Please join NAC Ottawa for an online presentation and discussion with Commodore Chris Robinson, Director General Naval Force Development on Monday June 1 at 7pm. The topic for the evening will be:
Commodore Chris Robinson OMM, CD
Commodore Chris Robinson grew up in Hudson Québec. He began his military career in the Canadian Army Reserves as a Combat Engineer serving in the 3rd Field Engineer Regiment in Montréal. Following university graduation, he joined the Royal Canadian Navy and underwent Naval Warfare Officer training aboard patrol craft, minesweepers, and destroyers, before volunteering for the silent service.
He served aboard Her Majesty’s Canadian Submarines Onondaga, Ojibwa, Victoria, Corner Brook, Windsor, and Her Majesty’s Submarine Unseen. He was privileged to command Corner Brook between June 2007 and July 2009. During this command tour, in addition to normal fleet duties, Corner Brook deployed to the Canadian North for Operation Nanook and the Caribbean Sea to conduct a counter-drug patrol as part of Operation Caribbe. In recognition of her outstanding contribution to Canadian sovereignty, Corner Brook was awarded the Canadian Armed Forces Unit Commendation in May 2008.
Commodore Robinson was honoured to be appointed as the inaugural Commander Submarine Sea Training in late 2011 and served in that role until July 2014. He was thrilled to be appointed the Commander of the Canadian Submarine Force and Commander 4th Maritime Operations Group in June 2017 and regretfully relinquished the appointment two years later.
His shore assignments have included attending the Joint Command & Staff Programme at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto, attending the Naval Command College at the United States Naval War College in Rhode Island, and serving twice on the Naval Staff, initially as the Submarine Requirements Section Head and later as the Director of Naval Requirements. He assumed his current position as the Director General Naval Force Development in July 2019.
Commodore Robinson is a graduate of the Royal Norwegian Navy’s Submarine Command Course, the United States Navy’s Submarine Command Course, and the Royal Australian Navy’s Submarine Executive Officer Course. He holds a Master of Business from the University of Ottawa, a Master of Defence Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada, a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University, and a Certificate in Fire Service Leadership from Dalhousie University.
