Craig Baines | |
|---|---|
 Craig Baines in 2021 | |
| Born | c. 1960s Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Allegiance |  Canada |
| Service | Royal Canadian Navy [lower-alpha 1] |
| Years of service | 1987–2022 |
| Rank | Vice-admiral |
| Commands |
|
| Awards | |
Vice-Admiral Craig Alan Baines CMM MSC CD is a retired senior Royal Canadian Navy officer who served as Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy from 2021 to 2022.
Baines hails from Saskatchewan and before his military career was a national judo medallist and graduate from the University of Manitoba. [1]
He was appointed Commander Canadian Fleet Atlantic in July 2014 [2] before being promoted to Commander Maritime Forces Atlantic in 2017. [3]
He joined Maritime Command in 1987 and completed the Forces Regular Officer Training Program. He served as navigation officer on a number of ships before completing an operations course. In 2004 he served as executive officer of HMCS Calgary, and in 2007 he was appointed commanding officer of the Halifax-class frigate HMCS Winnipeg. [4]
In 2010 he served as the base commander of Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt. This was followed by a stint as special advisor to the Chief of Defence Staff, after which he became fleet commander of Canadian Fleet Atlantic. [4]
He became Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy on January 12, 2021. [5] He stood down in May 2022 pending retirement, and retired in late 2022. [6] [7]
In October 2022, it was announced that Baines had joined Modest Tree as a strategic advisor, for the company’s efforts in the marine, aerospace and defence industries. [8]
Baines apologised after it was reported that he had played golf with General Jonathan Vance while the latter was under investigation for alleged abuse towards female military staff. [9]
Baines's personal awards and decorations included the following:
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
 | Order of Military Merit (CMM) |
|
 | Meritorious Service Cross (MSC) |
|
 | Special Service Medal |
|
 | NATO Medal Non-Article 5 |
|
 | Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD) |
|
Command Commendation
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