Lieutenant-Colonel Ron Alkema (Ret) enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces as an Infantry Private in 1980, and has served as a member of Royal Canadian Regiment and the 48th Highlanders of Canada.

He was promoted through the NCO ranks and ultimately appointed as the Regimental Sergeant Major of the 48th Highlanders in 2002. He was commissioned as an officer in the rank of Captain in 2007, and was promoted to Major in 2011. He was simultaneously promoted to the rank of LCol, and appointed Commanding Officer of the 48th Highlanders, in 2018.

In addition to his long service, extensive military education, depth of knowledge and practical experience, LCol Alkema has a wealth of operational experience, having deployed to Germany in 1982 as Cpl; to Cyprus in 1985 as a MCpl and again in 1993 as a WO. He deployed to Sierra Leone in 2006 as a CWO and Afghanistan in 2009 as a Captain. He was deployed on domestic operations in 1994 as a Master Warrant Officer and again in 2015 as a Major. In 2019 LCol Alkema commanded the 32 CBG Collective Training Event in Fort Drum NY.

LCol Alkema was awarded the Chief of Defense Staff Commendation for his work as a military advisor to the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, specifically for revising the training and operational rotation for 3 Bde, which was subsequently adopted by the entire RSLAF.

LCol Alkema was the first member in the 130-year history of the 48th Highlanders of Canada to be appointed both Regimental Sergeant Major and Commanding Officer. He retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in 2022 after completing 42 and half years of service.