UKRAINIAN WORLD CONGRESS

AN INITIATIVE OF THE UKRAINIAN WORLD CONGRESS

#UNITEWITHUKRAINE

#UNITE WITHUKRAINE

#UniteWithUkraine is a global fundraising campaign focused on providing vital protective and medical equipment to Ukraine’s defenders on the front lines.

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Strategic Advisory Council

Strategic Military Advice

  • Development and evolution of the mission of the UWU project
  • Oversight of procurement, including identification of needs and priorities and assistance in identifying procurement options, supply and knowledge for ensuring the efficacy and authenticity of selected equipment, gear and kit
  • Strategic advice and exchange with the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Staff and Ukrainian Armed Forces

Advocacy and Ambassadorship

  • Media and Public Relations efforts to support the project, fundraising and on-going efforts
  • Assistance, advocacy and advice regarding government to government military assistance to Ukraine

Fundraising Support

Interactions, media, events and on-line communication with potential, current and past donors

The Strategic Advisory Council (SAC) is comprised of prominent and senior retired Generals from countries that are supportive in the fight for Ukraine's freedom, against tyranny and Russian aggression. The SAC is chaired by Canadian General Rick Hillier, a former Chief of the Defense Staff and senior commander of forces in several theatres. The SAC serves three main roles:

Meet the Generals

General Rick Hillier

Former Canadian Armed Forces, Chief of Defense Staff Rick Hillier, serving until 2008

Born in 1955 to Jack and Myrtle Hillier in Campbellton, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland, he was the fourth of six children, with him being the only boy. He attended Greenwood High School and graduated in June 1972. Hillier chose to attend Memorial University, studying biology. While at Memorial University, his application to become an officer cadet was accepted.

Military Career Highlights

Hillier rose quickly through the ranks to become one of the most storied and respected soldiers in Canadian history.

In January 1998, as commander of 2 CMBG, he led Operation Recuperation, the Canadian Forces’ intervention in the paralyzing ice storm in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick.

He went on to command the Multi-National Division (South-West) in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

He was named chief of the land staff, commanding Land Force Command, on May 30, 2003.

He commanded the NATO ISAF in Afghanistan from February 9 to August 12, 2004.

Awards and Post Military

  • Upon retirement in 2008, Hillier joined the public speaking arena and developed his own speaking agency
  • In 2009, Hillier co-founded Project Hero, a scholarship program for the children of Canadian Forces personnel killed while on active military duty
  • On July 3, 2008, Hillier began a term as Chancellor of Memorial University of Newfoundland, raising $70 million for his alma mater
  • On August 14, 2008, Telus announced that Hillier was appointed as chair of Telus Atlantic Canada Community Board
  • Hillier announced on September 3, 2008, he will be working at an Ottawa office for the TD Bank to support initiatives that enhance the client and customer experience and to assist the bank’s ongoing leadership development and training activities
  • On June 16, 2009, while attending the 48th International Paris Air Show, Provincial Aerospace announced that Hillier will join the company’s Advisory Board
  • In 2011, he was made an officer of the Order of Canada “for his service to our nation, which has inspired pride in our Canadian Forces”
  • In December 2013, it was announced that Hillier would be appointed to the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador
  • In November 2020, Hillier was appointed as the chair of the vaccine distribution taskforce for Ontario by Premier Doug Ford in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario
  • He has been granted three honourary degrees from the Royal Military College (RMC), University of Calgary and Memorial University

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General Wesley K. Clark 

General Clark spent 34 years in the U.S. Army, receiving dozens of military decorations, several honorary knighthoods, including and the Presidential Medal of Freedom and remains one of the longest-serving, decorated and honoured members of the U.S. Armed Forces as a four-star general. 

Clark’s career includes serving as Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO from 1997 to 2000, commanding Operation Allied Force during the Kosovo War, and was a major author of the Dayton Peace Accords that prevented ethnic cleansing.  

 

Clark earned his second Legion of Merit for his work in the offices of the Chief and Deputy Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. Army from 1983 to 1984.  

A decorated war veteran who served in Vietnam, despite being severely injured, went on to command several more battalions.  

Graduating first class as valedictorian in 1966 at West Point, Clark was also a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford and graduated from the Command and General Staff College with a master’s in military science.  

Other Career Highlights and Awards:  

  • U.S.: Presidential Medal of Freedom, Defense Distinguished Service Medal (5), Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Hearts
  • Honorary knighthoods from British and Dutch governments, Commander of the Legion of Honour in France 
  • White House Fellow in the Office of Management and Budget in 1975
  • Former U.S. Presidential candidate in 2004
  • Former of the Atlantic Council’s Board of Directors
  • Frequent contributor and commentator on military and security issues, particularly recently as it comes to Russian aggression against Ukraine

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General David H. Petraeus

General David Petraeus’ military career included some of the most critical positions of combat leadership in modern U.S. history, including command of all forces in Iraq during the Surge and all forces in Afghanistan at the height of that war, after which he served as the Director of the CIA, following confirmation by the Senate by a vote of 94-0. 

