OTTAWA — A senior officer during Canada’s participation in military missions around the world will become the nation’s top officer.
Lt. Gen. Ray Henault, a former pilot, will be promoted next month to full general and succeed the retiring Gen. Maurice Baril as chief of the defense staff, the military announced Tuesday.
Henault — who will succeed retiring Gen. Maurice Baril — became known to Canadians in 1999, when he handled televised military briefings during the NATO air campaign in Kosovo.
The 52-year-old general will take over after years of budget cuts and pressure to replace aging equipment and bolster recruitment in an era when military spending has decreased.
The job of military chief requires Cabinet approval.
