| Vice Chief of the Defence Staff | |
|---|---|
| Vice-chef d’état-major de la Défense | |
&sq=engine&lang=en&file=File:Vice_Chief_of_the_Defence_Staff_logo.svg){kind=logo} Badge of the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff | |
since 1 August 2024[1] | |
| His Majesty's Canadian Armed Forces | |
| Type | Commissioned Officer |
| Status | Currently constituted |
| Abbreviation | VCDS |
| Reports to | Chief of the Defence Staff |
| Formation | 1964 |
| First holder | Geoffrey Walsh |
| Deputy | DG Executive Coordination Chief of Staff VCDS |
| Website | Official website |
The Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS; French: Vice-chef d’état-major de la Défense) is the second most senior member of the Canadian Armed Forces, reporting to the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) as well as the Deputy Minister of National Defence. The Directorate General Executive Coordination, the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal, the National Cadet and Junior Canadian Rangers Support Group and several other departments report to the VCDS,[2] who is appointed by the CDS.[3]
- ^ "Lieutenant-General Stephen Kelsey assumes the role of Vice Chief of the Defence Staff". Government of Canada. 1 August 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ "VCDS - Organization". Vcds.forces.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
- ^ "National Defence Act". Department of Justice. Retrieved 2012-05-08.