Canada’s Quiet Hero in the Middle East | Calgary News

Canada’s military honors Colonel David K. Turenne with the Meritorious Service Cross for masterfully leading multinational air ops during a high-stakes June 2025 crisis at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar — safely evacuating 10,000 personnel amid Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets, backed by U.S. forces. Though Canada didn’t directly engage in combat, Turenne’s strategic move to relocate the Combined Air Ops Center to U.S. soil prevented it from becoming a prime target. Retired Major General Scott Clancy, who worked with Turenne, lauded his calm, decisive leadership and underscored how Canadian officers on exchange play a vital role in global alliances — building trust, gaining experience, and projecting Canadian professionalism even when policy differs. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e2dcec8502ab8249