Borden Thread- Merged

[formerarmybrat23]

I've been in borden on course since my basic 6 months ago. And the nickname CFB Bordom is true. It can get pretty dull here. Barrie is the closest place for fun and being only an hour form Toronto doesnt hurt either. You will like it here, I guess it is all in who you hang out with. Having good friends to find fun helps alot. Enjoy Borden!

 

[exgunnertdo]

I've been in borden on course since my basic 6 months ago. And the nickname CFB Bordom is true. It can get pretty dull here. Barrie is the closest place for fun and being only an hour form Toronto doesnt hurt either. You will like it here, I guess it is all in who you hang out with. Having good friends to find fun helps alot. Enjoy Borden!

Depends on perspective - if you're young and single or young, married but childless, yeah could be boring.  We were there last year, with two kids, living in PMQs (year long course, not allowed to buy) and found it a pretty good place for families.  If I went back I would buy in Angus.  Reasons - close to work (I loved that about PMQs, and I hate my commute now in the NCR), the rec programs for the kids at the gym are very economical and pretty good (ex - swimming lessons cost me $18 last year, with a membership, now paying $55 from the city of Ottawa).  Living in Barrie would be OK, but you lose some of the value of the base.

I found PMQs OK, but I didn't like the school my kids were at (if you want details, PM me, I won't name which school online).  There are 4 on base though (english, french, public and catholic for each language).  It was my only PMQ experience and it wasn't the horror story that some bases seem to have.  My street may have been the exeception.

If you want any more info from the family with young kids perspective, happy to help!

 

[Old Ranger]

Speaking of Angus, they are still putting in the estimated 10,000 homes of the 5th line.(East out of Angus on 90, South on the 5th, South of 30th/Center line)

 

[fire_guy686]

I've been in borden on course since my basic 6 months ago. And the nickname CFB Bordom is true. It can get pretty dull here. Barrie is the closest place for fun and being only an hour form Toronto doesnt hurt either. You will like it here, I guess it is all in who you hang out with. Having good friends to find fun helps alot. Enjoy Borden!

Life in Borden as a student is no fun at all, but it's all what you make it. I was there for 2 1/2 years as one and I had a blast. There are worse places to be.

 

[Maelstrom]

I can't speak about CFB Borden, but being a former student of Georgian College Barrie Campus I can tell you that there is a healthy night life downtown. Barrie is a great city that is expanding, (has changed a lot from when I was born at the old Victoria Hospital there). Not only does it have its own sand beach, Wasaga and countless others are within driving distance. And as it was pointed out, skiing and snowboarding are great in the winter.

 

[kwright15]

Ok well my husband is in St.Jean right now and is graduating in a couple of weeks. From there he is going to Borden to take is AVN Tech training we were told at recruiting that because we are married and have 3 small children and the course is I believe 54 weeks now( and the fact he just found out he will be on PAT for 12 months first) that we would be able to go with him and get a PMQ. My question is when does he have to apply for a PMQ and how long of a wait are we looking at until we can join him? Any in would be great they aren't telling him much and I can't get and answer from the recruiting office. Oh and one more thing is going to get any days off between grad and Borden? we live in Toronto now so it isn't that far.

 

[aesop081]

and I can't get and answer from the recruiting office.

To be honest, thats not a question for the CFRC. Your husband is on BMQ and thus of no concern to the recruitng folks. These are questions for his course staff.

 

[smale436]

      First of all, I don't know who told you that he would be on PAT in Borden at CFSATE for 12 months. In my recent time at CFSATE, the only people who waited 12 months were image techs (only one QL3 course conducted annually) and people who failed off several times or became administrative issues. (Very extreme and complicated situations) The longest I waited was four months for POET and another four months for QL3. (And that is AVS QL3 which has fewer courses run) He wont know an accurate TENTATIVE course date until he arrives there. Days off between grad and Borden? He will have to take care of that after he arrives in Borden. St. Jean will want those BMQ graduates out ASAP. I know people who boarded a bus an hour after their grad parade and were off to Borden. When he does arrive in Borden he will report to CFSATE and acquire a room in the shacks (no charge like food as he will be on IR) After clearing into the base, he will know how much time will be available to take leave until his course starts. However he will not want to use too much without finding out how many days he needs to save for summer and winter block leave. He can also use this time to look into applying for a PMQ. There may or may not be a waiting list and the time it takes from application to move-in day I have seen range from weeks to months. Therefore when you will be able to join him is a date that can not be estimated.

