An Acadia alumnus has been appointed Commander, Land Force Doctrine and Training System for the Canadian army.

Major-General Steve Bowes, MSC, MSM, CD (’81) will be responsible for the planning and management of the intellectual development and training of all army personnel. The appointment makes Bowes the third highest ranking officer in the Canadian army. Bowes left his Land Force Atlantic Command this summer to assume his new duties in Kingston, ON.

He brings with him a distinguished service record that has seen him serve in a variety of positions and locations during his career. In his formative years, Bowes did tours in Petawawa, Germany and Moncton with the 8^th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise’s) and also served in Gagetown with the Armour School and later with the 12e Regiment Blinde du Canada in Valcartier as a Squadron Commander.

He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 2000 and took command of the Armour School in 2003. In 2005, Bowes became a Colonel and was subsequently appointed first Commander of the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team. In May 2006 he was appointed Deputy Commander Standing Contingency Force in Halifax and in June 2007 he assumed formation command and was appointed Commander Combat Training Centre Gagetown.

He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General in 2009 and appointed Deputy Chief of Staff Plans and Project for the standup of the new International Security Assistance Force Joint Command Headquarters in Kabul. He returned to Canada in September 2010, assumed command of Land Force Atlantic Area and, simultaneously, Deputy Commander Joint Task Force Atlantic. He was promoted to his current rank and appointed as Commander of the Land Force Doctrine and Training System in June 2011.

Bowes has a BA in History and BA (Honours) in Political Science from Acadia and an MA from Queen’s. He is also a graduate of the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff Course and the Canadian Forces College Command and Staff Course.