Features Military Operations
Discovery Air adds Henault to Board of Directors

General Henault retired in 2008 from a very distinguished career in the Canadian Forces. During his operational flying career, General Henault served as a fighter pilot (CF-101 Voodoo and T-33), flight instructor (CT-134 Musketeer) and eventually as a helicopter pilot (CH-135 Twin Huey and CH-136 Kiowa), accumulating over 4,500 hours of flying time. General Henault held a number of Command and Staff positions, including Commanding Officer of 444 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, Base Commander of CFB Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Chief of Staff Joint Operations, and Deputy Chief of the Air Staff. As Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff, or head of operations, General Henault's tenure was highlighted by the Canadian contribution to the Kosovo air and ground campaigns and other significant United Nations and NATO missions, including the Stabilization Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina. In June 2001, he was promoted to his present rank and appointed Chief of the Defence Staff, a position he held until February 2005 and a period marked by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and the commitment of Canada’s forces to Afghanistan. General Henault was elected as Chairman of the NATO Military Committee by his NATO Peers in November 2004 and assumed his position at NATO HQ in Brussels in June 2005. In that capacity, he was the most senior military officer in the Alliance, representing all NATO Chiefs of Defence and serving as the senior military advisor to the North Atlantic Council.

General Henault is a graduate of the École Supérieure de Guerre Aérienne (ESGA) in Paris, France and Canada's National Defence College. He is also an Honorary Ancien of the NATO Defence College in Rome, Italy. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Manitoba, and an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy (Military Science) from the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. He is also an Honorary Professor of the University of Pecs in Hungary. General Henault is the Strategic Executive Advisor and Chairman of the Board for ADGA Group in Ottawa, a member of the Board of Directors of Eurocopter Canada Limited and the President of the Conference of Defence Associations (CDA) Institute.

Discovery Air’s Board Chair, Gil Bennett, stated “We are very pleased that General Henault has joined the Board. He is an internationally respected leader, with extraordinary leadership experience. His global perspective, knowledge of government and military affairs as well as his aviation background make him an excellent addition to our Board. It is a privilege to welcome him to the organization.”