can anyone give me some info?

[echo]

(1/9/00)
im currently 14 years old and i know that i have another 3 years to go before i can join the army,but what i wanna know from the experienced ppl in the millitary are the small but important helpful hints that SHOULD be given to aspiring recruits.
the kind that are never taught but are very important(ex. what kind of socks to wear in dif weather climates etc.)

thank you all who can help(and for taking the time to read this)

 

[RCA]

I‘ll get the ball rolling. Just a couple of things with more to follow. The most important is attitude. You must be able to take a lot of s*** and not let it bother you. Remember what ever they do to you, they can‘t take away your birthday. You must also be physcally fit before you start both running and upper body strenght. This will help throughout your career.
As for tips - make sure your boots fit you properly, you use your feet a lot (look after them.)
Make sure your webbing fits properly and is around your waist and not hanging loose.
Listen to your insrtuctors, they have been around a lot longer than you and will be giveing you the benefit of their experience (ask questions). As an instructor myself, I always had time for a recruit who was willing to give maximum effort.

 

[echo]

thx for replying.

 

[the patriot]

For a dry run of what to expect, enlist with your area Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps. The experience is somewhat similar except you do not get paid and are not deployed in operational theatres of operation like the military. The Army Cadet movement should give you a good foundation for a future career with the military. With time, if you stick around long enough, there also is the opportunity for a cadet to go on the same Parachute Jump Course that the army does. Give this some thought, and good luck!!!

-the patriot-

 

[echo]

thx for the info.
my cousin is with the 48th Highlanders(the regiment i wish to join) and he‘s told me to avoid the caddets program regardless of what it can do for preparing me because aparently,the regular army and reserves HATE anyone who has been in caddets(long story short-caddets r queerish he‘s told me).
given the above,i want to stay away from the caddets program lol.

thx for replying to my post.

 

[the patriot]

It‘s good to know that you already have a sense of humour! The reason they hate those with prior cadet experience is because they don‘t like people who know what they‘re doing (honest!!!).
Check out the links off of D-NET for the Army Cadet program. Queerish?! That‘s odd. There are more gays in the military today than there were ten years ago. Apparently alot of them are from Toronto (lol). On the serious side, I know of some very successful individuals who were in the cadet program. Some of them got their parachute jump wings when they were in cadets. It‘s the same jump wings that you would get if you in the Militia or the regular force. If you were to try and get your wings with the 48 Highlanders...... GOOD LUCK!!! The list for the reserves is always backlogged. You‘ll have better luck getting your wings through the cadet program. And then when you join the military, you can still wear them with pride on your uniform. As for your cousin, ask him if he‘s jump qualified. If you got your wings through cadets, you‘ll have something he probably never will have.

-the patriot-

 

[echo]

i‘ll keep that in mind.
as for the wings,
they sound all nice and all,but im afraid of hights(seriously lol).
i prefer to do the ground work wherever possible lol.

i asked my cousin about the wings,he‘s not qualified cuz the 48th do a differant programn that doesnt involve jumps.
its the Queens own rifles that do the jumps he says.

thx for replyin again.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Not all cadets are hated - just the ones who don‘t keep their mouths shut and listen when they should. We discussed this on the old board but it bears repeating here. On my basic we had an Air Cadet who wouldn‘t unlearn all that he learned in Air Cadets - he did his drill their way, sang out cadence the way they did, etc. He wasn‘t well liked. There were several others who had been in cadets, myself included, who did fine because they listened to the instructors and didn‘t make the mistake of saying "but in cadets we did it differently...." My advice to any ex-cadets looking to join the Militia is that if they teach you to do something differently than you did it in cadets, then forget what you learned there, and do as your instructors wish.

An orderly room from one of the units in our local garrison has suffered for the last year with a Private who had been a Warrant Officer in the cadets. I have nothing against them, indeed, I was one myself and know many people who were as a prelude to the Militia. But this particular individual makes a habit of inflating his own importance, and using non-relevant "experience" in the cadets as a way of elevating himself above not only his peers, but his superiors as well. I was shocked into silence to see him telling a very experienced Company Sergeant Major how to set up a fire piquet roster whilst on an exercise.

For anyone joining Militia (and this goes for joining the cadets as well), the first few days are the loneliest ones - but everyone makes friends right away, and it soon becomes fun. If you do things properly, soon you will have earned the respect not only of your peers, but your superiors as well - as long as you work hard, obey orders, and show a willingness to learn. You will fail at some tasks, but if you accept responsibility, and learn from your failures, you will be well respected. Eventually, the wall that divides you from the NCOs and officers will break down (if you strike them as a good soldier, and if you are in a good unit) and you‘ll look at your regiment (or cadet corps) as a family.

