19 Wing Comox has a new wing commander.
Col. Bryn Elliott assumed command of 19 Wing Comox from Col. Dany Poitras on April 22, with the ceremony presided over virtually by Maj.-Gen. Eric Kenny, commander of 1 Canadian Air Division.
Col. Elliott enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in 2000 under the Direct Entry Officer program. An experienced Air Combat Systems Officer (ACSO), Col. Elliott has accumulated more than 2,000 flying hours in North and South America, Europe, and the Middle East.
“Returning to 19 Wing Comox as wing commander is a privilege and honour. I look forward to working again with the people of 19 Wing Comox and the Comox Valley,” said Elliott.
“In the near future, the base will be complemented by the adoption of the CC-295 Kingfisher (the newest fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft) and a new role as the centre of excellence for search and rescue training. I am eagerly awaiting these new capabilities. And as you would expect, the great team at 19 Wing will continue to work hard in providing Canadians the best possible support for maritime patrol, NORAD, search and rescue and in the day-to-day workings of the base.”
The new 19 Wing commander’s postings include at 436 Transport Squadron (8 Wing Trenton), flying the CC-130J Hercules; at 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron (17 Wing Winnipeg), flying the CC-130H Hercules, before returning as the deputy commanding officer; at 1 Canadian Air Division (Winnipeg), first as the executive assistant to the deputy commander, Force Generation, before returning as the senior staff officer – search and rescue at Canadian Joint Operations Command (Ottawa); at 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron, as commanding officer; and most recently, at United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), Qatar, as deputy director Air Mobility Division.
Col. Elliott has participated in various international operations and missions, including: OPERATION ARCHER – Afghanistan support (2003); OPERATION SAFARI – UN Mission Sudan (2009-2010); OPERATION MOBILE – NATO Mission Libya (2011); air task force commander, major search and rescue in Kelowna (2017); OPERATIONS INHERENT RESOLVE, RESOLUTE SUPPORT through USCENTCOM missions Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan (2020-2021).
Col. Elliott is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan (Bachelor of Science), and the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Kingston, (Masters of Defence Studies).
- 19 Wing Comox