Maj Jeff Lewis runs the Military Competition obstacle course in Riga, Latvia
by Major Lynne Chaloux

Canadian military engineer, reservist, post-doctoral researcher, athlete, musician, hydrogeologist, former member of the Canadian biathlon team, Ironman triathlete, Tae Kwon Do black belt, and the most experienced CIOR competitor in Canadian history.  All of these terms describe Major Jeff Lewis, currently the Canadian Presidency’s Liaison Officer to the Military Competition (MilComp) committee. 

Major Lewis’ career as a MilComp competitor was launched in 2000 when he was recruited from the CISM biathlon team by Captain Pascal Tremblay, who was at the time the coach of the Canadian MilComp team.  Istanbul will be his ninth participation at CIOR, making him the longest-serving Canadian competitor in history.  Major Lewis trains between 8-18 hours a week year-round to maintain his fitness at the level required for the Milcomp. 

Following his first CIOR Military Competition, Major Lewis was hooked on the experience. “The training is excellent, and the adrenaline rush when you finish the obstacle course is hard to describe.  It is also great to be able to compete as a team in what are often individual events,” he says.  “I really think that the MilComp is relevant to deployed operations since it trains and tests warrior skills that soldiers need to master on today’s battlefield -- fitness, teamwork, land navigation, marksmanship, combat first aid, and Law of Armed Conflict,” he added.

Major Lewis’ military career began in 1992 when he entered the Royal Military College in Kingston, where he obtained both his Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering.  He then moved to Quebec City and joined the 35e Régiment de génie militaire (35th Military Engineering Regiment) while he completed his PhD in Earth Science from the Université de Québec.  He currently resides in Umeå, Sweden, where he is completing a post-doctorate in hydrogeology, studying groundwater contamination caused by military activity.