Miles of Experience 

Profile

Jean Aitken, CGA, doesn't let anything get in the way of her quest for adventure and knowledge.

FROM: MAY-JUN 2003 ISSUE | BY SCOTT ESTES

Jean Aitken, CGA, knew in 1990 that she wanted to see Bosnia (then Yugoslavia). She and her husband Ian had both quit their jobs in Calgary, sold most of their possessions, and were in the midst of a two-and-a-half year travel adventure, exploring Europe in a Volkswagen van. But when they arrived at the Yugoslavian border, a war and corresponding gasoline shortage made it too dangerous to cross. Their trip continued in another direction, but Aitken knew she would be back someday.

It took some time, but she did indeed get back to Bosnia. Aitken is now manager, finance and administration, for ATCO Frontec's Balkans Rationalization Project, based in Bosnia-Herzegovina. She was hired in March 2002 for the project and stationed there in April of the same year. The project's aim is to provide the Canadian military with support services for its peacekeeping efforts while stationed in Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of NATO's Stabilization Force. ATCO's contract, the first non-military contract awarded to provide support services in deployed operations, is valued at approximately $122 million Cdn.

ATCO supports the Canadian military in everything from satellite and ground communications to catering and environmental protection at each of the five peacekeeping camps currently located in Bosnia. These camps house approximately 1,200 Canadian peacekeepers and provide work for a staff of about 400 people, many of whom are local residents.

How did a CGA from Alberta end up on a peacekeeping effort in Bosnia? Aitken got there with an open mind, determination and her ongoing quest for new experiences. "I've always looked at life as one big opportunity to learn in order to satisfy my own curiosity — and I have an insatiable thirst for knowledge," she says.

In addition to the CGA she received in 2000, Aitken has an MBA from Athabasca University, which she received in June 2002, completing her final exams from Bosnia.

Base Life

Aitken's had no shortage of opportunities for learning at Camp Black Bear in Velika Kladusa, located close to the Croatian border, where the administration of the Balkans project resides. The 44-year-old manages all financial aspects of ATCO's contract with the Department of National Defence. This includes overseeing all the usual accounting functions — AP, AR, payroll, GL accounting and reporting — as well as monitoring security clearances and managing those who make travel arrangements, issue service medals and provide translation services. She has a staff of 12; two are Canadian expatriates, 10 are local Bosnians.

Aitken downplays how impressive this sounds: "My job is just like any other financial manager's job," she says. But most financial managers don't monitor security clearances or issue medals. And most don't work on a military base.

The base — "camp VK" as Aitken calls it — is about two kilometres around its perimeter, enclosed by a barbed-wire fence. Just outside is the Balkan countryside, which the well travelled Aitken calls some of the world's most beautiful. "We're surrounded by verdant rolling hills topped with mud and brick houses, corncribs and sheep," she explains.

The camp has all the modern amenities of an office building. It is equipped with a large gym and several satellite TVs, and a mess hall serves as the central socializing area. Still, base life can be isolating. Staff work on a two months on, one month off rotation, and their movement outside the base is restricted.

"It's easy to get trapped at work for long hours, since often there's not much else to do, but I try to keep a good balance by getting out for walks, reading or socializing in the mess," Aitken says. As for the dress code, Aitken laughs, "Everything is green!" But that's only for military personnel; ATCO staff are allowed to dress business casual.

Despite the fact that civilians are greatly outnumbered on the base, Aitken doesn't feel alienated. She explains that, because military personnel rotate in and out every six months, some ATCO staff are more familiar with the environment than they are. And everyone works well together. "They've been really accepting of us here, the rapport is really good," she says. In fact, Aitken says she's made some great friends. "Since we both live and work together, I've come to know my co-workers very well — it's a bit like an extended family," she says. Some locals have even given Bosnian dance and language lessons to help the visitors feel more at home.

Of course, this surrogate family is no substitute for the real thing. Aitken's husband Ian is back in Calgary, and her schedule keeps them apart for long periods. "I used to call four to five times a week, but every time I heard his voice, it reminded me of how far away he was," she says. Now she relies more on e-mail. "We can keep up-to-date without rubbing it [the absence] in each other's face." During her month off, Aitken will either travel back home to Calgary or meet Ian at some other location. They recently met in Zagreb, rented a car and spent a month touring Croatia together.

