This page is intended to provide space to post retirement messages to acknowledge the contribution of Canadian Armed Forces personnel, both medical and non-medical, to the RCMS and CFHS Group. Messages will remain posted until one week after members Depart with Dignity, or equivalent, event.
COLONEL RODNEY EARL NEEDHAM, CD, HSM
1. AFTER MORE THAN 40 YEARS OF LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE IN THE
CANADIAN ARMED FORCES(CAF), THE CANADIAN FORCES HEALTH SERVICES(CFHS) COLONEL
(COL) RODNEY NEEDHAM WILL RETIRE FROM THE CAF ON 31 MARCH 2025.
2. COL NEEDHAM BEGAN HIS MILITARY CAREER IN 1985 AS A PTE MED A WITH 12
MEDICAL COMPANY IN VANCOUVER, BC. HE WORKED HIS WAY UP THE NCM RANKS AND IN 1996
WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF MWO; IN 1999 HE WAS COMMISSIONED TO THE RANK OF
CAPT.
3. AFTER VARIOUS APPOINTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE UNIT COL NEEDHAM WAS
APPOINTED AS THE COMMANDING OFFICER, 12 (VANCOUVER) FIELD AMBULANCE IN 2008.
WHILE SERVING AS COMMANDING OFFICER HE ALSO DEPLOYED ON OP PODIUM AS THE
DEPUTY COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE HEALTH SERVICES UNIT PROVIDING HEALTH SUPPORT
TO JTF GAMES.
4. AFTER HIS TERM OF COMMANDING OFFICER, COL NEEDHAM SERVED WITH THE
CANADIAN FORCES LIAISON COUNCIL AS A LIAISON OFFICER. IN 2016 COL NEEDHAM
RETURNED TO THE HEALTH SERVICES AND WAS APPOINTED AS THE DEPUTY COMMANDER 1
HEALTH SERVICES GROUP HEADQUARTERS. IN 2019 AFTER HIS TERM AS DEPUTY COMMANDER,
COL NEEDHAM ACCEPTED A POSITION WITH CANADIAN FORCES HEALTH SERVICES
HEADQUARTERS AS SENIOR STAFFING OFFICER, RESERVE ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT.
5. IN 2024 HE WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF COLONEL AND APPOINTED AS
SENIOR ADVISOR, HEALTH SERVICES RESERVE MODERNIZATION.
6. COL NEEDHAM COMPLETED MOST OF HIS CAREER AS A RESERVE FORCE PART-
TIME MEMBER WHILE ALSO WORKING FULL-TIME IN HIS CIVILIAN CAREER AS AN ELEMENTARY
TEACHER UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT FROM THAT POSITION IN 2024. HE HAS ALSO BEEN AN ACTIVE
VOLUNTEER AS A COACH WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF SPORTS (SOCCER, RUGBY, BASKETBALL,
VOLLEYBALL) SINCE 1995 AND IN THE LAST DECADE FOCUSSED ON COACHING AA AND AAA
RINGETTE AT THE PROVINCIAL, CANADA WINTER GAMES AND NATIONAL RINGETTE LEAGUE
LEVEL.
7. COL NEEDHAM WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF HIS
DAUGHTERS, STEPHANIE AND DANIELLE. HE IS EXTREMEMLY PROUD OF THE PEOPLE THEY HAVE
BECOME. MOST IMPORTANTLY, COL NEEDHAM WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE HIS WIFE LEANNE,
WHO HAS SUPPORTED HIM IN ALL HIS ENDEAVORS FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS AND WILL BE HIS
PARTNER IN THIS NEXT CHAPTER OF THEIR LIVES.
8. POST RETIREMENT COL NEEDHAM PLANS ON TRAVELLING THE WORLD WITH HIS
WIFE LEANNE SIX MONTHS A YEAR AND ENJOYING THE ACTIVE WEST COAST LIFESTYLE IN WHITE
ROCK, BC THE OTHER HALF THE YEAR.
9. THOSE WISHING TO SEND ANECODOTES, PICTURES OR NOTES OF
CONGRATULATIONS CAN SEND TO CAPT LUCY FLORENT AT LUCILLE.FLORENT@FORCES.GC.CA