Al Meinzinger
{{Short description|Royal Canadian Air Force commander from 2018 to 2022}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Al Meinzinger
| honorific_suffix =
| birth_date =
| death_date =
| birth_place =
| death_place =
| image = File:BGen Al Meinzinger.JPG
| caption = Meinzinger in 2013
| nickname =
| allegiance = Canada
| serviceyears = 1985–2022
| rank = Lieutenant General
| branch = Royal Canadian Air Force{{efn|Known as Air Command until 2011.}}
| commands = {{plainlist|
| unit =
| battles =
| awards = Commander of the Order of Military Merit
Meritorious Service Medal
Canadian Forces' Decoration
| laterwork =
}}
Lieutenant-General Alexander Donald Meinzinger {{post-nominals|country=CAN|CMM|MSM|CD}} is a retired senior Royal Canadian Air Force officer who was Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force from 2018 until 2022.
Career
Meinzinger joined the Canadian Forces in 1985 through the Regular Officer Training Plan where he received a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in Economics and Commerce from the Royal Military College of Canada.{{cite web|url=http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/rcaf-commander.page|title=Major-General A.D. Meinzinger, OMM, MSM, CD - Biography|publisher=National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces|accessdate=6 May 2018}} After serving as commander of 403 (Helicopter) Operational Training Squadron, he was deployed to Afghanistan as commander of Canada's Joint Task Force Afghanistan Air Wing in 2011. He went on to be Deputy Director of Strategy, Policy and Plans at North American Aerospace Defense Command / United States Northern Command in June 2012, commandant of the Royal Military College of Canada in July 2013 and Deputy Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force in May 2015. After that he became Director of Staff, Strategic Joint Staff in March 2017 and Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force in May 2018. Meinzinger retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in August 2022.{{cite web|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/aircraft-flypast-to-mark-rcaf-change-of-command-lt-gen-meinzinger-assumes-command-friday|title=Aircraft flypast to mark RCAF change of command – Lt.-Gen. Meinzinger assumes command Friday|date=3 May 2018|publisher=Ottawa Citizen|accessdate=6 May 2018}}
Military awards
| class="wikitable"
|+ {| class="wikitable" |+ !1st row ! colspan="3" |100x100px |
| 2nd row
| colspan="2" |100x100px |
| 3rd row |
| 4th row |
!1st row
! colspan="3" |Royal Canadian Air Force Pilot Flying Badge
|-
!2nd row
!Commander of the Order of Military Merit
! colspan="2" |Meritorious Service Cross (Military Division)
|-
|3rd row
- South-West Asia
|Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal
|Mission in Haiti Medal
|-
|4th row
|Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
|Canadian Forces' Decoration with 2 Clasps (32 years)
|Legion of Merit (Officer)
|}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commonscat}}
- [http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/rcaf-commander.page Royal Canadian Air Force - Lieutenant-General A.D. Meinzinger, CMM, MSM, CD]
{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=Michael Hood}}
{{s-ttl|title=Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force|years=May 2018 - August 2022}}
{{s-aft|after=Eric Kenny}}
{{s-end}}
{{Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meinzinger, Al}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)