Become an Honorary Aide de Camp to the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia

Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, The Honourable Janet Austin, His Honour Ashely Chester and Vice-Regal Canine Consort, MacDuff (centre) pose with Honorary Aides de Camp of British Columbia during a dinner in their honour at Government House in January 2020. Credit: Government House

Peter Mallett 
Staff Writer

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Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) is seeking nominations for Honorary Aide de Camp (HADC) to the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.

Nominees should be serving officers at the rank of Lt(N), LCdr, or Cdr. Deadline for candidate nominations from all local units was recently extended to March 15.

An HADC is the uniformed officer who accompanies the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, The Honourable Janet Austin at official events and engagements. The HADC also performs other duties as directed by the Lieutenant Governor, her Private Secretary, or designate. These include assisting with details of the Lieutenant Governor’s official engagements; representing her on specific occasions; and serving as a liaison between Government House and the area for which they are appointed.

Nominees should be prepared for a minimum commitment of two events per month and a minimum one year assignment.

LCdr Melissa Desjardins has been serving as HADC since August 2019. She currently works as the Senior Staff Officer Strategic Outreach (Western Canada) with the Royal Canadian Navy. She was nominated for the position by her colleague and supervisor.

“I would say the main qualities required for the HADC nomination are for candidates to be: outgoing, have good interpersonal and communication skills, organizational and multi-tasking skills, and time management skills. Nominees should also have the ability to deal with situations with tact, be flexible, and have the adaptability to work with changes to an event or engagement.”

Even though there is no financial compensation for their duties, LCdr Desjardins rates the position as highly rewarding and enjoyable. Perks of serving include meeting new people and communities, learning and exploring new things, and being part of activities and events not available in her typical duties in the navy.

“Serving as an HADC is also a great opportunity to represent the RCN and CAF in a positive and visible way,” she says. “I’ve been at many events where I often get to interact with the public and answer questions about serving in the navy and how the CAF is a great career option.”

Nominations for Honorary Aide de Camp are to be sent via email to Dorothy.Mildenberger@forces.gc.ca

There are approximately 30 Honorary Aide de Camps currently serving in B.C. These volunteers work for branches of the Canadian Armed Forces, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and local police services, St. John Ambulance, and departments of federal and provincial government Public Service.