Questions about living in barracks after training.

[FourSeven]

(searched for it first)
A couple quick questions about life on a CFB.

1. How much time is typically alloted to free time? I know there is no cookie cutter answer as it varies with different excersizes and whatnot, but your typical workday aside from that I'd guess is in the area of 10-12 hours?

2. are your rooms controlled as strictly as they are in bmq, or can you take along a tv or whatever?

3. How's the food?

4. do you inevitably lose or distance your pre-military friends?

As a formality, I have to post the typical "I wasn't sure if this is the right place to post and so forth and so on


(Moderator edit to clarify title.)

 

[Nauticus]

By barracks life, are you talking about overseas deployment, or the dorm-style base life?

 

[the 48th regulator]

Oh,

Life in the shacks.  I thought you meant the President of The U.S' lifestyle....

dileas

tess

 

[George Wallace]

By barracks life, are you talking about overseas deployment, or the dorm-style base life?

"life on a CFB"

 

[Roy Harding]

(searched for it first)
A couple quick questions about life on a CFB.

1. How much time is typically alloted to free time? I know there is no cookie cutter answer as it varies with different excersizes and whatnot, but your typical workday aside from that I'd guess is in the area of 10-12 hours?

2. are your rooms controlled as strictly as they are in bmq, or can you take along a tv or whatever?

3. How's the food?

4. do you inevitably lose or distance your pre-military friends?

As a formality, I have to post the typical "I wasn't sure if this is the right place to post and so forth and so on

First - you picked the right forum for your thread.

Second - I am out of date and will not speak to the specifics of barracks life, but I will mention that you are about to receive wildly diferring views regarding discipline in the barracks, and food quality on the respective bases.  Suffice to say that it all "depends".

I CAN, and will speak to your fourth point, however.

I first joined the CF when I was 17.  I didn't (and still don't) have a very large circle of friends - a lot of acquaintances (then and now), but few "friends".  Perhaps my definition of "friend" is more severe than yours - I don't know.

As I pursued my career in the CF, my interests inevitably parted ways with those of my civilian friends.  I lost touch with all my pre-enrolment friends save one.  He and I still correspond and occasionally visit each other - and I value his friendship. 

A friendship more than forty years long is something to value.  My civilian friend will never understand my military point of view, and I'll never understand his civilian one - but underneath those things, we are both long-married, fathers of grown children, and have similar interests (outside the military) - so we still have much in common.

During my service, I made many other friends and acquaintances - some of whom I'm still in touch with, most of whom I'm not.  I have friends from The UK, The Netherlands, The US, Australia, Spain, Germany, Denmark, Iraq, and a few other places.  I'll grant that these are not CLOSE friends - these are folks with whom I correspond once or twice a year, and whose invitation to stay at their place if I'm ever in that part of the world I know I can take to the bank - as can they my reciprocal invitation.

It doesn't matter what you do with your life, your path and your current friend's will no doubt diverge - you'll make new friends, you'll stay in touch with some old ones.  I think you "inevitably lose or distance" your friends, no matter WHAT you do - military or otherwise.  Sometimes, as in my case, you'll maintain a valued friendship or two for a lifetime.

It's just part of life.

Best of luck to you.

Roy

 

[MikeL]

1. How much time is typically alloted to free time? I know there is no cookie cutter answer as it varies with different excersizes and whatnot, but your typical workday aside from that I'd guess is in the area of 10-12 hours?

With my unit, during normal work(not on course, etc) the working day is typically 0730-1530. After that you are on your own time

2. are your rooms controlled as strictly as they are in bmq, or can you take along a tv or whatever?

Accomendations generally has a layout plan, but most guys change the layout around, etc  an accomendations on
my base don't really seem to care, just when you move out you have to leave the room in the original layout.

Yes you can have a tv, some shacks even have cable/internet already in the rooms

3. How's the food?

Depends on the base, it varies. Generally mess food is decent, Air Force messes are by far the best food on base
I've ate though.

4. do you inevitably lose or distance your pre-military friends?

That is up to you an your friends

 

[FourSeven]

Right on. Thanks for the answers, it pretty much cleared it all up for me *thumbs up*

 

[chriscalow]

Step one, do it. Stay in the shacks for a while.  Resist the urge to apply for a PMQ, or move out on you're own for a while.  The reason for this, save some money.  You are NOT going to find a better cheaper deal.  Too many new guys, get posted in, and rush out of the shacks.  I did it when I got posted in, and damned if I don't regret it.

Having said that, avoid the traps... you now have all this money, be careful of the canex plans, you're room in the shacks will be issued to you in a boring state, yes.. but no need to rush into spicing it up with 60" T.V.'s and brand new couches. 


The idea is putting away money, you will thank me later.  Try not to drink it all way.  It won't feel good the next day for P.T.  and it won't do you're savings any good.

As far as you're civy friends, I find with most guys, they bond does fade, you're interests will shift, the way you talk will seem weird to them, and vice versa.  That doesn't mean you won't still be friends, but it will be different. 

Hope this helps.
There are inspections in the shacks, these are usually run by you're unit, they are more for hygiene, making sure you do you're dishes, laundry once in a while, and don't have cats or shackrats living under you're bed. 

 

[Snaketnk]

Like the others said; It all depends. I'll tell you what I've seen in Gagetown though.

You are paying about 600$/month for accomodations and food if you're single/living in. Being on Rations is MANDATORY for pers living in SQs. Your room is a small room barely able to fit the 4 people's worth of issued furniture. There are all kind of trades living in the Shacks, and no unruly event goes un-reported. There is far less financial burden if you and your buddy can get together to get a PMQ.

I don't know anyone who lives in the shacks that've been at battallion for more than a couple months. Living in the shacks here is no fun whatsoever and way more expensive than it should be.

I tried to hold out as long as I could but between the Mess being crappy half the time and not being on base for half the meals, and trying to fit 4 people in those tiny f'in rooms with only 3 washers per wing, I just had to leave. Never looked back; I have more money, a bedroom the size of the one I shared with 3 guys, and a whole rest of house to share with one other guy... Yep, I'm happy.

 

[chriscalow]

sorry, shoulda said i was talking about pet.  The shacks for the most part are segregated by unit here.  At least the major units.

 

[AVN Wife]

All I can say is that if you're at Borden, I hope it's not for very long. Just remember, it's like it's own world and when you get posted it is nothing like that.

It's not so bad if you're in the Mods but the shacks aren't so much fun I found. It's great if you enjoy young kids who have never been on their own before and don't know what to do with them selves so they party and go crazy all the time. (even though you're not allowed to have alcohol).

It helps if you can find friends off the base, but you end up hanging out with everyone if you want to.

Watch out for the girls around there is really all I can say...