From Lobsterfest to his own CoC parade which eventually was moved indoors following outdoor rehearsals because of rain, BComd LCol Stephen Joudrey enjoyed his two-year stint at CFB Shilo. He also participated in a Canoe River memorial service held at the park adjacent to CANEX. Photos Jules Xavier/Shilo Stag

Jules Xavier
Shilo Stag  

There will be no more posting seasons for former BComd LCol Stephen Joudrey.

Currently on IR as COS with 5 Cdn Div out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, LCol Joudrey announced his retirement from CAF, and will remain on the East coast.

The Alberta capital was where LCol Joudrey headed after handing over the reigns of CFB Shilo to incoming BCom LCol John Cochrane after he served from 2013 to 2015.

It was the second time in his military career, where LCol Joudrey experienced a CFB Shilo posting season after he headed west following his 2015 CoC ceremony.

He told the Shilo Stag he lamented leaving this Base, and the team of soldiers and civilians who made it run.

“As I leave Shilo for the second and last time, I will not forget the feeling of community that exists here,” he offered. “That is what makes this place special and is one of the reasons why leaving is not easy.”

LCol Joudrey learned a lot about himself as BComd, and those he commanded during his two-year term working out of his suite at headquarters.

“I always believed I have been blessed to have spent most of my career in an infantry battalion, or in a training school … in the field, and on operations,” he said. “I came to Base Shilo with what I thought was an understanding of what its leaders, managers, supervisors, soldiers and civilians were expected to do in providing support to other units so that they could carry out their tasks.

“Over these two years, I have come to realize I did not truly appreciate what the civilian and military members of CFB Shilo do in order to ensure that the units they support have what they need to do ‘their business.'”

He added, “I came to realize that I was not ‘wired’ like that! I came to realize that what these soldiers, the ones you see before you on parade today and the civilians and soldiers that are sitting here amongst us, are asked to do is nothing short of amazing. As I am speaking, our people are on shifts in the kitchens, maintaining health and safety systems, providing clean water and treatment functions for the entire community, monitoring security systems, on standby in emergency services are required, providing direct support for this and a number of other activities taking place here and across the province right now. They were doing it when the Base RSM and I delivered them dinners on Christmas Day. I guess what I did not truly appreciate was the level of commitment and degree of dedication that their jobs demand.”

What’s next for LCol Joudrey when he turns in his CADPAT to 5 Cdn Div Base Supply at CFB Halifax on his final day Oct. 28 in the CAF?

“Our house is in the final stages of completion and we should be moving in by early December,” he offered. “We purchased an acre on a lake in the Annapolis Valley and we are almost there.

“Penny will be moving here from Calgary at the end of November and will continue working into the New Year. I cannot see myself fully retired, but so no plan on stepping back into the workforce until spring/summer next year.”

He added, “I want to take a pause after doing this ‘Army stuff’ for more than 39 years and before I jump into the next thing. Additionally, a new house on an undeveloped lakefront lot will certainly keep me busy.”

LCol Joudrey admitted it was not a tough decision to retire after serving his country a year shy of four decades.

“It is time and I am leaving quite content and feel privileged to have worked with so many great people. There has never been a day when I did not want to come to work.”

Born in Digby, Nova Scotia in 1964, LCol Joudrey is no stranger to life in the military. His father was an officer in the Black Watch, so he saw much of Canada with his father’s postings.

He joined the Canadian Forces (CF) in 1983 and attended Royal Roads Military College in Victoria, BC. Four years later, he graduated from RMC in Kingston, Ont. LCol Joudrey was then posted to 1PPCLI in Calgary, Alberta. His three years with 1PPCLI were spent commanding mechanized rifle and combat support platoons both in Canada and on NATO exercises overseas.

From 1990 to 1993, LCol Joudrey was the Regular Support Staff Officer for the Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment in Pembroke, Ont. From ’93 to ’96, he then served as rifle company second-in-command, the Battalion training officer and the officer commanding training company with 2PPCLI when it was based in Winnipeg. From ’96 to 2000, LCol Joudrey served as a staff officer in Land Forces Central Area headquarters in Toronto.

He was back on the road again in 2000, this time landing back at 2PPCLI. During the next four years with the Second Battalion, he served as adjutant, operations officer and a rifle company commander. As a major, LCol Joudrey was posted to CFB Shilo as Chief of Staff (COS). In the summer of 2005, he returned to 2PPCLI as the DCO (Deputy Commanding Officer) and began his fourth Regimental tour.

He has deployed overseas to Norway in 1990, Croatia in 1993 and Bosnia in 2000. He also did a stint with 2PPCLI to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2008. LCol Joudrey has also experienced domestic operations, including commanding his company in fighting forest fires in the summer of 2003.

After returning from Afghanistan, he was posted to the Infantry School in Gagetown, New Brunswick as the chief instructor. He was promoted to his current rank in August 2010, and then posted to 3 ASG headquarters as the Commanding Officer of the administrative branch. For the past year he has been the Chief of Staff (COS) and Deputy Base Comd at CFB Gagetown.

