The RCR Association Documents
Senior Appointments of The Royal Canadian Regiment
Colonel of the Regiment – Colonel W. J. Aitchison, OMM, CD
Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel 4 RCR – Colonel W.J. Pettipas, CD
Senior Serving Royal Canadian – Lieutenant General Peter Devlin, CMM, MSC, CD
Chairman of the Regimental Senate – Brigadier General J.B. Simms, CD
Chairman of the Regimental Executive Committee – Colonel Robert D. Walker, MSC, CD
Regimental Colonel – Colonel M.J. Pearson, MSC, CD
Regimental Secretary – Lieutenant Colonel Conrad Mialkowski, CD
Commander Home Station – Lieutenant Colonel Barry A. Costiff, CD
Regimental Chief Warrant Officer – Chief Warrant Officer M.R. Hornbrook, MMM, CD
Colonel of the Regiment - Colonel W. J. Aitchison, OMM, CD
Col W.J. Aitchison became the Colonel of the Regiment of The RCR on 25 February 2011. Born at Windsor, Ontario, Col Aitchison joined the military through No. 960 Kingsville District High School Cadet Corps and the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment. He attended the Royal Military College of Canada from 1959-63, graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering. Commissioned into 2RCR, then at Wolseley Barracks, London, ON, he served as a rifle and para platoon commander, as Assistant Adjutant and was a member of the 1963 and 1964 Commonwealth-champion Duke of Edinburgh Trophy team.
After completing the US Army Special Forces Officers Course, Col Aitchison served as a Para Instructor at the Airborne School at Rivers, Manitoba, then as a staff officer at UN Force HQ in Cyprus before, returning to London as Adjutant of 1RCR in 1967. Posted to 2 RCR at Fort York, Soest, Germany in 1968, Col Aitchison served as a mechanized company 2IC, OC and as Operations Officer. Following this he attended Canadian Army Staff College, 1970-71, remaining at the College as directing staff until 1972. Promoted Major in 1972, Col Aitchison served in 2 RCR at Gagetown as OC Hotel Company, OC Kilo Company/Operations Officer, OC Lima Company, and completed a tour in Cyprus. From 1974-76 he was Deputy Commander Eastern NB Militia District in Moncton, NB and was employed as a staff officer at Mobile Command HQ in St Hubert, PQ from 1976-78. Col Aitchison was DCO 3 RCR in Baden-Soellingen, Germany from 1978-80, then served at NDHQ from 1980-83 as Staff Officer to LGen JE Vance.
Promoted LCol he became CO 2 RCR in Gagetown on 20 July 1983. During his tenure of command 2 RCR completed a tour of duty in Cyprus. On relinquishing command of 2 RCR, 19 July 1985, Col Aitchison became Commandant of the Infantry School at CTC Gagetown. He was at London from 1987-91 as Home Station Commander, concurrently serving as Regimental Colonel of The RCR. He was then Chief of Staff of Canadian Forces Training System in Trenton, ON from 1991-96.
Col Aitchison retired from the Forces in 1996 after 38 years of service, having served with all three Regular Force battalions of The Regiment and completed two NATO and three UN peacekeeping tours. During his service he was admitted to the Order of Saint John and the Order of Military Merit. After retirement, Col Aitchison established a consulting business and served on a number of volunteer boards. A past President of the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies, he currently is a member of the Sponsors Corporation of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, the $52-billion pension plan which includes child welfare workers, and continues to serve on the board of directors of QuintEssential Credit Union in Belleville, Ont.
Col Aitchison and his wife Elva have three sons and five grandchildren. They reside in Belleville, Ontario.
Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel 4RCR - Colonel W.J. Pettipas, CD
Born in Stellerton, Nova Scotia, Colonel Pettipas joined the Canadian Forces in 1953. He is a former Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment (June 1975 - July 1977) and a former Commander London Militia District (now 31 CBG).
He retired from the Canadian Forces in 1990, moving on to become Vice-President of General Motors and Executive Director of GM Defence in London, Ontario. He continues to work as a consultant on Defence Industry Matters.
