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Gathering Reservists in Borden

ueo

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I get the deployment of our few remaining trained medical pers to assist in PQ. I don't get why the tall foreheads in NDHQ would mass reservists (rumored at aprox 600) in austere conditions on haybox meals in the Cadet area in Blackdown CFB Borden. Social distancing may be a problem andalso given some of the stats and lack of testing there are , in all likelihood carriers, in this bloc. What's the employment possibility- deployed as cleaners in Retirement homes in TO? I have strong negative feelings on this, how about the rest of the readership. Wouldn't want my kid needlessly placed in harms way to gain political points. BTW Borden already has pers in quarantine!
 
Here in BC they've sent a number of the class C reservists up to the Vernon Cadet Camp for a mandatory two-week self-quarantine period. It looks like they have all been assigned individual rooms. Not sure what the rules are or how the meals work...I haven't bothered to ask anyone.
 
ueo said:
I get the deployment of our few remaining trained medical pers to assist in PQ. I don't get why the tall foreheads in NDHQ would mass reservists (rumored at aprox 600) in austere conditions on haybox meals in the Cadet area in Blackdown CFB Borden. Social distancing may be a problem andalso given some of the stats and lack of testing there are , in all likelihood carriers, in this bloc. What's the employment possibility- deployed as cleaners in Retirement homes in TO? I have strong negative feelings on this, how about the rest of the readership. Wouldn't want my kid needlessly placed in harms way to gain political points. BTW Borden already has pers in quarantine!
Had a look at http://www.cadets.ca/en/summer-opportunities/training-centres-blackdown-about.page - looks like adult and staff cadet numbers alone amount to almost 400, with 1800ish trainees (that last is hard to parse into actual bunks, given three intakes of two-week courses and two intakes of three-week courses, as well as the single-intake six-week stuff). Suggests there's a certain amount of elbow room available, though I doubt it's terribly comfortable.
 
ueo said:
I get the deployment of our few remaining trained medical pers to assist in PQ. I don't get why the tall foreheads in NDHQ would mass reservists (rumored at aprox 600) in austere conditions on haybox meals in the Cadet area in Blackdown CFB Borden. Social distancing may be a problem andalso given some of the stats and lack of testing there are , in all likelihood carriers, in this bloc. What's the employment possibility- deployed as cleaners in Retirement homes in TO? I have strong negative feelings on this, how about the rest of the readership. Wouldn't want my kid needlessly placed in harms way to gain political points. BTW Borden already has pers in quarantine!

It’s a ready pool of manpower that can be used for variety of things.  My guess is the leadership hopes to have some depth in case of anything really.  Flood season is about to start and they could boost the DRCs, they could be used at control points if requested or needed, they could be deployed to assist in all sorts of capacity if needed.  We have no idea what will be needed.  We’ve sent rangers to northern communities, we’ve sent medical staff into care homes in Quebec.  Who knows what will be needed but they have troops in Borden they can tap into.  Some may have skills that can be used. 

On one of the dom ops I was on we were told we couldn’t deploy without medics in each platoon. We only had 2.  One of our platoons had three city firefighters.  Another guy was a plumber who was able to fix the arenas showers. 

Anyways, this sort of thing isn’t political.  It is anticipating and preparing.  If they are needed, cool.  If they aren’t, so be it.
 
quadrapiper said:
Had a look at http://www.cadets.ca/en/summer-opportunities/training-centres-blackdown-about.page - looks like adult and staff cadet numbers alone amount to almost 400, with 1800ish trainees (that last is hard to parse into actual bunks, given three intakes of two-week courses and two intakes of three-week courses, as well as the single-intake six-week stuff). Suggests there's a certain amount of elbow room available, though I doubt it's terribly comfortable.
It a mix of semi permanent vinyl shelters on concrete pads no heat anywhere from a 10 foot to 100 yard dash to the shower/shiter. The tents hold any where from 2 to 20 bunks and can house 12-1,400 at a time.
 
 
Hearing guys and girls in Borden are 4 to a tent with some really cheap space heaters.
 
my72jeep said:
It a mix of semi permanent vinyl shelters on concrete pads no heat anywhere from a 10 foot to 100 yard dash to the shower/shiter. The tents hold any where from 2 to 20 bunks and can house 12-1,400 at a time.
Ouch. Makes the Goose Spit H blocks (prefab flat-pack "temporary" structures of a WWII design, or so I was told; 1940s or 50s builds, regardless) sound both palatial and cozy.
 
Jarnhamar said:
Hearing guys and girls in Borden are 4 to a tent with some really cheap space heaters.

Probably space heaters the troops brought from home. Thats what I have done everytime I have gone there.
 
Kilted said:
Probably space heaters the troops brought from home. Thats what I have done everytime I have gone there.

