Balkans35 Patron: General (retd) Wayne Donald Eyre, CMM, MSC, CD

General (retd) Wayne Donald Eyre, CMM, MSC, CD

General Wayne Eyre retired in 2024 as Canada’s Chief of the Defence Staff. As the commander of the Canadian Armed Forces and military advisor to the Prime Minister and Cabinet, he led Canada’s military through an unprecedented confluence of international and domestic crises and rapidly evolving security stressors.

Gen Eyre began his military journey as Army Cadet at 12 years of age and then served in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) for over 40 years. He attended Royal Roads Military College and Royal Military College of Canada.

Upon commissioning he joined the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI), and had the great privilege of spending the majority of his career in command or deputy command positions, including 3rd Battalion PPCLI, 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, 3rd Canadian Division and Joint Task Force West, XVIII (U.S.) Airborne Corps, United Nations Command Korea, Military Personnel Command, and Commander Canadian Army.

Before becoming CDS he led numerous domestic operations in Canada, and overseas he served in Cyprus, Croatia, Bosnia, Afghanistan (twice), and South Korea, where he was the most senior Canadian officer ever stationed in the Asia Pacific region.  

In 1993, then Captain Eyre commanded the 2PPCLI Reconnaissance Platoon with the United Nations Protection Force in Croatia, including throughout the Battle of the Medak Pocket. In 2000, then Major Eyre commanded B Company, 3PPCLI Battle Group, in charge of the Drvar Sector in Bosnia with NATO’s Stabilization Force, overseeing the first reversal of ethnic cleansing in the country.

A graduate of the US Army War College and US Marine Corps’ Command and Staff College and School of Advanced Warfighting, he holds a BSc and three master’s degrees.

His decorations include the Commander of the Order of Military Merit, the Meritorious Service Cross, the Commander-in-Chief Unit Commendation, the Chief of the Defence Staff Commendation, the Order of National Security Merit from South Korea, the National Order of the Star of Romania in the rank of Commander, the French National Order of Merit in the rank of Commander, the Cross of Honour of the German Armed Forces in Gold, the Latvian First Class of the Order of Viesturs, and was four times awarded the US Legion of Merit, including two in the rank of Commander.

Since retirement, among other projects Gen (Ret’d) Eyre has been writing, speaking, and teaching. He is a Senior Fellow and Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa.

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