Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Kastrukoff was born and raised in the suburbs of Vancouver, BC then completed an Honours Bachelor of Science in Physics and Computer Science from the University of Toronto prior to joining the Royal Canadian Air Force as a Pilot in 2004.

After receiving his pilot wings in 2007, he was selected as a pipeline Fighter pilot on the CF-188 Hornet, received the call sign “Beef” and started his gun squadron tour in early 2009. During this tour LCol Kastrukoff held NORAD alert in Cold Lake, the West Coast and in the Arctic. He also flew combat air patrols (CAP) over his home-town as part of Op PODIUM support to the Vancouver Olympics before completing an 8-month air liaison deployment with the R22eR battle group in Kandahar, Afghanistan as part of Op ATHENA. Subsequent tours include 4 Wing Operations as the Combat Operations Officer with a focus on NORAD operations in the Arctic, promotion to Major in 2014 and a flying instructor/supervisor tour at 419 Sqn on the CT-155 Hawk as the Training then Operations Officer followed by two years as Deputy Commanding Officer. In 2018 he was posted to 1 Cdn Air Div HQ in Winnipeg. In 2019 he was promoted to his current rank as the Senior Staff Officer Fighters, then in 2020 assigned to be the Deputy Director Fleet Readiness prior to his appointment to command Barker College in 2021.

Professional development has been a keen interest throughout his career including completing a 2013 distance learning (DL) Master of Aeronautical Science with a specialization in Space Science from Embry-Riddle, a 2020 DL Joint Command and Staff Programme grad and numerous smaller courses in between. Since 2015, LCol Kastrukoff has also been fortunate to have multiple articles published in the RCAF Journal, the Canadian Military Journal, and an article by the RAWC’s InFORM publication.

LCol Kastrukoff married his Winnipeg-native wife Stasa, a pediatric intensive care physician, during the first pandemic year. They are both delighted for the opportunity to work with the personnel of Barker College to shape and execute the professional development programs of the RCAF.

Master Warrant Officer Justin St-Onge was born in Edmonton, Alberta. In 1996, he graduated high school with a bilingual diploma. He enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces on January 4th 2001. After completing trades training at the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering as an Aviation Systems Technician, he was posted to 8 Wing Trenton.

During the next 3 years, Pte St-Onge was employed with 8 Air Maintenance Squadron (8 AMS). In 2003 he deployed to the Dominican Republic on Op PRINCIPAL in support of Canadian Special Forces extracting Canadian personnel from Haiti. In 2004 through 2006 he was deployed multiple times to Camp Mirage in the Middle East with the Tactical Airlift Unit, earning the South West Asia Service Medal and General Service Medal with ISAF bar.

After his return to 8 AMS he was posted to 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron in Winnipeg. Cpl St-Onge continued working first line maintenance in Winnipeg for 2 years. Regularly deployed on temporary duties, as a member of mobile repair parties, and took part in an International Search and Rescue Exercise.

Promoted to MCpl in 2009 he was posted to 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) in Cold Lake Alberta. On 19 May 2011 he deployed to Italy as part of Op MOBILE Task Force Libeccio. This earned him the NATO non-article 5 medal for Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR - Libya.

Returning to 435 Squadron in 2014 as a Sergeant, he worked briefly on the first line before moving upstairs where he took on the roles of Aircraft Maintenance Control and Records Officer, Engineering Support Officer, and Quality Control Manager. During his time at 435 Squadron Sgt St-Onge deployed to Hawaii on EX RIMPAC as the Deployed Aircraft Maintenance Officer.

In 2018 newly promoted WO St-Onge was transferred to the 1st Canadian Air Division Headquarters into A4 Maintenance Readiness Fighters, Trainers, and UAVs where he managed to create a plethora of excel spreadsheets. 2021 saw another promotion, this time across the atrium into the A4 Maintenance Armament section to assist in the management of the RCAF Ammunition and Explosives Safety Program. On 14 July 2022 MWO St-Onge accepted the challenge of becoming the RCAF Barker College School Warrant Officer.

MWO St-Onge is married to Nadine Julien, a teacher at École Bannatyne. They have two energetic boys, Rémy and Félix.

Lieutenant-General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in 1990, graduating from the Royal Military College (RMC) in 1994 with a degree in Computer Engineering.

She has commanded 403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron, the Canadian Forces Intelligence Group, and the Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers Group. Strategic level appointments include Military Assistant to the Minister of National Defence, Special Advisor to the Chief of Defence Staff, and Deputy Commander of the RCAF.

Lieutenant-General Speiser-Blanchet has led through complex operations both domestically and abroad. In Canada, she has deployed on numerous domestic operations in response to regional emergencies and in support to other government agencies. Deployed, she flew for both United Nations and NATO missions in Haiti and Bosnia. She was also appointed Deputy Commander (Operations) for Joint Task Force-IMPACT in Kuwait in 2019.

