Welcome to a special episode of the "Go Bold with Joetey Attariwala" podcast! For this episode, we are coming to you straight from the front lines at Camp Adazi in Latvia, where we had an exclusive opportunity to sit down with Canadian Army Colonel Cedric Aspirault, the Brigade Commander of the Canadian-led NATO Multinational Brigade.

Our visit coincided with Exercise Silver Arrow, a major combat readiness evaluation, which gave us an inside look at NATO's efforts to reinforce its Eastern flank.

Colonel Aspirault takes us through NATO’s strategic importance in the region, and highlights Canada's leadership role as the framework nation for the Canadian-led NATO Multinational Brigade in Latvia.

We’ll dive into how the Brigade has evolved from a Battlegroup, and how Canada is expanding its presence in Latvia with a new camp and Brigade headquarters, and new air detachment facilities.

Plus, you’ll hear how Canada is taking its renowned Maple Resolve high-end training exercise and moving it to Latvia and is rebranding it as Exercise Oak Resolve so the entire NATO Multinational Brigade can train together.

This is an important conversation with a senior leader, straight from the heart of NATO's mission in Latvia!

Note: If you haven't already listened to them, I encourage you to listen to Episodes 74 & 75 where we spoke with Lieutenant-Colonel Marc Kieley, who discussed Operational Planning for the Canadian Army. Those were wonderfully detailed and insightful episodes which will help add context to this episode.

I also want to share that this episode is accompanied by exclusive videos that you can find on the "Go Bold with Joetey Attariwala" YouTube channel, where we’ve posted videos of the Canadian-led NATO Multinational Brigade in action at Camp Adazi!

Please make sure to subscribe to the "Go Bold with Joetey Attariwala" YouTube channel so you don’t miss out!

Our thanks to Colonel Aspirault for his time, and to the men and women who helped facilitate our visit to Camp Adazi in Latvia.

Go Bold!

Today, we have the incredible privilege of sitting down with Major-General Sylvain Menard, a distinguished fighter pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

With a career built on flying fighter jets, including flying in combat, the General is now leading critical modernization efforts for Canada's fighter force. General Menard's position at the time of our interview was the Chief of Fighter Capability and Chief of NORAD Capability for the RCAF.

General Menard is uniquely positioned to offer an insider's perspective on the modernization of the CF-18 Hornet and all that entails, including the introduction of new weapons for the fighter force, while also being focused on the future of Canada’s fighter capability.

In this episode you will hear the General take us through his personal journey of flying the CF-18 Hornet, the evolution of Canada's fighter force, and the complex efforts that are shaping the transition to the 5th Generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The General also shares details about NORAD Modernization.

Having leaders of the caliber of Major-General Menard as guests on Go Bold is what sets us apart from all other podcasts — Go Bold is the GO-TO platform where senior military leaders come to discuss their work and their vision in ways that you won't hear anywhere else.

We want to thank Major-General Menard for his time and kindness, and for his service to the Nation.

Go Bold!

For this episode we are honored to be joined by Royal Canadian Air Force Major-General Darcy Molstad, a distinguished fighter pilot who is serving as the Deputy Commander of the Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC).

As one of the leaders responsible for employing Canadian Armed Forces members on domestic and international operations, Major-General Molstad brings a wealth of insight from the front lines of global security.

In this episode, he’ll take us through his personal journey flying CF-18 Hornet fighter jets, and he'll offer his perspective on the global security environment which is more tenuous today than it has been in decades.

The General will discuss Canada's defence posture, the challenges of coordinating operations across the globe, and how the Canadian Armed Forces are rising to meet those challenges.

Having leaders like Major-General Molstad as a guest reinforces what makes Go Bold stand out: this is the GO-TO podcast where senior military leaders come to discuss their work and vision in ways you won't hear anywhere else!

If you want an in-depth understanding of Canada’s role on the world stage, and the men and women behind its military operations, this episode is for you!

Please make sure to subscribe and follow us, because the insights shared here on Go Bold are truly one-of-a-kind.

Our thanks to Major-General Molstad for his professionalism, and for the time he shared with us.

Go Bold!