Tom Jenkins Editor & Author

Michael Hood began his military career in the infantry as a guardsman with the Canadian Grenadier Guards before enrolling in the Regular Force and receiving his air combat systems officer wings in 1988. He served as director general of Air Force development and deputy director general of international security policy before being appointed deputy commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force in 2012. In 2013 he was appointed director of staff, strategic joint staff. He was commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force from 2015 to 2018. He is a retired lieutenant general and the former commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force. He is currently chief of staff at JDS Mining in Vancouver, British Columbia. Tom Jenkins has been affiliated with the Royal Canadian Air Force for more than fifty years. He began his career with the RCAF as a royal Canadian air cadet at CFB Trenton in 1972. He became a squadron warrant officer with the Air Cadets at CFRB Hamilton and later joined the reserves, first as a corporal and then as an officer; he received his commission in 1977 and served at CFB Cold Lake. He has been the honorary colonel of 409 Squadron at CFB Cold Lake and the honorary colonel of the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada (RHFC) in Cambridge, Ontario. He has chaired a report on defence procurement for the Canadian government and is currently a member of the RCAF Commanders Advisory Council.