The Reserve Thread- A Merged Collection of Q & A's

[kurokaze]

Well I receieved a little sheet of paper from my
BOTP course outlining what the PT schedule
is going to be like for the remainder of the course.

Basically, the most important thing was that
there was going to be a PTTest on 26 April 03.
This test (from what I have heard) is going to
based on your benchmark test (i.e. how many
pushups you did before and how many you
can do now) plus some standards.. not exactly
sure what though.

On 27 April 03 we have our BFT. That one most
assuredly has the 13K ruck march + casuality
evac.

BTW, does anyone know what back extensions
are?

portcullisguy - This weekend will be our 5th
weekend in a row. Where is your training at?
Mine is at Denison Armoury.

 

[portcullisguy]

We just finished weekend #9, and are done for in-class instruction.

Next trg weekend is 21-23 Feb, and it will be the Nav and Gas Hut at Borden. Then, 28 Feb-2 Mar for our field trg ex (FTX), also at Borden.

Lovely, eh? In the dead of Feb, outdoors somewhere at Borden, the snow belt! Could be worse I guess... could be in the spring, when the entire base is a sodden bog marsh!

Following 2 Mar will be 7-8 Mar, our Grad weekend & parade.

Then we have three of four successive weekends for pre-SQ, with the rest of SQ from 30 Jun-18 Jul.

 

[Pikache]

Pre SQ? What the heck is that?

Ah, the gas hut. Fun fun fun.

 

[Marauder]

I‘ve only done the gas hut once, but I found the CS was great for clearing out my sinuses (I had a colb in my node at the time )
Other guys were puking their guts out, a few had nosebleeds. I just felt like I‘d swallowed a bottle of Tabasco... now that‘s a spicy meatball!!

 

[PTE Gruending]

For you guys who are yet to go through the hut, here are a few tips:

1. It‘s not going to kill you!

2. No matter what, and I mean it; you are absolutely going to get at least a whiff, if not at least a couple snorts of the gas, no matter how your seal is.

3. Do not cheat/sneak a breath when your are practicing/learning your your NBCD decon drills. You are the one who is responsible for yourself when you are in the chamber, errrr - hut! It will only hurt you if you do not use the correct drills.

4. Avoid wiping your eyes with anything when you get out, try and shower (if you are allowed) ASAP, and get into some new combats. Wash your Respriator well - chances are that you will have to don it sometime after the hut. And believe me, it can still sting.

5. Probably most important of all: Do not panic. I don‘t think anyone has died from the hut, everyones been through it, just another day in the office. Do your drills, stay calm, and live with the small amount of discomfort.


"GAS GAS GAS!"

 

[Pikache]

Man, I did the decontamination drill with that sponge thing, and I guess I wiped myself too much because I had trouble getting the seal back on the gas mask.

Five minutes of trying to get a seal, (or at least it felt like 5 minutes) the sergeant looking at me, and then I coughed a little. He shoves me out of the gas hut with a ‘you suck." Fun fun fun.

Ever tried to do a little fieldwork in NBC suits? Even more fun.

 

[portcullisguy]

Q: What is pre-SQ?

A: This year, according to my BMQ crse OC, training is keeping schedules very tight. A full SQ course (4 weeks) plus a full MOC course (4+ weeks depending on trade) would have meant that some courses would have finished AFTER 16 August.

Apparently, 32CBG wants to send as many people as they can to the CAC/Milcon/whatever-its-called-this-year. The number I heard was 5,000 from all participants (I know it‘s not only 32CBG). To meet this objective, two changes have been made this year:

1. There is no more Ex Southern Drive. At least, not this year. Some people say it‘s because of budget reasons, but the official line is because they don‘t want the Mon-Fri crowd using up their vacation in March, and not having any left to participate int he CAC/Milcon. Although this isn‘t an issue for me, Mr. Federal Public Servant, I realize many people only get 2 weeks vacation each year, and they use 1 week for the army, 1 week for themselves. I would too! This is 32CBG‘s theory, as I was told, anyway.

2. By having people just off a weekend BMQ course do 3 weekends of SQ before the summer, it allows the brigade to shorten the length of the summer SQ course by a week or more, thereby allowing those troops to complete it earlier, get INF (or whatever MOC) done earlier, and be "badged" in time for CAC/Milcon.

I don‘t think this is a new idea, either. One re-muster in my sect told me when he FIRST got in, 10 years ago, his first summer was pretty much exactly like that: Several weeks of basic (TQ1, QL1/2/3 whatever) and then straight into a combined exercise.

So, pre-SQ, then, is a way of shortening the summer SQ by having people do a little of it ahead of time, allowing them to get it done sooner and participate in the CAC/Milcon.

 

[Jarnhamar]

I know a few experenced privates who were told they are not getting promoted to corporal until they take that PWSQ (Platoon weapons support qualification?). I can understand this requirement for brand new privates who just did their summer training with the new BQ SQ and BIQ courses but these other guys being made to take it im refering to are already completly QL 2/3 qualified. Some of which have QL4 courses...

The PWSQ involves learning the
-C6 (not sure if its in the sf role)
-9mm pistol
-60mm mortar (with bipod)
and the Eryx (i‘ve never even seen one of these in the reserves before).

Putting every private through this course who wants to become a corporal seems a little off to me. Whn they run the courses will they give each private live 60mm mortars to fire and live eryx missles to shoot? Somehow i dont think thats in the budget. I think its going to be a lot of "pretend your shooting"

 

[portcullisguy]

Just finished the gas hut and nav weekend at Borden.

Had a blast. Didn‘t even know about the pyrotechnics part, and that was a nice surprise. The first t-flash and arty sim scared the bejeezuz outta me, but after that I got used to the noise. I‘m the same way at my gun club... first shot always startles me.

I loved the nav part, and had no troubles myself. Once the feet warmed up, I coulda gone all day and night.

Sunday morning was the gas hut, and other than the fact it was freezing cold, it was no problem. In fact, the gas wasn‘t bad at all... minor throat irritation, a little tingly on the face, but mostly it just made us sneeze a lot after.

That seems to be it... next week is the FTX and then we graduate.

Can‘t wait for SQ!

 

[Kmac]

Hi! I‘ve got a few questions here and hopefully I can find some direction here!

I‘m a 21 year old female who will be moving to Edmonton, AB in the summer to continue my education (I already hold a university degree). I am very interested in joining the reserves then. I will be travelling until mid-August and so I won‘t be able to sign up for the reserves until then. I‘m assuming that this is too late to begin in Sept? I‘m not sure how the reserves works but I gather there are weeknight and weekend training during the school year and full time opportunities during the summer. Does this mean I would have to wait until fall 2004 to get involved??? I would sign up before I travel but I‘m afraid I am not physically ready at this point.

Also, I‘m interested in getting involved in either armour or artillery. Are these successful areas for women? Is it typical for women not to be welcomed in these areas or to not be able to "cut it" physically??

Finally, how much time will the reserves typically take up? I‘ve heard from some that three out of four weekends a month is taken up doing basic training and others have told me that I would only be obligated to one evening a week and one weekend a month. Anyone have any idea what the situation is like???

Thanks a lot!!

 

[Bert]

Check out this web site:

http://salh.jfahy.net/index.htm

 

[Marti]

it depends whether you are planning on going officer or NCM, since you have a degree, you can join as an officer, and your Basic Officers Training Course will be held over the summer. if you join as an NCM it is possible that your basic training and SQ courses will be run on weekends during the year. however, if you aim to get sworn in around march-april (could be tricky to plan for) you‘re likely to get loaded on a basic training course over the summer, and if you‘re lucky you can get your SQ out of the way as well. once those two are done with you‘ll do your trades training, which almost always has to be done over the summer.

when you‘re not on course you are obligated one night a week, and about one weekend a month during the training year.

 

[combat_medic]

To address your question about being female in the forces, a lot of it is dependant on you. Combat arms are very demanding jobs, and if you‘re not in pretty good physical shape, you may have difficulty keeping up.

Now, MOST combat arms units are farely supportive of women joining. Just bear in mind, that it‘s a tough job, you‘ll get dirty, may go a while without a shower, and will usually be treated like "one of the guys". If any of this bothers you, or makes you uncomfortable, you may want to reconsider. That being said, it‘s also a very rewarding job, and can be a lot of fun.

 

[kurokaze]

Hey Kmac, if you‘re planning on applying as an
officer, in my area they do have the BOTP course
running every other weekend (Sep - April).

However, if you don‘t apply until mid-Aug you
might be too late for this year. In which case
you may have to do the summer course in 2004
or wait until Sep 2004.

Now, if by chance they do run a winter course
from Jan - Apr (the same timelines I‘m on right
now) you can expect to be on course an avg
of 3 weekends a month (just because the timelines
are so compressed). For my BOTP course I was
on course for the first 5 weekends straight.
Afterwards its been 2 weekends on, 1 weekend off.

I agree with combat_medic about females joining
the reserves. Any of the combat arms is going
to physically tough. I‘m in artillery myself.
good luck!

 

[Kmac]

One more thing...

Although I do have a degree and could go in for officer, I‘ve heard some recommend that you work your way up to that, first joining as a NCM.... I‘m not sure if that‘s due to lack of respect given since you didn‘t take the long road like everyone else or what... Others have told me that I should for sure go for officer right away if I‘m able to. Any opinions on this???

 

[Jarnhamar]

From the opinion of an enlisted soldier of 7 years the best officers i personally have worked with have always been someone who went up through the ranks (Even just to the rank of corporal).
I‘ve found that soldiers feel when an officer has came up through the ranks they have a better understanding of what an NCMs job is like and have a better idea of what is being asked of them by the officer. (Does that make sense?)

Mostly for combat arms (Armor, artillery, infantry, engineers) i think when an officer starts as an NCM and then goes officer they troops have a lot more respect for them (wether it is deserved or not) and they develop a closer relationship.

Speaking for myself i will work a heck of a lot harder for someone who i respect as a soldier and has seen the army from my point of view and has a little time in the military as opposed to an officer who has less then a year in the military and says things like "In my military expeience" and who probably will spend as little time with a platoon/company as possible.

Lastly, and correct me if im wrong anyone, an oficer who has been a corporal etc.. for a couple of years usually passes their officer training with flying colours. More often then not being near the top of their class.

 

[Illucigen]

I‘ve heard of several such former ncm‘s failing miserably at their officer courses, due to the fact that they just cant simply lead as an officer.

As for the respect levels, respect is earned, or at least should be. If you‘re gonna respect someone for the bar on their shoulder, or the title of their position (whether it be corporal or LtCol) you aren‘t respecting the person, you are respecting the title.

Think about that, and it works both ways. While it always helps to have an idea of what the boys have to go through, that doesn‘t mean an officer who was never an NCM has no idea what they have to go through. It also doesnt mean an NCM has the balls to effectively need when the time arises, and from what Ive heard this is their major problem on Officer Training Courses. They are just to used to being one of the boyz. (And these courses are given by other NCMs!)

In my opinion, you will find two major types of officers/bosses/leaders anywhere. Those who do their utmost to respect all aspects of their job, and those who get by on the fact that the lack of supervision and freedom of responsability due to their position permits them to slack off.

Its unfortunate that many NCM‘s seem to find the second version. That said, I‘ve never really liked many of my bosses, and I‘ve seen some of the best managers in the world who were hated by some of their staff. You cant please everyone all the time, and an officer is paid to make the tough calls and take the ****.

More or less, if an officer wants to be respected, he should have to earn it. That said, it‘s a two-way street, and any officer who isnt granted respect where it is warranted simply because they were not an NCM before, or because they are not "one of the boys" is something completely different.

Just MHO.

 

[Julio]

Hi,

I just called my local recruiter in Ottawa today and asked him more info about the reserve (I‘m a university student). He told me that they were full for this summer but I could come and sign up for fall.

I should get there next week, but if someone could enlighten me before, I would appreciate. I was wondering, since I will be back in university in fall, will the basic training be available on weekends or is it a full 10 weeks or so like in summer time? Do you think I should wait till next summer or get it done this fall?

Regards,

Julio

 

[Korus]

Regardless, you should drop off your papers and get into the recruiting process as soon as possible, because sometimes it can take a while.

As for Basic.. In the fall/winter, reserve basic courses are part time, on weekends. I‘m in University myself, but with a heavy course load and weekend exams, I try to take full time army courses in the summer. I‘ve got some friends, also in Uni, who have taken the part time weekend courses. There are two sides to the coin, so you‘ll have to see what‘s best for your situation, and what your prospective unit would let you do.

 

[Veteran`s son]

Does someone receive their Army Reserve uniform the day that they are sworn in?

Also, do new Reserves members usually have to complete BMQ before they can attend parade nights with their unit(the one night of the week)?