Mech

[Avor]

I just finnished my BMQ a week or so ago here in Wainwright, spareing any mishap or misfortune, I'm going to be on the BIQ April 1/2. But I already got a question, if I make it through this and get to battalion, what are the chances of the new people in getting on any LAV course? I'm pretty sure most of the course in going to end up 1VP, but we keep hearing all sorts of things; that course always go to the most vetern members, that because of afgan your going on a LAV or basic driver course wether you like it or not.

Sorry, I'm just fishing for more opinions. 

 

[MJP]

If you go to a Mech Bn believe me you will get a LAV crse, either gunner or driver probably as one of your first courses.  Gunner there are no real prerequisites, however for driver you need your airbrakes and some other driver training (MLVW, LSVW etc etc.) but we usually schedule the courses so you finish driver training and go right into your LAV driver course.

 

[hat]

Avor,

Is your concern that you will have little choice in courses? Or is it that you will not get a course in the near future?  Is it that you will get "stuck" on a LAV course of some sort?

My best advice to you is work hard on BIQ.  Once you get to Bn, work hard listen lots and talk much less.  Most importantly, tell your chain of command what you want.  Put it in writing!

Also, ask what skills and aptitudes are being looked at for the relevant course that you want.  For example, in a LAV gunner, I would first select someone with a lot of maturity and the ability to master technical material (not necessarily time in).  Why?  Because your finger will be on the trigger of a decently large cannon and turret systems require some aptitude to master quickly. 

The DP2A/IPSWQ is a good course on which to demonstrate these skills and will also be useful down the road. 

Your Sect Comd/Pl WO/CSM/RSM will mostly be the chain that will decide what courses you get at your level.  Putting things in writing really helps demonstrate that you are serious and also helps in tracking requests.

On your BIQ, there should be incremental staff from one of the battalions.  Without suckholing, ask them what the deal is with courses.  They are your best source of information.

Take care and good luck on course.

 

[Avor]

Is your concern that you will have little choice in courses? Or is it that you will not get a course in the near future?  Is it that you will get "stuck" on a LAV course of some sort?

I want to be on LAV or driver course, my worry is that I'll get to battalion, sit on my hands untill work up and then shiped out. If I ever get to Afghanistan, I honestly don't want to be more than a hundred meters away then anything with a set of wheels. When I first signed up for the forces, it was a realy close pick between armour and infintry. Going mech gives me both of what I want, the best of both worlds and help me decide what I want long term.

By the way, what is DP2A/IPSWQ?

 

[Nfld Sapper]

By the way, what is DP2A/IPSWQ?

DP2A/IPSWQ = Infantry Support Weapons Qualification.

Here you will learn (any 031's correct me if I'm wrong) C6 in the Sustatined Fire Role, 9mm pistol, and 84 mm (?). coaching

BTW you need to have this course to do PLQ MOD 6 Infantry

 

[Kat Stevens]

I'd suggest you chose your vocation poorly if you never want to be more than 100m from your ride.  MSE Op sounds more up your street.

 

[Illegio]

Also, ask what skills and aptitudes are being looked at for the relevant course that you want.  For example, in a LAV gunner, I would first select someone with a lot of maturity and the ability to master technical material (not necessarily time in).  Why?  Because your finger will be on the trigger of a decently large cannon and turret systems require some aptitude to master quickly.

This is all true, but one thing I should mention is that it seems matters are sometimes (usually? often?) long decided before you even get to your eventual destination. Our BIQ course had heard rumblings from guys in battalion that we'd *ALL* been slated for turret op even before BIQ was halfway done. I didn't believe it at the time (we were told by the acting SM in WATC that we didn't have a hope for turret ops, and that the usual progression was driver, THEN gunner), but here I am, 2/3s of the way through Turret Op (which is a very short course, btw), w/ my written PO tomorrow.

The army's in the hole-filling business. Where there's a hole, they will fill it w/ what they have. There's a guy that's been w/ me since St. Jean swear up and down that he was gonna go jump w/ the 3rd in Edmonton, all the way through training. He put in maybe fifty memos. He's a switched-on guy. You should have seen his face when we got our posting messages telling us we were all going to Shilo. We get here, they're short on gunners, so guess what, we're going gunner. Do your best, and certainly if you want something, ask for it, but don't take it personally if the army thinks they need you somewhere else.

 

[Avor]

I'd suggest you chose your vocation poorly if you never want to be more than 100m from your ride.   MSE Op sounds more up your street.

It's more than just a ride.

