief of defence staff in June 2006.
He spent 15 months in Iraq as deputy commander of some U.S.-led forces. Natynczyk says the fight against insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan is almost identical, a point of view that has raised some concerns.
"He commanded 35,000 troops in Iraq. We don't want him to just simply transfer the U.S. approach in Iraq, my Gosh, to Canada's role in Afghanistan," said Steven Staples, the head of the Rideau Institute, an Ottawa-based think tank.
Natynczyk said there will be no significant strategy changes in Afghanistan.
Hillier's term as CDS
The Liberal government of then-prime minister Paul Martin appointed Hillier, born in Newfoundland in 1955, as chief of defence staff in January 2005.
A strategic thinker with field experience, he served as the senior NATO officer in Afghanistan before being named CDS. Hillier is revered by the troops, but has had some run-ins with the Tory government.
Hillier crossed swords with former defence minister Gordon O'Connor, who was eventually replaced by Peter MacKay in an August 2007 cabinet shuffle.
Last fall, Hillier appeared to contradict Harper. The general said Canadian troops could be in Afghanistan for 10 years -- after Harper said the mission could be accomplished by 2011.
Hillier then said he was on the "same sheet of paper" as the prime minister about the mission. But the controversies triggered rumours Hillier would be replaced. Hillier announced in April he would be stepping down on July 1.
In his statement Friday, Harper thanked Hillier for his leadership as CDS.
With a report by CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife and files from The Canadian Press