I‘ve been in the Militia for 13 years (with 3 years in the cadets before that), and have met many other ex-cadets. You don‘t need to be in the cadets to be a good Militia soldier - but if you are only 14, it might fill in the time between now and then, and you will have a lot of fun - plus you will get a bit of an idea of whether or not the military is for you (it‘s not for everyone, and there‘s no shame in that).

Best of luck. Try out your local cadet corps - you can quit anytime if you don‘t like it. If you‘re intelligent and brave enough to post to a forum like this, I know you would do well there.

Let us know how things go.

 

[echo]

thx for the reply.
i will take ur (long lol)response into consideration.

about ur last comment,
i dont really know why but i‘ve always had a fasination w/the army.(and army related things)
ever since i was a small child i had thought the army has its own classification of "cool".(and i still do)

i can tell u for a fact that the Canadian Armed Forces IS FOR ME!!!!!!!!!

 

[Master Blaster]

While I was a cadet it taught me the most important lessons a young man could learn (at the time)...drinking to excess, smoking, swearing (some of my best) and women,women,women! Considering I was 12 at the time, I consider this time well spent.

Regarding military skills I learned command presence, leadership and it‘s responsiblities, followship and the finer arts of team participation and cooperation. I don‘t know if the first paragraph‘s comments are still in the Coursr Training Plan...if they‘re not it‘s a shame because without the bonding of a good piss-up and sneaking the occaisional smoke behind the barracks the rest is just fluff that persuads people that they are really learning a lot of ‘neat stuff‘ without the ‘grit‘.

Getting gritty is what the military is all about. If you enjoy being places that no other human being wants to go or spending hours and hours digging holes in the ground for the pleasure of filling it up the next day then the military has a place for you. It will only take a couple of good hard Ex‘s to make up your mind and your decision will guide you for the rest of your life. Your Regimental pick of choice is a good one...the Dirty Four Dozen/ The Ladies from Hades or the 48ths all are names of valiant warriors trained in the best traditions of the military.

All the Best

Dileas Gu Brath

 

[echo]

thx for the reply.

first off.i dont smoke.i tried it once and hated it.(although i have nothing against smokers or potential smokers.)
drinking to excess.....ive been doin that since i was 12 lol.

if i didnt WANT grit,u‘d think id b so anxious to join? lol.

thx for the vote of confidence

 

[RCA]

Ah the good old days but alas there all gone now. Cadets would be a good place to start, however it is true (based on time in and experience) that cadets do well in the military when they learn to leave the attitude behind that they done that or seen that. The ones that do well are the ones that learn to keep their mouth shut and do the work. However saying that, I never was in the cadets (came right off the street)and I going on 26 yrs in the reserves and have continuelly moved upwards.
In choice of units, however if you like digging holes and filling them in and like walking everywhere thats fine, however there are alternatives, such as 7th Toronto Regt RCA(I assume you are from Toronto) and join the the artillery team (remember - there is two types of people out there - gunners and targets)
Ubique

 

[echo]

thx for ur reply

 

[bossi]

I‘m of two minds re: cadets - my personal view is simply that there are good cadet corps, and bad ones (and, it‘s not easy to distinguish from the perspective of an "outsider" - therefore, it‘s important to obtain advice from trusted friends, family, whomever ...). The bottom line is that there are probably worse activities for young Canadians (e.g. couch potato, juvenile delinquent, ...).

Having said that, here‘s an interesting newspaper column, which contains a reasonable amount of factual information (e.g. it‘s interesting to note actor Jim Carrey, Olympian Miriam Bedard, and astronaut Chris Hadfield were cadets ...).

Dileas Gu Brath,
M.A. Bossi, Esquire
++++
Cadet experience offers bevy of worthwhile skills

Joel Jacobson / Staff

Joel Jacobson BRIGHT SPOT

WHO KNOWS WHERE any of the 1,500 cadets attending the Argonaut Army Cadet Training Centre at Gagetown, N.B. will find happiness?

Maybe one of them will be like Hollywood‘s Jim Carrey, once a young army cadet in Ontario. Or Myriam Bedard, Olympic biathlon gold medallist. Or astronaut Chris Hadfield. Or maybe they‘ll simply be improved persons just because of the cadet experience.

As the training centre prepared to close in late August, there were 450 Nova Scotians among the 1,000 cadets at Gagetown. In Canada, 23,000 army cadets are chosen for training centres out of total strength of 56,000.

