Biography
Colonel George Lackonick, CD (Retired)
Colonel
G. Lackonick
Colonel George Lackonick, CD was born in Lac La Biche, Alberta commenced his distinguished military career in the Signals Militia. He joined the Regular Army, and continued his career as an Officer Cadet studying engineering at the University of Alberta. Following graduation and commissioning in 1964, he assumed progressively responsible positions as a Signal Officer in the “Army of the West”, on UN duty in United Nations Force in Cyprus, and as an Instructor at the School of Signals. He was promoted to Major in 1972, attended the Army Staff College course, and upon graduation, was appointed Canadian Forces Liaison Officer to the United States Army Electronics Command, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.
In June 1975, he was appointed Commanding Officer, 2 Combat Group Headquarters and Signals Squadron at Petawawa. In November 1976 he assumed command of 73 Canadian Signal Squadron based in Ismailia, Egypt, and was responsible for providing communications support for two operational UN mission areas in the Middle East: United Nations Emergency Force II (in the Sinai), and United Nations Disengagement Observation Force (in the Golan Heights). Upon returning to Canada he was posted to 1st Canadian Signal Regiment where he served as Operations Officer and Deputy Commanding Officer. He deployed on a third United Nations mission in April 1978, as the Chief Signals Officer, for the first mandate of the newly created United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). He was promoted Acting Lieutenant -Colonel in the field, and also served as the Contingent Commander of Canadian Forces personnel deployed in that area of operations. He was confirmed in rank in April 1979, and posted to Canadian Forces Base Kingston as the Base Administration Officer.
In June 1981, he returned to the Regiment as Commanding Officer. Following a posting to the Directing Staff, Canadian Forces Command and Staff College, Toronto, and French Language Training in Saint-Jean, Quebec, he was promoted to Colonel in May 1986. He was then selected for the position of Chairman, Allied Long Lines Agency (ALLA) North Atlantic Treaty Organization Headquarters, Brussels. High profile liaison responsibilities continued when in 1989, Colonel Lackonick was assigned to the Republic of Korea, as Canadian Forces Military Attaché, at the Canadian Embassy in Seoul. At the same time he served as the Canadian Member, United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission at Panmunjon, in the demilitarized zone. On his return to Canada in 1992, he assumed the position of Director Communications Electronics Support, at National Defence Headquarters, until his retirement in 1993.
Upon retirement, Colonel Lackonick was employed by the Canadian Marconi Company, Communications Systems Division as International Marketing Manager, Asia Region. He retired in April 1997.
Colonel Lackonick was appointed Colonel of the Regiment - 1st Canadian Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment in October 1997 and served in that capacity until June 2000. He then served as Colonel of the Regiment - Canadian Forces Joint Signal Regiment from June 2000 to April 2003. Colonel Lackonick was appointed Colonel Commandant of the Communications and Electronics Branch in November of 2006.
Colonel Lackonick holds a Bachelor of Science (Engineering) from the University of Alberta, a Master of Business Administration from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey and a Masters of Public Administration from Queen’s University, Kingston.
Colonel Lackonick and his wife Madeline reside in Kingston.
