Walter Natynczyk

Both Polish-Canadian and German-Canadian, Natynczyk was born to a family of European emigrants from war-ravaged Europe on October 29, 1957, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.{{cite web | url=http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/canada/archives/2012/09/20120902-133753.html |title=Natynczyk took his job to heart, say friends| access-date=August 22, 2013}} His Polish father was a soldier in the Polish Army during World War II, and his mother was German. Natynczyk grew up with his two sisters. He worked as a Winnipeg Free Press paperboy and a hamburger flipper at a fast food establishment. Before joining the regular Canadian Army, Natynczyk spent five years in the Royal Canadian Air Cadets.{{citation|url=http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=01d5e201-b40c-44c3-bc41-168080e82718|title=The Quiet Canadian|publisher=Winnipeg Free Press|date=16 June 2008|access-date=24 November 2011}}

Natynczyk joined the Canadian Forces in August 1975.{{cite web|url=http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-FB928398-5166A524/natolive/who_is_who_50304.htm |title=Walter Natynczyk|publisher= NATO|access-date=10 January 2013}} He attended Royal Roads Military College and Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean, graduating in 1979 with a degree in Business Administration. His formative years were spent on NATO duty in West Germany with The Royal Canadian Dragoons in troop command and staff appointments.

In 1983, Natynczyk assumed duties as a Squadron Commander at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario. In 1986, he commenced a five-year regimental tour in Petawawa, serving in several staff and squadron command appointments; this tour included six months of UN peacekeeping duties in Cyprus. On completion of Canadian Forces Command and Staff College, he served on the Army Staff in Saint-Hubert, Quebec.

In May 1994, Natynczyk embarked upon a year-long tour with the United Nations in the former Yugoslavia as Sector South-West Chief of Operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina within HQ 7 (UK) Armoured Brigade, then as the Chief of Land Operations, UNPROFOR HQ in Zagreb, Croatia. In June 1995, Natynczyk was assigned to the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff within National Defence HQ in Ottawa, Ontario. He then commanded his regiment for two years, leading the Dragoons during domestic operations in the Ottawa region during the 1998 ice storm. Natynczyk returned to Bosnia in 1998 as the Canadian Contingent Commander. On his return to Ottawa in March 1999, he was appointed J3 Plans and Operations during the period of deployments to Kosovo, Bosnia, East Timor and Eritrea.

Natynczyk attended the U.S. Army War College, and was subsequently appointed Deputy Commanding General, III Corps and Fort Hood. In January 2004, he deployed with III Corps to Baghdad, Iraq, serving first as the Deputy Director of Strategy, Policy and Plans, and subsequently as the Deputy Commanding General of the Multi-National Corps – Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.{{cite web|first=Matthew|last=Fisher|access-date=2019-08-30|title=Canadians punch above their weight in international military command|url=https://o.canada.com/news/canadians-punch-above-their-weight-in-international-military-command|date=30 March 2011|website=Canada.com}} Natynczyk led the Corps' 35,000 soldiers, consisting of 10 separate brigades, stationed throughout the Iraq Theatre of Operations.{{cite web| url = http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/monitor/september-2008-canadas-real-role-iraq| title = September 2008: Canada's Real Role in Iraq | first = Richard | last = Sanders | publisher = Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives | date = 2008-09-01 | access-date = 2009-01-11}} He was later awarded the Meritorious Service Cross specifically for his combat efforts in Operation Iraqi Freedom January 2004 to January 2005.{{cite web | title=Governor General announces awarding of Meritorious Service Decorations | url= http://archive.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=4653| publisher= Governor General of Canada; Media release| date= Jan 24, 2006| access-date=2009-05-15|quote="MGen Natynczyk is recognized for his outstanding leadership and professionalism while deployed as Deputy Commanding General of the Multi-National Corps during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. From January 2004 to January 2005, MGen Natynczyk led the Corps' 10 separate brigades, consisting of more than 35,000 soldiers stationed throughout the Iraq Theatre of Operations. He also oversaw planning and execution of all Corps level combat support and combat service support operations. His pivotal role in the development of numerous plans and operations resulted in a tremendous contribution by the Multi-National Corps to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and has brought great credit to the Canadian Forces and to Canada."}}

Upon his return to Canada, he assumed command of the Land Force Doctrine and Training System. He was subsequently appointed Chief of Transformation, where he was responsible for implementation of the force restructuring and the enabling processes and policies.

Natynczyk was promoted to lieutenant general (LGen), and assumed the responsibilities of the Vice Chief of Defence Staff on June 28, 2006.

