Biography

Terry Kopan was born and raised in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. His involvement with cadets began in 1974, at age 13, when he joined Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps 114 Orkney. He attended summer training at HMCS Quadra twice, spent two months aboard Destroyer Escort HMCS Terra Nova in 1977 and graduated from the cadet program with the rank of Chief Petty Officer First Class in June 1980. Lieutenant-Colonel Kopan subsequently enrolled in the Canadian Forces Cadet Instructors List as an Officer Cadet, serving with RCSCC Orkney as Assistant Training Officer, and receiving his Commission to Acting Sub-Lieutenant on June 1^st, 1981.

In December 1981, he engaged as a Regular Member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and attended training in Regina, Saskatchewan. Posted with the RCMP to Fort St. John, B.C. in 1982, Lieutenant-Colonel Kopan transferred to Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps 2276 Rocky Mountain Rangers, serving in a variety of roles and commanding the Corps from 1987 to 1988. Along with an RCMP posting to Langley, BC in 1988, he transferred to 1922 The Royal Westminster Regiment Army Cadet Corps Abbotsford and served as Training Officer and Deputy Commanding Officer. In 1989, Lieutenant-Colonel Kopan transferred to 1725 Canadian Military Engineers Army Cadet Corps at Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack serving as Administration Officer, Deputy Commanding Officer and Commanding Officer. During this time, he was selected twice as the Officer in Charge of the Canadian Contingent to the United Kingdom Land Forces Cadet Leadership Course held in England.

Promoted to Major in 1996, he was appointed Area Cadet Instructors Cadre Officer (Land) for the Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley, responsible for providing assistance and coaching to the Commanding Officers of 15 Army Cadet Corps. Concurrent with his duties as Area CIC Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Kopan commanded 72 Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Army Cadet Corps Vancouver during 1998/99 and 2812 Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Army Cadet Corps Surrey during the 1999/00 training year. He also served as Liaison Officer to the BC Branch Army of the Cadet League of Canada and as a member of the Cadet Instructors Cadre Regional Advisory Council for Pacific Region.

Lieutenant-Colonel Kopan was the catalyst for influencing national policy changes within the RCMP and the Canadian Forces, which resulted in RCMP Members being permitted to serve concurrently as Canadian Forces Reserve Officers in the Cadet Instructors Cadre Branch.

At Vernon Army Cadet Summer Training Center, Lieutenant-Colonel Kopan has served as the Officer Commanding Foxtrot Company during the summer of 1995 and Deputy Commanding Officer for the summers of 2000 and 2001. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and appointed Commanding Officer in 2002, serving in this role until 2005.

Within the RCMP, Lieutenant-Colonel Kopan has worked in several BC Lower Mainland Communities since being transferred from Fort St. John, primarily in the areas of general duties, traffic and crime prevention. He was commissioned to the rank of Inspector in 2003, as the Executive Officer to the Deputy Commissioner Pacific Region & Commanding Officer “E” Division, and is currently the Officer in Charge of “E” Division Crime Prevention & Program Support Services. He also serves as an Honorary Aide de Camp to the Lieutenant Governor of BC.

Lieutenant-Colonel Kopan was appointed to his current role as Region Advisor (Pacific) Cadet Instructors Cadre Branch Advisory Council, and Chair of the Regional Advisory Council, in September 2006.

Lieutenant-Colonel Kopan has the been awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration with one clasp, the RCMP Long Service Medal with bronze clasp & star and presented with the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal. In 2007, the Governor General appointed him a Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces and, later that same year, an Officer of the Order of Military Merit, a first for a serving CIC officer.

Lieutenant-Colonel Kopan is married to Captain Kathi Kopan, also a CIC Officer currently serving as Commanding Officer of 1725 Royal Canadian Army Cadets, Chilliwack. Their oldest daughter Laura (1984-2002) was a Warrant Officer with 1725. Their son Matthew, age 22, completed the Army Cadet Program as a Chief Warrant Officer with 1725 and their youngest Daughter Sarah, age 15, is a Sergeant with 1725. The Kopan family resides in Abbotsford, B.C.