 

[X-mo-1979]

Ok well my husband is in St.Jean right now and is graduating in a couple of weeks. From there he is going to Borden to take is AVN Tech training we were told at recruiting that because we are married and have 3 small children and the course is I believe 54 weeks now( and the fact he just found out he will be on PAT for 12 months first) that we would be able to go with him and get a PMQ. My question is when does he have to apply for a PMQ and how long of a wait are we looking at until we can join him? Any in would be great they aren't telling him much and I can't get and answer from the recruiting office. Oh and one more thing is going to get any days off between grad and Borden? we live in Toronto now so it isn't that far.

My best friend is currently on his AVN course.He left petawawa and due to the amount of time he was to be there (well over 12 months now and just starting course,he spent a long long time on PAT and doing some generic course both avn and avs do...I really wasnt paying attention to the trader!)
Anyway he got a PMQ and his wife and two children are living there with him.They got a PMQ real quick.However be warned they do not have basements in some,so if your coming from a house...its kinda tiny.

 

[fire_guy686]

He will probably apply to get a PMQ once he gets to Borden as he will have to fill out the necessary paper work and deal with the CFHA people. As for the wait, I don't know if things have improved at all from when I was getting mine, but there was a 3 month wait on PMQ's when I first went in. I got lucky and was offered a PMQ that somebody had turned down, to go along with other reasons, so I got mine pretty quick. Hopefully they will have some available and you guys can get squared away pretty quick.


As for the leave after his course. They will send him to Borden, probably the day after he graduates and he can sort out leave from there.

 

[Cdnrednk]

I Loved Borden. For me it was as close to my hometown as I'll ever get. Barrie is good for night life with a variety of clubs/pubs, and the hooters loves us!
I had a good time, lots of trails on base, nice quiet type of place wich is how I like it. If either of you has a 4wheeler, you can join the club and ride the trails, and there is also a motocross club that I was a member of and used the track on base.
If you are a "country" type, its a good place, lots going on in the area for outdoors activities and as mentioned, Toronto is close by, and Canada's Wonderland is like 25 muinets away.
Lol the one thing that does suck is the plowing in the winter. After seeing 2 winters on Canadian bases, I have made sure that my new truck is 4X4

 

[Neon]

Coming in to this one a little later - did you get a PMQ? If not let's keep this discussion alive and we'll see if we can help...  so long as the time you will be in Borden is more than a year you should be able to get a PMQ, but remembr that if problems arrise with punctuality or other admin, the staff might order your husband in to quarters for his course - some courses still require the Member to live in, but if they do they should get paid incidentals and get free rations and quarters so there is no cost. (generally only applies to married or common law)

Second, there are some courses that have longer wait times than others and often the CFRC has only the schedule to go from. They don't see who else is loaded on that course. It is unfortunate, but delays do happen. These days though you should find that they can arrange some contact training for your husband so he is better prepared when he commences his QL3. There is a lot of interest in this area right now and a lot of very high level help trying to sort it out. (4 ringers and higher!) 16 Wing (which owns CFSATE) is ramping up training by almost double the capacity and this will help to speed up throughput.

 

[Luvs 2 Curl]

Does anyone know if you have to have children to qualify for a PMQ in Borden during QL3?

 

[kratz]

We do not have children and qualified for a PMQ in Borden. Yes they are smaller than a normal house and while there is a crawl space underneath the house, it is not finished and I would not recommend using it for storage.

 

[startbutton]

we have had a few nighbours here for courses without children, and they got Q's.  There are many around here.  I do believe the comment about people sitting on PRETC here for long periods of time, as i have seen it first hand.

 

[fire_guy686]

Does anyone know if you have to have children to qualify for a PMQ in Borden during QL3?

I don't remember children being a requirement. Just have to be married or common law.

[quote author=startbutton]I do believe the comment about people sitting on PRETC here for long periods of time, as i have seen it first hand.[/quote]

You too? I don't even want to say how long I was there, not by choice either. :threat:

 

[Luvs 2 Curl]

Thank you for the prompt replies!

I'm sure my husband will be very happy to hear that we won't have to be separated for 6+ months.

 

[aesop081]

I'm sure my husband will be very happy to hear that we won't have to be separated for 6+ months.

yeah...because the only time in your career where you will be away from family for 6 or more months is during trades courses so that works out for you guys.

 

[PMedMoe]

yeah...because the only time in your career where you will be away from family for 6 or more months is during trades courses so that works out for you guys.

Hey, didn't you hear?  They're going to allow families to accompany members on tour..... ;D    :

 

[Springroll]

Thank you for the prompt replies!

I'm sure my husband will be very happy to hear that we won't have to be separated for 6+ months.

I was separated from my kids for 10.5 months....and it would have been longer had I not gone out to Halifax to get them and bring them back here to Victoria.

Welcome to the reality of being married to the CF....there will be MANY times where you will be separated for long periods of time, might as well use this time to get used to doing stuff on your own.