She holds a Master of Defence Studies from RMC and a Master of Politics and Policy from Deakin University. She is married to a retired tactical aviation pilot, and they have three amazing children.

She was promoted to her current rank in 2025 and appointed to the position of Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

A proud wife, mom, step-mom, and grandmother, Chief Warrant Officer (CWO) Renee Hansen was born and raised in Brandon, Manitoba, and joined the Primary Reserve in 1992 as an administration clerk. In 2001, CWO Hansen component transferred to the Regular Force where she was subsequently posted to the Armour School at Combat Training Centre (CTC) Gagetown.

In 2004, she was appointed to the rank of Master Corporal and was posted to the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) in Shilo, Manitoba, where she would spend the next five years. CWO Hansen deployed twice to Afghanistan—in 2006 as the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team Chief Clerk, and again in 2008 with Task Force 1-08 as the Battle Group Orderly Room Sergeant where her efforts earned her a Commander Canadian Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM) Commendation.

In 2009, CWO Hansen was posted to the Canadian Army Headquarters in Ottawa. Then, in 2010, after a short nine months in the position of Headquarters Chief Clerk, she was promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer and posted to Director Military Career Support Services Personnel Evaluation Report (PER) Processing. In 2013, she was posted to Director Senior Appointments as Director Senior Appointments Coordinator.

Promoted to the rank of Master Warrant Officer in 2015, and named a member of the Order of Military Merit, CWO Hansen was posted to 8 Wing Trenton as the Wing Superintendent Clerk. Then, in 2017, she eagerly accepted the challenge of fulfilling the Station Warrant Officer position in CFS Alert, and upon her return from Alert was posted to Ottawa as part of the Director Air Staff Coordination team.

Promoted to her current rank in 2019, she was selected as the Squadron Chief Warrant Officer at 426 Transport Training Squadron at 8 Wing Trenton, followed by a year at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) where she would earn a Certificate in Advanced Military Studies. In July 2022, CWO Hansen was privileged to serve as the 8 Wing Chief Warrant Officer.

CWO Hansen was appointed to her current position as the 7th Command Chief Warrant Officer of the Royal Canadian Air Force on 21 August 2024.

Originaire de St-Bruno-de-Montarville, au Québec, le lieutenant-général Prévost s’est joint aux Forces armées canadiennes en août 1990 et a obtenu son brevet de pilote en 1993. Il a servi comme pilote à la 3e Escadre de Bagotville au sein des 439e et 425e Escadrons. Il a eu le privilège de commander la Division des opérations de la 3e Escadre de 2005 à 2008 et du 425e Escadron de 2008 à 2010. Il a aussi commandé les 2e et 3e Escadres de Bagotville de 2011 à 2013. Il a accumulé plus de 2 500 heures de vol, dont la majorité à bord du CF-18.

Overseas, he deployed on three occasions between 1999-2001 to Italy as part of Operations ECHO and ALLIED FORCE where he participated in several combat missions in the Balkans. He served in Kandahar in 2010-2011 as the Commander of Joint Task Force Afghanistan Air Wing. In 2018, he was appointed Director of the Coalition Air Operations Center in Doha, Qatar where he oversaw the planning and execution of all military air operations in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

Il a servi à la Division des plans au Quartier général du NORAD à Colorado-Springs, au Colorado, ainsi qu’à Ottawa en tant que conseiller spécial du commandant de l’Aviation royale canadienne, directeur – Plans de l’hémisphère occidental à l’État-major interarmées stratégique, directeur général – Plans au Commandement des opérations interarmées du Canada, directeur général – Opérations à l’État-major interarmées stratégique et directeur – Opérations au Secrétariat de la politique étrangère et de la défense au Bureau du Conseil privé. Il a été promu au grade de major-général en août 2021 et nommé directeur d’état-major – État-major interarmées stratégique.

Lieutenant-General Prévost is a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, the Canadian Forces Command and Staff Course, the Advanced Military Studies Program and the National Security Program at the Canadian Forces College of Toronto.

On July 17, 2024, he was promoted to his current rank and appointed Chief Professional Conduct and Culture.

Major-General Patrick Lemyre joined the Canadian Armed Forces as an armoured officer from Louiseville, Quebec in 1990, and graduated from the Royal Military College Saint-Jean in 1995. He served with the 12e Régiment blindé du Canada (Valcartier), with the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps School (Gagetown), as the Director of Cadets at the Royal Military College of Canada (Kingston), as the Acting Base Commander, Canadian Forces Base Kingston, as Commander 3rd Canadian Division Support Group (Edmonton), and more recently as the Commander of the 2nd Canadian Army Division, and Joint Task Force (East).