Colonel Pettipas was appointed Honourary Lieutenant-Colonel of 4th Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment on 27 November 2010. He has additionally provided long and valued service to the Regiment as Chairman of The Royal Canadian Regiment Trust, a position only relinquished in November 2010.
Senior Serving Royal Canadian - Lieutenant-General P.J. Devlin, CMM, MSC, CD
Lieutenant-General Peter Devlin enrolled in the Canadian Forces in 1978 under the Regular Officer Training Program and was commissioned as an infantry officer into The Royal Canadian Regiment.
LGen Devlin has spent the majority of his career in the field and has served in 1, 2 and 4 Canadian Brigade Groups as well as the Special Service Force. He has commanded from the platoon to brigade group level most notably commanding 1st Battalion of The Royal Canadian Regiment (1997-1999) and 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (2002-2004). His staff assignments have included operations positions in Army Headquarters, G3 - 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, and Chief of Staff of the Canadian Forces Medical Group.
LGen Devlin has several operational tours including UN tours in Cyprus (1984-85) and the former Yugoslavia (1992), two NATO tours in Bosnia (1996-97) including one as the Canadian Battle Group Commanding Officer (1998), and most recently an International Security Assistance Force tour as Commander. LGen Devlin was appointed in the grade of Officer to the Order of Military Merit in December 1997 and recentely upgraded to the grade of Commander. LGen Devlin has most recently completed his appointment as the Deputy Commander of Canadian Expeditionary Force Command. He has been appointed as the Chief of The Land Staff.
Chairman of the Regimental Senate - Brigadier General J.B. Simms, CD
Brigadier General Jim Simms was born and raised in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. He is a graduate (business administration) of the College Militaire Royal de Saint Jean. An infantry officer of the Royal Canadian Regiment with 13 years experience in infantry battalions, Brigadier General Simms has commanded at the reconnaissance detachment, platoon, company (M113), battalion (LAV III) and operational task force levels. He commanded 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment from September 1999 to August 2001 and he commanded Task Force East Africa in 2001. He was appointed to the divisional level position of Chief of Staff of Regional Command Southern Afghanistan for the period September 2008 to June 2009.
Brigadier General Simms has had several operational deployments including to; Cyprus, the former Yugoslavia, Eastern Africa and Afghanistan. Other postings and deployments have taken him to the United Kingdom, Poland, the United States and, for five years, Germany. His staff appointments have included, G3 Operations and Plans for Land Force Atlantic Area, Chief of Staff of 3 Area Support Group, Directing Staff (Infantry) of the Canadian Army Command and Staff College, Director Concepts and Doctrine for the Canadian Army and acting Director General Land Capability Development. He had the honour of being appointed to the position of Regimental Colonel, The Royal Canadian Regiment from Jun 2006 to September 2008.
Brigadier General Simms is a graduate of the Canadian Army Command and Staff College, the Canadian Forces Command and Staff Course, the Advanced Military Studies Course focused on operational art and planning at the operational level and the National Security Studies Program. He holds two master's degrees - War Studies from the Royal Military College, Kingston, Ontario and International Relations from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Brigadier General Simms married Mary-Jo MacKinnon of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia in 1984 and they have three children: Amy, Benjamin, and Rebecca. He enjoys most sports, gardening and spending time with his family.
Brigadier General Simms was appointed Commander Combat Training Centre effective 21 August 2009, but will be posted to Ottawa as Director-General Land Capability Development on 30 July 2011.
Chairman of the Regimental Executive Committee - Colonel Robert D. Walker, MSC, CD
Colonel Robert Walker enrolled in the army reserve as a private soldier with the North Saskatchewan Regiment in 1980. He then transferred to the regular force in 1983 under the Regular Officer Training Program and was subsequently commissioned as an infantry officer in The Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR).
He served in all three regular battalions of The RCR and held various staff and command positions including Reconnaissance Platoon Commander in 2 RCR, Officer Commanding November Company in 3 RCR and Deputy Commanding Officer and Commanding officer of 2 RCR.
