A new Commander for the RCAF

Since May 4, the Royal Canadian Air Force ( RCAF) has a new commander, Lieutenant - General Al Meinzinger, who has taken over from Lieutenant- General Mike Hood. LGen Meinzinger has become the 20th commander of the RCAF.

In a message to the troops prepared a few days after taking office, the new commander reiterated how honored he is with this appointment and said he wants to continue in the tradition of his predecessors. « Over the past few years, it has become very apparent that our success is driven by the concept of “flying in formation”. In the simplest terms, this philosophy ensures that we remain interoperable at all levels of the RCAF, able to operate together as an air force and with our Canadian Armed Forces and allied partners. In this spirit, I pledge to continue to move the RCAF forward as a united and focused team.” The new commander also stated his appreciation for all the work done by RCAF members on a daily basis and he encourages all members to take care of each other in order to ensure the well- being of all. Finally, the commander is optimistic about the future of the RCAF and stresses the importance of all of his units. “I am a firm believer that successful delivery of air and space power also relies on well- led, robust, healthy and inclusive squadrons and tactical units. If we can get it right within our 39 flying units and 86 tactical units, our future will be all the brighter”, claims LGen Meintzinger. Those interested in the RCAF Commander’s full message can access it on the base bulletin board and on the CRA website.