Older guy going to BOTC at NOTC Venture - questions.

[x-grunt]

Hi all/Salut,

I have read through many posts here and have some questions about doing my BOTC at Venture.
First off, I am in my 40's. I Have previous service (NCM)   from long, long ago so not a complete noob.   I honestly have no major concerns about any of the training except the physical stuff - I'm working hard to get my slightly flabby butt in shape again.

So I am wondering about what actually is needed to succeed physically in BOTC and also I would like to know a bit about the leadership challenges. Care to share your experiences?

I would also really like to hear about or from anyone who has been through BOTC (esp at Venture) who did so at a mature age.

What is the physical regimen like? What kinds of things should I expect in terms of daily runs, upper body stuff like pushups and chinups, tests, confidence course, etc. I know what the minimums are for entry, I want to know what the reality of training is. Any info appreciated. I do know the more fit I am the   better!

Also, I am curious about the leadership stands - what kinds of things where thrown at you in BOTC? This part of the training sounds very interesting.

Many thanks for any and all responses.

 

[mbhabfan]

what is notc venture????????

 

[x-grunt]

Naval Officers Training Center (Esquimalt)

Naval Reserve BOTC takes place there.
I was pleased to read the NavRes BOTC has been certified (or some darn thing) by the Reg Force as meeting Reg Force level BOTC standards. Sounds good, don't know what it means though 

 

[MissHardie]

x-grunt,

I did BOTC at Venture this summer, and there was a guy in my class who was 46.  He was in great shape, and had no problems with the course (except his beard when it came to doing NBCD drills.  Galiano, the damage control school, made him shave it, though he'd finagled a cease-shave for IAP and BOTP).

As for PT, well, I honestly thought it would be harder.  Not that I didn't find it challenging; we ran or did circuit training around the parade square every weekday morning, but the pace of the runs wasn't as fast as I expected.  We ran a loop along the boardwalk or through the PMQs by the base.  We did pushups, but no more than 20 at a time unless we were waiting for a slowpoke comrade to join the division.  Then you did pushups until that person formed up.  The POs implemented a nightly chin-up regime about week 6, though that was on the honour system.

The confidence course is a blast. I loved it, especially the rope shimmy thing you have to do over a pit and the crawl along the cargo net.  You don't need to complete the confidence course to pass BOTC, but you have to attempt it. The hardest obstacle, I found, was climbing the 9 foot wall - I just don't have the upper body strength in my shoulders to muscle myself over it.  Yet, anyway.  So to help all us climbing-challenged cadets, two people sit at the top and help you over. 

I can't give too much away about the leadership stands.   They're small party tasks done in the field (Albert Head).  You'll do at least three of them, depending on if you pass your first attempts.  The first task, on your second trip to the field, is your practice.  You go back in a week and do the real thing, a 90 minute task, that is essentially the final exam for IAP.  The third task is 6 hours, done either during the day or at night anytime through the few days you're at Albert Head and is the final exam for BOTP.  You have to adhere to SMESC, and you'll be marked on that and your leadership abilities - I forget the exact categories. 

What NavRes BOTC being certified by St. Jean means is that they're reorganizing the course - I was a lucky guinea pig.

 

[x-grunt]

Thanks MissHardie, that's helpful stuff. Encouraging to read about the 46 yr. old, that's a year older than me although from the sound of it he may in in better shape! Do you know where he is from? Maybe I can contact him through his unit.

 

[ricard]

NAVRES BOTC being certified means that it is the same level as the Regforce.  Therefore if you're an officer in the reserves and you decide to go regfore, you won't have to do basic again.

This is not the case in the other two elements, so the navy comes out on top in this area.  Basic training is much different for the reserves in army and air force.