Col Scott Howden, CD

Canadian Forces Air Force Attaché (CFAA)

Colonel Howden enrolled in the Canadian Forces in 1978 and received his wings as an Air Navigator the following year at the Canadian Forces Air Navigation School at 17 Wing Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Throughout an operationally focussed career devoted primarily to Long Range Patrol aircraft in which he amassed over 5,000 flight hours, Col Howden flew on the CP107 Argus, CP140 Aurora, and P-3C Orion platforms. He held myriad jobs at 405 Maritime Patrol Squadron in Greenwood, Nova Scotia (two postings), the Maritime Proving and Evaluation Unit also in Greenwood (two postings), and VP-30 in Jacksonville, Florida. He commanded the Maritime Proving and Evaluation Unit as a Major and 405 Maritime Patrol Squadron as a Lieutenant Colonel.

As a staff officer, Col Howden has amassed well in excess of 5,000 ‘desk’ hours in various staff capacities. He served as Director of Air Operations and the Chief of Staff at the Maritime Air Component (Atlantic) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. As well, he held the positions of Director of Personnel, and most recently as the Director of Aviation, Patrol, and Transport Readiness at the 1 Canadian Air Division Headquarters in Winnipeg.

Col Howden is a graduate of the Canadian Forces Staff School, and the Royal Australian Air Force Staff College. He was promoted to his current rank in June 2005.

Although he considers himself grounded in reality, Col Howden is a devout fan of next year’s Stanley Cup champions, the Toronto Maple Leafs.