Canadian Ranger develops skills on Patrol Leadership Course

March 31, 2025 - Pte Doug Zdanivsky, Quesnel Canadian Ranger Patrol, 4^th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group

Canadian Ranger (CR) Russ Crooker learned many new skills on the Canadian Ranger Patrol Leadership Course.

The course took place from Jan. 24 to Feb. 2 and was hosted by the 4th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group (4 CRPG) at the Canadian Forces Area Support Unit facility in Chilliwack, B.C. CR Crooker and three other members of Quesnel Canadian Ranger Patrol (CRP) joined 34 other Canadian Rangers on the one‑week course.

The intensive course focused on the administrative and technical aspects of being a Non‑Commissioned Officer for the Canadian Rangers. Course candidates learned about their chain of command, logistics and planning, executing taskings such as recces, and selecting and setting up bivouac sites in the field.

CR Crooker found the course challenging, and was left with a strong appreciation for the amount of work and preparation done behind the scenes by Patrol leadership and 4 CRPG headquarters in Victoria, B.C. He also enjoyed meeting other Canadian Rangers from CRPs across Western and Northern Canada, including as far away as Pond Inlet, Nunavut.

CR Crooker is originally from New Westminster, B.C., and began his service with the Canadian Armed Forces Primary Reserves with the 15^th Field Artillery Regiment in Vancouver, B.C. CR Crooker moved to Quesnel, B.C. in 2020 and joined the volunteer fire department because he wanted to continue serving his community and country. He read an article about the Canadian Rangers in the local newspaper and joined 4 CRPG’s Quesnel Patrol in 2023.

CR Crooker is very proud to serve with the Quesnel Patrol and appreciates the support of his wife and four children in allowing him to take time away to go on patrols, in addition of his full‑time job as a Transit Operator for BC Transit. He looks forward to putting his new skills to work at the next patrol field training exercise this summer.