2007 Guest Speaker
Major-General J. M. Duval, CD
Commander, 1 Canadian Air Division
Major-General Duval grew up in Baie St-Paul, QC. He enrolled in the Canadian Forces in 1975. He qualified as a tactical helicopter pilot on the CH135 Twin Huey and served with 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron in Valcartier, QC.
He served with 403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron (HOTS) in Gagetown, NB from 1981 to 1985 as a CH-135 pilot. He was promoted to Major in 1986 and posted to 10 Tactical Air Group in St. Hubert, QC as Staff Officer Helicopters. Later that year he graduated from the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College. In 1988 he attended the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College. He returned to 403 HOTS as Deputy Commanding Officer and, later, as the Commanding Officer.
He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1992 and spent two years at UN Headquarters as Assistant Military Advisor, in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. He graduated from the US Air Force Air War College in 1995 and then assumed command of 408 THS in Edmonton, AB. During his time at 408 THS, he deployed to Haiti on a peacekeeping tour and commanded the helicopter unit. He was promoted to Colonel in 1997 and posted to the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai Desert as the Chief of Operations and Liaison and Canadian Contingent Commander Middle East.
In 1998, Major-General Duval moved to Ottawa to serve with the Privy Council Office as Director of Operations in the Foreign and Defence Policy Secretariat. In 2000 he assumed command of 1 Wing in Kingston, ON. In 2003 he became Director Air Staff Coordination at National Defence Headquarters. Promoted to Brigadier-General in 2004, he assumed the position of Deputy Commander Continental United States NORAD Region at Tyndall AFB, Florida. Upon promotion to his current rank in July 2007 he assumed command of his current position.