Le major-général Patrick Lemyre, originaire de Louiseville au Québec, s’est enrôlé dans les Forces Canadiennes en 1990, et a gradué du Collège Militaire Royal du Canada (Saint-Jean) en 1995. Il a été affecté au 12e Régiment Blindé du Canada (Valcartier), à l'École de l’Arme Blindé (Gagetown), au Collège Militaire Royal du Canada (Kingston) en tant que Directeur des Élève-officiers, à la Base des Forces Canadiennes de Kingston comme Commandant par intérim, à la 3e Division de l’Armée Canadienne en tant que Commandant du Groupe de Soutien, et finalement comme Général Commandant de la 2e Division de l’Armée canadienne.

His staff appointments in Ottawa include assignments to Canada Command, Canadian Expeditionary Forces Command, with the Chief of Staff Army Strategy at the Canadian Army Headquarters. He completed a tour of duty as the Chief of Staff for the 4th Canadian Division (Toronto), and finally, he worked at the Pentagon, Washington DC, as the CDS Liaison to the Chairman of the Joints Chiefs. His deployments and international postings include missions in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Egypt, Syria, Kuwait, Israel, and the United States.

Il a été employé en tant que staff au Commandement Canada, au Commandement de la Force expéditionnaire du Canada, au Chef d’état-major Stratégies de l’Armée, à Ottawa. Il a aussi rempli les fonctions de Chef d’état-major de la 4e Division de l’Armée Canadienne à Toronto, et finalement, il a été l’Officier de Liaison du Chef d’état-major de la Défense auprès du Chairman of the Joint Chiefs (Pentagon), à Washington DC. Ses déploiements et mutations à l’étranger incluent la Bosnie-Herzégovine, l’Égypte, la Syrie, le Koweit, Israel, et les États-Unis.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences, a Master’s in Defense Studies, both from Royal Military Colleges of Canada, and a Master’s in Political Science from Haifa University, Israel. He is a graduate of the Canadian Forces College, and the Israel National Defence College.

Il a un Bac en Sciences Sociales et une Maîtrise en Études de la Défense provenant des CMR du Canada, et une Maîtrise en Sciences Politiques de l’Université de Haifa, Israel. Il est un gradué du Collège des Forces Canadiennes, et du Collège Israélien de la Défense Nationale.

As of summer 2025, Major-General Lemyre serves as the Chief of Staff Chief Professional Conduct and Culture, in Ottawa.

Depuis l’été 2025, le major-général Lemyre occupe la fonction de Chef d’état-major du Chef de la Conduite Professionnelle et de la Culture, à Ottawa.

Enrolling the Canadian Armed Forces in 1996, CWO Bouchard blazed a trail as one of the first female Combat Engineers. In 2002, CWO Bouchard remustered to the Military Police Branch and following the completion of her QL3 training she was posted to Petawawa, ON. In 2006, CWO Bouchard left Petawawa for Gagetown where she spent 4 years before returning to Petawawa in 2010. In 2014, CWO Bouchard was seconded to Global Affairs Canada and served as the Mission Security Manager for the Canadian Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia.

À son retour au Canada en 2017, l’Adjuc Bouchard a été affectée à Bedford, en Nouvelle-Écosse, où elle a servi comme Sergent-Major Régimentaire du 3e Régiment de Police Militaire. Un an plus tard, elle a assumé les fonctions de gestionnaire principale des carrières des militaires du rang de la Police militaire à Ottawa, en Ontario. En juillet 2021, l’Adjuc Bouchard a été nommée Adjudant-Chef d’unité de l’Unité Nationale de Contre-Ingérence des Forces Canadiennes, qui relève du Commandement du renseignement des Forces Canadiennes.

CWO Bouchard has deployed on 3 international deployments during her career; Operation Athena, Afghanistan in 2003 and 2005, and, in 2010 to Op Hestia in Haiti, following the earthquake that devastated that area. She received a VCDS Commendation for her work while on Op Hestia.

L’Adjuc Bouchard est une mère fière, et elle consacre son temps libre à sa formidable fille de 14 ans, Hope, ainsi qu’à son partenaire, Chris. Elle aime courir et s’efforce de maintenir une bonne condition physique. En juin 2023, l’Adjuc Bouchard a été nommée Adjudant-Chef du Chef d’État-Major Interarmées Stratégique. En novembre 2025, elle a été honorée par son investiture au sein de l’Ordre du Mérite Militaire.

Major-General (MGen) McKenna joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1994, initially as an Army Reservist, and then attended the Royal Military College of Canada receiving his degree in Chemical and Materials Engineering in 1999. He also holds a Master’s degree in Defence Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada (2013).

