Order of Military Merit Investiture Ceremony

February 29, 2012

Governor General to Invest 45 Individuals into the Order of Military Merit

OTTAWA—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 Friday, March 2, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. The Governor General, who is chancellor of the Order, will bestow the honour on 2 Commanders, 9 Officers and 34 Members.

The Order of Military Merit was created in 1972, to recognize meritorious service and devotion to duty by members of the Canadian Forces. The Order has three levels of membership: Commander (C.M.M.), Officer (O.M.M.) and Member (M.M.M.).

The list of recipients and additional information on the Order of Military Merit are attached.

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Media who would like to interview recipients are asked to contact the Department of National Defence. Those wishing 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 ceremony.

For information on the ceremony:
Marie-Pierre Bélanger
Rideau Hall Press Office
613-998-9166
marie-pierre.belanger@gg.ca
www.gg.ca

For information on the recipients:
Department of National Defence
Media Liaison Office
1-866-377-0811
613-996-2353
www.forces.gc.ca

Follow GGDavidJohnston and RideauHall on Facebook and Twitter

CEREMONY SCHEDULE

Media are asked to observe the following schedule:
11:00 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
12:00 p.m.:      Ceremony ends
12:15 p.m.:      Interviews with recipients

ORDER OF MILITARY MERIT RECIPIENTS

COMMANDERS

Major-General Robert Bertrand, C.M.M., C.D.

Assistant Deputy Minister (Finance and Corporate Services)
Ottawa, Ont.

Rear-Admiral Andrew Smith, C.M.M., C.D.

This is a promotion within the Order.

Chief Military Personnel
Ottawa, Ont.

OFFICERS

Captain(N) Gilles Couturier, O.M.M., C.D.	Director General Maritime Force Development Ottawa, Ont.
Lieutenant-Commander Cindy Galt, O.M.M., C.D.	1231 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps Kensington, P.E.I.
Commander Stephen Irwin, O.M.M., C.D.	Maritime Forces Pacific Headquarters Victoria, B.C.
Colonel Omer Lavoie, O.M.M., M.S.C., C.D.	1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters and Signal Squadron Edmonton, Alta.
Lieutenant-Colonel John Pumphrey, O.M.M., C.D.	Canadian Operational Support Command Headquarters Ottawa, Ont.
Lieutenant-Colonel Gilles Sansterre, O.M.M., C.D.	Office of Canadian Forces Provost Marshal Ottawa, Ont.
Colonel James Simms, O.M.M., C.D.	Combat Training Centre Headquarters Oromocto, N.B.
Colonel Sylvain Sirois, O.M.M., C.D.	Office of Assistant Deputy Minister (Infrastructure and Environment) Ottawa, Ont.
Brigadier-General Anthony Stack, O.M.M., C.D.	Land Force Atlantic Area Headquarters Halifax, N.S.

MEMBERS

Warrant Officer Barbara Bajema, M.M.M., C.D.	Canadian Forces Joint Signal Regiment Kingston, Ont.
Chief Warrant Officer Wayne Bartlett, M.M.M., M.S.C., C.D.	3^rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Petawawa, Ont.
Chief Warrant Officer Denis Bédard, M.M.M., C.D.	Les Voltigeurs de Québec Québec, Que.
Sergeant Jeanette Botari, M.M.M., C.D.	700 Borden Communication Squadron Borden, Ont.
Chief Warrant Officer Bernard Caron, M.M.M., C.D.	5 Military Police Regiment Montréal, Que.
Warrant Officer Robert Clarke, M.M.M., C.D.	Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) Edmonton, Alberta
Petty Officer 1^st Class Ronald Crawford, M.M.M., C.D.	Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Vancouver Victoria, B.C.
Master Warrant Officer Yves Demers, M.M.M., C.D.	Land Force Quebec Area Training Centre Courcelette, Que.
Chief Petty Officer 1^st Class Leonard Denning, M.M.M., C.D.	Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton Victoria, B.C.
Chief Petty Officer 2^nd Class Harry Fong, M.M.M., C.D.	Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Discovery Vancouver, B.C.
Lieutenant Wayne Forster, M.M.M., C.D.	Office of Chief of the Land Staff Ottawa, Ont.
Corporal Glenn Gray, M.M.M., C.D.	Mapping and Charting Establishment Ottawa, Ont.
Chief Petty Officer 1^st Class David Hart, M.M.M., C.D.	Canadian Forces Fleet School Esquimalt Victoria, B.C.
Chief Warrant Officer Pierre Léger, M.M.M., C.D.	Office of Director General Military Careers Ottawa, Ont.
Chief Warrant Officer Norman McLanaghan, M.M.M., C.D.	Canadian Forces Base Area Support Unit Kingston Kingston, Ont.
Chief Warrant Officer Bradley Montgomery, M.M.M., M.S.M., C.D.	4 Engineer Support Regiment Oromocto, N.B.
Major Marc Moo Sang, M.M.M., C.D.	Office of Chief of the Land Staff Ottawa, Ont.
Sergeant Peter Moon, M.M.M., C.D.	3^rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group Borden, Ont.
Petty Officer 1^st Class Derrick Nearing, M.M.M., C.D.	1 Canadian Field Hospital Petawawa, Ont.
Warrant Officer Gordon Nichol, M.M.M., C.D.	2 Canadian Air Division Headquarters Winnipeg, Man.
Master Warrant Officer Keith Olstad, M.M.M., C.D.	1^st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Petawawa, Ont.
Captain Tony Pépin, M.M.M., C.D.	8 Wing Astra, Ont.
Chief Petty Officer 1^st Class Barry Petten, M.M.M., C.D.	Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Protecteur Victoria, B.C.
Master Warrant Officer Bryan Pierce, C.V., M.M.M., M.S.C., C.D.	Canadian Forces School of Survival and Aeromedical Training Winnipeg, Man.
Chief Warrant Officer Gérard Poitras, M.M.M., M.S.M., C.D.	12 Wing Headquarters Shearwater, N.S.
Chief Petty Officer 2^nd Class Mario Richard, M.M.M., C.D.	Canadian Forces Health Services Centre Ottawa Ottawa, Ont.
Captain Réjean Richard, M.M.M., C.D.	Canadian Forces Crypto Maintenance Unit Kingston, Ont.
Warrant Officer Wayde Simpson, M.M.M., M.B., C.D.	424 Transport and Rescue Squadron Astra, Ont.
Captain Leo Snook, M.M.M., C.D.	2^nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Oromocto, N.B.
Master Warrant Officer Sandra Spragg, M.M.M., C.D.	Canadian Forces Base Trenton Astra, Ont.
Warrant Officer Cameron Stevens, M.M.M., C.D.	The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada Montréal, Que.
Chief Warrant Officer Shawn Stevens, M.M.M., M.S.C., M.S.M., C.D.	1^st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Edmonton, Alta.
Master Warrant Officer Stéphane Vallée, M.M.M., C.D.	Land Force Quebec Area Training Centre Courcelette, Que.
Captain Grant Whittla, M.M.M., C.D.	Joint Task Force Pacific Headquarters Victoria, B.C.

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 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 Forces during the previous year. In 2009, for instance, 111 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 Forces in the performance of military duties.