Commodore J.A. Denis Rouleau,
OMM CD

Commodore Denis Rouleau was born in Quebec City. In 1978, he graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, with a Bachelors Degree in Engineering and Management.
Upon commissioning as a Sub-Lieutenant, he completed his bridge watch keeping training in Esquimalt, British Columbia, after which he was assigned to an operational destroyer on the East Coast.

Upon successful completion of the Destroyer Navigating Officer Course in Halifax, Nova Scotia, he was promoted to Lieutenant (N) and assigned as Navigating Officer of HMCS ASSINIBOINE, ALGONQUIN and CORMORANT from 1980 to 1984.

Commodore Rouleau attended the Combat Control Officer Course from June 1984 to June 1985, and on completion was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander and appointed as Combat Officer of HMCS ALGONQUIN. In July 1986, he was assigned as Course Officer for the Combat Control Officer Course at the Fleet School in Halifax, and in July 1988 he assumed the position of Senior Training Officer at the Naval Reserve Headquarters in Quebec City.

In July 1991, he was appointed as Executive Officer of HMCS SKEENA. Upon promotion to Commander he attended the Command and Staff Course at the Staff College in Toronto, Ontario, from July 1993 to July 1994.

Upon graduating from the Command and Staff Course, he was appointed as Senior Staff Officer Personnel, Policies and Plans for Maritime Command Headquarters and subsequently assumed Command of HMCS ATHABASKAN from December 1995 to July 1997.

Following Command at sea, Cmdre Rouleau was assigned as the first Canadian Naval officer to join the North American Aerospace Defense Command, NORAD, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he served as a NORAD Missile Officer in Cheyenne Mountain. He subsequently joined the initial Canadian Military Staff serving within United States Space Command, USSPACECOM, at Peterson Air Force Base in 1998.

Cmdre Rouleau attended the Advanced Military Studies Course (AMSC) at the Staff College in Toronto in the fall of 1998. Upon completion, he was appointed as Director Maritime Training and Education in July 1999 at National Defence Headquarters. Upon graduating from the National Security Studies Course in June 2002, he was appointed as Commander of the Fifth Maritime Operational Group and Deputy Fleet Commander in Halifax. In December 2003, Cmdre Rouleau assumed the position of Executive Assistant to the Chief of Defence Staff at NDHQ Ottawa.

In May 2004, Commodore Rouleau was promoted to his present rank and appointed Director General Maritime Personnel and Readiness in June 2004.

In February 2005, Commodore Rouleau was appointed Commander Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (CSNMG 1) (Designate) and will assume command of CSNMG 1 at sea for one year commencing in January 2006.

The Force was renamed to Standing NATO Response Force Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) on January 01st 2005 and to reflect the integration into the NATO Response Force and was further renamed to Standing NATO Maritime Group 1.