Brigadier-General R.T. Strickland, MSM, CD
Commandant of the Canadian Forces College
Brigadier-General Tod Strickland was raised in Powell River, British Columbia, and joined the Canadian Forces in 1988. Upon completion of Basic Infantry Officer training he was posted to the Third Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, where he began regimental service as a rifle platoon commander.
Since then, he has served with all three battalions of the Regiment in a wide variety of command and staff positions, participating in many exercises, and deploying on domestic and international operations. These included two peacekeeping tours to Bosnia-Hercegovina, and two tours in Afghanistan. Domestically, he was deployed in support of Canadian Forces operations in Quebec following the 1997 ice storm, as well as fighting forest fires in British Columbia in 2003. He has also deployed to northern Canada on two separate occasions – participating in an adventure training expedition on Mount Logan and leading a sovereignty operation in the North West Territories near Inuvik.
Outside of the Regiment, he has served in a wide variety of positions. These have included postings to the Royal Canadian School of Infantry, Brigade Headquarters of the 1st Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, Chief Military Personnel, the Strategic Joint Staff, and Canadian Expeditionary Forces Command.
Recently, he has been employed in a diverse range of roles. In June 2012, he was given command of the 3rd Canadian Division’s Training Centre in Wainwright, Alberta. Subsequently, in 2014, he was assigned as Deputy Commander of the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre. In 2016, he joined the School of Advanced Military Studies in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where he completed the Advanced Strategic Leadership Studies Program and was subsequently employed as an instructor on the Advanced Military Studies Program. In June 2018, he deployed to the Republic of Korea where he joined United Nations Command as the Deputy Director for Operations. Between 2019 and 2022, he commanded the Canadian Army Command and Staff College in Kingston, Ontario.
BGen Strickland completed a Bachelor of Military Arts and Sciences from the Royal Military College as a visiting student at the University of Alberta in 2001. He has since received a Master of Arts in Middle Eastern History from American Military University, a Master of Defence Studies from the Royal Military College in 2008, a Master in Military Art and Science in Strategic Studies from Army University, and a Master of Science in Adult Learning and Leadership through Kansas State University.
He is married to Zoë Cooper and has two daughters, Micah and Naomi. His personal interests include the study of history, riding his Harley-Davidson Road King, and improving his golf game.
BGen Strickland assumed command of the CFC in July 2022.
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