Looks balmy https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/weather/ontario/borden

Nothing that a good run couldn't cure! ;)
 
quadrapiper said:
Ouch. Makes the Goose Spit H blocks (prefab flat-pack "temporary" structures of a WWII design, or so I was told; 1940s or 50s builds, regardless) sound both palatial and cozy.

Most of the facilities used as cadet camps seem to be like that, Rocky mountain cadet camp just outside ghost lake AB 50s vintage with heat pipes that sound like a freight train, and the buildings aren't winterized so you need to bring in portable toilets in winter cause there is no running water due to frozen pipes. Another camp near Caroline AB is just a bunch of log cabins with cast iron stoves, which I personally find rather cozy but not designed for long term comfort or long stays of troops and equipment.
 
Jarnhamar said:
Hearing guys and girls in Borden are 4 to a tent with some really cheap space heaters.

Should I feel bad for this? I mean they are Army reservists, not saying they should be treated like meat, but you'd have to be pretty naive to think you'd be staying in hotels when you signed up. 
 
Quirky said:
Should I feel bad for this? I mean they are Army reservists, not saying they should be treated like meat, but you'd have to be pretty naive to think you'd be staying in hotels when you signed up.

Had they been Air Reserves..... ;D
 
Jarnhamar said:
Hearing guys and girls in Borden are 4 to a tent with some really cheap space heaters.

quadrapiper said:
Ouch. Makes the Goose Spit H blocks (prefab flat-pack "temporary" structures of a WWII design, or so I was told; 1940s or 50s builds, regardless) sound both palatial and cozy.

MilEME09 said:
Most of the facilities used as cadet camps seem to be like that, Rocky mountain cadet camp just outside ghost lake AB 50s vintage with heat pipes that sound like a freight train, and the buildings aren't winterized so you need to bring in portable toilets in winter cause there is no running water due to frozen pipes. Another camp near Caroline AB is just a bunch of log cabins with cast iron stoves, which I personally find rather cozy but not designed for long term comfort or long stays of troops and equipment.

Luxury.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeXMKygwSco
 
Quirky said:
Should I feel bad for this? I mean they are Army reservists, not saying they should be treated like meat, but you'd have to be pretty naive to think you'd be staying in hotels when you signed up.

Well now...I did spend my pre-deployment in a hotel in Edmonton...
 
Quirky said:
Should I feel bad for this? I mean they are Army reservists, not saying they should be treated like meat, but you'd have to be pretty naive to think you'd be staying in hotels when you signed up.

Could be in mod tents.

Could be in arctic tents

Could be in hooches. 

If they packed right they have two sleeping bags and they are under shelter with electricity near running water and showers.  That isn’t bad.

 
Remius said:
Could be in mod tents.

Could be in arctic tents

Could be in hooches. 

If they packed right they have two sleeping bags and they are under shelter with electricity near running water and showers.  That isn’t bad.

Agreed, this isnt your home life of wearing a t shirt and slippers, if they packed right, they will be fine. My concern is with social distancing, everything being closed is any consideration being made to keep troops entertained in their down time. Bored troops tend to get into trouble, and the longer this goes the more bored they will get.
 
MilEME09 said:
Most of the facilities used as cadet camps seem to be like that, Rocky mountain cadet camp just outside ghost lake AB 50s vintage with heat pipes that sound like a freight train, and the buildings aren't winterized so you need to bring in portable toilets in winter cause there is no running water due to frozen pipes. Another camp near Caroline AB is just a bunch of log cabins with cast iron stoves, which I personally find rather cozy but not designed for long term comfort or long stays of troops and equipment.
Rather like the sound of the log-cabin setup for cadet training.

Surprised Rocky hasn't been winterized. Are the buildings otherwise, for what they are, in good shape?
 
CanadianTire said:
Well now...I did spend my pre-deployment in a hotel in Edmonton...

I could be wrong on the type of course but I believe a PLQ course about 5 or 6 years ago in Borden used area motels do to a problem with the shacks they normally would use.



 
Quirky said:
Should I feel bad for this? I mean they are Army reservists, not saying they should be treated like meat, but you'd have to be pretty naive to think you'd be staying in hotels when you signed up.

Could also be that the army might want to treat them like they are lucky to even have them. But as the saying goes, the army doesn't join people, people join the army. 
 
quadrapiper said:
Rather like the sound of the log-cabin setup for cadet training.

Surprised Rocky hasn't been winterized. Are the buildings otherwise, for what they are, in good shape?

Very good, they also have one person posted there year round as the RQ/care taker, the house they get is pretty nice. Barracks rooms are 2 to a room, classroom space is ample. Again due to not being winterized fire suppression system doesnt work in winter.

The area is used extensively for BMQ and BMQ(L) courses for dismounted ops, especially Navigation training. If they could just spend a few million to winterize all those buildings it would be a great year round facility. Heck its remote enough, build a rifle range and you could run BMQ's there without ever leaving the camp.
 
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