BMQ / BMOQ - Personal Electronics during course [MERGED]

[Scott]

You were not flamed. If you can't handle being told you're wrong (reasons were given) then you are not going to last long.

Wind your neck in.

Scott
Staff

 

[estoguy]

Said it once, I'll say it again - part of learning to be a soldier is learning to deal with being deprived of stuff - so that when it happens for real, as it often does out in the real world, you'll have no problems making due without. 

Make no mistake, if you're told to "turn your (add your own expletive)ing cell phone off or put it away" and you don't, you'll likely find that the National Defence Act isn't near as lenient as your spineless principal and or school board was with your fellow students.

:2c:

MM

FTW! 

Well said.  As a supply teacher, the bolded part is so true.  Kids have no idea how good they have it thee days.

If I get selected , I'm honestly looking forward to ignoring my phone most of, if not all day!  ;D

 

[Jarnhamar]

Wow, the flaming that a newbie takes on here!

You should see what happens when you say something dumb on basic training.

 

[Northalbertan]

I'd say each 'generation' going thru Basic has something they have to do without, give up, etc that at the time, seemed near and dear to them and worthy yammering on about.  When I went thru Cornwallis it was pop; we had to 'earn' our pop privileges.  The shack water was pretty bad, but there was a pop machine in the shacks.  Insert money, select type, push button, cup drops down, pop pours...and enjoy.

Only there was NO cups in the damn thing until we got our collective shyte together.  We made it thru without pop until "Week whatever", but I'll never forget people putting their quarters in night after night, praying that damn cup would drop down.  When it didn't, it was enough to drive some people wacky (thinking back to the night Recruit Bloggins beat up his long underwear in the ironing room after Attempt # 299987 still didn't produce a cup of pop).  You can bet ppl felt stupid when we were told by one of our Squad NCOs "yes we know there are no f**king cups in the f**king machine...we TOLD you that you have to EARN it."  Well, it probably wasn't said as nicely as that.  >

So...for us it was pop; today its *insert gadget name*.  20 years from now, people will be bitching that they can't take their *personal hovercraft space bike* to Basic or whatever gizmo will be 'near and dear' to them.

You guys had a pop machine in the shacks?!  When I went through Cornholis we never had pop machines in the barracks.  We had to walk down to the Canex...on weekends....if you were allowed out.  Wobbly pops at the G&G were much better than just a pop anyway, when you were allowed a base pass.  Week 3 or 4 was the first one If I remember right.

North Albertan

 

[Tank Troll]

We had a pop machine the fizzy kind that mixes it in to the cup and like EIS stated there was no cups in the machine so we thought we were smart and going to use our canteen cups. The @#$%^&* things were to big didn't fit.

I'm currently course WO for a PRes BMQ and we don't let our students have any personal electronics till their free time (weekends) when they get them and after the first 2 weeks the stopped have the DTs and now the they just shake a bit when they hear or see one.

 

[Jarnhamar]

I'm currently course WO for a PRes BMQ and we don't let our students have any personal electronics till their free time (weekends) when they get them and after the first 2 weeks the stopped have the DTs and now the they just shake a bit when they hear or see one.

Have you found that students try to sneak electronics by the staff or are they pretty good for following the rules?

 

[Maxadia]

You guys had a pop machine in the shacks?!  When I went through Cornholis we never had pop machines in the barracks.

You guys had barracks?  Tent City for me in '89. Coolest luxury we got was a sunglasses promotion from Greco Pizza on weekends.

 

[Tank Troll]

Have you found that students try to sneak electronics by the staff or are they pretty good for following the rules?

We let them have them between 2100-2300 when lights go out, as long as they were done their work. We told them right from the start any one abuses the privilege they would lose them permanently till end of course. If they did sneak it we didn't catch them, the course is over tomorrow

 

[PuckChaser]

If they did sneak it we didn't catch them, the course is over tomorrow

So you trained them well?  ;D

 

[OldSolduer]

You guys had barracks?  Tent City for me in '89.

Luxury. We had a cave, and had to share it with the T Rex family.

 

[Maxadia]

Luxury. We had a cave, and had to share it with the T Rex family.

http://www.cmoore.com/funstuff/humor/mp.script.weweresopoor.php  ;D ;D ;D

 

[Tank Troll]

So you trained them well?  ;D

Or put the fear of god into them either way it worked ;D

 

[Cpl_lou]

We were not allowed electronics throughout the week and it made life very difficult. As a mother of 5, with a husband who works shift work and kids involved in all kinds of activities (and some away at University and in the Military, themselves); it was impossible to call home from a pay phone and actually contact them within the hours that we were allotted to do so. I went weeks without talking to my kids and even longer without talking to my husband. This did some damage to our family life for awhile. I can see how married recruits with children would have difficulty living without their phones for 3 months. Family dynamics have changed drastically throughout the past 20+ years; so have the recruits. You now have people like me - mothers with 5 children coming from a blended family with complicated dynamics - joining later in life. Not all families can live without their mother's/father's that long without issue. Especially single parents, or parents from blended families. Furthermore, not all recruits are young, single teens anymore. I see that the face of the military is changing, and I think that it's good that some facet of the military training system is changing with it.

Now, I don't believe it is necessary to have laptops and other electronics - I would have never even thought to take a computer with me. I understand how time consuming these things can be. However, recruits should definitely have (limited) access to their phones throughout the course to; call home, do emergency banking, put out fires, contact children's schools, deal with family issues, etc. Limiting the time that they are able to access their phones allows them time to call out or be called, but allows for time to get tasks done, as well. Taking it away completely makes them feel trapped and incompetent and useless to their families.

