Army reserve adopts modernization, commander tells BU audience

By Connor McDowell, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Brandon Sun

The Canadian Armed Forces reserve is on its way to modernizing itself in the face of global uncertainty, a senior officer based of out Winnipeg said at a Brandon University event on Thursday.

The effort to build a larger army reserve force and train it to mobilize is off to a good start, Col. Evelyn Kotzer said during a fireside chat at the university library.

The army’s modernization comes while Canadian leadership sees a changing landscape across the world, she added.

“The reality is, mobilization is on our doorstep and we need to be prepared,” Kotzer said. “We’re building a capacity to be able to mobilize and to be able to answer the call.”

In her session at BU, Kotzer said that change is happening fast and slow in the Canadian Armed Forces.

The army is balancing quick improvements, such as updating army equipment and uniforms, with slower change that will take place over time, such as to increase soldier numbers.

Kotzer is commander of 38 Canadian Brigade Group, an army reserve formation for Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northwestern Ontario, with 1,200 reserve soldiers. She was invited to Brandon University to present an update on how the army reserve is preparing to meet the challenges of an increasingly uncertain future.

A standout change to modernize the military is that the army is building toward full-time contracted reserve soldiers, Kotzer told an audience of roughly two dozen. The military wants to have more soldiers for immediate responses, she said.

“We want to be able to create that capacity within the army reserve. And what is one barrier to sending reservists immediately out the door? It’s the fact that they are part-time,” Kotzer said.

The part-time reservist model means that people have civilian jobs — and as the army looks ahead, it is planning for more reliable and ready forces to draw from, she said.

Chris Hunt, who is teaching a defence policy course at the university, told the Sun that the current state of the world, with increasing instability and war, makes it more important to learn about the army. He said he invited Kotzer for the event to put students in touch with a military official directly involved in the subject matter.

“This is a very, very serious time, and the next generation of Canadian citizens needs to know what is being done to safeguard Canada and Canadian interests,” said Hunt, who served in the Canadian military for 16 years. “I think Canadians don’t know enough about defence, and what the military does on their behalf.”

Hunt said he supported the concept of updated uniforms and equipment as “quick-hit” morale boosters — but he added that there is a lot to do for the Canadian military to bring its assets up to speed, such as war ships.

As the military reorganizes for the future, Kotzer said opportunity has sprung up.

“Right now is an exciting time to be in the Canadian Armed Forces, because we are seeing so much promise, we are seeing a lot of great things coming to us,” Kotzer said. “There is a lot of investment going into defence right now, and we are seeing very exciting equipment.”

The brigade group commanded by Kotzer is headquartered in Winnipeg. It provides soldiers, units or specialists in order to augment the full-time Canadian army in operations.

Soldiers in the group have served in responses to flooding and forest fire emergencies, as well as an operation to contribute security during the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. They have also taken part in international operations in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Latvia and Ukraine.

Kotzer was presented last year with the United States of America Defence Meritorious Service Medal. She earned the medal for her time in Ukraine from July 2024 to February 2025, where she co-ordinated with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and allied partners.