Colonel Walker served as G3 Operations and Training at Land Forces Atlantic Area Headquarters in Halifax, commanded 5 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group located in Newfoundland and Labrador and was employed as a Directing Staff and then Deputy Commandant at the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College in Kingston.
Colonel Walker has had several operational deployments in the former Yugoslavia. First, as Second in Command Bravo Company in 1 RCR in 1992-1993; then as Officer Commanding November Company in 3 RCR in 1998-1999. Most recently he served as Commanding Officer 2nd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group in southern Afghanistan in 2007. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Cross in 2008 for his efforts in Afghanistan.
He is a graduate of the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College and the Canadian Forces College Command and Staff Course. His formal education includes a bachelor's degree in Geology from the University of Saskatchewan. Colonel Walker is a graduate of the United States Army War College and holds a Master's degree in National Security Studies.
Promoted to his current rank in June 2010, Colonel Walker serves as the Director of the Land Staff.
Regimental Colonel - Colonel M.J. Pearson, MSC, CD
Born and raised in Brantford in Southern Ontario, Michael Pearson joined the Canadian Forces as an Officer Cadet at Royal Roads Military College in 1979. In 1981 he moved to The Royal Military College in Kingston, graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in 1983. After completing Infantry Officer training, he joined The Royal Canadian Regiment in 1983, serving as a Platoon Commander in the 1st Battalion, in Petawawa and London Ontario until 1986, including a six month operational tour in Cyprus. After some second language training, and promotion to Captain, he was posted to the then Army Headquarters in Montreal, to the International Plans office, dealing with NATO and UN Army level planning. He was also part of the fly over staff which augmented the Allied Command Europe’s Mobile Force for exercises in Norway, Denmark and Turkey during the Cold War.
In 1989 he was posted to the Second Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment in Gagetown, New Brunswick. While there he served in a wide variety of staff and command appointments as well as an 18 month brief tour on General Dallaire’s staff in 5 Brigade HQ in Valcartier, Quebec. He served in the Battalion during the Oka crisis, as well as on the Canadian Forces first operation into Bosnia in 1992/93. He was promoted to Major and completed his time in Gagetown as Officer Commanding Hotel Company for two years, the highlight of which was a two week march, in February across the sea ice from Igoolik to Hall Beach in the Eastern High Arctic with 120 soldiers under command.
In 1996, Major Pearson attended the CF Command and Staff College in Toronto, and on graduation was posted as G3, then Chief of Staff to 38 Canadian Brigade Group in Winnipeg. He was also part of the fly over staff for the UN Rapid Reaction Brigade, based in Copenhagen, Denmark, and participated in many international exercises there. After less than 18 months, he was posted to Land Force Central Area in Toronto, as Executive Assistant to the Commander. Promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 2000, he was posted to Mons, Belgium to work in the Intelligence Division at the NATO HQ for one year.
In 2001, Lieutenant-Colonel Pearson was selected to command the Infantry School in Gagetown. During his time there, much of it double hatted as Director Infantry, he was part of the Army’s decision to refocus on individual training as well as helping lead the Infantry Corps as part of overall Army Transformation. Posted to Ottawa in 2004, he first attended the Advanced Military Studies Course at the Staff College in Toronto, before his appointment as Deputy G3 on the Land Staff in January 2005.
In September 2006, on promotion to Colonel, he was appointed Commander Task Force Jerusalem, the Canadian Forces operation in support of the United States Government efforts to advance the Middle East Peace Process. US Army Lieutenant-General Keith Dayton appointed him as Deputy, United States Security Coordinator, a post he held for almost two years through the turmoil and violence in the region. For this military and diplomatic work he was awarded the Meritorious Service Cross in February 2009. Colonel Pearson was appointed as a secondary duty, Regimental Colonel of The Royal Canadian Regiment in summer 2008. As such he helps coordinate the Career Management issues for the 2500 Officers, Senior Non Commissioned Officers and soldiers of the Regiment on behalf of the Army.
