Retired Maj. John H. Russell, OMM, CD, (OStG / USA) - honoris causa
Maj. John H. Russell, OMM, CD, (OStG / USA) is the son of Albert Russell, MMM, CD, who in 1941 fought and was wounded at the battle of Hong Kong. Albert Russell spent three years and nine months in Japan as a prisoner of war (POW). He was eventually liberated by the Americans in 1945.
Maj. Russell was born on 15 January 1949 in Quebec City. He was educated in the province of Quebec and is fluently bilingual.
He joined the Canadian Air Force as a private on 28 April 1970 at the age of twenty-one. He successfully completed his basic training at the recruit school in Cornwallis, N.S., in August 1970. He then proceeded to the Communications Electronics Engineering School at CFS Lac St. Denis, Que., where he trained to be an Air Defence Technician. Upon graduation as the second-best student on the course, he was posted to 43 Radar Squadron, Penhold, Alta., in October 1970.
Based on his work ethic, bilingualism, and leadership potential, he was recommended for officer training. On 3 January 1972, Maj. Russell entered basic and armour training as a cadet under the Officer Cadet Training Plan in Chilliwack, B.C. He achieved an “A” grade and displayed strengths in all aspects of training while demonstrating a high degree of leadership. At the end of the basic officer training, in April 1972, he was sent to Gagetown, N.B., to start his armour training.
Between June 1972 and August 1973, he achieved “A” grades for all armour phases of training, placing first in the final two phases. He was presented the Worthington Sword in recognition of being the outstanding graduate of the Armoured Officer classification training for 1973 and was promoted to Lt. on 25 May 1973.
From Gagetown he was posted to the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) in Calgary, Alta. His first command was as a reconnaissance troop leader. In November 1973, he qualified as a Land Mine Warfare Instructor.
In 1974, he also qualified as an Advanced Armoured Gunnery Instructor prior to his deployment to Germany.
In 1975, Russell re-badged to the Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCD) as a tank and reconnaissance troop leader, and was promoted to Capt. on 25 May 1976. In the same year he qualified as a Forward Air Controller in Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany and was the Regimental Gunnery and Intelligence Officer for the RCD in his last year in Germany.
From 1978 to 1981, Capt. Russell was posted to the Gunnery Squadron at the Royal Canadian Armour School, in Gagetown, N.-B. He was key to the introduction into service of the Leopard tank and Cougar tank-trainer. He set the initial gunnery standards for both vehicles. He also instructed field tactical training to officers and non–commissioned members of Tactics Squadron.
In March 1981, Capt. Russell received an “A” grade from the United States Army Advanced Armour course held at Fort Knox, Ky. He was recognized as an outstanding officer, displaying high intelligence, and a credit to himself and his country.
Late October 1981 saw Capt. Russell returning to his regiment, the Lord Strathcona`s Horse (Royal Canadians), as the Second-in-Command of the Brigade Reconnaissance Squadron. Early in 1983, Capt. Russell became the Regimental Operations Officer.
In the fall of that same year, he attended the Combat Team Commanders course in Westminster, U.K. He was commended for his excellent performance and was assessed as the most popular student on the course.
Maj. Russell was promoted to his present rank on 1 July 1984 and was posted as the Staff Officer for Operations at Toronto Militia District.
In 1985/86 he graduated from the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College in Kingston, Ont., and subsequently posted back to his regiment to command a Cougar squadron.
In June 1987, he took command of the Brigade Reconnaissance Squadron and lead that squadron to victory as the best reconnaissance squadron in Canada for 1988.
From July 1988 to August 1989, Major Russell returned to the Royal Canadian Armour School as Officer Commanding Tactics Squadron. He was responsible for the tactics and leadership training for both officers and non–commissioned members.
As a result of his outstanding armoured tactical and technical abilities, in 1990 Major Russell was selected as the Canadian Forces Liaison Officer to the United States Army Armour Centre at Fort Knox, Ky. The US Commanding General there regarded him as totally skilled and an outstanding professional.
The US Army Armour Centre appointed him to the Order of Saint George, (OStG / USA), in June 1993. This appointment is awarded for outstanding leadership and exemplary service as an armoured officer. It is rarely awarded to a foreign officer.
Having moved his family to Calgary, Alta., Maj. Russell prepared himself for a one-year deployment with the UN peacekeeping force in the former Yugoslavia. On 15 July 1993, at 44 years old, he was assigned as an unarmed United Nations Military Observer (UNMO). In the first four and one-half months of the mission, he was in command of twenty-one UNMOs from different countries on the front line in Zadar, Croatia.
In mid December 1993, Maj. Russell was specifically selected to be the Military Assistant to the Delegate of the Special Representative to the Secretary-General and Chief of Civil Affairs for Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo.
As the most senior diplomate in the region, Mr. Sérgio Vieira de Mello planned on breaking the siege of Sarajevo and directed Maj. Russell to make it happen.
During the next four months, Maj. Russell developed and executed a plan that eventually evacuated 298 individuals via the Sarajevo airport. For 110 days, he led small, armoured convoys through "Sniper's Alley" to reach the airport, risking direct fire on every trip.
The family of one of the evacuees gratefully presented Maj. Russell with a torch from the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, for having saved their daughter. This torch is currently on display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ont.
For his gallant actions, Mr. Sérgio Vieira de Mello declared that Maj. Russell brought great credit and respect to the UN and his country. The many other activities that Maj. Russell conducted on behalf of Mr. de Mello during his time in Sarajevo would, twenty years later, take him to The Hague, Netherlands.
At the International Criminal Tribunal, Maj. Russell was required to testify at the trials of both Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić, who were accused of war crimes and genocide against Bosnian citizens.
In mid July 1994, Maj. Russell returned to Calgary where he remained until August 2000. During that period Maj. Russell was the Deputy Commanding Officer of the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) for two years.
In February 1997, Maj. Russell was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Military Merit by the Governor General of Canada, for outstanding meritorious service and duty to his country. In July of the same year, he became Chief of Operations and Training for 41 Canadian Brigade Group (Militia).
In August 2000, Maj. Russell again deployed for one year to the Middle East, as a UNMO. He conducted operations in both Syria and Southern Lebanon, monitoring military activities and cease fire violations of all forces including the Israeli Defense Forces and Hezbollah.
For the next three years, 2001 to 2004, Maj. Russell was employed as the Chief Instructor, Deputy Commanding Officer, and Chief Standards Officer at the Peace Support Training Centre in Kingston, Ont.
In July 2003, he deployed to West Africa for a six-month tour where he was the Senior Canadian Military Representative and Deputy Chief Military Information Officer at the headquarters of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone.
On 15 July 2004, at the age of fifty-five, Maj. Russell retired from the Canadian Armed Forces after serving 34 years.