MESSAGE FROM LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GAUTHIER, OUTGOING COMMANDER CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE COMMAND

1.         IT IS WITH GREAT PRIDE AND MORE THAN A HINT OF SADNESS THAT I TURN OVER CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE COMMAND TO LIEUTENANT-GENERAL LESSARD.

2.         IN THE JUST OVER THREE SHORT YEARS SINCE CEFCOM TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS, MANY DAUNTING CHALLENGES HAVE BEEN CONFRONTED AND MANY TIMES MORE STUNNING ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE BEEN REALIZED.  CANADIAN SOLDIERS, SAILORS, AIR PERSONNEL AND SPECIAL OPERATORS ON MISSIONS LARGE AND SMALL HAVE BROUGHT ENORMOUS CREDIT TO THE CANADIAN FORCES AND OUR NATION.  ON THE BIG MISSIONS, WE HAVE MORE THAN PULLED OUR WEIGHT, DEMONSTRATING OUR COURAGE, ACUMEN, DETERMINATION AND BOUNDLESS CAPACITY FOR SACRIFICE.  IN OUR SMALLER MISSIONS, WITHOUT EXCEPTION OUR PERSONNEL HAVE ACHIEVED DISPROPORTIONATE EFFECTS, MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS TO INTERNATIONAL SECURITY IN SCALE AND QUALITY FAR BEYOND WHAT THEIR SMALL CONTINGENT NUMBERS WOULD IMPLY.

3.         IN MULTIPLE CORNERS OF THE GLOBE CANADIANS HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN SAFEGUARDING PEOPLE FROM OPPRESSION,  ASSISTING OPPOSING FACTIONS TO BRIDGE THEIR DIFFERENCES, RELIEVING HUMAN SUFFERING, AND HELPING THOSE IN NEED TO REBUILD AND PROSPER.  MORE THAN EVER CANADIANS ARE PLAYING LEADERSHIP ROLES IN INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS, WHERE OUR NATIONAL VALUES AND INHERINT GENEROSITY ARE MAKING A RESOUNDING DIFFERENCE.  THIS IS NOT ONLY ENHANCING OUR COUNTRY’S REPUTATION, BUT ALSO STIMULATING AN INVIGORATED DEGREE OF PRIDE BY THE PEOPLE OF CANADA IN THEIR ARMED FORCES.

4.         TO THE NEARLY TWENTY-FOUR THOUSAND SOLDIERS, SAILORS AND AIR PERSONNEL, BOTH REGULAR AND RESERVE, WHO HAVE SERVED ON CEFCOM MISSIONS OVERSEAS, I SALUTE YOU AND I EXPRESS MY PROFOUND GRATITUDE FOR THE SACRIFICES YOU HAVE MADE AND THE HARDSHIP YOU HAVE SELFLESSLY ENDURED.   YOU HAVE PROVEN THAT THE OPERATIONALLY FOCUSSED AND TRANSFORMED CANADIAN FORCES IS MORE READY THAN EVER TO DO OUR GOVERNMENTS BIDDING AND EFFECTIVELY PURSUE OUR INTERNATIONAL SECURITY OBJECTIVES.

5.         I WISH LIEUTENANT-GENERAL LESSARD EVERY SUCCESS IN LEADING AND SHAPING THIS PROUD AND ACCOMPLISHED ORGANIZATION.

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GAUTHIER