2025 Canadian Airborne Soldier of the Year Award

The Canadian Airborne Forces Association (CAFA), representing Canada’s Airborne Brotherhood, sponsors the Canadian Airborne Soldier of the Year Award. This award, presented annually, recognizes the Canadian soldier who best demonstrates the attributes expected of the modern Paratrooper.

The purpose of the Award is to foster more permanent links between today’s serving airborne community and those who have served in an active parachuting role in the past. The Presentation of the Soldier of the Year Trophy, kindly donated by the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion Association, serves to honour both those who have gone before and those who continue to represent and carry the spirit of the Airborne Brotherhood into the future.

2025 Nominations and Selection

In 2025, CAFA received Soldier of the Year Nominations from the Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre, 3 RCR, 3 PPCLI and 3 R22R and formed a six-member Selection Committee of CAFA Directors.

The candidates were:

• MCpl Fracassi – CAAWC

• Cpl Jobe – 3 RCR

• Cpl MacLean – 3 PPCLI

• Cplc Dubord – 3 R22R

All were very impressive and any one of them would have been an excellent recipient of the award.

Winner

Cpl Jobe of 3 RCR received the highest combined score due to multiple accomplishments throughout the year, including completing the Patrol Pathfinder Course.

His name will be placed on the trophy that is held at the CAAWC. He also received a plaque and the CAFA Commendation Coin, which were presented at the 3 RCR lines by the Petawawa CAFA Branch President Steve Robinson and Kevin Donovan.

Version française (condensée)

L’Association des Forces aéroportées du Canada (AFAC) décerne chaque année le prix du Soldat aéroporté canadien de l’année, qui reconnaît le soldat canadien incarnant le mieux les qualités du parachutiste moderne.

Le trophée, généreusement offert par l’Association du 1er Bataillon de parachutistes canadiens, honore à la fois ceux qui ont servi avant nous et ceux qui portent aujourd’hui l’esprit de la fraternité aéroportée.

En 2025, des mises en candidature ont été reçues du CISGTAC, du 3 RCR, du 3 PPCLI et du 3 R22eR. Les candidats — le cplc Fracassi (CISGTAC), le cpl Jobe (3 RCR), le cpl MacLean (3 PPCLI) et le cplc Dubord (3 R22eR) — étaient tous très impressionnants.

Le caporal Jobe du 3 RCR a obtenu la meilleure note, notamment grâce à la réussite du cours de patrouilleur-éclaireur. Son nom sera inscrit sur le trophée conservé au CISGTAC. Il a également reçu une plaque et la pièce de commendation de l’AFAC, remises aux lignes du 3 RCR par le président de la branche de Petawawa, Steve Robinson, et Kevin Donovan.