Commander MARPAC

The Commander, MARPAC is the institutional head of the Martime Forces Pacific in Esquimalt, British Columbia.

Biography

Commander, Rear-Admiral Gilles Couturier, OMM, CD

Rear-Admiral Couturier joined the Navy in 1983 and has served in ships of both the east and west coast fleets. During his first tour in Esquimalt, he had the opportunity to work closely with the US Navy, including a deployment as the Operations Officer for USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN Battle Group for RIMPAC 2000. He commanded HMCS FREDERICTON from 2005 to 2007.

In 2006, HMCS FREDERICTON was deployed to the coast of Africa for OPERATION CHABANEL, an RCMP operation that resulted in the seizure of 22.5 tons of hash bound for the East Coast of Canada. As the Captain of HMCS FREDERICTON, he also had the opportunity to sail the ship to Toronto, Hamilton, Montreal and Quebec City to give the opportunity to Canadians in this part of our country to see their Navy. Following his tour, he was transferred to Ottawa and appointed Executive Assistant to the Chief of the Defense Staff. Back in Esquimalt, he assumed Command of Maritime Operations Group Four.

Rear Admiral Couturier was the Maritime Component Commander for OPERATION PODIUM from June 2008 until the end of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. In this role, he oversaw the navy’s support to the RCMP-led Integrated Security organisation.

After a stop in Ottawa where he fulfilled the function of Director General Maritime Strategic Management and team leader for the Naval Transformation Planning Team, he was assigned to US Central Command (CENTCOM) in Tampa, Florida, where he held the appointment of Deputy Director J5 responsible for Building Partner Capacity and Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction. He then came back to Ottawa working in the Strategic Joint Staff as the Director General of Plans, and then as the Director General International Security Policy within the Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy) group.

During the summer of 2014 Rear Admiral Couturier performed the duties of Maritime Component Commander for RIMPAC 2014, the largest maritime exercise is the world that takes place of the coast of Hawaii and includes 22 nations, 47 ships and over 20,000 participants. He has now returned to Esquimalt to assume command of Maritime Forces Pacific/Joint Task Force Pacific on 14 July, 2015.

Rear-Admiral Couturier, now a wiser referee, still has a passion for our national sport and attempts to put the blades on as often as he can. He also enjoys a run on the Galloping Goose Trail at a pace that allows many to follow.