Phil Badanai was born in Thunder Bay ON and joined the Canadian Armed Forces right after high school at the age of 18. Phil spent a busy but short time with The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment and spent 3 months
training with the Prince Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry at CFB Wainwright Alberta. Phil then went to the
regular force and he served for 16 years in total. In his first ten years he served with The Royal Canadian Regiment.

 

In 1994 he deployed with the First Battalion the Royal Canadian Regiment on a UNPROFOR, United Nations Protect Force peacekeeping mission to Croatia. During this tour on Dec 31 1994, a shooting incident occurred on where Phil earned himself The Canadian Peacekeeper of the Year, Special Service Force Soldier of the Year, an American Freedom Award, and received the Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada. The Iltis jeep that Phil was driving that night is on display in the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa Ontario.

 

Phil was posted to the Third Battalion Royal Canadian Regiment where he spent some time instructing
at the Land Forces Training Centre in Meaford Ontario and deployed on further peace keeping and humanitarian missions with such as the Ice Storm in 1997, NATIO peacekeeping mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1998 and again in 2001. In 2002 Phil left the infantry and became a military Firefighter.

 

Phil completed his Firefighter training at CFB Borden Ontario at the Canadian Forces Fire Academy and was posted to CFB Cold Lake Alberta and served there for two years before being posted to CFB Trenton Ontario. He served for another four years before retiring from the military.

 

Upon retirement from the Canadian armed forces Phil took on a teaching position at the Canadian Forces Fire Academy at CFB Borden Ontario as a civilian instructor. Phil was later hired as a
firefighter and fire safety inspector with Bombardier Aerospace at Downsview airport in Toronto, Ontario.

Phil competed in the Invictus Games Toronto in 2017 and was nominated as the flag barrier for team Canada at the opening ceremonies. He does public speaking about PTSD, supports charity organizations such as Renos For Heroes, and True Patriot Love. He is also an ambassador for organizations such as Cannaconnect and Team TK.

 

Phil is also actively involved with Team Rubicon Canada Disaster Response and is on the South Western Ontario’s management Team.