CAN Enhanced (Permanent?) Fwd Presence in Latvia

[Colin Parkinson]

Yep!

As Roman (the cartoonist) once said: "This chicken-sh** outfit is the only place they make you drive with your lights on during the day, and off during the night."  [

and "Take away your watch when you retire"  [

 

[Altair]

FTFY

I do not consider the middle of nowhere somewhere.

 

[medicineman]

I do not consider the middle of nowhere somewhere.

You really are a glass half empty kinda guy aren't you :?  Wainwright is in the middle of the Canadian prairies and Gagetown is in the middle of New Brunswick - if you've been to both, you've seen more of Canada than about 90% of Canadians.  I used to work in a place where people considered "going away" to be driving an hour in either direction down the Trans Canada; they had a hard time believing that due to being in the CAF and where I've been in my life, that I've literally lived in, worked or visited all three territories and eight out of ten provinces.  As the vast majority of a soldier's life is spent training, I'd get used to those places, since you're not going to be on deployment for your whole life, and certainly not going to get to go where you want to and when. 

BTW, just a simple observation, but I get the impression that no matter where you end up, you probably won't be happy, deployment or otherwise, unless you stop feeling sorry for yourself and look for the silver lining in what you do have...first and foremost, one of the best jobs you can get in this country.

MM

 

[Altair]

You really are a glass half empty kinda guy aren't you :?  Wainwright is in the middle of the Canadian prairies and Gagetown is in the middle of New Brunswick - if you've been to both, you've seen more of Canada than about 90% of Canadians.  I used to work in a place where people considered "going away" to be driving an hour in either direction down the Trans Canada; they had a hard time believing that due to being in the CAF and where I've been in my life, that I've literally lived in, worked or visited all three territories and eight out of ten provinces.  As the vast majority of a soldier's life is spent training, I'd get used to those places, since you're not going to be on deployment for your whole life, and certainly not going to get to go where you want to and when. 

BTW, just a simple observation, but I get the impression that no matter where you end up, you probably won't be happy, deployment or otherwise, unless you stop feeling sorry for yourself and look for the silver lining in what you do have...first and foremost, one of the best jobs you can get in this country.

MM

They were kind of nice the first two or three times. I've been to them more than two or three times.

And I didn't get med tech, I got sigs [lol:

 

[medicineman]

They were kind of nice the first two or three times. I've been to them more than two or three times.

And I didn't get med tech, I got sigs [lol:

You're still being negative - you're in the CAF and you're getting paid...start with that.  And I've been to Wainwright more than just 2 or 3 times in my life and I spent 4 years in Gagetown - watch the birds, watch the suicidal ground squirrels get run over, bet on how many vehicles will dodge them or they'll dodge, etc.  Feel greatful you're getting LDA and such.

MM

 

[OldSolduer]

Yep!

As Roman (the cartoonist) once said: "This chicken-sh** outfit is the only place they make you drive with your lights on during the day, and off during the night."  [

Oh and lets not forget "why things are seen" aka Cam and Concealment. :camo:

 

[Altair]

You're still being negative - you're in the CAF and you're getting paid...start with that.  And I've been to Wainwright more than just 2 or 3 times in my life and I spent 4 years in Gagetown - watch the birds, watch the suicidal ground squirrels get run over, bet on how many vehicles will dodge them or they'll dodge, etc.  Feel greatful you're getting LDA and such.

MM

I didn't join the forces for the money. I joined for the travel, excitement and the feeling that I was making a difference.

I'm happy that the forces make/made you happy by satisfying your expectations. Maybe one day soon I can join you being happy as well.

 

[SupersonicMax]

I didn't join the forces for the money. I joined for the travel, excitement and the feeling that I was making a difference.

I'm happy that the forces make/made you happy by satisfying your expectations. Maybe one day soon I can join you being happy as well.

In my 16 years, I found that you make your own happiness (or misery) largely by the attitude you have when confronted with challenges. 

 

[rmc_wannabe]

So.........back to the topic at hand:

I wonder if this mass deployment will be enough to slay the JOINTEX dragon we dread every 2 years. One can hope right? ;D

 

[Ludoc]

I do not consider the middle of nowhere somewhere.

Then I don't think you are going to like Latvia.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I didn't join the forces for the money. I joined for the travel, excitement and the feeling that I was making a difference.

I'm happy that the forces make/made you happy by satisfying your expectations. Maybe one day soon I can join you being happy as well.

The other side of the coin with deploying and "making a difference" is getting into a trade/unit you are gone a lot from your postal code.  It's neat and all that at first, but the novelty wears off when you are out the door more often than you'd like to be.  Short term, fast ball things that have you missing other parts of your life.  So far this year, the only month I've been home the whole time?  April...because I was on post-deployment leave.  I'm including July in that...

