Mr. Lepine is a retired Captain with the Canadian Forces. He also served with Canadair as a quality control officer; is a former bush pilot; and an expert on small engines. Together with three other dedicated individuals, Major Russ Hellberg, Mr. Robert Hemphill, and Chief Warrant Officer Alan King — all of whom are now also Commendation recipients, Mr. Lepine has dedicated himself to honouring servicemen who have lost their lives on operations on North Vancouver Island by erecting and dedicating stainless steel cairns etched with their names at the crash sites. Mr. Lepine originally proposed the plaque/obelisk project to Major Hellberg and has worked tirelessly to see that the commemorative project continues. The remote crash locations and construction of the sites do not daunt Mr. Lepine. Family members have travelled from as far away as the United Kingdom to attend the dedication ceremonies. There have been five dedication ceremonies to date and a sixth will take place this year for a plane that crashed on Northern Vancouver Island in 1945. This commemorative program has succeeded due to the steadfast effort of Lou Lepine.