New Soldier

[Dacier]

I joined the army on Jan 29th, finished basic training on April 18th in St-Jean now I‘m in Wainwright waiting for a SQ course to start.
I‘m going Infantry.

I‘ll answer any questions people have.

To say a few things:

Basic isn‘t hard. In fact to fail at it you have to be what is called a "**** pump", someone who is lazy. Even then, you have to work hard to fail. Passing basic truly is stupidly easy. Don‘t have any worries about being fit enough for it, you don‘t have to be, at all.

You do a couple of runs during the whole course. I did one a week. They say for you to do about 3-5 km, but the gym class isn‘t long enough for you to run 5k. Smart eh?

There is about 4 gym classes a week, and you do what is called Circut training, where you do a bunch of different excersices in a cycle. Its a bit grueling, but guess what, your not marked on it.

For Males you have to reach 19 pushups at the end of the 10 weeks, only the weak and overweight people on my course, 0306A had problems on it. 19 situps, please "too easy". Hand grip test is only a problem for the guys under 150 lbs, and the run test, you have to reach 6, so unless you are on crutches, you‘ll pass. Do not worry about basic.

The inspectitions are the only thing that makes Basic not a fun time. They are stressful, even then they are easy, but they take hours each night in the first couple of weeks before you realy don‘t care/work on them anymore because your kit will all be squared away at that time.

The first couple of weeks your confined to base, not allowed to do anything then watch TV in a small room. After that you get let loose on the town, and to the Bistro, its a small pub thing in the building. You can go to the Groove, crappy but decent dance club, and you will, trust me on this, you will rent a room at the Comfort Inn.

For Basic, don‘t worry, its easy. Remember when that Master Coporal or Warrant is yelling at you, don‘t take it seriously. Its just a game.

 

[kurokaze]

I‘m surprised to hear this (congrats Dacier BTW).
I knew that there was no physical fitness std
per se for the reserves, but I was sure that reg force had one.

On my basic course we did at least a couple of
8K runs interlaced with about 60-75 pushups
all in about 50 minutes. Never did much in terms
of circuit training on basic though.

I guess it really does depend on the instructors..

 

[Arty]

Dacier,

r u serious? I mean if you are expected to do 19 pushups and situps at the end of 10 weeks then what is the fuss all about during physical test at selection process where if you miss by one count, they fail you...? Heck, I could do 3 sets of 40 pushups...I guess I will be LMAO during basic..

 

[para]

This is the minimum standard for the CF
If you are in a combat arms trade the minimum will not cut it when you go to your "battle school" so don‘t qripe about it and you will be tested later. Keep your standard up and you will do fine, keep it low and you will fit in in the other trades (this is what is wrong with our forces today-the minimum standard).

 

[GrahamD]

Arty,

...I guess I will be LMAO during basic..


Famous last words. You‘d better hope your instructors dont come across this tidbit. I would bet some money they would have the last laugh.

 

[kurokaze]

GrahamD, are you Reserve or Regular?
And if Reserve, what unit?

 

[GrahamD]

Actually I am not yet a member of the CF. I‘m in training for my PT test and medical (Aug.20) up at the Sheppard recruiting center. I qualified for every occupation available to NCM‘s based on my CFAT, but I‘m going regular force infantry if I get a job offer.
I wrote that, as I feel I probably have a little better perspective on the situation than he does. It seems like a comment that would surely bring about some negative repercussions if viewed by the wrong/right person of authority.

 

[deathwing5]

Hey kurokaze, I‘m done my interview, I just left a message for WO Anderson, saying i‘m done the application process. What‘s gonna happen next? Swearing in?

 

[kurokaze]

ARTY, yup next you‘ll get sworn in and be issued
kit. The earliest that this will happen is
probably Aug 04, though don‘t quote me on that
since I‘m still figuring out the summer schedule.

