1 PPCLI in community spotlight during K Days
August 4, 2022 - Capt Ryan Bartlette, 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Public Affairs Officer
It’s been a while.
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is a reflection of the society we serve, so going out into the community and letting citizens see our military equipment and meet soldiers helps us be good community ambassadors.
For the past two years what the CAF calls COMREL, or community relations, has been on hold.
This summer has marked the return of many of our events in the community, and in Edmonton that means K‑Days.
This year featured a LAV 6 Light Armoured Vehicle display hosted by members of 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (1 PPCLI).
“The kids always want to know if it’s real,” offered a 1 PPCLI soldier while interacting with K-Days goers.
The line‑up was steady since Day 1 of the exhibition.
The other big draw was the C16 Automatic Grenade Launcher System.
“This looks just like the turret on Fortnite!” one child exclaimed as he was able to test out the range of motion of the weapon.
There was always a smile as the weapon was seated in their shoulder, and good photographs were easy to come by for mom and dad behind the camera.
In addition, 1 PPCLI’s sniper cell brought out their C20 Intermediate Sniper Weapon, as well as the C14 Timberwolf Medium Range Sniper Weapons System.
Children had their best “Call of Duty” face on as eye relief came into focus and they were able to zoom in and out, just like their favourite video game.
You might be forgiven if you thought you were seeing double at the small arms table. Corporals Amanda and Jenna Nelson are identical twins from the Loyal Edmonton Regiment.
These siblings were sworn in a month apart, and four years later find themselves working together on Full‑time Summer Employment.
“It’s been great for me, really accommodating,” Amanda said about balancing her Reserve service with her studies. She will be headed back to MacEwan University in the fall to attain her Bachelor of Science in biology.
To round out the display, Naval reservists from HMCS Nonsuch brought a bus with a multimedia display, as well as some dive gear. Talking about submarines and boarding parties is a favourite posed by the public.
Some inquired about the French “Marine” on the bus, equating it with our allies south of the border. Showing exactly what we do have in Canada is part of the job.
As for the soldiers, many welcomed the change of pace from their regular Garrison Edmonton life, and relished the chance to spend it out in the community and see the smiles of young kids as they sit in the driver’s hatch of a LAV 6 for the very first time.
Soon it will be back to business for the soldiers of 1 PPCLI, many of whom will be deployed to Latvia in the fall as part of Operation REASSURANCE.
Caption
Soldiers from 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group display weapons and a LAV 6 Light Armoured Vehicle during the K‑Days Exhibition held in Edmonton, Alta. on July 26.
K‑Days, formerly known as the Edmonton Exhibition, Klondike Days, and the Capital Ex, is an annual 10‑day exhibition held in Edmonton, mostly in late July. In recent years it has attracted between 700,000 and 800,000 visitors per year.
Photo by Robert Schwartz, 3rd Canadian Division Support Base Edmonton Imaging
