Retirement – Lieutenant-Colonel Jackie L. Janzen – 00341 SIGS
After 28 years of service, Lieutenant-Colonel Jackie Janzen retired from the Canadian Armed Forces on 15 July 2025.
Lieutenant-Colonel Jackie Janzen began her military career on 30 May 1997, when she joined the Communication Reserve, 735 (Winnipeg) Communication Regiment as a Radio Teletype Operator while pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Manitoba.
Over the next three years, she completed her training as a Radio Teletype Operator during the summers and served as a detachment operator and commander with the Regiment during the school years. During Operation ABACUS in 1999, then-Corporal Bomhoff was employed as the Detachment Commander for MB Coy 2.
In 2000, her application for commissioning as a CELE Officer was approved. As an officer, she held a wide range of appointments across the Canadian Army Reserve, including Troop Commander, Recruiting Officer with the 73/74 Communication Group, and G5 and G6 for 38 Canadian Brigade Group HQ.
A true career highlight came in 2017 when Lieutenant-Colonel Janzen assumed command of 38 Signal Regiment — the very unit in which she first enrolled. Serving as Commanding Officer from 2017 to 2020 was both an extraordinary honour and a full-circle moment in her career.
After completing the Joint Command and Staff Programme in 2022, she was appointed Commandant of the 38 Canadian Brigade Group Battle School. This role proved to be one of the most rewarding and joyful of her career — shaping soldiers, building teams, and seeing the next generation of leaders develop.
Lieutenant-Colonel Janzen deployed on two operational tours: Operation BOREAS in Bosnia-Herzegovina (2004–2005) as the Multinational Task Force G6 Projects Officer, and Operation ATHENA in Kandahar, Afghanistan (2009–2010) as the Provincial Reconstruction Team Senior Duty Officer.
Throughout her career, Jackie has been deeply thankful to the soldiers, NCOs, officers, and civilian staff with whom she has served. It has been an honour and a privilege to work alongside so many dedicated and talented people.
Lieutenant-Colonel Janzen is married to Stratton, who deserves a medal for keeping up with her whirlwind life. They have three lively children — Madeline, Elizabeth, and Carter — who ensure there’s never a dull moment at home. In retirement, Jackie intends to serve more in her church and grow more vegetables than her family can possibly eat.
A Depart with Dignity will be held at the Minto Garrison Senior Ranks Mess on 4 October 2025 at 1600hrs. Please RSVP for the DWD and send any congratulatory messages, pictures, and amusing anecdotes to Chief Warrant Officer Peter Nordstrom at Peter.Nordstrom@forces.gc.ca.