On return to Ottawa in fall 2008, Colonel Pearson was posted to work for the CDS on the Strategic Joint Staff, as Director, Plans, Western Hemisphere with responsibilities for NORAD, the Arctic and the Western Hemisphere Engagement Strategies, as well as being the lead Canadian Forces Officer for the Post Israel – Gaza conflict.
Colonel Pearson came back to Gagetown for the fourth official posting of his career, assuming command of 3 Area Support Group on 10 July 2009. Then in August 2011 Colonel Pearson was posted into his present high profile position, Military Advisor to the Canadian Ambassador at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations, at New York City. He was recently awarded the U.S. Legion of Merit (Degree of Officer) Medal for his services at Jerusalem, as Deputy U.S. Security Coordinating Officer and Operation PROTEUS Task Force Commander, 10 Sept 2006 - 06 Sept 2008. Col MJ Pearson remains the Regimental Colonel. He is married to Anna Maria Hartley.
Regimental Secretary - Lieutenant-Colonel Conrad J. Mialkowski, CD
LCol Conrad Mialkowski joined the Canadian Forces in 1988 and completed a Bachelor of Arts at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. His first Regimental duty was with 1st Battalion, The RCR in London and Petawawa from 1991 – 1996, where he served as a rifle platoon commander, mortar platoon commander and company second-in-command.
In 1996, he was posted extra-Regimentally to 2nd Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada in Sudbury, Ontario where he served for three years as the Regular Force Cadre officer. Thereafter, LCol Mialkowski was posted to Meaford, Ontario as Adjutant of the Land Force Central Area Training Centre from 1999 to 2001.
Returning to 1 RCR as the Operations Officer, he concurrently commanded Echo Company, Combat Support, and subsequently commanded Bravo Company from 2002-2004. Afterwards, LCol Mialkowski was posted for one year to the Land Staff at National Defence Headquarters where he worked on the strategic restructure of the Army and served with the CDS Action Team on Command and Control. Following one year at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto, Ontario, he was posted to Headquarters, Canadian Forces Expeditionary Command (CEFCOM) where he has served for two years within the J3 Branch, first as Deputy J3 Plans and then as J3 Operations, responsible for the CEFCOM Command Centre. In May 2008 he once again returned to Petawawa, this time to accept command of 1 RCR and deploy the Battalion to Afghanistan as part of Task Force 1-10.
On operations, LCol Mialkowski has commanded from Platoon to Battle Group. First as Mortar Platoon Commander with the 1 RCR Battle Group on OP HARMONY, Croatia 1994-1995. Second, as Officer Commanding Bravo Company with the RCD Battle Group on OP PALLADIUM, Bosnia 2003-2004, during which time the Canadian commitment in the Balkans was reduced and Bravo Company oversaw the closure of Camp Drvar. And most recently in command of the 1,300 strong, 1 RCR Battle Group in Kandahar Province. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Jamaica Junior Command and Staff College, the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College, Canadian Forces Command and Staff College and holds a Masters of Defence Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada. LCol Mialkowski completed his tenure of command of 1RCR on 25 Feb 2011. He has been subsequently posted to the Land Staff in Ottawa.
LCol Mialkowski is married to Nancy MacKinnon and they have a daughter Elizabeth, aged 4. While Nancy is a gifted writer and Elizabeth an active child and avid talker, LCol Mialkowski is a slow runner, an incompetent golfer and an inept hockey player.
Commander Home Station - Lieutenant-Colonel Barry A. Costiff, CD
Lieutenant-Colonel Barry Costiff joined the Canadian Forces in 1983 as an Officer Cadet attending College Militaire Royale de St Jean. Graduating in 1988 with a Bachelors Degree in Military and Strategic Studies, and was then commissioned into The Royal Canadian Regiment (The RCR), and has since served in each Regular Force battalion: 1 RCR in London from 1988 to 1991; 2 RCR in Oromocto, NB from 1994 to 1997; and 3 RCR in Petawawa from 2000 to 2003. He has served regimentally as a Rifle Platoon Commander, Pioneer Platoon Commander, Intelligence Officer, Rifle Company Second-in-Command, Administration Company Second-in-Command, Rifle Company Commander and Administration Company Commander. Lieutenant-Colonel Costiff has operationally deployed to Cyprus for OP SNOWGOOSE, Saudi Arabia for Op SCALPEL during the Gulf War, and commanded an Infantry Company in Bosnia-Herzegovina during Op PALLADIUM.
