Corporal Brendan Downey
Corporal Brendan Downey
Corporal Brendan Anthony Downey, a member of the Canadian Forces Military Police, based in Dundurn, Sask., was a "well-respected, extremely proud and tremendously professional member of the Military Police Branch," said Maj Bob Barrett, commander of the Dundurn detachment.
Cpl Downey was born 26 June 1972 in Montreal, Que. and grew up in Toronto, Ont. He joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2002, motivated to serve by the terrorist attacks of 9/11. His first posting was 4 Wing at Cold Lake, Alta., along with his wife, Cpl Vanessa Downey. He graduated from the military police academy at CFB Borden in 2003.
In 2007, Cpl Downey was posted to 17 Wing Detachment Dundurn. The Saskatoon resident was then sent to a secret Canadian base—Camp Mirage—located in the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf region. Canadian Forces staged airlifts supporting Joint Task Force Afghanistan out of Camp Mirage.
Cpl Dean Boyd, who met Cpl Downey at CFB Borden, said, "I watched Brendan grow into his uniform, mature and become a soldier."
Described as a patriot, a joker and a family man, 36-year-old Cpl Downey was found dead in his quarters 4 July 2008. The Canadian Forces described Cpl Downey's death as a non-combat casualty.
Cpl Downey, a DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) instructor, is survived by his wife, Vanessa, and their two children; his siblings, Jo-Anna, Christopher and Andrew; and his parents, Neil and Angela.