On 26 November 2019, Major-General Jennie Carignan became the new Commander of the NATO Mission Iraq. 

MGen Carignan graduated from Royal Military College of Canada, a Canadian military university that educates and develops leaders who serve the Canadian Armed Forces and Canada. 29 years later, she is at the head of the NATO mission in Iraq.

MGen previously commanded two Combat Engineer Regiments, Royal Military College Saint-Jean and the 2nd Canadian Division, where she led more than 10,000 soldiers. She participated in three previous expeditionary operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Golan Heights, and Afghanistan.

"We will continue to work with our partners in this capacity-building mission conducted in full respect of Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity. ” mentions MGen Carignan.

In addition to her initial engineering studies, MGen Carignan earned two Master's degrees, including a Master’s degree in business administration from Université Laval in Québec, Canada. She is also a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College and the School of Advanced Military Studies, where she earned a master’s degree in Military Arts and Science.  

I am honoured and privileged to lead the NATO mission in Iraq

“We are committed to make every effort to achieve the goals established with our Iraqi partners. We will build on the successes achieved together over the past year under the leadership of MGen Fortin, continuing to develop effective and sustainable Iraqi Defence capabilities for the future.” indicates MGen Carignan.  She relinquished command of the 2nd Canadian Division in mid-August 2019. Since then and until taking command of the NATO mission in Iraq , MGen Carignan prepared for this mission through individual soldier training, situational briefings and in-situ reconnaissance visits.