His four-star assignments included serving as the 10th commander, U.S. Central Command from October 2008 through June 2010, Commander of the Multi-National Force–Iraq from February 2007, to September 2008, and Commander of the International Security Assistance Force In Afghanistan from July 2010 through July 2011. 

Among his many other command and staff appointments, Petraeus served as the first Commander of the Multi-National Security Transition Command in Iraq from June 2004 through September 2005, Commander of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) from July 2002 to June 2004, including the invasion of Iraq and first year there, Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations (2001–02) for the NATO Stabilization Force in Bosnia, Assistant Division Commander of the 82nd Airborne Division (199-2000),  Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1997-1999), Commander of the 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division (1995-1997), and the first Chief of Operations (1995) for the United Nations Force in Haiti. 

Among his military accolades are four awards of the Defence Distinguished Service Medal, the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Medal, three awards of the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal for Valour, two awards of the NATO Meritorious Service Medal, the Combat Action Badge, Ranger tab, and Master Parachutist wings.  He has also been decorated by 13 foreign countries and was, in 2007, runner up for Time Person of the Year (the year that Vladimir Putin earned that recognition).  Among his numerous other awards, has twice been a Time 100 selectee, three times a Foreign Policy magazine top public Intellectual, Princeton University’s Madison Medallist, and the Daily Telegraph Many of the Year. 

General Petraeus graduated with distinction from the US Military Academy and later earned a Ph.D. from Princeton University.  He has held academic appointments at USMA, CUNY’s Honours College, USC, Harvard’s Belfer Center, and Yale’s Jackson School.   

General Petraeus is currently a Partner with the global investment firm KKR and Chairman of the KKR Global Institute.  He also serves on the boards of One Stream and Optiv, is a personal venture investor, and is a Senior Fellow and Lecturer at Yale University. 

General Petraeus’ military career has included some of the most critical positions of leadership in modern U.S. history, including overseeing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.  

 

His four-star assignments include serving as the 10th commander, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) from October 13, 2008, to June 30, 2010, and as commanding general, Multi-National Force – Iraq (MNF-I) from February 10, 2007, to September 16, 2008. As commander of MNF-I, Petraeus oversaw all coalition forces in Iraq. 

Among his many staff and command appointments, Petraeus served as chief operations officer (1995) for the United Nations mission to help establish democracy in Haiti and as assistant chief of staff for operations (2001–02) for the multinational Stabilization Force sent by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to enforce a cease-fire in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  

Among his military accolades are four awards of the Legion of Merit, The Bronze Star Medal for valor and two awards of the Defence Superior Service Medal.  

In total, Petraeus served 37 years in the United States Army after graduation from West Point in 1974.  

Other Career Highlights and Awards:  

  • Defence Distinguished Service Medal
  • Distinguished Service Medal
  • Former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency  
  • Masters in Public Administration and Ph. D. in international relations from Princeton. 
  • Final assignments were commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and commander, U.S. Forces – Afghanistan (USFOR-A) from July 4, 2010, to July 18, 2011.

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General (Ret.) Dick Lodewijk Berlijn

A retired Royal Netherlands Air Force four-star general, Berlijn served as Chief of Defence of the Netherlands (Chief of the Netherlands Defence Staff) from 2004, until 2008. 

A distinguished officer and fighter pilot whose military career began in 1969, General Berlijn has been one of the leading figures in The Netherlands military.   

In the 1980s, Berlijhn monitored his force’s conversion to more advanced fighter jets, was supervisor to a specialist weapons training course for pilots and became Head of the Fighter Weapons Branch.  

In the 1990s, his leadership grew to Chief of Flying Operations at Twenthe Air Base, tasked with the base’s operational preparations for Operation Deny Flight, which monitored and enforced the UN’s approved no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina.  

He would eventually be appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Netherlands Air Force and later on, Chief of Defence Staff.  

Among his military honours for his service, Berlijn is the recipient of both the NATO Medal, as well as the Multinational Peace Operations Commemorative Medal for Operation Deny Flight.  

 

Other Career Highlights and Awards: 

  • Awarded with Legion of Merit, presented by the United States Secretary of Defence 
  • Awarded the Légion d´honneur (Degree of Commander), awarded by the President of the République Française. 
  • Awarded Order of Orange-Nassau, all in the degree of commander, and the Order of Orange-Nassau with swords.
  • Officers’ Long Service Medal 

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The campaign enables anyone, anywhere to provide support for the Ukrainian people as they fight for freedom, human rights and democracy.

Funds raised are being used to supply an evolving range of needs to the brave men and women on the front line, including: individual first aid kits; bullet-proof vests and helmets; night-vision goggles; and communication equipment and fuel, among other things.

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