Risk and Reward

An avid explorer, Aitken has taken full advantage of her surroundings. She'll often take a three-hour walk through the countryside to visit a nearby castle, delighting in the horse-drawn carts and field workers she sees along the way. "It's amazing what a fresh perspective you can get just by getting out for the day," she says.

Aside from Zagreb, she's also visited a natural spa in Slovenia, the National Park of Plitvicka Lakes in Croatia, the old city of Dubrovnik and the Croatian coastline near Pula.

But Aitken's experience in Bosnia isn't only a travelogue. There is a serious side to the environment there — and a very real potential danger. Along with the beautiful countryside, she also sees empty houses marked by bullet holes and crumbling debris, the residual effects of protracted war. And what she doesn't see can be deadly, as there are countless unexploded and unmarked mines in the area. "Because it's so beautiful, it's easy to forget the dangers that exist," she says. Hostility between the Croat, Serb and Muslim communities is still high, and although there is no imminent threat, some locals believe it's only the presence of the peacekeepers that prevents further fighting.

On the base itself, there is a constant "alert state." Aitken says that since her arrival, the alert state has remained at a medium level. Periodically, there will be drills for a high alert situation. "We put on fragmentation vests, helmets and gas masks — if there were a real threat, that is how we would continue to work," she explains. Often staff are not allowed to leave camp without an armed military escort. And they are required to attend mine awareness training sessions every few months. For Aitken, disaster recovery planning must include the question: What happens if we're attacked? "I do find it disconcerting at times," she admits.

But Aitken says she was well prepared for all of this before she arrived in Bosnia. "I was very well informed about the situation and the environment," she says. "I really sat down and thought about everything." She also credits ATCO with preparing her well. "When I got here, it was better than it had been described to me, so I didn't feel so bad," she laughs.

What makes Aitken willing to accept such a high level of risk? Her answer is straightforward. "I was looking for meaningful work that coincided with my love of adventure and new challenges," she says. While she acknowledges the typical perception that accounting is humdrum, she doesn't accept it. "I knew it didn't have to be that way," she says.

Aitken, as you may have guessed, doesn't like routine. "Once I'm comfortable at doing something, it's time to push myself to do something else," she says. She enjoys the fact that there is no such thing as a typical day in her job. Base rules can change with little warning, depending on what military rotation is in place.

Jumping Feet First

As challenging as her job sounds, nowhere is Aitken's love of adventure more apparent than in her life outside of work. She has been a skydiving enthusiast since her first jump in 1988, where she met her husband Ian, then a skydiving instructor. "I did four jumps that day; the adrenalin [rush] lasted two weeks!" she says.

And she's hardly slowed down since. Aitken says she's completed more than 1,500 jumps in total, averaging about 100 a year. "At first, it's the thrill of something new," she says, explaining the sport's appeal. "But after a while, you learn there is skill and training involved and you can continually challenge yourself."

While the memorable jumps — performed in numerous countries around the globe — are too many to mention, the obvious standout is Aitken's participation in the women's world record set in 1999 in Perris Valley, California. That jump involved 118 women in formation and took nearly a year to organize. The record was broken in 2002 with 131 women, but Aitken couldn't be there because of her schedule in Bosnia.

Skydiving continues to be a passion, though, for both Aitken and her husband. During her month off in February, they travelled to Ecuador, where 25 to 30 jumps were planned.

No Limits

What's next for this high-flying, travel-loving CGA? The Bosnian project is currently slated to finish in September 2003. Beyond that, Aitken says there's still much to discover. She would like to continue to work with international projects in some capacity, and Kenya and Australia are high on her list of travel destinations. "It's funny, I thought maybe I'd get bored of travel eventually, but it's just the opposite; every time I go somewhere, it piques my interest to go to new places," she says.

And there's no reason to think she won't accomplish her new goals. Clearly, when she sets her mind to something, Aitken intends on doing it. In explaining her winning attitude, she describes a framed card she keeps on her desk, given to her at her CGA graduation. The card reads: "Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it." It's a message Aitken takes to heart. "It reminds me that every contribution counts," she says, "and that we can only be limited in what we do by our imaginations."

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Scott Estes is a Vancouver-based writer and editor.