I'm lucky I had an understanding husband who was (mostly) able to deal with the issues that arose throughout my 3 months at CFLRS. I'm sure there have been many families broken up as a result of the military training system.

Want to keep recruits? Keep them happy and keep their families happy.

 

[OldSolduer]

It never hurts to suffer some deprivation as long as long term health or safety is not affected. Soldiers do not need wireless internet in the field, nor do they require MP3 players or iPods and iPads in the defensive position, or a camcorder on patrol to upload their latest adventures to You Tube, or their cell phone to check in three times a day with 9er Domestic.  While many of our troops possess some of these electronic devices  they are not required when we are deployed on exercise or operations. Their use needs to be monitored IAW common sense use for instance - no listening to your iPod on sentry.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Want to keep recruits? Keep them happy and keep their families happy.

If a recruits decision to stay in the CF or release is because they can't talk on their Igadget....I'll start filling out their VR form for them.

Times have changed, sure.  Everyone has an IGadget.  That doesn't mean you can use it 24/7.  I can think of a whole bunch of places in the CF people work that you can NOT have a wireless device, in fact you can't even have it ON you, you surrender it upon entering the building.

If a family breaks up because of a recruit not being able to FB and text, etc I'll suggest there were far larger issues at play before the CFLRS restrictions.

Another point, if you are going to join the CF, you MUST accept there are times you will NOT be able to "deal with the school" et al, and CFLRS is the first of those times.  Get used to it.  Having a spouse and kids hardly makes you and your situation unique or special.

 

[PuckChaser]

I'm lucky I had an understanding husband who was (mostly) able to deal with the issues that arose throughout my 3 months at CFLRS. I'm sure there have been many families broken up as a result of the military training system.

A whole 3 months? Wow, operational deployments of 6,8,9,10,12 months aren't going to be a whole lot easier. You won't have an IPhone there either.

 

[Cpl_lou]

If a recruits decision to stay in the CF or release is because they can't talk on their Igadget....I'll start filling out their VR form for them.

Times have changed, sure.  Everyone has an IGadget.  That doesn't mean you can use it 24/7.  I can think of a whole bunch of places in the CF people work that you can NOT have a wireless device, in fact you can't even have it ON you, you surrender it upon entering the building.

If a family breaks up because of a recruit not being able to FB and text, etc I'll suggest there were far larger issues at play before the CFLRS restrictions.

Another point, if you are going to join the CF, you MUST accept there are times you will NOT be able to "deal with the school" et al, and CFLRS is the first of those times.  Get used to it.  Having a spouse and kids hardly makes you and your situation unique or special.

When I say times have changed, I mean the recruits are not all young, single, childless males with nothing they can't leave behind for 1.5 years of training anymore. The new face of the military includes peoples mothers and fathers - in some cases, even grandparents. People are joining at all different ages and stages of life with varying responsibilities and varying complexities at home. When I joined, I was given 3 weeks to organize and sort out my life at home before going away for 3 months (which actually led to 14 months and then was posted away from home for another - as yet undetermined number of years). As a mother and wife (and various other roles I played in my life), that is not an easy task. I've heard countless times throughout the past year and a half, "did you not sort that out before you got here?", or "you need to sort that out if you want to succeed here"... please, tell me how it is possible to "sort out" family issues that arise with either no comms or limited comms home.

You know, I joined this forum to connect with 'like-minded' people who were all a part of the same 'family' and voice my opinion on matters relating to our jobs; and after perusing the site a bit, all I have seen is these so-called 'like-minded' people attack one another for their opinions. I joined the CF because I have a long history of family who have served, have died or been injured serving our country so, that we can be free to voice our opinions.

 

[aesop081]

We were not allowed electronics throughout the week and it made life very difficult. As a mother of 5, with a husband who works shift work and kids involved in all kinds of activities (and some away at University and in the Military, themselves); it was impossible to call home from a pay phone and actually contact them within the hours that we were allotted to do so. I went weeks without talking to my kids and even longer without talking to my husband. This did some damage to our family life for awhile.

Life deployed is going to be a serious shock to your family then.

When I say times have changed, I mean the recruits are not all young, single, childless males with nothing they can't leave behind for 1.5 years of training anymore. The new face of the military includes peoples mothers and fathers - in some cases, even grandparents.

Recruiting demographics may have changed but reality has not, and will not, change.

You know, I joined this forum to connect with 'like-minded' people who were all a part of the same 'family' and voice my opinion on matters relating to our jobs;

"like-minded" does not mean we all agree. If you are looking for a group hug and people to always tell you how wonderful your opinions are, i am sure there are other forums for that.

 

[aesop081]

I was given 3 weeks to organize and sort out my life at home before going away for 3 months

Luxury. I got 3 hours notice for OP MOBILE. I'm a single parent. Your problem was what ?

please, tell me how it is possible to "sort out" family issues that arise with either no comms or limited comms home

You had better learn how to deal with that. Limited comms is usually the best you are going to get.

 

[Cpl_lou]

Life deployed is going to be a serious shock to your family then.

Life deployed as in overseas? Or life deployed as in away from family for years at a time? Because I've already been gone for well over a year and a half and don't foresee being home with them again for at least 2-4 years.

In response to your other replies... I have seen the devastating results of the old school line of thinking in my job. I've dealt with a lot of really damaged people already in my short time in.  I understand the attitude when it relates to in-theatre ops, but is it really necessary when in garrison?

You're speaking to me as though I know nothing of the military simply because I commented on my difficulties throughout BMQ with family issues arising. The decision was made to allow recruits to utilize their cells throughout BMQ by higher for a reason. Perhaps mine, was not a unique story?

And no thanks to the group hug...