Reserve Weekend BMQ ( merged )

[armyvern]

Sorry being picky but please note the spelling mistakes  use the spell check next time

You forgot to point out that we also prefer proper capitalization and punctuation being used on the site!!

>

 

[Nfld Sapper]

You forgot to point out that we also prefer proper capitalization and punctuation being used on the site!!

>

Well I leave that to you MOD types  ;D

 

[armyvern]

Well I leave that to you MOD types  ;D

What?? You can't edit your own post?? He used proper capitalization and punctuation. 

 

[First]

I was sworn in on the 12th of Sep here in O.N. and the weekend B.M.Q for me starts on Oct 12th.

 

[joonrooj]

As someone who has done the weekend BMQ, obviously it is different course to course, depending on instructors, how switched on the candidates are, and to some degree, their trades.

Pros:
It is 2 and 1/2 days, you go home.

Cons:
More demanding on your civy life, schooling, work or whatever, because you are tired.
Much more action packed, slower learners will have a tougher time, because there is limited time to teach lessons, obviously the instructors will do their best to teach everything fully to everyone but if you are spending a lot of time on a certain subject, you might lose some of the fun stuff that isn't in the lesson plans.
PT, in my experience the PT was fairly tougher than it was on my summer SQ course, this could have been that we were (mostly) all going to be infanteers, or it could have been that we were fairly switched on and needed more demanding PT.
It is a lot harder to learn something one weekend, come back a week later and still be expected to know it, the first 1/2 day is all catchup.
It's easy to have other commitments on a weekend course, miss more than one weekend and you are out.

As to what everyone is saying about "well I think..." you don't have the experience, you can make guesses as to what the course is like, but really, the only way to do it is to experience it firsthand, and your course will be different than anyone else's.

Good luck on your BMQ, don't be lazy, don't slack off, and always volunteer.

-J

 

[Sukintu]

Hi everyone, in December of this year I'll finally be turning 16 and I WILL join the reserves (looking at 32 CER or one of the infantry regiments are Moss Park). I'm still in high school, and next semester I think will be hell, since I am taking both Grade 11 Biology and Physics [with accounting and intro to aps] (I want to get into university  ;D). I have heard of a BMQ weekend course starting in January, and I'm not sure what to take, the weekend BMQ course or just wait until the summer to do BMQ and SQ. I really want to do the weekend course, but I can't decide since I don't want my grades to be affected by the training ( or will it?). By taking the BMQ course I know that getting into the unit will be faster, and i can by the end of the summer.
I'm looking for some guidance, thanks .
P.S
My parents are in support of me joining the reserves, but I'm not too sure about the BMQ weekend course.

 

[Dale Denton]

I haven't gone through BMQ and I haven't even given in my application yet. I had a friend who joined up for BMQ on the weekends during the school year. IMHO I think you should wait until the summer at least, or even after grade 12. I was in the same position last year. I talked to my parents about it and they completely support me, but they had a problem with the time in which I wanted to join. Since you are taking courses that are on the Academic level, I think you should wait. My parents stressed that I wait until I've finished school, so that the training would not take away from my school work. They told me that the army wasn't going anywhere, and that if i want to truly get into University I should focus on school, and then sign up. Back to my friend, he had BMQ on the weekends and spent his Monday's in class sleeping... almost all day. It really depends on your work ethic I think. You on the other hand could focus on both, because he spend his time after BMQ sunday night drinking, so you could handle it. It really depends on how much you want to join and your schooling. You could in fact do perfectly fine in both. You should really read through the informative threads here and decide for yourself. Don't take what I say as the truth, that's just the way I've decided to go about in signing up. Good luck in your decision, and remember, search through the forums and you'll find all of the information your looking for.

 

[tomahawk6]

My non-Canadian advice is to wait until summer.

 

[joonrooj]

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/63835/post-615745.html#msg615745

This has been addressed, in particular my post at the bottom is what you are looking at, for ease of learning this post has been quoted below, squad 1: read.

As someone who has done the weekend BMQ, obviously it is different course to course, depending on instructors, how switched on the candidates are, and to some degree, their trades.

Pros:
It is 2 and 1/2 days, you go home.

Cons:
More demanding on your civy life, schooling, work or whatever, because you are tired.
Much more action packed, slower learners will have a tougher time, because there is limited time to teach lessons, obviously the instructors will do their best to teach everything fully to everyone but if you are spending a lot of time on a certain subject, you might lose some of the fun stuff that isn't in the lesson plans.
PT, in my experience the PT was fairly tougher than it was on my summer SQ course, this could have been that we were (mostly) all going to be infanteers, or it could have been that we were fairly switched on and needed more demanding PT.
It is a lot harder to learn something one weekend, come back a week later and still be expected to know it, the first 1/2 day is all catchup.
It's easy to have other commitments on a weekend course, miss more than one weekend and you are out.