During the school year, cadets meet once weekly and sometimes on weekends. They develop leadership skills, discipline, self-confidence, fitness and an ability to face challenge.

At the centre, they learn outdoor skills and enjoy a bevy of educational and other programs that benefit them now and in future.

Sounds like a recruiting brochure, doesn‘t it?

Well, the kids at this camp will be recruiters for cadets because each and every one will leave with a smile.

John Chase, 16, of New Glasgow, plays bagpipes in the cadet pipe and drum band. He‘s been working five years to learn the chanter and pipes and, with Kate Huston and Megan Chessnutt, both also of New Glasgow, they spend most of each day in the band program.

"We‘ve met interesting people and done neat things," says John.

Some competed in the Highland Games with a sixth-place finish in marching.

Staff cadet Andrew Young, 16, of North River, Lunenburg County, has been a cadet for three years. He‘s helping with Internet familiarization.

In three weeks, more than 850 cadets have used computers to learn skills, check news, write e-mails and "work the game," says Andrew.

The game, titled Missing and designed by British Columbia RCMP, "teaches young people to avoid being ‘netnapped,"‘ says Brian Riddle, a cadet instructor from Bridgewater. He takes the summer off from his job in computer sales and service to lead the program.

Each cadet is given a detective‘s handbook to follow the trail of the kidnapper. The goal, of course, is to catch him.

Riddle says the program is so popular that cadets often return to the computer barracks after hours.

"They want to win this game and save the child. This is by far the busiest site on the camp, except for the parade square and medical room."

Some cadets return to their tent base (most cadets live in barracks) after a challenging adventure program. Included in this group are 10 cadets from Britain on an exchange program.

"This camp is easier than at home," says Laura Dicker, 15, of Durham. "We like the friendly people but find at home there is no stopping during the day. It‘s just constant activity."

Mark Tushingham, 15, of Belfast, Northern Ireland, says there is more variety at Argonaut than at home. "We‘ve been mountain biking among many other things. At home, it‘s constant drill."

Their leader, Lieut. Niki Frost, a university student in Stirling, Scotland, says her cadets find it easier "because they‘re at a higher level than the locals. They‘ve been through much of the training already."

But busy or not, Laura says, "I‘ve enjoyed the Canadian experience. I‘ll be back, either as a cadet or a civilian. You won‘t be able to stop me talking. I‘ll talk for weeks about it."

Niki chimes in: "She‘s been talking since she‘s been here."

Ashley Drysdale, a Grade 11 student at Queen Elizabeth High School in Halifax, is in the physical education and recreation sector. She‘s a fifth-year cadet and a four-year camper.

"Of all the camp programs I‘ve been in, I enjoyed drill and ceremonial best," she says. "But I love this, too. There‘s lots of sport, plus we‘re learning how to coach, motivate and work as a team. I‘ll definitely use this at the home corps this fall."

Ashley says they‘re up at 6 a.m. and don‘t finish until 8 p.m. some days. "I want to become an officer and work with cadets in the future.

"Many people think this is boot camp with lots of being yelled at, but it‘s a great time. Cadets are normal people."

Monday, the annual Terry Fox Run is previewed at a media-politician feud


Contact Bright Spot via e-mail at jjacobson@herald.ns.ca or phone 902-426-0128 or fax 902-426-1158.
- 30 -

 

[echo]

thx for the article and reply.
its nice to hear about caddets and all,
but whattabout the orriginal question,

"who can tell me important but untold lessons that SHOULD be given to aspiring recruits?"

 

[Michael Dorosh]

The recipe for success is in your heart.

Use your head, follow orders, take pride in who you are and what you do, and there is nothing else you need to know.

Besides, if we told you all the secrets, there would be no fun in it for you. So when you‘re told to paint the Last Post, ask what size brush to use.

Now stop TALKING about cadets, and start DOING. Sign up next week!

 

[echo]

thx for your reply.
despite what the posts have raved about cadets.
i still think i‘ll wait till im 17 so i can join the REAL SHIT .

 

[the patriot]

Funny you should mention that. If I‘m not mistaken, the motto of the cadets is ‘ACER ACERPORI‘. Translated, this means "As the maple, so the sapling." If can see where I‘m going with this, yes cadets do the "real shit" too. Have you ever fired a 7.62 mm NATO weapon called the FN? Have you participated in a biathalon that allows you to post for the Canadian Winter Olympic team? Do you know what discipline and respect really mean? All these things are taught at the cadet and military levels. It‘s your choice, but do not discredit the accomplishments of those that have participated in the cadet movement. To add to Bossi‘s comments. Yes, there are good and bad cadet corps; then again there are good and bad soldiers (Clayton Matchee-Somalia). I‘d rather have a former army cadet in my platoon, than some hick who thinks the army is nothing but a shooting gallery and a bunch of hicks chewing tabacco and drinking Labatt 50.

