Lieutenant-General J.A. Fox, CMM, CD (Retired)

Colonel of the Regiment 1992-2002

Lieutenant-General Fox was born 20 December 1935 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  He underwent university training at Royal Roads, Victoria, British Columbia, the Royal Military College, Kingston, Ontario, and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1958.

He joined the 8^th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise’s) in 1958 and a year later started a series of appointments with that Regiment in West Germany until 1962 when he returned with the Regiment to Petawawa, Ontario.

In 1965, he attended the Canadian Army Staff College, Kingston, Ontario.  In 1966 he was appointed Staff Officer in charge of operational equipment control at Mobile Command Headquarters, St. Hubert, Quebec, during which time he served with the United Nations Forces in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for a six month tour.

In 1968, he went on exchange duties as principal operations major with 1 (UK) Division of the British Army of the Rhine in West Germany.  He was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel in August 1969 and appointed Senior Staff Officer at Prairie Area Headquarters, Winnipeg where he was dealing primarily with Prairie Militia units.  Between June 1971 and August 1973, Lieutenant-General Fox commanded Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) in Calgary and in Cyprus with UNFICYP.

In 1973, Lieutenant-General Fox attended the French Language Training School in Ottawa.  He was promoted Colonel in 1974 and appointed Director of Land Plans (future planning) as well as Director of Armour at National Defence Headquarters.  Three years later, he became the first Canadian Forces officer to attend the United States Army War College, in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, under the International Fellows Program.

Promoted to Brigadier-General in June 1978, he was appointed Commander 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, Lahr, West Germany.  In 1980, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations) at Central Army Group Headquarters, Heidelberg, West Germany.  In 1982, he was promoted to Major-General and assumed the appointment of Chief of Personnel Development at National Defence Headquarters.

Lieutenant-General Fox was promoted to his present rank in July 1986 and assumed the appointment of Commander, Mobile Command on 6 August 1986.  He relinquished command 14 June 1989 and completed his Regular Force military service as ADM (Personnel) and Acting Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff in National Defence Headquarters, retiring in 1991.  He was appointed Colonel of the Regiment of Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) in December 1992.

Following departure from the Regular Forces, Lieutenant-General Fox was National Executive Director of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada for three years and later was called out to assist with the Somalia Inquiry.  He now resides in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.

Lieutenant-General Fox is married to the former Carolyn Richard of LaHave, Nova Scotia.  They have two sons, David and Daniel.