In this episode, Major Jessica Ross gives us a glimpse into the Canadian Armed Forces and her life therein - how she joined, how it was to train to get to where she is today, and where she's going. She tells us all about her experience at the Royal Military College of Canada, how the work she did during her master's studies in applied science is bettering the world and Canada, and how Dungeons & Dragons can be applied to team dynamics. Plus, you'll hear just how important hockey is in the military.

(Please excuse any audio hiccups in this remotely recorded interview.)

Guest: Major Jessica Ross (LinkedIn)

Major Jessica Ross was born in Vancouver and graduated from Vancouver Technical Secondary School. She joined the Canadian Army and graduated from the Royal Military College with a degree in Chemical Engineering in 2007.

Trained as a Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineer (RCEME) Officer, her first posting was to Maintenance Company of 2 Service Battalion in Petawawa, Ontario. She was later employed as the Maintenance Officer of the 1^st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, and subsequently deployed to Kuwait on Operation IMPACT as the Operations Officer of the Joint Task Force Support Component from 2014-15.

Posted to Ottawa in 2015, Maj Ross earned a Masters in Applied Science (Chemical Engineering) with a specialization in Science, Society, and Policy. She was the Project Manager of the Chemical Agent Sensors (CAS) project for two years before returning to Petawawa as the Officer Commanding Maintenance Company in 2019.

She deployed to Latvia on Operation REASSURANCE in 2020 as the Officer Commanding Technical Services Company, and will be a student on the Joint Command and Staff Program for the upcoming academic year.

Her hobbies and interests include running, camping, and skiing with her husband Eric and their two children, and anything to do with Star Trek or Dungeons and Dragons. 

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Relevant Links:

• Dungeons and Dragons
• How to Join the Forces
• Major Ross on LinkedIn
• Maria Sibylla Merian
• Operation REASSURANCE
• Royal Military College of Canada
• Think Again (book by Adam Grant)

Hosted by: Vanessa Hennessey
Theme Music: “Positive and Fun” by Scott Holmes
Produced by: Vanessa Hennessey

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