Retention Panel:CF Health Services & the Primary Reserve

Colonel Stevens joined the Canadian Forces in 1985 as a Direct Entry Nursing Officer. In May, 2008 Col Stevens was promoted to her present rank and appointed Reserve Advisor to the Director General Health Services at CF H Svcs Gp HQ in Ottawa. Col Stevens also serves as Director, Health Services Reserves. Colonel Stevens has held a number of staff and command positions, both within the regular and reserve components of the Canadian Forces, serving initially as a staff nurse at the hospital in Kingston and subsequently as Head Nurse on the surgical floor at NDMC in Ottawa. She was also a platoon commander at the Canadian Forces Officer Candidate School in Chilliwack, BC. This was followed by a posting to 2 Fd Ambulance in Petawawa as the Medical Company 2i/c. In 1991 Col Stevens deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of the Advance Surgical Team of 1 Canadian Field Hospital. In 1994 Col Stevens transferred to the Reserve Force and became a member of 11 Victoria Field Ambulance where she held a number of positions ranging from Training Officer, Deputy Commanding Officer to Acting Commanding Officer. While working with 11 Fd Amb, Col Stevens accepted a four-year Class "C" contract as a Military Career Counsellor and then as the Detachment Commander of the Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Detachment Victoria. In May 2000, Col Stevens was invited to join the Reserve Working Group of the Health Services Renewal Project (Rx 2000) as the Reserve Recruiting and Training Officer. She worked on a number of initiatives including the centralization of all H Svcs Reserve training at CFMSS/CFDSS, writing the Reserve Medical Technician Scope Of Practise and aligning Reserve training with the Regular Force. Col Stevens also developed the Total Force Health Services Basic Officer Training Course and was appointed Course Director for the first three serials. In 2006, Col Stevens was appointed Commanding Officer of the HS Svcs Primary Reserve List. Col Stevens is a member of the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia and a graduate of the Joint Reserve Command and Staff Course.