Newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff Walter Natynczyk appears on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 6, 2008. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

The new leader of Canada's military is described by those who know him as a methodical commander who brings his own style of leadership to the job.

Lt.-Gen. Walter Natynczyk was promoted to the rank of full general when he took over as chief of defence staff from Gen. Rick Hillier in July 2008.

A former tank commander, the Winnipeg native has spent more than 30 years in the Canadian military — including serving in Iraq for a year with U.S. forces.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Natynczyk will be "an absolutely exceptional chief of the defence staff." He called him a "gentleman general."

Brian MacDonald, a military analyst and retired colonel with the Canadian Forces, praised the appointment as one that will be good for both morale and consistency.

"He won't be as flamboyant as Hillier," MacDonald said Friday, "but he is a good man with the troops. He is well liked and his appointment will be good for morale."

Natynczyk brings a different style of leadership to the top defence post.

Hillier wasn't afraid to speak his mind and was known for his outspokenness and aggressive style. While his candour struck some as refreshing, it was seen as rankling his political masters in Ottawa.

Troops' welfare comes first

Natynczyk likely will be more low-key, but like Hillier, he is expected to put the welfare of his troops above all else. He has already said one of his first priorities will be to visit the troops in Afghanistan, a place he visited as recently as February.

MacDonald described him as a "very thorough man" who is strong on details, noting that as the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff he has been responsible for managing the budget of the Canadian Forces and overseeing future spending plans.

He said Natynczyk has played a key role in managing the transformation that the military has been undergoing to face the challenges of the 21st century.

Natynczyk attended Royal Roads Military College and Collège Militaire Royal in St Jean, graduating in 1979 with a degree in business administration.

According to the Department of National Defence, his formative years were spent on NATO duty in Germany with the Royal Canadian Dragoons.

In 1994, Natynczyk embarked on a year-long tour of duty with the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina with an armoured brigade and later became the Chief of Land Operations, UNPROFOR Headquarters in Zagreb, Croatia.

He commanded the Royal Canadian Dragoons during domestic operations in the Ottawa region during the 1998 Ice storm. He later returned to Bosnia in 1998 as the Canadian Contingent Commander.

Admired by Americans

Natynczyk also attended the U.S. Army War College and was subsequently appointed Deputy Commanding General, III Corps, an armoured corps of the U.S. Army, at Fort Hood, Texas.

In January 2004, he was deployed with III Corps to Baghdad serving in Iraq first as the Deputy Director of Strategy, Policy and Plans and subsequently as the Deputy Commanding General of the Multi-National Corps (Iraq).

Natynczyk is known for being respected internationally and especially well-liked by the Americans. In a 2004 interview with Maclean's magazine, he said: "The Canadian government sent me to Fort Hood, bottom line, to show in a tangible way the close affiliation between the U.S. and Canada."

Speaking of his service in Iraq, he said at the time: "What I can say is that I believe we're making a contribution. There's a heck of a lot of people who will have a better life and a better future because of what we're doing here today."