CF patrols Whistler area at Olympics, Paralympics

Whistler, British Columbia — The members of C Company (C Coy), 2nd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (2PPCLI), are on location at Whistler Village during the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The troops patrol out of various base camps situated around the Whistler area, both on foot and with BV-206s and light over-snow vehicles (LOSVs) to help maintain safety at the games. Each patrol of eight to ten soldiers is accompanied by local law enforcement officers, including the RCMP and British Columbia conservation and wildlife officers (COs).

“The conservation officers, they know this area like the back of their hand,” said Sergeant Jeffery Brazeau, C Coy, 2 PPCLI. “If ever in doubt for anything, with the CO in our patrol, it’s really good. There’s a lot of information passed on, a lot of information sharing, like avalanche awareness. They come with a whole “hockey sock” full of information that we love to get.”

C Coy has already been on the ground for several weeks and has been very busy. The C Coy main camp just outside of the Whistler Athletes Village re-supplies troops and dispenses fresh rations once or twice daily, depending on the patrol’s location and needs. The patrols that regularly dispatch from the various patrol bases around the Whistler area are treated to some of Canada’s most beautiful scenery.

While C Coy patrols the area surrounding the Athlete’s Village, B Coy patrols around the Whistler Olympic Park. F Coy, primarily made up of Reservists, patrols the Cypress Bowl just outside of Vancouver.

Article and photos by Sgt Dan Milburn, Army News, Edmonton