Yellowknife (Apr 21/00) - With his helmet on and visor down, Lt. Col. Charles Sullivan may have looked like a combination of Darth Vader and guest alien on the X-Files to the kids at Sir Alexander Mackenzie last week. In truth, he's on our side.

Commander of the Canadian Armed Forces 416 Squadron out of Cold Lake, Alta., Sullivan is also in charge of the multi-squadron Exercise Fabric Brave being conducted at the Forward Operating Location in Inuvik.

He said he was invited to speak at the school through Dowland Contracting's Trevor Doucette, who has been working with the air force during its visit.

"Whenever we go somewhere on military duties we're usually so focused there's not much time for the community," said Sullivan, "but when we get an opportunity like this we like to do it."

Sullivan, 43, has been flying for 21 years. Stopping into some half-dozen classrooms last week, he had no problem holding the kids' attention.

He told them a little bit about his experience and job and did his best to answer questions while stressing the importance of education.

"I'm looking around at all these things on the walls," he said, looking at the brightly-coloured projects and posters, "and all these things I had to learn when I was your age."

Sullivan talked about his training, the air force's arctic mission, his love of flying and his jumpsuit. The latter in particular, with its multitude of pockets and zippers, flashing light, signal device and life-jacket fascinated the audience.

But the colonel had his own questions, and hands rose in response to inquiries as to who had already flown, who had seen the jets over Inuvik and who might like to be a pilot some day.

Kids like Lindsey Neis, Marsha Arey-McCarthy and Cole Maring gave Sullivan's visit the thumbs up, regretted his all-too-soon departure but were supplicated by the posters and stickers that liaison Capt. Eric Remy left for their classes. Grade 1 teacher Cathi Ross also praised the visit.

"It's excellent to give the students any exposure to furthering their education and offering them alternative careers," she said. "Any opportunity like this is a gold mine for our kids, and they respond so well to visitors."

Being part of the military and a veteran of the Gulf War and Kosovo, Sullivan said he can also face tough questions from older students on war and violence and Canada's role, but added the country's evolving role as peacekeeper makes providing answers easier.

"One class here asked whether I'd dropped bombs, and I told them I did," he said. "But I also try to explain that in that case we had a bunch of very bad people going after a bunch of good people and that we were trying to stop it."

To help students understand, Sullivan said he compares the military's role with that of big city police officers walking into a difficult, dangerous situation.

"I tell them we resort to lethal force only as a last resort," he said, "and that that approach is the only way I can get my own people to resolve the situation."

The colonel said that even more effective than visiting schools is to have the schools visit the base, adding he would try to arrange for an FOL open house some time before Exercise Fabric Brave concludes.