As to what everyone is saying about "well I think..." you don't have the experience, you can make guesses as to what the course is like, but really, the only way to do it is to experience it firsthand, and your course will be different than anyone else's.

Good luck on your BMQ, don't be lazy, don't slack off, and always volunteer.

-J

WRT what you are talking about, schoolwork can suffer if you are not in the best physical state, I personally after my first weekend slept until dinner on Monday after going to bed in my combats on Sunday at 6pm. After that though, my body got used to the stress and the only problem I had with my schoolwork was remembering to do it before the weekend.

This will be different on your course (if you are on it) how different is based on the factors above. Good luck, take it a step at a time and have fun.

-J

 

[Lumadue]

i would suggest you wait until summer, that way you won't have the stress of not having time on weekends to finish your work, you will have time late in the day to work, but its not much even then you need time to prepare for the next day. i am doing the same thing, im still in high school and taking the weekend bmq as well as in grade 12 academics. i won't be doing it until january. i have had two other friends do the same as well and had some time about getting work done on time.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

You just need to know how to budget your time. When I did my QL2 (BMQ) I was in Univeristy and jugling a full course load there.

My 2 cents worth.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

If you get it done on the weekends, you can take your next upgrade during the summer. Weekend and full summer both have their pros and cons. It's up to you and what you feel you can put in and handle. The topic has also been covered numerous times before. If you do a 'search' of the Recruiting forum, everything is already laid out for you and answered.

 

[Sukintu]

thanks for your help everyone, I was just informed about the Co-op program offered in schools and I'm planning on taking the course (since i know it's offered at my school), only if its for half a day. Does anyone know anything about Co-Op courses in Toronto that aren't full day?

 

[mckee19]

i would suggest you wait until summer, that way you won't have the stress of not having time on weekends to finish your work, you will have time late in the day to work, but its not much even then you need time to prepare for the next day. i am doing the same thing, im still in high school and taking the weekend bmq as well as in grade 12 academics. i won't be doing it until january. i have had two other friends do the same as well and had some time about getting work done on time.

on my BMQ there was no time late in the day to do homework....after supper if there was no classroom work to be done you were in the shacks ckeaning your rifle, studying any material they gave you that day, practicing any new things you learnt that day, cleaning the shacks and preparing for the next day from 6ish till lights out....then not to mention some weekends you were in the field and what not.

 

[mysteriousmind]

My opinion, as I have done summer BMQ in may-july of this year,


DO the Summer course if you can wait, other wise were is the thrill of getting to your limit when you are on a week end course.

But, If you need money now...do it...

 

[joonrooj]

My opinion, as I have done summer BMQ in may-july of this year,


DO the Summer course if you can wait, other wise were is the thrill of getting to your limit when you are on a week end course.

But, If you need money now...do it...

That is kind of a misinformed quote, you make it sound as if weekend BMQ is a walk in the park, if anything a weekend BMQ is more likely to push you to your limits than a summer BMQ, there is less time to do it in and the instructors know you have a week to recuperate, they will push you hard. My BMQ was weekend and my SQ was summer, and I can tell you I was pushed a lot harder on BMQ.

Every course is different etc etc.

-J

 

[armyvern]

That is kind of a misinformed quote, you make it sound as if weekend BMQ is a walk in the park, if anything a weekend BMQ is more likely to push you to your limits than a summer BMQ, there is less time to do it in and the instructors know you have a week to recuperate, they will push you hard. My BMQ was weekend and my SQ was summer, and I can tell you I was pushed a lot harder on BMQ.

Every course is different etc etc.

-J

Funny how that works eh?? You're making it sound as if the summer BMQ is easier than the weekend yourself. Having NOT done the summer though I note.

Pot <---> Kettle

= black

It doesn't really matter which course, or which type, a person is on. Some will find it difficult -- others will not.

 

[geo]

My opinion, as I have done summer BMQ in may-july of this year,


DO the Summer course if you can wait, other wise were is the thrill of getting to your limit when you are on a week end course.

But, If you need money now...do it...

MM,
If you wait to do your BMQ in the summer you end up with a situation where you can't do your SQ & BMQ in the summer.  It is possible to complete your training in one year.... else follow your suggestion and stretch it out over two years.... You have made a suggestion without thinking of the ramifications. 

 

[Eowyn]

Hi everyone, in December of this year I'll finally be turning 16 and I WILL join the reserves (looking at 32 CER or one of the infantry regiments are Moss Park).  I have heard of a BMQ weekend course starting in January, and I'm not sure what to take, the weekend BMQ course or just wait until the summer to do BMQ and SQ.

Of course your question may be moot.  I don't think you would be enrolled in time for the January BMQ if you start your application in December.

 

[Sukintu]

Of course your question may be moot.  I don't think you would be enrolled in time for the January BMQ if you start your application in December.

ahh! That makes everything bad =(, do you think they would let me do the highschool co-op program that starts in 2nd semester? Or is my birthday making things that bad?