In 2000, she became the first female pilot to log 5000 hours on the Hercules, and in 2009 was honoured by being added to the 100 names to commemorate 100 years of flight in Canada gracing the side of a CF18 demonstration hornet.
She retired from the military in 2011,[1] was a reservist until 2018 coordinating SAR launches for 424 Squadron, and is now no longer serving.
Over the years she has been posted to several Canadian military bases including St. Albert, Alberta where her daughter was born; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Greenwood, Nova Scotia and others.
She has spent the majority of her years in the military flying the Hercules in SAR missions, searching middle- and Eastern-Ontario for missing persons, boats, or aircraft.
In 2003, she spent 6 months in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, working with Canadian troops deploying in and out of Afghanistan.
2009: Is named as one of the 100 Canadians who have made significant contributions to Canada's aviation history to be painted on the side of the 100 Years Of Flight commemorative CF-18 Hornet.
2018: Wins the Northern Lights Aero Foundation (NLAF) Elsie Pioneer Award[4] 2021: Publishes her first book, Riley and the Road Cones.