Major-General Dave Yarker joined the Canadian Forces in 1989, graduating from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Kingston in 1993. Following completion of graduate studies in 1995, he completed Signals Officer Training and served with 2 Brigade as a Signals Officer in both 427 Tactical Helicopter Squadron and 2 Combat Engineer Regiment.
He has served as the Canadian J6 on deployed operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan. He has also served as a joint communications planner at the Canadian Forces Joint Signal Regiment and Canadian Expeditionary Force Command.
MGen Yarker has had the honour of unit command at both 2 Canadian Mechanised Brigade Group Headquarters and Signals Squadron, the Canadian Forces Network Operations Centre, and the cyber defence unit of the Canadian Armed Forces.
He has been employed as staff in project management, operational planning, and within the Strategic Joint Staff. MGen Yarker was appointed Commander CFIOG on 20 June 2018.
MGen Yarker then served from 2020 to 2022 as Senior Military Advisor Deputy Chief Signals Intelligence at Communications Security Establishment.
Since 13 July 2022, he is appointed as Director General Information Management Operations and Joint Force Cyber Component Commander.
He has completed undergraduate degrees in Engineering Physics and History, and holds master’s degrees in Engineering Physics and Defence Studies.
Major-General Dave Yarker is married and the couple live in Ottawa with their son.