GENERAL RAY HENAULT IS 2007 VIMY AWARD WINNER
28 August 2007. Ottawa. The Conference of Defence Associations Institute (CDAI) is pleased to announce that General Ray Henault has been unanimously selected as the recipient of the Vimy Award for 2007.
General Ray Henault is a distinguished Canadian who has exhibited the highest standards of leadership throughout his career of service to Canada. The award will be presented by Governor General Michaëlle Jean on Friday, 16 November, at a gala dinner in the LeBreton Gallery of the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa.
General Henault was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1949. He enrolled in the Canadian Forces in 1968, and in his early years served as a pilot and flight instructor, as an air traffic controller, an aviation staff officer in a brigade headquarters, and as a project director. From 1987 to 1989 he was the Commanding Officer of 444 Tactical Helicopter Squadron at the Canadian base in Lahr, Germany. Later, as Base Commander in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, General Henault headed Canada’s premier flying training centre. In 1996 he was posted to National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, beginning a series of jobs in military planning and operations. In 1998 he was promoted to lieutenant-general and appointed Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff. In June, 2001, General Henault was promoted to his present rank and appointed Chief of the Defence Staff, a position he held until February 2005.
General Henault was elected Chairman of the NATO Military Committee in November 2004 and assumed that position at NATO Headquarters in Brussels in June 2005. As Chairman of the Military Committee he is the senior military officer in the Alliance.
Fluent in both English and French, General Henault is a graduate of the École supérieure de guerre aérienne (ESGA) in Paris and Canada’s National Defence College. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree. General Henault holds the rank of Commander of the Canadian Order of Military Merit (CMM), Commander in The Most Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Commander of the French Légion d’honneur, the United States Legion of Merit in the degree of Commander, and the Czech Cross of Merit (1st Degree).
The CDAI is dedicated to increasing public awareness of Canada’s security situation and the vital role that is played by the Canadian Armed Forces in our society. The Institute is the sponsor of the Vimy Award. Since 1991, the Award recognizes annually one Canadian who has made a significant and outstanding contribution to the defence and security of our nation and the preservation of our democratic values.
The Vimy Award jury was composed of The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, Chief Justice of Canada; Mr. Harry Wilmot, President, ATCO Frontec; Dr. George A. Lampropoulos, President and Chief Executive Officer, A.U.G. Signals Ltd; Mr. Mario Bélanger, President Avaya Canada Corp; M. André Sincennes, President ADGA Group Consultants; Lieutenant-General (Ret’d) Bob Fischer, Vice-President Business Development & Government Relations, General Dynamics Canada; M. Richard Bertrand, Vice- President – Government Affairs, Pratt & Whitney Canada; General (Ret’d) Paul Manson, President of the Conference of Defence Associations Institute and jury chairman; and Lieutenant-General (Ret’d) Richard
J. Evraire, Chairman of the Conference of Defence Associations.
Remarks – General (Ret’d) Paul Manson, President CDA Institute
Remarks – General Rick Hillier, Chief of the Defence Staff
Remarks (English) – The Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada
Remarks (French) – The Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada