Colonel David Brassard takes command of the 5th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group in Valcartier

The City was informed that Colonel Cédric Aspirault handed over command of the 5th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (5 CMBG) to Colonel David Brassard during a ceremony presided over by Brigadier-General Dave Abboud, commander of the 2nd Canadian Division. Canada, on May 17 at Valcartier Military Base.

A graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada, Colonel David Brassard received his commission in the Royal Canadian Artillery in 2000. He served as a junior officer in the 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery in Petawawa, Ontario, from 2000 to 2006 before being employed for a year as personal assistant to the commander of the 2nd Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group. Colonel Brassard commanded a battery within the 4th Artillery Regiment between 2013 and 2015 and was appointed commander of the 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery in Shilo, Manitoba, from 2020 to 2022. During his career, he participated in four international missions, notably in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Afghanistan. Colonel Brassard served in three of the four regular brigades of the Canadian Army. He holds various staff positions in Ottawa within the Strategic Joint Staff, the Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) and the Canadian Army Headquarters. He was appointed to executive positions as military assistant to the Minister of National Defense and as chief of staff to the COIC Commander. He was promoted to his current rank in 2022 and served two years as Director of Joint Readiness at CJOC Headquarters. Colonel Brassard holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and economics, a master’s degree in public administration and a master’s degree in political science. He obtained his senior officer certificate from the Belgian Defense College in 2016. He is a certified commando paratrooper with the Belgian army and has completed the combat team commander course.

As commander of 5 CMBG, he will lead eight Regular Force units. For the next year, Colonel Brassard’s priorities will be focused on the operational preparation of troops in order to be able to fulfill the expeditionary and domestic mandates of the Canadian Army, as well as on the other lines of effort of 5 CMBG, or personnel and force modernization.

Colonel Aspirault will continue his career as first commander of the Multinational Brigade – Latvia.

Photo, from left to right: Colonel David Brassard (incoming commander of the 5^e Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group), Brigadier-General Dave Abboud (commander of the 2^e Canadian Division and Joint Task Force (East)) and Colonel Cédric Aspirault (outgoing commander of 5^e Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group) sign official scrolls to mark the change of command during a ceremony at 2nd Canadian Division Support Base Valcartier, Quebec, May 17, 2024.

Source: Public Affairs 5 GBMC, Valcartier