OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Feb 24, 2015) - His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, will preside over an Order of Military Merit investiture ceremony at Rideau Hall, on Thursday, February 26, 2015, at 11 a.m.
The Governor General will bestow the honour on 2 Commanders, 11 Officers and 37 Members.
Created in 1972, the Order of Military Merit recognizes meritorious service and devotion to duty by members of the Canadian Armed Forces. The Order honours them for their commitment to Canada, according to the following three levels of membership: Commander (C.M.M.), Officer (O.M.M.) and Member (M.M.M.).
A media schedule for the investiture ceremony, the list of recipients, and additional information on the Order of Military Merit are attached.
Media who would like to cover the ceremony are asked to inform the Rideau Hall Press Office and must arrive at the Princess Anne Entrance no later than 10:45 a.m. on the day of the event. Those wishing to interview recipients are asked to contact the Department of National Defence.
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CEREMONY SCHEDULE
Media are asked to observe the following schedule:
| 11 a.m.: | Ceremony begins |
| The Governor General speaks | |
| The Governor General presents the insignia | |
| (Commanders first, followed by Officers and Members) | |
| The Chief of the Defence Staff speaks | |
| 12 p.m.: | Interviews with recipients |
ORDER OF MILITARY MERIT RECIPIENTS
COMMANDERS
| Rear-Admiral Joseph Edward Thomas Peter Ellis, C.M.M., C.D. |
Canadian Joint Operations Command Headquarters Ottawa, Ontario | |
| Lieutenant-General Jonathan Holbert Vance, C.M.M., M.S.C., C.D. |
Allied Command Operations Organizations South Naples, Italy |
OFFICERS
| Captain(N) Luc Cassivi, O.M.M., C.D. |
Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt Victoria, British Columbia | |
| Colonel Howard Gerard Coombs, O.M.M., C.D. |
33 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters Ottawa, Ontario | |
| Colonel Grant Fernand Dame, O.M.M., M.S.M., C.D. |
Office of the Chief of the Army Staff Ottawa, Ontario | |
| Colonel Sean Friday, O.M.M., M.S.M., C.D. |
8 Wing Astra, Ontario | |
| Lieutenant-Colonel Kelly Maria Gash, O.M.M., C.D. |
Office of the Director General Compensation and Benefits Ottawa, Ontario | |
| Major Michael Hans Groh, O.M.M., C.D. |
Office of the Director General Information Management Project Delivery Ottawa, Ontario | |
| Colonel Simon Charles Hetherington, O.M.M., M.S.C., C.D. |
2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters and Signal Squadron Petawawa, Ontario | |
| Colonel Hugh Colin MacKay, O.M.M., C.D. |
Canadian Forces Health Services Group Headquarters Ottawa, Ontario | |
| Colonel Russell Barry Mann, O.M.M., C.D. |
Office of the Director Military Family Services Ottawa, Ontario | |
| Captain(N) Stephen Alexander Virgin, O.M.M., M.S.M., C.D. |
Canadian Special Operations Forces Command Headquarters Ottawa, Ontario | |
| Colonel Steven Joseph Russell Whelan, O.M.M., M.S.M., C.D. |
Office of the Chief of Force Development Ottawa, Ontario |
MEMBERS
| Captain Timothy David Aldridge, M.M.M., C.D. |
Canadian Forces Intelligence Command Ottawa, Ontario | |
| Master Warrant Officer Donald Earl Askeland, M.M.M., C.D. |
2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Edmonton, Alberta | |
| Warrant Officer Dana Beverly Beattie, M.M.M., C.D. |
2 Combat Engineer Regiment Petawawa, Ontario | |
| Chief Warrant Officer Joseph Laurendan Daniel Brissette, M.M.M., M.S.M., C.D. |
Canadian Special Operations Forces Command Headquarters Ottawa, Ontario | |
| Major Christopher Kevin Catry, M.M.M., C.D. |
Canadian Forces Base Kingston Kingston, Ontario | |
| Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Marie-Josée Chapleau, M.M.M., C.D. |
Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Radisson Trois-Rivières, Quebec | |
| Chief Warrant Officer Joseph Charles Philippe Chevalier, M.M.M., C.D. |
The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montréal) Montréal, Quebec | |
| Master Warrant Officer Troy Charles Chiasson, M.M.M., C.D. |
4 Engineer Support Regiment Oromocto, New Brunswick | |
| Warrant Officer Robin John Crane, M.M.M., M.M.V., C.D. |
1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Edmonton, Alberta | |
| Warrant Officer Joseph Éric Michel D'Astous, M.M.M., C.D. |
Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering Borden, Ontario | |
| Master Warrant Officer Joseph Réal Richard Deschênes, M.M.M., C.D. |
438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron St-Hubert, Quebec | |
| Sub-Lieutenant Michèle Dumaresq-Ouellet, M.M.M., M.S.M., C.D. |
Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Halifax Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| Chief Warrant Officer Terry Ronald Serge Joseph Garand, M.M.M., C.D. |
Infantry School Oromocto, New Brunswick | |
| Chief Warrant Officer Joseph Guy Bruno Claude Gilbert, M.M.M., C.D. |
Le Régiment de la Chaudière Lévis, Quebec | |
