Quick Facts
Biography
Lieutenant General Paul Francis Wynnyk CMM MSM CD is a Canadian Army officer who serves as Commander of the Canadian Army.
Background
Paul Wynnyk is of Ukrainian descent, the grandson of emigrants in Alberta from Stryi.
Military career
Wynnyk attended Royal Roads Military College and the Royal Military College of Canada, he was commissioned into the Canadian Military Engineers in 1986. He became commanding officer of 1 Combat Engineer Regiment in Edmonton in 1997, commander of 1 Area Support Group in 2004 and Assistant Commanding General at the Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan in March 2009. He went on to be commander of Land Force Western Area in 2010, Deputy Commander of the Canadian Army in 2012 and Commander of the Canadian Forces Intelligence Command and Chief of Defence Intelligence in July 2014. In January 2016 it was announced that he would become Chief of the Army Staff and Commander of the Canadian Army.
In his speech during the ceremony, Wynnyk gave credit to his parents for supporting him on the path to this point in his career. "My mom Joan, who is here today, has watched and supported my journey in uniform from cub scout, to army cadet, to reservist, to regular officer," he said. About his late father Walter, Wynnyk said, "As both my high school principal and the commanding officer of my army cadet corps, it was he who encouraged me to embark upon a career of military service.