Warrant Officer A.E. Balfour
Strathcona Mounted Troop Warrant Officer
Ayrton Balfour joined the Canadian Forces out of high school in 2006. Following his BMQ and DP1, he was posted to LdSH(RC) in the summer of 2007 for a short duration in HQ Squadron. That fall, Trooper Balfour was loaded onto a Leopard 105 gunner’s course with many friends from his DP1.
Trooper Balfour was deployed to Afghanistan as a Gunner in 3rd Tp A Sqn during Task Force 3-08 in September 2008. Upon his return, he was transferred to 60, as a rifleman, and deployed domestically to the 2010 Winter games in Vancouver on Operation Podium.
In the spring of 2010, Corporal Balfour served as the Gunner for the C Sqn Battle Captain, where he was able to assist the performance of fellow Gunners within the Squadron. That fall, Corporal Balfour volunteered to join the Mounted Troop and tend to other steeds that the Strathconas are so uniquely able to provide their soldiers.
After three years in SMT, Corporal Balfour was ready to continue his career with tanks and redeployed to the Regiment as a loader in B Squadron. Thus operating as an Armoured Soldier in all three Sabre Squadrons of LdSH(RC).
In 2015, Master Corporal Balfour passed his ACC – Tank and was assigned the position of 23C. After Maple Resolve 2016, MCpl Balfour returned to HQ Sqn as the TQ 2IC and completed his Defence Security Certificate. He then moved on to his initial Tank Sqn, A Sqn to serve his Bravo time.
Sgt Balfour was offered the unique position and posting as a Ranger Instructor in Yellowknife, NWT during the 2019 Annual Posting Season. He was extremely pleased to maintain sovereignty and coach/mentor the Rangers in the North for three years. While there, Sgt Balfour was able to participate on a real-life Search and Rescue for French Expeditioners in the high Arctic outside of Naujaat, NU. He also participated in some very rare hunting and fishing opportunities.
Sgt Balfour returned to the Regiment from up North July 2022, where he was immediately promoted to WO and then deployed to Latvia as the eFP BG ISR Platoon WO with 1 PPCLI. Officially rounding off his skills as a full capacity Armoured Soldier. WO Balfour was impressed to hear the news that following his deployment, he would return to the Stables and become the Mounted Troop Warrant Officer.
WO Balfour is an avid hunter, enjoying the spoils of both Waterfowl and Large game. He is also a motorcycle enthusiast, travelling North America on his Triumph Tiger and most recently, renting a Ducati while on HLTA in Scotland.