MGen McKenna earned his RCAF Pilot wings in 2002 and served as a Rotary Wing Tactical Aviation and Special Operations Aviation pilot in the RCAF. He has commanded at the Flight, Squadron, Wing, and Task Force level and has served in a variety of command and staff positions including postings in CANSOFCOM units, RCAF HQ and in the Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) HQ.

MGen McKenna deployed twice to Bosnia in 2003/04 as part of NATO’s Stabilization Force (SFOR), and twice to Afghanistan; with CANSOFCOM in 2005/06 and as Officer Commanding (OC) Chinook in 2010/11, flying in support of Canada’s combat mission. In 2018/19, he deployed to Africa as the Commander of Canada’s Air Task Force (ATF) in Mali as part of the UN’s Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

MGen McKenna commanded 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (THS) from 2014 to 2016 flying the CH147F Chinook and he commanded 1 Wing, the RCAF’s Tactical Aviation Wing, from 2020 to 2021. From 2021 to 2024, he served as the RCAF’s Director General of Air and Space Force Development, working to set the requirements and coordinate the acquisition for several key new RCAF capabilities such as the CC330 Husky MRTT, the P8A Poseidon, and the MQ9B RPAS.

MGen McKenna has over 2600 flying hours in both Special Operations and conventional rotary wing aircraft. He is a graduate of the Canadian Army Command and Staff College, the Joint Command and Staff Programme (JCSP), the National Security Programme (NSP), and he has earned US Army Senior Aviator Wings.

MGen McKenna is an Officer of the Order of Military Merit (OMM) and has been awarded the Meritorious Service Cross (MSC), and the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM).

MGen McKenna was promoted to his current rank in 2024. He is married to a retired Canadian Army Health Services Officer, and they have two lovely young girls.

Chief Warrant Officer Dipen Mistry was born in Leicester, England, immigrating to Canada in 1987. He enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces on 28 February 1995, completing his infantry training and serving as a full-time reservist in various infantry units until 2001. During this time, he studied Criminology and Criminal Justice with a concentration in Psychology at university. In 2001, he transferred to the Canadian Forces Intelligence Branch.

In early 2002, CWO Mistry was posted to the Canadian Forces Electronic Warfare Centre (CFEWC) at Shirley’s Bay and deployed on Operation APOLLO, providing intelligence support to Long Range Patrol and Tactical Airlift units in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. In 2003, he was posted to 14 Wing Greenwood, offering intelligence support to Long Range Patrol and Transport and Rescue Squadrons, as well as non-combat operations like counter-drug operations with the RCMP and fisheries patrols with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).

In August 2005, CWO Mistry was selected as an Intelligence Specialist with the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM), serving for nearly a decade in various roles and deployments both nationally and internationally. As a graduate of the Joint Staff Operations Program, he contributed to operational and ISR planning during multiple special operations missions.

In July 2014, CWO Mistry was posted to the NATO Intelligence Fusion Centre at RAF Molesworth, U.K., as a High Value Target Analyst with the Special Operations Intelligence Division. He was appointed acting Deputy and Division Chief SOID in April 2015 while also serving as the Division Senior Enlisted Leader (SEL). He played a key role in setting up a Special Operations Command and Control Element to support NATO Maritime Command and Operation ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR and shifted the division’s focus to counter the Russian and Hybrid Warfare threat along NATO’s eastern flank and terrorism threats on NATO’s southern flank.

Returning to Canada in August 2016, CWO Mistry was posted to 2 Expeditionary Readiness Centre (2 ERC) in CFB Bagotville as a Subject Matter Expert on Intelligence. He served as an Observer, Controller, Trainer (OCT) for RCAF Expeditionary Operations, focusing on operations centres and the C2 construct, and was the senior Intelligence Operator and Meteorological Technician occupation advisor for the base.

CWO Mistry was selected as the UK Public Duties (Queen’s Guard) Air Task Force MWO, planning and executing the first-ever RCAF mounting of the Queen’s Guard in the UK from May to July 2018. In July 2018, he became the Executive Assistant (EA) to the RCAF Command CWO, gaining a deep understanding of strategic level headquarters and joint command relationships. He then served as the 21 Aerospace Control and Warning Squadron (21 AC&W Sqn) CWO from 2020 to 2022, the Air Environment CWO Career Manager with Director Senior Appointments in Ottawa from 2022 to 2023. He was appointed 4 Wing and CFB Cold Lake CWO from 2023 to 2025.

CWO Mistry assumed the role of 1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region Chief Warrant Officer on 24 July 2025, concurrently serving as the Joint Task Force Nijmegen CWO.

CWO Mistry’s decorations include a Chief of the Defence Staff Commendation, Commander Canadian Special Operations Forces Command Commendation, and he is a Member of the Order of Military Merit.