Brigadier-General J.J.C. (Carol) Potvin

Deputy Director General – Continental Defence Policy Canadian Armed Forces

Brigadier-General Carol Potvin was born in Jonquière, Québec. He got his professional helicopter pilot license from flying College in Chicoutimi, Qc in 1995 and joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1997. He earned his Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) pilot wings in 1999.

His first operational assignment was with 427 Tactical Helicopter Squadron in Petawawa, Ontario, during which he deployed to the former Yugoslavia with the Stabilization Force for Bosnia. In 2001, he was posted to 430e Escadron tactique d’hélicoptères (ETAH) in Valcartier, Quebec. During this tour at 430 ETAH, he deployed twice: he returned to Bosnia and deployed to Haiti with the United Nations Multinational Force.

Promoted to major in 2007, he was assigned to the Director of Military Careers at National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ) in Ottawa. In 2009, he was selected to attend the Joint Command and Staff Program in Toronto. Upon his graduation in 2010, he returned to 430 ETAH as the Acting Commanding Officer and as the squadron’s deputy Commanding Officer. In summer 2012, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and posted to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Belgium. During his three years in NATO, he worked as the chief of staff for the strategic planning directorate.

During summer 2015, he was posted back to 430 Squadron as Commanding Officer. In September 2016, he assumed command of the first Canadian Aviation Detachment of Operation Impact in Northern Iraq. In 2017, he was posted to NDHQ in Ottawa to work as the Executive Assistant to the Commander of the RCAF and in 2018, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel and transferred to the Chief of Staff of the RCAF staff. In 2020, he was posted back to Toronto to attend the National Security Program and in July 2021, he took command of 2 Wing Bagotville, the Spearhead of the RCAF. Brigadier-General Potvin was promoted to his current rank in February 2023 and was appointed as Deputy Director General – Continental Defence Policy.

Brigadier- General Potvin is a graduate of the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College, the Canadian Forces College Command and Staff Course and the National Security Program. During his eleven years of operational flying, he accumulated almost 3,000 flying hours on tactical helicopter. He is married and has two wonderful daughters.