Ray Henault

General Raymond Roland Joseph Henault (born April 26, 1949) is a retired Canadian Air Force officer. He was the Chief of the Defence Staff of Canada from June 28, 2001 to June 17, 2005 and then Chairman of the NATO Military Committee from 2005 until 2008, when he retired.

Education Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Henault is fluent in both English and French. He graduated from both the École supérieure de guerre Aerienne in Paris and the National Defence College of Canada in Kingston. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, and an honorary Doctor of Laws, from the University of Manitoba. On completion of pilot training at CFB Borden, Ontario, and CFB Gimli, Manitoba, Henault was transferred to CFB Bagotville, Québec, where he served as a CF-101 Voodoo pilot with 425 Squadron. In 1972, he became a flight instructor on the Musketeer at CFB Portage la Prairie.

He holds the rank of Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM), The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (Serving Member), and Commander of the French Legion of Honour. and assumed that position at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium in June 2005. In 2013, Henault joined the board of directors of the Pearson Centre. In August 2013, he was appointed Governor to the Board of Governors of New Westminster College.

The Manitoba branch of the Royal Military Colleges Club of Canada awarded Henault the 2008 recipient the Birchall Leadership Award in July. He was awarded the Order of Military Merit, and received the Meritorious Service Cross in November 2009. He was awarded United States Legion Of Merit at the rank of Commander; French Legion of Honour at the rank of Commander; Czech Cross of Merit at the rank of Commander; Belgian Order of the Grand Croix at the rank of Commander; and the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary. He has also been awarded: the Ukrainian Medal of Honour, NATO Meritorious Service Cross, Commander of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Honours and decorations Source: