Colonel C.T. Wright, CD

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Colonel (Col) Wright hails from Lethbridge, Alberta. He joined the Canadian Armed Forces in June 1990 under the Regular Officer Training Plan and graduated from the Royal Military College with a bachelor’s degree in history.

He received his navigator wings in 1996 and joined the long range patrol community flying the CP-140 Aurora. He has amassed over 3,500 flying hours on the CP-140 during multiple operational tours at both 404 Long Range Patrol and Training Squadron in Greenwood, Nova Scotia, and 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron in Comox, British Columbia. During these tours he has been a Navigator Communicator (NAVCOM), Tactical Navigator (TACNAV), Standards and Training Officer, Aircrew Flight Commander and Deputy Commanding Officer.

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Col Wright has also had the opportunity to be employed in some extremely interesting staff tours. He was the Current Operations Officer in Air Component Coordination Element (Pacific) [ACCE (P)] at Maritime Forces Pacific Headquarters, the Career Manager for Long Range Patrol and Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Air Combat Systems Officers, worked in the Air Staff in Air Readiness and was Director Military Careers 4 as the Career Manager for Royal Canadian Air Force Lieutenant Colonels. Col Wright also attended the Advanced Command and Staff Course in Shrivenham, United Kingdom, in 2015. He was also the Commanding Officer of 19 Operations Support Squadron in Comox, British Columbia, from 2017-2020.

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In addition to his deployments as crew of the CP-140, Col Wright has deployed a number of times in non-flying billets. He deployed in 2009 in support of Operation ATHENA as the Deputy Commanding Officer of the Canadian Heron Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Detachment in Kandahar, Afghanistan. In 2012, he deployed on Operation FOUNDATION to the U.S. Air Forces Central (AFCENT) Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) in Qatar as the Senior National Representative where he was responsible for the integration of Canadian strategic lift assets into the coalition program. In 2019, he deployed on Operation NEON as the Deputy Commander of the Enforcement Coordination Cell responsible for the enforcement of United Nations sanctions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Most recently, in 2020-2021, he deployed as the Commander of the Air Task Force – IMPACT in Kuwait.

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In 2022, Col Wright was promoted to his current rank, changed trades to Air Operations Officer and was assigned to Canadian Special Operations Forces Command Headquarters as the Director Air. In 2024, Col Wright was appointed to 1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region Headquarters where he was Director of the Combined Aerospace Operations Centre.

On 30 June 2026, Col Wright assumed command of 17 Wing/Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg.