Sergeant (Retired) Jessica Miller served 22 years in the Canadian Armed Forces as a medical technician, including operational deployments to Afghanistan. Her transition from military service to civilian life became not simply a personal adjustment but the start of a new mission: addressing the systemic invisibility of women veterans, especially those impacted by military sexual trauma.
Following her medical release in 2018, Miller founded the Veteran Farm Project Society in rural Nova Scotia. Each farming season roughly 150 women, veterans and spouses, participate in programming that, since inception, has provided tangible supports to approximately 900 veterans and 300 family members.
A central component of the farm project is the “We Care” food-support program, addressing food insecurity — an often-overlooked challenge among veterans in transition. By integrating practical assistance with peer support, Miller sought to restore dignity alongside stability, emphasizing that well-being depends on both community and basic needs. The initiative emphasizes connection, shared experience, and purpose rather than diagnosis, creating an environment where recovery develops through trust and meaningful activity.
Miller’s military experience shaped this unique approach. As a medic, she observed both the strength of military cohesion and the difficulties many faced once separated from it. She also recognized that women frequently encountered additional barriers to recognition and care. Her advice reflects that perspective: resilience should never require silence, and seeking support should not be mistaken for weakness.
In 2021 she established the Sub-Lieutenant Abigail Cowbrough Garden for Joy as part of the larger Honouring Garden, now registered as a national military memorial. The project ensures women’s service and sacrifice are visibly represented within Canada’s commemorative landscape.
Miller has also become a national advocate, testifying before parliamentary committees on transition, gender-specific service gaps, and the impact of military sexual trauma, including in-person testimony to the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs study on women veterans that produced Invisible No More. The Experiences of Canadian Women Veterans. She served as a founding member of Veterans Affairs Canada’s Women Veterans Council, advising on policy and program development.
She describes the most rewarding part of service as knowing her work directly affects people’s lives — a motivation that continues beyond uniformed service.
Looking ahead, Miller continues expanding the Veteran Farm Project while advocating for sustainable support structures for veterans and their families. Her focus remains practical: build community, remove barriers, and ensure no veteran feels isolated after release.
Miller was nominated by Captain (Navy) (Retired) Andrea Siew, Esprit de Corps Women in Defence Award recipient (2022)
