Message from President DONALD HIND

 

A Message from the President of the Airborne Regiment Association of Canada / L’Association du Régiment Aéroporté du Canada (ARAC)

1 April 2016

I feel privileged to return as president of our association.  As the keepers of the heritage of the Canadian Airborne Regiment we continue to search out those 15,000 of us who served the Regiment’s colours in the 28 years that the Regiment was in the order of battle.  Indeed the Regiment was the unit that operated in the airborne role the longest in the Canadian Armed Forces.  To this end, we are looking at inserting a “Where is Trooper Bloggins” feature into future editions of the Maroon Beret.  Let us know what you think of this idea.

As an Association we celebrate our 30th year this year.  Along with our Regiment this association has shared some tumultuous times but, all things considered, good times with good people and good friends.

This summer, on the 11th of June we, in conjunction with our sister organization, CAFA will jointly support 3 PPCLI in rededicating Drop Zone Gorvad at CFB Borden.  The drop zone is dedicated to the memory of US Army Lieutenant Colonel Peter Gorvad who had served as a Major on exchange at the Royal Canadian School of Infantry in Borden in the early 1960’s.  He was killed in Vietnam where he was serving as Battalion Commander.

In August it will be our great pleasure to once again present to new cadet paras, the Army Cadet Basic Para challenge coin which is sponsored by our association and which we started presenting in 2005.  Over 40 cadets qualify for the coin each year.  

Throughout the fall our association attends the annual UN Day memorial in Ottawa and the Remembrance Day ceremony at the National Military Cemetery in the Beechwood.  As per previous years the Airborne will be given the honour of being at the head of the parade. 

In order to work in support of you, the members, we need volunteers to act on the executive.  In particular we are in need of a secretary to spell off Marlene Schmidle and Joe Drouin who have been shouldering the load for the past two decades.

In 2018 we will arrive at the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Regiment.  It isn’t too soon to be

thinking of ideas to celebrate this milestone.  Let us know your thoughts.

We wish you well in the coming year.

Airborne – Prends Garde

Dan Clarke
President

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Presidents of the
Airborne Regiment Association of Canada