Lieutenant-Colonel Fleet attended both Royal Roads Military College, Victoria BC, and the Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, ON, graduating with a BEng (Civil) degree in 1980. After completion of Engineer officer training at Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering (CFSME) Chilliwack in 1981, he was posted to 22 Field Squadron in Gagetown for three years as a Field Troop Commander and Adjutant.
In 1984, he was posted to CFSME where he was employed as the Roads Airfields Water Supply and Accommodation Troop Commander and Field Engineer Standards Officer. Posted to 2 Combat Engineer Regiment at Petawawa in 1987, he served as Regimental Operations Officer. In 1988, he was assigned to England for two years as the Canadian Exchange Officer at the Royal School of Military Engineering, and instructed heavy equipment operations and airfield damage repair. Promoted to Major in 1990, LCol Fleet attended the year-long French course in Ottawa. He then spent two years as the Director Military Engineering staff officer responsible for engineer doctrine and standardization with NATO and ABCA.
In 1984, he was posted to CFSME where he was employed as the Roads Airfields Water Supply and Accommodation Troop Commander and Field Engineer Standards Officer. Posted to 2 Combat Engineer Regiment at Petawawa in 1987, he served as Regimental Operations Officer.
In 1988, he was assigned to England for two years as the Canadian Exchange Officer at the Royal School of Military Engineering, and instructed heavy equipment operations and airfield damage repair. Promoted to Major in 1990, LCol Fleet attended the year-long French course in Ottawa. He then spent two years as the Director Military Engineering staff officer responsible for engineer doctrine and standardization with NATO and ABCA.
LCol Fleet was posted back to CFSME in 1993 where he was employed as Chief of Doctrine for two years, then as Officer Commanding Field Engineer Training Squadron from 1995-1997. As OC FETS, he identified the new training infrastructure for the move of CFSME to Gagetown. In 1997 he was assigned to Fort Leonard Wood MO as the CF Liaison Officer to the US Army Engineer School, US Corps of Engineers, the Chemical Corps and the Military Police Corps.
Posted to Kingston in July 2000, LCol Fleet was employed as the Army NBC doctrine writer. From July 2002 to July 2004, LCol Fleet was Commandant of Canadian Forces Nuclear Biological Chemical School in Borden and during part of this time period, he was Commander of the Canadian Forces Nuclear Biological Chemical Response Team. He was promoted to his current rank in December 2002.
Following the completion of the Command and Staff course in July 2005, LCol Fleet was posted back to Directorate of Army Doctrine where he was responsible for force protection doctrine and capability development including Engineer Regiment restructure and Counter-IED development. While in Kingston LCol Fleet was deployed to Africa from November 2005 to June 2006 as the Task Force Commander of the CF operation supporting the African Union Mission in Sudan (Darfur) and served as the Strategic Planner for the African Union.
In July 2008 LCol Fleet was posted to Joint Task Force Games as the Deputy Chief of Staff Operations(J3) and coordinated CF support for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. He is currently employed as the Assistant Chief of Staff Plans(J5) of Joint Task Force Pacific in Victoria.
LCol Fleet’s engineer training includes the Advanced Field Operations, Heavy Equipment Officer (USMC), Geotechnical Engineering, and NATO Battalion Commander courses. His CBRN Defence training includes the Senior Officer, US Joint Senior Leader, Advanced Officer, NATO Advanced Officer, Nuclear Emergency Response Management, and Radiation Safety Officer courses. He is a graduate of the Land Command and Staff Course, and the Canadian Forces Command and Staff course during which he obtained a Masters in Defence Studies.
LCol Fleet’s decorations include the United States Meritorious Service Medal, Operational Service Medal (Sudan), Special Service Medal, Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal, Canadian Forces Decoration, and the Chief of Dence Staff Commendation.
LCol Fleet is married to Shirley (nee Brandel). Shirley and Paul will continue to reside in Victoria for the near future.