Lieutenant-Colonel D.A. Macaulay, CD

Commanding Officer, 2008-2010

Lieutenant-Colonel Derek Macaulay, a third generation soldier, was raised primarily in Germany and Western Canada. He entered the Army under the Officer Candidate Training Program in 1989 and, on commissioning, was posted to Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) in Calgary, Alberta.

During his first Regimental tour (1991-95), he served as a Troop Leader with C Squadron (Cougar) and Reconnaissance Squadron. In this capacity, he deployed in 1994 as the Strathcona Battle Group Reconnaissance Troop Leader to Visoko, Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of the United Nations Protection Force.  He again deployed to Bosnia in 1998 as Second-in-Command A Squadron North Atlantic Treaty Organization Stabilization Force.  On his return to Canada, he served as Regimental Adjutant until promotion to Major in 2001. 

Immediately after being appointed Officer Commanding Reconnaissance Squadron, his Squadron deployed to British Columbia as part of the Canadian Forces contribution to Operation PEREGRINE to fight the forest fires in Barrier, Chase, and Kelowna. In 2004, Lieutenant-Colonel Macaulay had the privilege to command his Squadron, which comprised additional soldiers from the 3^rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, Joint Signal Regiment, and the Slovenian and French Armies, as part of the German-lead Kabul Multinational Brigade in Afghanistan. 

Lieutenant-Colonel Macaulay’s extra regimental employments have included tours in Vancouver as the Regular Support Staff Officer at The British Columbia Regiment (1995-1999); Land Force Western Area Headquarters as Executive Assistant to the Commander (2001-2003); and National Defence Headquarters as the Afghanistan Desk Officer in J3 International (2005-2006).  He served on the staff of Canadian Expeditionary Force Command on its stand-up, where he continued to serve as an Afghanistan Desk Officer and Deputy J3 Operations until 2007.

Lieutenant-Colonel Macaulay has a BA in Foreign Policy from the University of Manitoba and a Masters of Defence Studies from Royal Military College. He is a graduate of the Canadian Land Staff Course, the Canadian Land Command and Staff Course, the Combat Team Commanders’ Course, and the Canadian Forces Joint Command and Staff Programme.

Lieutenant-Colonel Macaulay and his wife Rhonda have one daughter, Meghan. He is a multi sport enthusiast, alpine skier and avid runner.