12e Régiment blindé du Canada
www.forces.gc.ca
Lieutenant-Colonel Stéphan LeBlanc is a native of Pointe-aux-Trembles, Montreal. From 1983 to 1988, he studied at the Royal Military College of Canada in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, where he completed a Bachelor’s degree in administration and was commissioned as an armour officer. Following his initial training, he was transferred to 12e Régiment blindé du Canada (12 RBC) at Valcartier.
He served as a lieutenant between 1988 and 1990, leading a Cougar vehicle troop and serving as Squadron Liaison Officer before being transferred as an exchange officer to the French 8e Régiment de Hussards stationed in Alsace, eastern France. There, he served as platoon leader, then, following his promotion to captain, as deputy commander of an AMX 10RC reconnaissance vehicle squadron. In 1992, he returned to Canada and served at the Armour School in Gagetown, first as a staff officer, then as a troop leader and a course officer. In 1995, he was transferred again, this time to 12 RBC as the B Squadron Battle Captain for Leopard tanks. He then served with the 12 RBC Reconnaissance Squadron in Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of the Implementation Force (IFOR) from July 1996 to January 1997, as Squadron Administrative Officer and as Deputy Commander of Camp Maple Leaf. Upon his return, he was transferred to 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (5 CMBG) Headquarters. During this time, he participated in Operation Recuperation (during the ice storm), installed an electronic target system on the Valcartier battle run, and acted for three years as G3 Resources and G3 Staff. He returned to the regiment in 2000 as Adjutant, then took command of the Headquarters Squadron in spring 2001.
Lieutenant-Colonel LeBlanc was promoted to major in December 2001 and transferred to Land Force Quebec Area (LFQA) Headquarters as a staff officer in spring 2002. After starting as G1 Services, he returned to operations as G3 Area Resources for two more years, serving as acting G3 for three months before returning to 12 RBC in 2005 as Deputy Commanding Officer of the regiment. In winter 2006, he was named chief of staff and tasked with establishing the National Command Element (NCE) of TF 4-06 in preparation for deployment. TF 4-06 was never deployed, but Lieutenant-Colonel LeBlanc temporarily took command of the regiment at the time of the Commanding Officer’s deployment in June 2006.
He led the regiment for almost a year while supervising the training of A and D Squadrons in preparation for their deployment in Afghanistan, then spent the following year at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto completing the Canadian Forces Joint Command and Staff Programme. In summer 2008, he was transferred to Expeditionary Forces Command (CEFCOM) Headquarters in Ottawa and promoted to acting lieutenant-colonel in order to perform J7 duties—monitoring mission preparation. He retired from the CF in March 2009 to pursue a second career as a consultant.
In summer 2010, he joined the Army Primary Reserve, initially as Acting Commanding Officer of 12 RBC (M), and then as Commanding Officer. Lieutenant-Colonel LeBlanc holds a master’s degree in Defence Studies from the Royal Military College of Canada.