-the patriot-

 

[bossi]

Okay - "echo" has thrown down the gauntlet ("... thx for the article and reply. its nice to hear about caddets and all,
but whattabout the orriginal question, ‘who can tell me important but untold lessons that SHOULD be given to aspiring recruits?‘ ...")

Here goes:
I taught a "recruit" course a few years ago, and tried very, very hard to convince the candidates that "teamwork" (among other qualties) was one of the most essential facets of a good soldier - as it turned out, I had quite a few good soldiers amongst my candidates, since 18 of them finished first or second in their platoons at Meaford that summer (18 out of 65)

As for "... important but untold lessons that SHOULD be given ...", here are a couple of my all-time favourites:

First of all, my personal view:
1. Watch the movie "Zulu".
2. Napoleon said something to the effect that every one of his soldiers had a field marshall‘s baton in their knapsack. There are a number of ways to interpret this, but I‘ve always looked at it this way - soldiers, even the lowest ranks, should never be treated like dirt - each and every soldier has the potential to be a hero, a leader. Each and every soldier should be taught as much as possible, encouraged to be the best, and taught to do the right thing - one never knows when, or by whom, one‘s life might depend on having the best soldiers fighting at one‘s side. In a nutshell, if I ever have to say "follow me", I want to know I‘ve prepared my troops to the best of my ability.

Now, here‘s what some others have said:

When one treats people with benevolence, justice, and righteousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders.
Chan Yu, fl. 1000

Those who appreciate true valour should in their daily intercourse set gentleness first and aim to win the love and esteem of others. If you affect valour and act with violence, the world will in the end detest you and look upon you as wild beasts. Of this you should take heed.
Emperor Meiji: Rescript to Soldiers and Sailors, 4 January 1883

"[Discipline] ... is doing the right thing when there‘s no one to tell you right from wrong".
U.S. Navy saying

"Order, counter-order, disorder."
- Helmuth Graf von Moltke

"Character is the bedrock on which the whole edifice of leadership rests. It is the prime element for which every profession, every corporation, every industry searches in evaluating a member of its organization. With it, the full worth of the individual can be developed. Without it - particularly in the military profession -- failure in peace, disaster in war, or, at best, mediocrity in both will result."
- Gen. Matthew B. Ridgeway

"Intelligence, knowledge, and experience are telling prerequisites. Lack of these may, if necessary, be compensated for by a good general staff officer. Strength of character and inner fortitude, however, are decisive factors. The confidence of the men in the ranks rests upon a man‘s strength of character."
- Field Marshal Erich v. Mannstein, 1957

Dileas Gu Brath,
M.A. Bossi, Esquire

 

[echo]

my first response is to the patriot.
thank you for all your replys and sharing your views with me about the subject of caddets and everything else.
i really have nothing against the caddets.they do things that i nver think of doin.
all that i have learned about them is from my cousin and a friend who was in caddets a few years ago.

NO,i have never fired any live round PERIOD.

i have serverly bad asthma and cannot run for more than 3 kilometres before i collapse(though its improving,it used to be 1k),so a biathalon is out of the question(at thus point in time).

now onto bossi‘s reply.
i would also like to thatnk you for contributing to my post.
if it were‘nt for u and the patriot,i would hardly have anybody answering my questions and giving me another opinion about the millitary.
(thanx for the quotes too.)


what you say is true to pretty much every extent.
i will try to get an oppertunity to see Zulu(though my fav war movie is Saving Privet Ryan because as a civillian it gives me a oppertunity to witness the horror that the young men went through in WWII and therefor apprieciate the freedom i have today in Canada)

after doing a "dirtwork"(mindless labour lol) excercise with my ventures group,i fully achnowledge and apprieciate the value of "teamwork".
(i also got a good taste of it during a time i went to play paintball with a few of my friends and we had to all run up a small hill and help defend our flag,if i were‘nt good friends with them before I WAS after that day)

I have a quote that my friend wrote in his short story for an assignment last year that i think should be right up there with all the millitary geniuses.

"it is better to have lost spectacularly than to have won with no real sense victory."
Unamed,The Revolutionary Star.1999