On this Base, LCol cited an incident from springtime, when the roof was blown off Base Transport’s building as example of the dedication of both soldiers and civilians when it came to getting things done without having to be told.

”Naturally, it was a Sunday,” he recalled. “Without direction from me or an order telling anyone to react, military and civilian personnel from that organization, from Base CE, from Shilo Emergency Services and the MP Detachment were all on the scene — doing their jobs and much, much more. Doing it without fail. Not seeking recognition. Doing it extremely well. I have seen these same traits in the people who work in every section on this Base.”

Acknowledging CoC parades often focus on the outgoing Base Commander, LCol Joudrey was left inspired by many he came in contact with at CFB Shilo:

• “I have been inspired by how the members of organizations like the Shilo Service Club, the units on the Base, the chaplains, the students and staff of O’Kelly School and Ecole La Source, families and individuals have raised money and goods for others in and around the region.”

• “I am also inspired by the memory of three friends of this community that have been lost during my time here: Dave Lucas, Peter Ewasiuk and Fred Dujardins. Each one of these gentlemen played key roles in our community, and we are better off now because they were with us.”

He cited what his wife and kids provided him which allowed him to be more effective at his job with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).

“[I am] a better calibre of person because of the strength I draw from my wife, and the pride I draw from the accomplishments of our son and our daughter. I am nothing without you three, and I want to thank you for your unwavering support that allowed me to dedicate myself fully to this post.”

Prior to his arrival at CFB Shilo in the summer of 2013, LCol Joudrey participated in a Q&A with the Shilo Stag about his return to CFB Shilo, telling us what he considers his role as the new BComd, plus looking at the challenges of the job LCol Goodyear just relinquished after two years at the helm.

Stag: Why did you pursue a career with the CF? What was your influence in choosing the army?

Stephen Joudrey (SJ): “My father was a career infantry officer and [from what I knew as a teenager] it was a life that had a certain appeal for me. My father always spoke positively of his years of service and I embraced the ‘war stories’ and the tales of leading soldiers. When the recruiting staff showed up in my high school in the Annapolis Valley, I asked a few questions and liked what I heard. Thirty years later, here I am.”

S: What were your thoughts when you were informed you had been appointed BComd of CFB Shilo?

SJ: “My wife [Penny] and I really enjoyed our previous time in Shilo. When I found out last fall that I would be returning to Shilo as the Base Commander, my first two thoughts were: what an exceptional privilege to command CFB Shilo; and Penny and I are returning to place that holds fond memories for us.”   

S: Having already had a posting to CFB Shilo, what are you looking forward to upon your return to the middle of Canada? What will you miss about your stint at CFB Gagetown?

SJ: “There is a great degree of comfort in returning to places that are familiar and welcoming. That is what Western Manitoba is for our family. We are looking forward to reconnecting with the friends we still have in the area and the opportunity to be part of one of our favourite communities. As Maritimers, we have really enjoyed our time in Gagetown and have [almost] had our fill of quality seafood. We are looking forward to returning to Manitoba and enjoying proper rye bread.”

S: How has your military career prepared you for the role of BComd?

SJ: “The experiences and knowledge gained from my time as a staff officer and CO at CFB Gagetown, coupled with my previous experience as the COS in Shilo, have certainly provided me with an understanding of what is expected of me as the Base Commander. These experiences have also provided me with a solid understanding of the issues within Bases and those confronting the Army now and in the future. Additionally, I believe my considerable amount of operational unit experience offers me insight into the services the Base must provide to the supported units in Shilo.”

S: What will be your approach/style when it comes to running the Base and all that comes with it?

SJ: “I very much believe in allowing subordinate leaders and supervisors to do the job expected of them. I will provide the direction as required and allocate the resources as available to enable them to complete their respective missions to the highest level possible. It is my belief that this is the best way for the Base to work its way through the challenges that will continue to confront us over the next few years.”

S: Describe your personality when it comes to soldiering, and when you are away from the job relaxing with friends and family?

SJ: “I believe I am the same person whether I am at work and dealing with staff, subordinate leaders, supervisors and soldiers, or at home with my family. I place great stock in maintaining my sense of humour and believe it an essential part of my particular approach to establishing and maintaining relationships with co-workers and family. This has served me well in the past during periods of significant stress on combat operations, working as part of Base and unit staffs, and on ‘relaxing’ family vacations when our kids were [much] younger.”

S: What makes a good commander when it comes to dealing with the day-to-day operations of CFB Shilo?

SJ: “Another key element of my approach to this command will be ensuring I maintain a proper balance between work and leisure. Any leader who is blessed enough to be selected for unit command, should want to work as hard as he or she can to be the best commander during their time ‘in the chair.’ Regrettably, that can also add pressure to the staff, leaders and supervisors to keep pace. My personal focus will be ensuring that while I lead from the front, I do not ‘sprint ahead of the pack’ because of the enthusiasm that comes with the position as Base Commander.”

LCol Joudrey will enjoy his retirement for now, after settling into a routine once he’s back home with family in Calgary.