| Chief Warrant Officer Joseph Alexander Marcel Stephan Goupil, M.M.M., C.D. |
Canadian Forces Health Services Group Headquarters Ottawa, Ontario | |
| Major Douglas Shawn Patrick Groves, M.M.M., C.D. |
1st Canadian Division Headquarters Kingston, Ontario | |
| Master Warrant Officer William John Hall, M.M.M., C.D. |
4 Wing - Telecommunications and Information Squadron Cold Lake, Alberta | |
| Master Warrant Officer James Matthew Hebert, M.M.M., C.D. |
The Royal Canadian Dragoons Petawawa, Ontario | |
| Chief Warrant Officer Mitchell Hepburn, M.M.M., C.D. |
33 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters Ottawa, Ontario | |
| Master Warrant Officer William Joseph Hinchey, M.M.M., C.D. |
Canadian Forces Joint Operations Support Group Headquarters Kingston, Ontario | |
| Warrant Officer John Charles Hryniw, M.M.M., C.D. |
2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters and Signal Squadron Petawawa, Ontario | |
| Warrant Officer Marie Doris Diane Jalbert, M.M.M., C.D. |
2nd Canadian Division Support Group Montréal, Quebec | |
| Warrant Officer Suzanne Kavanagh, M.M.M., C.D. |
5 Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown Oromocto, New Brunswick | |
| Warrant Officer Joseph Lionel Jacques Lamarche, M.M.M., C.D. |
440 Transport Squadron Yellowknife, Northwest Territories | |
| Chief Warrant Officer Walter Allan Laughlin, M.M.M., C.D. |
Royal Canadian Armoured Corps School Oromocto, New Brunswick | |
| Chief Warrant Officer Raymond Nicholas McEachern, M.M.M., C.D. |
Canadian Forces Base Halifax Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Barbara Alena Mondelli, M.M.M., C.D. |
Her Majesty's Canadian Ship Algonquin Victoria, British Columbia | |
| Master Warrant Officer Leonard Thomas Murphy, M.M.M., C.D. |
Canadian Forces Base Borden Borden, Ontario | |
| Warrant Officer Erica Oliver, M.M.M., C.D. |
Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering Oromocto, New Brunswick | |
| Warrant Officer Robert Patten, M.M.M., C.D. |
Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering Borden, Ontario | |
| Master Warrant Officer Joseph Roger Daniel Paulhus, M.M.M., C.D. |
5 Service Battalion Courcelette, Quebec | |
| Warrant Officer Guylaine Marie Alice Plamondon, M.M.M., C.D. |
16 Wing Borden, Ontario | |
| Chief Warrant Officer Joseph André Michel Provencher, M.M.M., C.D. |
2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Petawawa, Ontario | |
| Major Ryan Denis Smid, M.M.M., M.B., C.D. |
20th Field Artillery Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery Edmonton, Alberta | |
| Master Warrant Officer Matthew Michael Taylor, M.M.M., C.D. |
2 Service Battalion Petawawa, Ontario | |
| Warrant Officer Derek Ashley Thompson, M.M.M., C.D. |
Infantry School Oromocto, New Brunswick | |
| Chief Warrant Officer Joseph Léo Stéfan Tremblay, M.M.M., C.D. |
2 Canadian Division Primary Reserve List Montréal, Québec |
Please note that the information in this media advisory was provided by the Department of National Defence and reflects the rank and posting of the members at the time of their nomination.
ORDER OF MILITARY MERIT FACT SHEET
The Order of Military Merit recognizes distinctive merit and exceptional service displayed by the men and women of the Canadian Forces, both Regular and Reserve. Many have demonstrated dedication and devotion beyond the call of duty, and the Order honours them for their commitment to Canada, according to the following three levels:
The level of Commander (post-nominal: C.M.M.) recognizes outstanding meritorious service and demonstrated leadership in duties of great responsibility.
The level of Officer (post-nominal: O.M.M.) recognizes outstanding meritorious service in duties of responsibility.
The level of Member (post-nominal: M.M.M.) recognizes exceptional service or performance of duty.
Eligibility and Nominations
A commanding officer or a military advisory committee (for ranks of colonel and above) recommends to the chief of the Defence Staff the names of those serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, both Regular and Reserve, they consider eligible. The chief of the Defence Staff then submits the names to the governor general for approval.
The number of appointments per year is limited to one-tenth of one per cent of the average number of persons who were members of the Canadian Armed Forces during the previous year. In 2014, for instance, 108 appointments were made. There are no posthumous appointments.
Recipients may be promoted within the Order. They must exchange their insignia for that which corresponds to the new level, since no member may hold more than one appointment at any time.
The Order's constitution permits members of the armed forces of another country to be appointed as honorary Commanders, Officers and Members. Appointments are made for outstanding meritorious service to Canada or to the Canadian Armed Forces in the performance of military duties.
For more information about the Order of Military Merit, visit our website at www.gg.ca/honours.