On June 6, 2008, prime minister Stephen Harper appointed Natynczyk as the next Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), replacing retiring general Rick Hillier.[http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=c5ca775a-a5a4-486a-a24d-e4eb3ccd7d32 Harper to name new top general: report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080619060316/http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=c5ca775a-a5a4-486a-a24d-e4eb3ccd7d32 |date=2008-06-19 }}, The Ottawa Citizen, June 6, 2008 Natynczyk was promoted to general, and installed as CDS on July 2, 2008. General Natynczyk transferred his appointment at a change of command ceremony in 2012.

On February 16, 2012, in Washington, the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, general Martin Dempsey, awarded the Legion of Merit (Degree of Commander) to Natynczyk.{{cite web |author=Embassy of the United States Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |title=22 February 2012: Canadian General Natynczyk Receives Legion of Merit |date=22 February 2012 |publisher=Embassy of the United States Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |url=http://canada.usembassy.gov/news-events/2012-news-and-events/february-2012/22-february-2012-canadian-general-natynczyk-awarded-legion-of-merit.html |access-date=7 September 2013}}

Natynczyk retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in December 2012 to take on public service, after transferring control of the defence staff to his successor, RCAF General Thomas Lawson, just 2 months earlier.{{cite news|url=http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/in-conversation-with-gen-walter-natynczyk-181496921.html|title=In Conversation with... Gen. Walter Natynczyk|newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press|date=November 30, 2012|access-date=18 December 2012|last1=Dow|first1=Katherine}}

On August 6, 2013, he was appointed president of the Canadian Space Agency by prime minister Stephen Harper.{{cite web|url=http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=1&featureId=6&pageId=26&id=5535|title=PM announces changes in the senior ranks of the Public Service|access-date=14 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927223753/http://pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=1&featureId=6&pageId=26&id=5535|archive-date=2013-09-27|url-status=dead}}

He was appointed as the 9th deputy minister of Veterans Affairs Canada, effective November 3, 2014, during the Harper ministry and continued in his role under Justin Trudeau.{{cite web |author=Canadian Department of Veterans Affairs |title=Deputy Minister – Department Officials|date=15 April 2015 |publisher=Canadian Department of Veterans Affairs |url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/about-us/department-officials/deputy-minister |access-date=20 March 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/about-vac/who-we-are/department-officials/deputy-minister?wbdisable=true|title=Deputy Minister: General (retired) Walt Natynczyk CMM MSC CD|date=February 14, 2019|publisher=Veterans Affairs Canada|access-date=14 April 2019}}

Natynczyk retired from public service in 2021, receiving accolades from prime minister Justin Trudeau for his lifetime dedication and service to Canadians. He was appointed Colonel Commandant of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps in August 2021, and retired from this role in June 2024.{{cite web|url=https://cdainstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/WN-Biography-ENG.pdf|title=General (Retired) Walter Natynczyk, CMM, MSC, CD|publisher=The Vimy Award|access-date=9 December 2024}}

In December 2024, he was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada by governor general Mary Simon.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-a-list-of-the-88-new-appointees-to-the-order-of-canada/|title=A list of the 88 new appointees to the Order of Canada|work=The Globe and Mail |date=December 18, 2024|via=www.theglobeandmail.com}} He lives in Hartington, Ontario.{{cite web|url=https://www.gg.ca/en/appointments-order-canada-december-2024|title=Appointments to the Order of Canada – December 18, 2024 |date=December 16, 2024 }}

Source:{{cite web |url=https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bc27312c2ff6106723c49b8/1541761874892-0OD1JU4LTB9H0BHRF0KU/GeneralN.png|title=Photo of Walter Natynczyk}}

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{{succession box|title=Vice Chief of the Defence Staff|

before=Ronald Buck|

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Category:Chiefs of the Defence Staff (Canada)

Category:Vice chiefs of the Defence Staff (Canada)

Category:Recipients of the Meritorious Service Decoration

Category:Military personnel from Winnipeg

Category:Canadian generals

Category:Commanders of the Order of Military Merit (Canada)

Category:1958 births

Category:Living people

Category:United States Army War College alumni

Category:Royal Military College Saint-Jean alumni

Category:Academic staff of the Royal Military College of Canada

Category:Commanders of the Legion of Merit

Category:Canadian military personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

Category:21st-century Canadian civil servants

Category:Canadian people of German descent

Category:Royal Canadian Dragoons officers

Category:Canadian people of Polish descent

Category:Canadian federal deputy ministers

Category:People from Frontenac County

Category:Officers of the Order of Canada