The Regimental General Officer
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BGen John Vass, CD

BGen Vass spent his high school years in Petawawa, ON and in 1989 he joined the Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment in Pembroke, ON.  The following year BGen Vass attended Royal Roads Military College followed by the Royal Military College of Canada graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1994.

Upon commissioning, BGen Vass was posted to 1st Battalion then 3rd Battalion, the Royal Canadian Regiment in Petawawa, ON. Holding a variety of positions within the Battalion, he also deployed on a UN mission to Croatia, a NATO mission to Bosnia and attended the US Army Ranger course. Following a two year posting to Borden in 2000 as the Executive Assistant to the Commander of the Canadian Forces Support Training Group and the completion of the Transition Command and Staff College at the CLFCSC in Kingston, BGen Vass returned to 3rd Battalion as the Adjutant.

After his promotion to Major in December 2002, he was privileged to command Parachute Company which included Operation ATHENA, Roto 0 in Afghanistan where he was awarded a Mention in Dispatches.  Leaving 3rd Battalion as the Deputy Commanding Officer BGen Vass moved to Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas to complete the US Army Command and General Staff Course and attain his Masters in Military Arts and Sciences (MMAS).

Upon return to Canada in January 2008, BGen Vass became the Chief of Operations for the Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR).  After a year as the CANSOFCOM J7, he was appointed the Commanding Officer of CSOR in June 2010-12.  Completing second language training in 2013, BGen Vass was then posted to Chief Force Development as Director Capability Integration 5.  Two years later he was employed as the J3 for CFINTCOM followed by almost 14 months in Baghdad, Iraq as the Chief of Staff Operations for the Ministerial Liaison Team.  Returning to Canada in 2017, he was appointed the Canadian Army G3.

In 2019, BGen Vass attended the National Security Program at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto.  In June of 2020, BGen Vass was appointed the Commander of 4th Canadian Division Support Group until January 2023 when he was promoted to his current rank and appointed the Director General Intelligence and Plans at the Canadian Joint Operations Command.

BGen Vass lives in Petawawa with his spouse Steph Waito and enjoys fishing, hunting and trying to play most recreational sports.

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