So the grass is greener, in some ways, whether you are at either end of the spear.  I'd rather be having my morning coffee in my house tomorrow, but that ain't happening.  :2c:

Russia is starting to turn the clock back in more ways than one...https://www.rt.com/usa/345380-us-navy-russian-subs/

 

[Bird_Gunner45]

So.........back to the topic at hand:

I wonder if this mass deployment will be enough to slay the JOINTEX dragon we dread every 2 years. One can hope right? ;D

Doubtful... if anything it'll make JOINTEX more relevant. JOINTEX, Ex MAPLE RESOLVE, etc aren't bad by themselves and are necessary evils. If we're going to re-start the Cold War we may as well jump in with 2 feet. Though I still think the need to shield Russia is pointless, it does provide a good Joint training opportunity that we should try to leverage. Perhaps it'll lead to GBAMD, AT, STA assets that work, etc and training opportunities that have an actual end state (prep a BG to work within a Multi-National Bde/Div).

 

[Castus]

Doubtful... if anything it'll make JOINTEX more relevant. JOINTEX, Ex MAPLE RESOLVE, etc aren't bad by themselves and are necessary evils. If we're going to re-start the Cold War we may as well jump in with 2 feet. Though I still think the need to shield Russia is pointless, it does provide a good Joint training opportunity that we should try to leverage. Perhaps it'll lead to GBAMD, AT, STA assets that work, etc and training opportunities that have an actual end state (prep a BG to work within a Multi-National Bde/Div).

It will certainly highlight the Army's lack of integral and important assets in its OOB. Whether or not the government of the day recognises this and decides to fix it is an entirely different problem. I am not sanguine, judging by historical precedent.

 

[PuckChaser]

It will certainly highlight the Army's lack of integral and important assets in its OOB. Whether or not the government of the day recognises this and decides to fix it is an entirely different problem. I am not sanguine, judging by historical precedent.

Since "capability gap" is the new political word of the week.... You're right, none of us should hold our breath.

 

[Altair]

In my 16 years, I found that you make your own happiness (or misery) largely by the attitude you have when confronted with challenges.

If by finding my own happiness by doing some other noble calling such as policing or firefighting where I feel that I can contribute and make a difference, the thoughts have crossed my mind.

Thank you for the suggestion though, it is a good one.

 

[cupper]

I do not consider the middle of nowhere somewhere.

That could severely limit your options.  [

 

[dimsum]

So the grass is greener, in some ways, whether you are at either end of the spear.  I'd rather be having my morning coffee in my house tomorrow, but that ain't happening.  :2c:

Me too, but sipping on 100% Kona (or so they tell me) in a hotel room in Waikiki isn't that shabby either 

And how is being in Sigs not contributing?  Isn't the saying "No Comms, No Bombs"?

 

[CBH99]

Altair,

I think you hit the nail on the head (as I think I've stated before in a different thread)

People join the military to make a difference & do it in an interesting way.  Whether it is peacekeeping in some region with a lot of ethnic or political unrest, humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, warfighting, security work in foreign countries, etc - people join the military because they genuinely want to make a difference in the world.

In our recruiting campaigns, that is what we promise people.  A chance to serve their communities, see the world, help people in foreign lands, and make a difference of some kind.  What we fail to tell people in the recruiting campaigns (and understandably so) - is that those opportunities don't come up very often, depending on what element/trade you are in.

Some trades, you are gone all the time.  Always something interesting going on.  And while that can be tiring after a while, it can be a dream job for many.  In other trades, you are lucky if you get to do anything more than the odd foreign training exercise.

It is hard to blame people for wanting to leave the military & pursue a career in the emergency services.  Stable career, more excitement, you actually get to DO your job every single shift, and you KNOW you are making a difference in your community.  It is also hard to blame people for jumping ship when many emergency services tend to prioritize ex-military folks when hiring. 

**Sorry mods - was responding to what Altair was saying.  I probably should have put this in a different thread.**

 

[Journeyman]

In my 16 years, I found that you make your own happiness (or misery) largely by the attitude you have when confronted with challenges.

  :nod:

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Me too, but sipping on 100% Kona (or so they tell me) in a hotel room in Waikiki isn't that shabby either 

My location isn't that bad, it's the 'gone again, not sure until when' part combined with the 'had to cancel leave I had planned with Mrs EITS' for a fastball only a few days after finding out I had to cancel leave later in the summer that we had planned, plus the Ready X weekends where you can't make plans, plus the deployments and exercises  :blah:.  The 'fun' of being away can lose its luster...

Not sure you'll get any "awww, there there" now that people know where you are 'suffering' at!  >