Gary Garnett
Associate Consultant
ggarnett (at) cfncon.com
Vice Admiral (ret'd) Gary L. Garnett CMM CD joined CFN on 1 October 2002, after completing a 38-year career in the Canadian Forces.
At the time of his retirement Admiral Garnett was completing a 4-year tour as the Vice Chief of Defence Staff at National Defence Headquarters. As the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Minister and Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Garnett has extensive experience in human resources management, strategic planning, corporate restructuring, program management, policy decision making and international affairs. He has proven expertise at the most senior level of leadership in the Canadian Forces and has interacted with all levels of government. He has been a champion of change to the way the Department of National Defence has traditionally done its business.
Admiral Garnett was a weapons specialist seagoing naval officer who, in the 1980s, commanded Atlantic based ships HMCS Iroquois and Huron, the Sea Training Unit Atlantic and the Pacific based Second Canadian Destroyer Squadron. His senior naval appointments in the 1990s included Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic and Commander Maritime Command when the Naval Headquarters returned from Halifax to Ottawa, thus becoming the first Chief of Maritime Staff.
In National Defence Headquarters in the 1990s, Admiral Garnett held several senior staff appointments including Executive Assistant to the Chief of Defence Staff, Director General Maritime Development and Chief of Personnel Services.
Admiral Garnett served overseas on the staff of Command in Chief Fleet's Operational Evaluation Group in Northwood, England, and as a member of the Directing Staff at the Ghana Armed Forces Staff College in Accra, Ghana.
Admiral Garnett is a graduate of Carleton University, the Royal Navy Staff College, Greenwich, and the Ghana Armed Forces Staff College. Currently he serves on the Board of Directors of the Navy League of Canada.