New top soldier takes command at CFB Petawawa
There is new leadership at CFB Petawawa as a change of command ceremony took place on the base for the first time in four years.
Col. Jay MacKeen has taken charge of 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (2 CMBG) and the roughly 4,700 soldiers within it.
"It's pretty special actually," said MacKeen immediately following the ceremony. "I'm very excited to be coming here."
MacKeen has served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 25 years. He has been deployed overseas six times and twice domestically, including the 1998 ice storm in Ottawa.
Chief Warrant Officer Donovan Crawford will serve by his side as second in command to 2 CMBG.
"My primary role is to be his advisor," Crawford told CTV News. "Col. MacKeen himself is very experienced operationally. So I have no concerns whatsoever."
The change in command is comparable to when an NHL team brings in a new coach. The goal is to constantly improve, but the philosophy and methods behind training may change.
"It's really about readiness and being focussed on our readiness, both individually and collectively," says MacKeen, who is set to meet and hear from his units over the next month. "And ensuring that when the call comes we can answer on short notice to move."
"You'll see the leadership change within the brigade," says Brigitte Van Hende, the public affairs officer with 2 CMBG. "It doesn't change what we do and how we operate, or how we train and deploy in these instances."
The change in command comes at a critical time for 2 CMBG. During MacKeen's tenure over the next two years, 2 CMBG will enter what is called the contingency and committed phases.
The contingency phase requires soldiers at CFB Petawawa to be on standby, and if the Canadian government calls with a request, they could be deployed.
2 CMBG will enter the committed phase in 2023, where soldiers will be sent to aid with planned operations in the field.
"It's pretty volatile out there; it's complex, ambiguous, and uncertain for sure," said MacKeen when asked about the current climate his soldiers will be faced with.
"We don't know when the next call is going to come, whether that's going to be for a natural disaster, an armed adversary, or something else, a pandemic as an example. So we have to be prepared for all of those."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.