Posted by mike from Canada on April 25, 2021 at 22:58:30:
My best memories involve serving with the PPCLI. That is, with the troops. Contrary to all one might think, three tours with them has shown me how incredibly professional and diciplined they are. Despite being rough around the edges, they would go out of their way to help needy people. Like hiking firewood up a hillside to an isolated old lady in Bosnia. Or getting the wife to send clothes and toys for the poor kids. No army public relations effort. Just good guys with a big heart under the tough exterior helping people. I've watched the [belligerents] try to create an incident, assaulting a patrol to make them fight back for the camera standing by. No go. Their coolness under that prolonged assault and isolation from help made the locals totally respect the Cdn troops from then on. At other times (on a hairy tour) when the bullets flew you guys wasted no time taking down the [belligerents]. I was proud as hell. I am proud as hell. You probably take it all for granted yourselves since you live it every day. Don't. You work like dogs but not without a big heart and mounds of courage. You're heroes in my book. Thanks for the good memories and keep your head down along the wire.