 

[hijack]

Ok, first-off...their is a standard, and if you do not know about it then it is a problem. Secondly, the minimum is exactly that....the least needed to acheive a Pass. Do not be fooled into thinking Basic is easy. Basic does not begin until you get to your home unit. Prepare yourself physically so that at BMQ common you are the fittest person there. You should excel at PT, and at all else becasue it is at a Basic level. If you do not push yourself, on your own then you will have little success at higher levels. Prepare yourselves you infantry types because easy PT does not happen on my courses. I challenge those troops that want to exceed minimum standards and that have pride in excelling the minimum standard. If you don‘t have that pride as a recruit, reserve / reg then you are in the wrong career, and we do not want you. Go be a slacker somewhere else. Oh yeah, for all you newbie types be advised that during your courses you get marked by staff for being a slacker, for not challenging yourself and course mates, and for not helping them to exceed their own limitations. Once you are branded it follows you around and is hard to drop. Always expect the worse, because it will come and it will be a rude awakening for a recruit or a buck-private full of piss and vineagre to be failing PT. 13k marches, TABBING, 10k runs they are coming, and it makes circuit training look easy. FYI, when my GMT started in 96, we had to do puush-ups, sit-ups, run, chins, grip test and then we had to survive basic. My stats were PU-86, SU-69, CU-27, GT 162lbs combined and 2.4km around 8:40-9:10. I excelled in the strength and was average...average in the runs. In regs, my running is mediocre. Don‘t embarass yourself, your section or you course. You are never too fit, and you are never fit-enough. Teh minute you are that cocky...prepare fo a gut check, because your staff will give it to you, and so will your course mates. "PEER EVALUATION" is still tolerated and allowed in the military. It really sucks having your peeers sort you out because of your attitude, ****ty PT, ****ty kit and ****ty drill. End the end they pay for your failings....so save yourself the grief and prepare and be humble ‘cause "The Forecast Calls For Pain." :rage:

Oh yeah, Pte(unqualified) Dacier, you had better prepare, because in Battallion, "Who‘s Who in the Zoo" is decided the first morning run/ ruck march you haev with your new home unit. They have been running/ ruck marching/ shuffling and training everyday since they joined, and they have also(the majority) been through the old battle school system which weeds-out the weak pretty **** fast. So, they don‘t have the time or inclination to help-out a weaker troop who has failed in his first job of BEING FIT to their standard. 10Km runs in 45 minutes, 13 km in 1hr25-38min, and 8km TABBING webbing march in 40min. Unlike basic they are not there to improve the lowest level they are there to be the best.

-Ok, my ranting is done.

 

[Cycophant]

Out of curiosity, the battalion doesn‘t expect miracles the first few days you‘re there, correct?

As you said, they‘ve been doing this for years. You‘re the newcomer, you‘ll need to adjust to that particular type and level of PT. I presume (and hope) they judge more on effort, determination and dedication rather than immediate results.

 

[deathwing5]

Thanks Kurokaze, I hope it‘s around that time that I get sworn in and get my stuff.

 

[GrahamD]

Hi I was just wondering about this point:

The first couple of weeks your confined to base, not allowed to do anything then watch TV in a small room. After that you get let loose on the town, and to the Bistro, its a small pub thing in the building. You can go to the Groove, crappy but decent dance club, and you will, trust me on this, you will rent a room at the Comfort Inn

Is this strictly on the weekends, or is this taking place during free/personal time on any given day. I ask because in some other post, I read something about someone having to clean up puke in the bathroom before a morning inspection, because some kid got wasted the night before. If there is time to go out and get wasted, then there must surely be a way to get out and do some weight lifting to stay in some sort of shape, right?

 

[Hookflash]

What exactly is a "kit", and what do the inspections involve? Thanks

 

[kurokaze]

ARTY, do you know when you‘re getting sworn in?
Hookflash, your "kit" and your equipment, incl.
your combats, duffel bags, webbing, ruck, weapons,
etc.

What‘s involved in an inspection really depends.
Always included is your personal appearance,
sometimes weapons are also included, kit
is also sometimes inspected. Your quarters and
common areas are almost always inspected.
Well, come to think of it. Everything is inspected.

 

[deathwing5]

No, I don‘t know when, they haven‘t given me a call. I dont know who‘s supposed to call me and where i‘m going to get sworn in, Moss Park or the Recruiting Centre. They told me to call WO Anderson, I left a message for him. Pretty sure I just need to wait.

 

[kurokaze]

You‘ll get sworn in at the Unit.
Our next parade night is Aug 11 so it might
happen then.

 

[deathwing5]

I hope so sir .

 

[MG34]

In response to the question about when you get to the unit will they expect you to keep up...

Oh **** yes!!There is not time in the training schedule to allow new troops to "catch up"you will be expected to maintain the same pace as the other troops,100% effort is expected at all time espescially from new troops.A quick story when i hit 3RCR from battle School I had enough time to get my kit issued my room assigned and pack before I joined the unit in the field on a 4 week exercise in Shilo,this is not an uncommon occurance as training time is tight and there is no chance to break in the new guy.
So ends the sermon.