I think about where and how I want to fight, unhealthy armour fetish aside, I want there to be a vehicle involved. Mobility, firepower, and protection, hell yeah.

In a combat situation I want to have speed, to get to a zone fast, or get out fast. The ability to rapidly respond to enemy action is a nessity to victory. I don't want to lose or miss a fight because I couldn't get their fast enough, and I know I could never forgive myself if we lost people because we couldn't get there to help them in time.

Again, in a fighting situation, I've seen the C9 and C6, those are pretty cool. But when they're held up to the 25 mm cannon on the LAV, they look like weapons for a little girl. I'm new in the forces, but I know I would be thankful to have that kind of fire support.

I want to get out there and do my part just as much as anybody else, but I want to do more than my part, or at least make it home after my part. Armour rocks, it stops you from dieing. If our enemy is armed with AK-47s, RPGs, IEDs and the likes, I want to have little more between him and me than just my vest.

LAV or G-Wagon, I'll take it. To me, it's all about mechanization, keep the Jump, sniper, and recce courses, I know what I want.



I almost forgot, the best part of all, you don't carry your gear, your gear carries you  ;D

 

[MJP]

I want to get out there and do my part just as much as anybody else, but I want to do more than my part, or at least make it home after my part. Armour rocks, it stops you from dieing.

Don't worry about LAV courses and the like dude.  Work on mastering the weapons you are learning now and soaking up all the information you can when you get to Bn.  The LAV is a nice piece of kit to have in a firefight but believe me proper training and mastery of your weapons and associated soldier skills will be what keeps you from "dying" as you put it.  The LAV is but a tool in the toolbox....a big hammer but in the end just a tool.

 

[Avor]

What I mean is that if we're going to battle, there's nothing wrong with wanting the most protection you can get. It's just like taking your flak jacket or what not, you have all the soldier skills in the world, but your still going to to take it. If our patrol is going to get nailed by an IED, I would rather be in a LAV than on foot, better odds. The more armour we have, the more hits we can take, the longer we can stay in the fight and show the bastards.

 

[aesop081]

Take MJP's advice and slow down...........

besides, as you are going to discover soon, not all of an infantryman's work can be done in a LAV.

 

[TN2IC]

I'd suggest you chose your vocation poorly if you never want to be more than 100m from your ride.   MSE Op sounds more up your street.

Hehehe now your talking. There is always room on the dark side. If you got any questions in that trade, drop me a PM.

 

[Bane]

Sounds like you should've shot for pilot...

Work on mastering the weapons you are learning now and soaking up all the information you can when you get to Bn.  The LAV is a nice piece of kit to have in a firefight but believe me proper training and mastery of your weapons and associated soldier skills will be what keeps you from "dying" as you put it.  The LAV is but a tool in the toolbox....a big hammer but in the end just a tool.

+10

 

[Avor]

Sounds like you should've shot for pilot...

You have no idea how much I wanted to, I don't even talk about it because it hurts just to remember how much I wanted it. It was a glorous thought, not only to do your duty, but do it in the oper majesty of the sky? How could I resist? To act and live as to master envrioment and vehicle so much that you become one with it, almost seeing wind, feeling your vehicle as if it was part of your own body.  Then, take that oneness into combat against somebody else, is an amazing thing. Where the victor is determined by mastery of their craft, willpower and determination. The only way I can sleep at night is to know that the golden age of the fighter pilot is long dead, and today all they do is hurl missiles at each other like cowards.

My eyes weren't perfect, infact, my eyes were so bad that they would stop me from getting ifantry or any other combat trade. I got laser surger done, but it still doenst let me apply for pilot.

Hehehe now your talking. There is always room on the dark side. If you got any questions in that trade, drop me a PM.

I'll quote myself "It's more than just a ride...unhealthy armour fetish aside", I may not be able to be pilot, but vehicular combat is me. And the keyword is combat, sorry. But with a newly discovered back, I don't what the army will do with me, so many.

 

[mckee19]

AVOR your a pretty passionate guy, but really take the advice given to you here, most of these guys have gone what you`ve gone through X10. they know what there talking about and the advice they give is exactly what your looking for, advice from people who not only know but have gone through it

 

[vonGarvin]

Take MJP's advice and slow down...........

besides, as you are going to discover soon, not all of an infantryman's work can be done in a LAV.

I'd go one farther and argue that very little of an infantryman's work can be done in or from a LAV.  And this from a LAV-Jedi!

Still enthusiasm is great, keep it up!  We need more like you.