Megan McKenzie, a proud resident of Cochrane and a retired Canadian Forces veteran, reflects on her unique and inspiring career that spanned 27 years, including a final two-year stint advising senior leaders during the global pandemic.
McKenzie’s military journey began in the naval reserves, where she initially served as a naval officer. However, after discovering she was chronically seasick, she transferred to the regular force, where her career took an unexpected and fascinating turn. She joined the health services in a niche role called Bioscience, specializing in chemical and biological defense and medical intelligence.
“I had a very nontraditional career in the forces,” McKenzie reflects. “The last 20 years were full-time service, primarily focused on chemical and biological defense, and later on medical intelligence.”
McKenzie’s work took her to Suffield, one of Canada’s key defense research establishments, where she honed her expertise in this highly specialized field.
Throughout her career, McKenzie earned two master’s degrees, one in Public Health and the other in Disaster and Emergency Management. These qualifications, along with her experience, positioned her perfectly for her final assignment: leading a small team analyzing the spread of COVID-19 and advising senior Department of Defense leaders on the pandemic’s global impact.
"I’m just so proud to have served," McKenzie says. "It was a very exciting final couple of years in the forces. My small team and I looked at how the pandemic started, how it spread, and advised on what could be done."
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Mckenzie was honoured last year by Governor General Mary Simon when she received the Meritorious Service Medal.
"It's one of the highest honours bestowed on a serving member."
Now retired, McKenzie and her husband—also a veteran—have made Cochrane their home. Despite her extensive career, McKenzie found new purpose in a vastly different field: yoga. A former competitive golfer who played for the military and competed in world games in Korea and China, McKenzie combined her love for yoga and golf to launch her business, Par72 Yoga.
“I was a competitive golfer for many years, and I played for the military. Yoga and golf are my two passions, and I thought, what a great way to kick off my retirement by combining them.”
Today, McKenzie teaches yoga classes, both traditional and golf-centric, in Cochrane. “The clientele at Spray Lakes are so warm and welcoming,” she shares. “It’s made the transition from military life so much easier.”
McKenzie is also an active participant in the community, especially during Veterans’ Week and Remembrance Day. She believes in the importance of educating younger generations about the sacrifices of veterans.
“I’ll be speaking at the Bow Valley High School remembrance ceremony on Friday,” she says. “It’s important for young people to understand how fortunate we are in Canada. We live in a country that is safe because of the sacrifices of those who came before us.”