LIEUTENANT- (Ret’d) ALAIN J. PARENT, CMM, CD

Lt.-Gen (Ret’d) Alain Parent served his country for 39 years. He enrolled in the in 1979. Following completion of pilot training in 1985, he flew a number of Canadian Armed Forces helicopters, amassing over 4900 flying hours on the CH-136 Kiowa, CH-135 Twin Huey and the CH-146 Griffon. He had the privilege to command 403 Squadron Gagetown; 1 Wing Kingston;1 Canadian Air Division and Canadian NORAD Region in Winnipeg.

Promoted to Brig.-Gen. in 2008, he was assigned to Canadian Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM) Headquarters as Chief of Staff, before his promotion to Maj.- Gen. and appointment to Deputy CEFCOM in 2010. Upon promotion to Lt.-Gen. in 2012, he assumed the appointment of NORAD Deputy Commander and Commander Canadian Element NORAD from September 2012 until July 2015 before being appointed Deputy Commander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples in Naples, Italy from July 2015 to June 2017. He assumed the role of Acting Vice Chief of the Defence Staff from May 2017 until his retirement in June 2018.

Lt.Gen (ret’d) Parent holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, a Master of Strategic Studies and is also a graduate of the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College, the Canadian Forces College. He has been appointed to the level of Commander of the Order of Military Merit, and has also been awarded the United States Meritorious Service Medal and Legion of Merit (Degree of ).

Lt.Gen (ret’d) Parent is a Senior Mentor for NATO joint exercises. He is an Honourary Council Member of the « Together We Stand Foundation » - in support of families of deployed service members. He is happily married for 28 years to his soulmate Guelda and they have two sons.