Commanding Officer
Lieutenant - Colonel Phillip J. Halton, CD
Lieutenant Colonel Halton enrolled in the Canadian Forces in 1992, entering College Militaire Royale de St-Jean as an Officer Cadet. Upon the closure of that institution in 1995, he transferred to the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, graduating with an honours degree in Military and Strategic Studies in 1997. Shortly after promotion to Second Lieutenant, he was posted to the Royal Canadian Dragoons, and employed as a troop leader.
In 1998, he was deployed with the 3 RCR Battle Group as a reconnaissance troop leader on Operation PALLADIUM in Bosnia-Herzegovina. While there, he received a NATO commendation for his troop's action during Operation SHANNON, the clearing of an illegal Croat border post in the early hours of Christmas eve, 1998.
Lieutenant Colonel Halton transferred from the Regular Force to the Reserve in 2003, joining the Queen's York Rangers. Promoted to Major in 2005, he then became the Deputy Chief CIMIC at the UN/NATO Standby High Readiness Brigade (SHIRBRIG) based in Hoevelte, Denmark, from 2006-2008. His involvement with the SHIRBRIG took him to Ethiopia, Denmark, Norway and Spain, working with widely varied multi-national military and civilian organizations.
During Exercise MAPLE DEFENDER 0701 in Wainwright, Alberta, Lieutenant Colonel Halton was employed as the Officer Commanding the Battle Group reconnaissance squadron, a demanding role that saw his squadron meet with great success. Closer to home, he became well known as a challenging opponent when tasked as the OPFOR commander during large scale exercises, and also for his creativity in designing and constructing "Pretendahar," a large scale modular indoor simmunition range modeled on an Afghan village that was used for training by diverse military and police organizations over a number of years.
In recent years, he has been employed outside of the Regiment as the Director of the Land Force Central Area Regional Joint Operations Centre, and most recently, as the Officer Commanding, Advanced Skills Company in the 32 Canadian Brigade Group Battle School.
He is qualified as a Rappel Master, Tactical CIMIC Operator, Psychological Warfare Planner and Operator, and UN Civil-Military Coordinator. He is a graduate of both the Canadian Forces College as well as the Joint Services Command and Staff College in Shrivenham, UK. He also holds a Masters of Defence Studies from the Royal Military College.
In his civilian career, he has worked around the globe as a security advisor, including long-term projects in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, the D.R. Congo, Colombia, the Gaza Strip and elsewhere. His civilian work has focused primarily on providing Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) services and coordination, Human Intelligence (HUMINT), and other related services to private organizations and foreign governments. Currently, he is employed by Scotiabank Group.
Regimental Sergeant Major
Chief Warrant Officer Lawson
Chief Warrant Officer Lawson joined The Royal Canadian Armoured Corps in the summer of 1987, initially serving with The Ontario Regiment in Oshawa. After becoming qualified on the Cougar Armoured Vehicle as a Driver and Gunner, he completed the Combat Leaders Course, and was promoted to the leadership rank of Master Corporal in December of 1988. CWO Lawson maintained his crewman duties and was employed full time as the CMA Commander’s driver. In 1990 he deployed to the Middle East as a member of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), the first of two UN peacekeeping deployments, and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1992. He again donned the Blue Beret for peacekeeping duties with the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in the former Yugoslavia in 1994-95. Upon his return he occupied various leadership and staff positions at the troop and squadron level within his Regiment to a level that resulted in his promotion to Warrant Officer in 1996.
CWO Lawson qualified as an armoured gunnery coach, and instructed at the Armour School in Gagetown, New Brunswick. Moving to the GTA in 2000 as part of his civilian work commitments, CWO Lawson joined the Queen’s York Rangers and was employed immediately within the Reconnaissance Squadron as a Troop Warrant Officer. Later appointments saw him adopt added responsibility within the Squadron coordinating operations and then as the Squadron Sergeant Major (SSM) upon his promotion to Master Warrant Officer in 2004, and accepting the responsibilities of SSM to the Domestic Response Unit Recce Sqn, and composite Recce Sqns at the last 3 summer training concentrations. CWO Lawson was promoted to his current rank in May 2007 when he was appointed RSM of the Queen’s York Rangers.
In his civilian career, CWO Lawson is a firefighter. He is married and is father to three girls.
