Michael Hopper Explained

Michael Hopper
Birth Place:	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Allegiance:	Canada
Serviceyears:	1986–present
Rank:	Commodore
Commands:	HMCS Carleton HMCS Summerside
Awards:	Order of Military Merit Canadian Forces' Decoration

Michael Hopper (born March 1969) is a Canadian Forces officer who served as commander of the Naval Reserve from July 29, 2018 until 2021. Hopper holds the rank of commodore in the Royal Canadian Navy and also works as a teacher with the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB).

Background

Hopper was born in Ottawa, Ontario in March 1969 and first joined the Primary Reserves in 1986 when he was 17 as a cook at HMCS Carleton.^{[1] [2]} He transferred to HMCS Scotian in Halifax while attending Dalhousie University. Hopper moved back to Ottawa, where he earned his bachelor of arts (BA) and bachelor of education (BEd) from the University of Ottawa in 1996 and began working with the OCDSB.^[3]

Hopper served in a number of staff positions at HMCS Carleton and in December 2001 served as the commanding officer of HMCS Summerside until December 2002, where he took part in a trip to the Arctic Circle, meant to reinforce Canadian sovereignty in Northern Canada. He was appointed Carleton's executive officer and served as the commanding officer from 2009 to 2013. He was promoted to commander following his time at Carleton and served in a number of positions at National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ) until his promotion to commodore and appointment as the commander of the Naval Reserve on July 28, 2018.^[4] While commanding the Naval Reserve, Hopper is on leave from his job as the special education teacher at Elmdale Public School, and lives in Ottawa with his wife and their two children.

Awards and decorations

Hopper's personal awards and decorations include the following:

Ribbon	Description	Notes
	Order of Military Merit (OMM)	Appointed Officer (OMM) on 4 October 2018^[5]
	Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal	Decoration awarded in 2012^[6] Canadian version
	Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)	with one Clasp for 22 years of services

References

1. Web site: Government of Canada. National Defence. 2013-04-19. NAVRES Command Team Naval Reserve Royal Canadian Navy. 2021-06-01. www.navy-marine.forces.gc.ca.
2. Web site: Command change for Canada's Naval Reserve. 2021-06-01. Times Colonist. 20 July 2018 .
3. Web site: 2018-11-13. Two careers, several leagues apart. 2021-06-01. Kitchissippi times. en-US.
4. Web site: 2018-07-22. Royal Canadian Navy announces leadership changes in Esquimalt. 2021-06-01. Victoria News. en-US.
5. Web site: Order of Military Merit List . The Governor General of Canada.
6. Web site: The Diamond Jubilee Medal List . The Governor General of Canada.