Extra Regimental employment includes tours as an instructor at the Canadian Forces Officer Candidate School in Chilliwack BC; three years at the Canadian Joint Headquarters (1st Canadian Division Headquarters) in Kingston on the G3 Operations and Plans staffs; three years as the Deputy Project Manager for the Command Support Pilot Project in Petawawa; four years as the G3 Training Officer at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana; and one year at the Directorate of Army Training in Kingston as the Task Force High Readiness Training Desk Officer in the Operational Training Section. He is a graduate of the Canadian Forces Staff School and the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College.
Lieutenant-Colonel Costiff was promoted to his present rank on assumption of his duties as the Chief of Staff, 31 Canadian Brigade Group. He serves as ex-officio Advisor to the Executive of the London and Region Garrison Community Council; and also acts as Commander Home Station for The Royal Canadian Regiment while he remains in his current position.
Lieutenant-Colonel Costiff has been married to Judi Wilde for sixteen wonderful years. They have three grandchildren, two cats and a dog. Whenever possible, Lieutenant-Colonel Costiff can be found playing golf, or working on various wood projects in his garage.
Regimental Chief Warrant Officer - Chief Warrant Officer M.R. Hornbrook, MMM, CD
CWO Hornbrook was born in Yellowknife NWT and grew up in Ottawa ON. In 1981 he joined the military as an Infantryman and upon completion of basic and infantry training, was posted to 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (1RCR), CFB London, ON. He remained in 1 RCR until 1990 serving in a number of positions within Rifle Companies and Mortar Platoon.
After spending a brief tour within the Infantry School, CFB Gagetown, NB in the Mortar and Small Arms Cell, he was posted in 1991 to Warminster, UK on exchange with the British Infantry School where he held the positions of Section Commander and QMSI. While employed in the UK, he taught on both the Platoon Sergeant's Battle Course and Platoon Commander's Battle Course.
CWO Hornbrook was posted back to Canada in 1993, and was employed in the Infantry School, CFB Gagetown, NB as the Subject Matter Expert in the Small Arms Cell. In 1995 he was posted to 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment (2RCR) as a Company Quartermaster and upon promotion to MWO in 1996, was posted back to the Infantry School within the Standards Cell. In 1997 CWO Hornbrook was posted back to 2RCR as the Company Sergeant Major for India Company.
CWO Hornbrook was posted to Land Forces Central Area Training Center, CFB Meaford, ON in 1999 as the Drill Sergeant Major. Upon promotion to CWO in 2001 he was posted to Ottawa ON where he completed the year long French course. He was then posted to NDHQ within the DCDS Group, working under J3 International as a Staff Officer for deployed Operations.
In 2003 CWO Hornbrook was posted to 2 RCR as the Regimental Sergeant Major where he remained until 2006 when he was posted to Land Forces Doctrine and Training Systems (LFDTS), CFB Kingston ON as the Non-Commissioned Member Professional Development CWO for the Army. He has since been posted to CFB Halifax NS where he is presently the Land Forces Atlantic Area CWO.
CWO Hornbrook was appointed a Member of the Order of Military Merit (MMM) on 21 September 2006.
CWO Hornbrook has served four tours on deployed Operations; one in Cyprus, two in The Former Republic of Yugoslavia and finally as the Task Force RSM on OP HALO in Haiti.
CWO Hornbrook and his wife Sue have two daughters, one son, a son-in-law and two grandchildren. CWO Hornbrook enjoys both golfing and fishing but most of all, spending time with his family.