Gérard Charles Édouard Thériault
Gérard Charles Édouard Thériault, CMM, CD was Chief of the Defence Staff between 1983 and 1986.Military service
Thériault graduated from Sir George Williams University in Montreal.
He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1951. His first solo flight, where he earned his wings, took place on June 5, 1952 in a Harvard aircraft.
He was a proponent of the unification of the military of Canada. In 1967 he was promoted to wing commander and moved to the Collège Militaire Royal, St-Jean, Qué, now Royal Military College Saint-Jean where he served as Vice-Commandant until 1970. Promoted to Colonel, he became commandant of the CMR in 1970. In 1971, he was assigned command of Canadian Forces Base Bagotville in Northern Québec.
In 1973, he was promoted to Brigadier General and took over command of 1 CAG in Germany. In 1975, he was promoted to Major General and assumed command of Air Command in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 1977, he was transferred to Ottawa as the CADO.
In 1979, he was installed as the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff. In 1980, he became Vice Chief of the Defence Staff and Chief of the Defence Staff in 1983 before retiring in 1986.
He was President of AEG Canada Inc. until 1995.
