Yvan Blondin

Lieutenant-General Joseph Aimé Jean Yvan Blondin CMM, CD, usually given as J Y Blondin or Yvan Blondin, is a retired senior Royal Canadian Air Force officer who was Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force from 2012 until 2015.

Early and family life Yvan Blondin grew up in Aylmer, Quebec (now Gatineau). He is married to Jinny Lamoureux.

Career Blondin joined the Canadian Forces in 1980 and completed his flight training in 1982. He was assigned to fly Lockheed T-33 jet trainers for his first operational tour. In 1986, he underwent fighter pilot training on the CF-5 and CF-18, and became part of the first group of pilots flying the CF-18 with 433 Squadron in Bagotville, Quebec in 1988. He became Commanding Officer of 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron at Bagotville in 2000 (in which role he supported NATO forces in the former Yugoslavia), a member of the Canadian staff in NORAD Headquarters in 2002 and Commander of 3 Wing Bagotville in 2004. and served as the Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division / Canadian NORAD Region from July 2009 to July 2011 when he was appointed Assistant Chief of the Air Staff. He became Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force on September 27, 2012.