André Deschamps (RCAF officer)

Lieutenant-General Joseph Paul André Deschamps, CMM, CD, usually André Deschamps or J P A Deschamps, was Chief of the Air Staff and then Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force between 2009 and 2012.

Career
Deschamps joined the Canadian Forces in 1977, and completed pilot training the following year. As a junior officer Deschamps carried out instructor duties on the Musketeer trainer. He later flew the CF-104 Starfighter on Cold War duties in Europe.

Deschamps became Commaning Officer of 8 Wing Trenton in 2004 and then commanded the Theatre Support Element (Camp Mirage) in support of Operation Athena in Afghanistan. He was appointed Chief of Staff - Operations of Canadian Expeditionary Force Command in 2006, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff in June 2008 and Chief of the Air Staff in October 2009: it was during his tenure that Air Command was restored to its historical name, the Royal Canadian Air Force.