Vanguard Magazine

E EDITOR'S NOTE editorvanguard@netgov.ca Chris Thatcher EDITOR Phaedra Boinodiris Martin Forgues Jason Roy CONTRIBUTORS Ian Coutts Joel Plouffe Jean-Robert Bernier Graham Longhurst Bonnie Butlin Jess Ellacott EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD LGen (Ret'd) Bill Leach LGen (Ret'd) Michel Maisonneuve Ambassador Graham Green Professor Philippe Lagassé LGen (Ret'd) George Macdonald VAdm (Ret'd) Greg Maddison PUBLIC SECTOR SALES Terri Pavelic VICE PRESIDENT SALES (905) 727-4091 ext. 225 terrip@netgov.ca NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Marcello Sukhdeo (905) 727-4091 ext. 224 marcellos@netgov.ca MARKETING DIRECTOR Mary Malofy ART & PRODUCTION ART DIRECTOR Elena Pankova SUBSCRIPTIONS AND ADDRESS CHANGES CIRCULATION DIRECTOR James Watson circulation@promotive.net (705) 812-0611 CORPORATE PUBLISHER John R. Jones publisher@netgov.ca IT'S OFTEN SAID THAT in difficult times lie the greatest opportunities for change. As defence economists David Perry and Brian MacDonald have noted in recent articles about the 2012 Budget, the Canadian Forces face a far greater budget crunch than many are publicly acknowledging. The level of ambition laid out in the Canada First Defence Strategy for force size and capital equipment only synch up with current budget projections if significant spending reductions are made else- where, in areas such as operations and maintenance. In a Vanguard article in June, Perry noted that, proportionally, Canada is cutting its military more deeply than the United States, an important detail that is never mentioned when the government touts its better economic performance. Speaking at a recent defence summit hosted by IBM in Ottawa, VAdm (Ret'd) Ann Rondeau of the U.S. Navy described the factors driving innovation and transforma- tion in the USN. The catalyst for true military revolution, she observed, rarely comes from inside the military itself, but rather from events going on around it. And in the fog of events lies great opportunity for innovation. This issue in many ways is about that opportunity. We begin with the stand up of the Canadian Joint Operations Command, a small step advocated in the Leslie report to reduce operational costs. Its commander, LGen Stu Beare, places the focus squarely on his people and their ability to deliver. MGen Steve Bowes, commander of Land Force Doctrine and Training System, sug- circulation dept. 24-4 Vata Court, Aurora, ON L4G 4B6 Vanguard magazine is published 6 times per year by Publisher's Mail Agreement: 40052410 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Letters, submissions, comments and suggested topics are welcome, and should be sent to assoceditor@netgov.ca reprints of articles and additional copies of the magazine are available through circulation@netgov.ca Reproduction or photocopying is prohibited without the publisher's prior written consent. High quality REPRINT INFORMATION: We do not sell our mailing list or share any confidential information on our subscribers. PRIVACY POLICY: 24-4 Vata Court, Aurora, ON L4G 4B6 Phone: (905) 727-4091 Fax: (905) 727-4428 VANGUARD OFFICE 4 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012 www.vanguardcanada.com Promotive Communications Inc. All opinions expressed herein are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or any person or organization associated with the magazine. gests that now is the time to invest in simulation and other technological advances in training. Major Mike Lakatos highlights one element of that, the Land Vehicle Crew Training System. Phaedra Boinodiris describes the opportunity in serious gam- ing, both to resolve complex problems and engage a new workforce. Jason Roy of General Dynamics, explains the opportunities for collaboration taking shape in a new innovation centre. And Tim Page and Janet Thorsteinson of CADSI suggest ways in which Canada's industrial and regional benefits policy could be more strategically used to further the sector and encourage innovation. We too are transforming. I'm delighted to welcome to our editorial advisory board two more distinguished experts, Ambassador Graham Green and Dr. Philippe La- gassé. Ambassador Green brings the seasoned eye of a diplomat and the editorial skills of a newspaper man, both invaluable to the long-term future of this magazine. Over a 16-year career with Foreign Affairs, he served in numerous missions. During 11 years with the Ottawa Citizen, he held senior editorial roles, including acting editor- in-chief and executive editor. Dr. Lagassé, a professor of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa, is a widely sought aſter commentator on military and defence issues and one of a small number of academic researchers focused on Canadian defence policy and politics. We look forward to their advice and contribu- tions in future issues. Chris Thatcher, Editor Opportunity knocking?

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