FEATURED FELLOW: JOSÉE KURTZ
Josée Kurtz has spent more than 30 years in the Canadian Forces and holds the rank of commodore — but she asks people to just call her Josée. She grew up in Joliette, Que., a small Francophone town northeast of Montreal. In June 2019, she became the first woman to command a standing NATO naval group, involving ships and teams from multiple countries.
On being inspired to join the military
Where I got my fibre for adventure, I’m still trying to figure it out. I always say it’s a bit of a planned fluke. I’d always been attracted to professions in uniform. At some point I wanted to be a bus driver, then a police officer. The next door neighbour’s son joined the military one summer when I was about 10. That’s when I decided I would join the military as well.
On humanitarian missions and the need to ‘pivot’ last minute
When I was second-in-command from 2007 to 2009, the ship deployed to a six-month NATO mission. As we reached the Mediterranean, Canada got a call from the United Nations to help with an escort for food aid off the horn of Africa.
The second mission was in 2010 when I was commanding officer of HMCS Halifax. We were on our way to do a counter-drug interdiction mission and then the earthquake hit Haiti. We were redirected to humanitarian assistance.
Our training gives us that flexibility and agility to change quickly, to adapt our mission and plans and carry on. I think we’re quite good at that in the Canadian military in general. For the sailors, it hits home when you’re going to help people in need.
On the recent NATO mission
Last year, the Canadian Navy was asked, on short notice, to take command of one of the standing NATO maritime groups. My appointment, from June until December, was as commander of NATO standing group 2, which patrols the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. We provided presence and contributions to NATO efforts and exercises. From a Canadian perspective this was very significant, because we hadn’t done that kind of command mission for a number of years.
And from the perspective of our sailors and our ships, Canada’s contribution was a resounding success [Details remain classified. —Ed].
I’m very proud of that. It was extremely energizing.
On achieving many firsts as a woman
I don’t dwell on that and it’s not what drives me. For a great number of years I was trying to suppress that. I just wanted to do my job, to succeed equally alongside all my peers. Having joined when the navy was opening its doors to women, I’ve been among the first to do many things.
Over the years, I’ve grown to understand how important it is for the next generation to see role models. Yes women, but all young Canadians.