Frank Provost
Ottawa
Born in Quebec City, Major Provost joined the Canadian Forces (CF) in December 1988. In August 1990, upon completion of Basic Infantry Officer Training, he was dispatched to Germany with the 1st Battalion Royal 22e Régiment as a Platoon Commander. During this posting, he was deployed to Qatar (Gulf & Kuwait War) and Croatia (United Nations Protection Force Sector West - former Yugoslavia). In 1993, he was posted to the Infantry School in Gagetown as Subject Matter Expert – Infantry Basic Officer Course Phase II.
From 1994 to 1999, he filled some positions at the National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa within the Intelligence and Operations departments. In 2000, he was posted to the 3rd Battalion Royal 22e Régiment as the Operations Officer and Combat Support Company Commander.
In January 2003, he was sent off to the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) as an Operations Officer for the Disarmament, Demobilization & Repatriation (DDRRR) of ex-combatants. At the end of his operational tour, he moved back to the National Defence Headquarters.
In January 2005, he was posted to the UN mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) as the Canadian Task Force Commander & Military Observer / Coordinator for the 140 UNMOs deployed throughout the country. Redeployed to Canada, he was transferred to the Directorate of Human Rights & Diversity in the function of CF Visible Minority Desk Officer, during which he was also assigned as Military Advisor to the Office of the Legal Advisor to the DND & CF (Department of Justice Canada).
In August 2007, he was posted to Mali, West Africa, as a Permanent Instructor to the Peacekeeping School in Bamako named École de Maintien de la Paix (EMP) where he successively held the positions of Redactor, Director Studies-Doctrine, and Director Training Cell. During this 3 year-long posting, he also conducted courses in Ethiopia, Kenya, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritania, Uganda and Burundi. He was appointed Knight to the National Order of Mali.
In August 2010, he became the Officer Commanding of the National Capital Region Training Company at the Canadian Forces Language School. In 2011, as a member of the Director - Military & Training Cooperation (DMTC), he was detached to the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre (PPC) as Military Project Officer for the African Centres of Excellence Program.
From February to November 2012, Major Prov