Paratroopers story in Western Sentinel

My coverage of paratroopers with Third Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (3 PPCLI) was published in the current edition of the Western Sentinel military newspaper. This is very rewarding, especially since I was the editor/ photojournalist of the Sentinel from 2008 to 2013, and had the privilege of covering numerous military events across Western Canada.

My story featured in the January 21 edition is about 3 PPCLI paratroopers jumping into CFB Wainwright last December.  I made a 4-minute video that you can view by clicking this link l and also posted photos on my gallery.   The purpose of that exercise was to capture a bridge held by simulated enemy forces while also preparing for arctic training conditions.

Early this morning, those same paratroopers flew on three Hercules aircraft from Edmonton to Resolute Bay, Nunavut. They are participating in Exercise Arctic Ram, a large-scale activity involving about 2,500 troops, local Inuit residents and members of the Canadian Rangers.

The training mission scenario is to recover a mock satellite that crashed near Resolute Bay. The overall objective is to train soldiers in Arctic survival and navigation in a barren area where there are no trees or other natural shelter.  One of the challenges includes the weather that can plunge to -50°C with the wind chill – not to mention occasional whiteout conditions.

Arctic Ram takes place from Feb. 12 to 20, and is part of Canada’s Arctic sovereignty plan so the military is ready if called upon for emergency response in the far north.