FMUSIC National Chairman Resigns

The Federation of Military and United Services Institutes of Canada announced the September resignation of the National Chairman. Lieutenant General (Ret) W.C. Leech much regretted this but the added responsibilities of his job in Ottawa left no other option. He was elected to the national chairmanship at the 2005 Sept. Biennial Meeting in Kingston by the Institute delegates attending.

He now has direct responsibilities for all of North America and secondary responsibilities for South America and Europe for his Australian employer. Moreover, he is on the Board of Directors of Friends of the War Museum and the Pearly and Rideau Veteran.s Health Centre. The demands on his time are such that he felt he would not be able fulfil the national chairmanship adequately.

Fortunately, through the FMUSIC National Office in Kingston, the resigning president, the past president and others were able to find a suitable replacement, pro tem. Rear Admiral Jamie Fraser of Kingston has agreed to assume the national chairmanship until at least the Biennial Conference in Winnipeg the fall of 2007.

In his email of 15 Sept to the FMUSIC Executive Committee, RAdm Fraser said he has been a member of Kingston RUSI for only a short time, when approached to fill the vacancy of National Chairman for the remaining term.

Despite his short involvement at the national level, he felt that FMUSIC is at a crossroad and needs to sort itself out regarding its future. He will field some questions to the Executive Committee to get their feedback, as well as from the various Institutes. In this way, he hopes to engender a debate/dialogue concerning the future of FMUSIC.

Proposed Name Change

FMUSIC was formed in 1973 to federate into a cohesive whole in accordance with agreed aims and objective of the various autonomous and independent Military and United Services Institutes in Canada. Now, within this federation, each Institute functions under the overall guidance and coordination of FMUSIC. The aims and objectives of FMUSIC are:

(1) effective Canadian national security and defence policies;

(2) capable armed forces and others jointly responsible for national security, etc. by study, research, development, promulgation, submission and/or presentation of briefs to Government, etc.

(3) further the aims of individual member Institutes in a collective manner;

(4) to act as a link between the Canadian Forces and the general public.

A proposal has surfaced recently to rename FMUSIC as the Canadian Defence and Security Institutes (CDSI). Apparently, some believe this name would better reflect the role of FMUSIC and will be proposed to the FMUSIC Executive Committee for endorsement at the Biennial Meeting in 2007 in Winnipeg. Biography ..Rear Admiral J.D. (Jamie) Fraser

RAdm Jamie Fraser entered the Royal Canadian Navy in 1967 and attended the Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston. Commissioned in 1971, he served in HMC ships before commanding ANNAPOLIS and KOOTENAY. In 1996-1977 he was Commander, First Maritime Operations Group. He became Commander Canadian Fleet Atlantic in Dec 1998. Operating at sea, he led Canadian participation in US Navy Joint Task Force exercises and international missile firing exercises. Promoted to Rear Admiral in Jun 2001, he commanded Maritime Forces Pacific, Victoria. (During this time, he was a guest speaker at our RUSI of VI.) Two years later he was appointed as the Canadian Forces Liaison Officer to the United States Northern Command in Colorado. He retired in Jul 2005 and he and his wife, Alice, took up residence in Kingston, Ont.

Note:

Please also read the November 2006 Extra Edition of the RUSI VI newsletter discussing the fate of FMUSIC.

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