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dancin pete posted:CF Combat Engineer goon here. Just wanted to say that I've been living in the 3RCR shacks for four years. 
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Jan 2, 2010 04:13
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It's $50/month rent and I'm getting out within a year so I can't complain too much really. Yeah I was on 3-08. I was with the BGHQ sniper det. I'm fairly familiar with the Wilson engineers, but other than that maybe not. Who knows though.
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Jan 2, 2010 07:09
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I can't believe we have a fat camp in basic now. Considering that our infantry is closed you'd think we'd be a little bit more picky. Christ. On a different note, anyone here go to Ft. Irwin, CA this month? loving blows. Also if anyone has any questions about Canadian snipers I've been qualified for about three years and operated overseas as one. If you are wondering how you become one, you've gotta be a fit, independently-thinking, quality soldier without an ego and someone higher in the chain of command's gotta recommend you. acumen fucked around with this message at 07:40 on Feb 6, 2010 |
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Feb 6, 2010 07:22
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Blade_of_tyshalle posted:Do you have to have really, absurdly great scores in marksmanship, or do they just take soldiers who are as you stated above? Nope, shooting is the easy part. Rifles pretty much shoot themselves, and after several thousand rounds through them like on the course, it's pretty poo poo simple. All the other stuff is the important part. It's quite simply a "boys club", and if you're a douche or you cry when you're wet and cold then you're hosed. VV Chances are he was full of poo poo. acumen fucked around with this message at 10:11 on Feb 6, 2010 |
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Feb 6, 2010 08:08
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Hizawk posted:Are in 2RCR? I'm in Recce and the sniper course they ran in the summer they just selected a bunch of people that had basic recce. To make sniper platoon they chose a few soldiers from the course. Hell, the top candidate on the course is still in Recce as our Warrant wouldn't let him leave to Snipers. As far as I know, nothing about being recommended by higher in the chain, or anything like that. I'm in 3RCR. By chain of command I meant mainly the MCpls/Sgts in charge of the sniper platoon. And yeah, basic recce is essentially sniper selection. As far as the eyes, I had a V4 (I think V1 is perfect, V5 is blind?) for all my training and was told I wasn't even supposed to be in the infantry, although it seems like they just forgot about it. I needed laser eye surgery to go overseas but it didn't impede sniper course at all. Mr.48 posted:Can I still bitch about the officers that I'm cold and wet thanks to? I bitch all the time, and I didn't mean "cry" literally. I've seen a lot of guys shut down in the field and while I'm by no means an amazing soldier or anything, I was able to keep it together at least. I'm going back to Ft. Irwin (I'm on R&R in Vegas right now  ) today so if there's any more questions it'll be a while before I can respond.
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Feb 6, 2010 20:26
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Simkin posted:Hah. Here's a fun one for you, acumen. Can I receive any of the sniper training as an officer, or is it NCM only? NCM only as far as I know. We really should offer the course to officers though, it sure as hell helps them understand how to employ us better. Because, obviously, no one wants to ask the corporal how to employ snipers even though he may know more about it. As for ruck marches, there's only so much you can do. The entire point of it is a gut check, and all these minor hints and tips won't really bring you that far. The best piece of advice is to suck it up. It's not that hard.
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Feb 28, 2010 06:49
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dancin pete posted:Finally back from the 2 months of fun in the sun in Fort Irwin. Other than the day in Vegas it sucked balls. No kidding. That was one of the worst-run exercises I've seen in my 4.5 years. You in the battlegroup?
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Mar 2, 2010 05:55
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Samu posted:Why the hell does everyone want to be infantry anyways? Why wouldn't everyone want to join the infantry? As much as I dislike my job now it didn't even occur to me to be anything else when I joined. It really wasn't about the money back then. edit: This seems pretty douchey towards the other trades. I don't mean it that way. acumen fucked around with this message at 04:49 on Mar 9, 2010 |
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Mar 9, 2010 04:46
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Mr.48 posted:I guess you're one of those guys that enjoy working on his boots. The rest of us have better poo poo to do. During battle school we were made aware that we literally had nothing better to do than to turn our parade boots into glass. We're still expected to be highly turned out when we're wearing our DEUs and we do get inspected. It's not the end of the world if someone wants to save themselves the trouble. Obviously if I had it my way none of this poo poo would matter at all but even in the reg force infantry we don't have better poo poo to do lots of the time. edit: for the record I burnshine my boots 10 minutes before a parade or whatever and then throw them back in my closet when I'm done.
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Apr 12, 2010 13:09
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My regiment is anal about everything. It's surprising about the DEUs though. Between Christmas Dinner, Remembrance Day, repatriation ceremonies, and other random occurrences (like this year's Paardeburg Ball) we wear ours often enough.
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Apr 12, 2010 22:26
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Simkin posted:Just finished up CAP, What the hell is CAP? What the heck is Vimy Exercise? God I've only been in for nearly five years and already I feel out of the loop.
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Apr 19, 2010 04:20
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MA-Horus posted:You know the rule. If the girl you pick up promises to have you back to the shacks in time for PT, run the gently caress away. This is when I'd buy her another drink or call a cab, not run away.
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Apr 26, 2010 21:27
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hellraiser13 posted:Complete newb here.. If you join the regular force it is a full-time job. Probably more of a full-time job than anything else since you'll be "representing Canada" and be expected to act and appear respectable 24/7. You will also be thrown into an rear end in a top hat of a city (good luck working in your hometown unless you're already a base brat) which they really can't pay you enough for sometimes. If you really have nothing better to do then by all means, join the infantry. You will most likely not see any combat for a very long time, and will to some extent either be an rear end in a top hat no one likes or you will hate your life and your job after about 4-5 years. If you're just looking for a secure, full-time job, I highly suggest looking at other trades. Also the infantry is closed right now so if you're in a hurry to join the military, you're out of luck there (it's for the best anyway). acumen fucked around with this message at 15:36 on May 9, 2010 |
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May 9, 2010 15:31
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From what I've seen most of the people who join the infantry do so not for a job but for combat, be it to see what they were made of, to shoot people, or to experience things they've seen, read, and heard about for a long time since it's so glorified. Don't take this the wrong way but most people don't want to "join the army" to sit behind a desk or to be a mechanic.
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May 11, 2010 00:10
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Lassitude posted:I've heard people say this a lot, but what exactly is it based on? How do you really compare stuff like whose infantry is better? It's based on a lot of bullshit. I've had a fair amount of experience working with other nations in the past five years and from what I've seen we're all pretty much the same as far as training goes. Our (  ) sniper course is nearly identical to the American and British ones. The main difference is equipment, and for that, Canada isn't even doing that poorly. I met a group of 82nd Airborne QRF snipers in KAF who had much crappier equipment than we did. On the contrary, I've also competed against the US Army Marksmanship Team in Benning and they had all sorts of crazy tricked out poo poo. From the 3 Commando Marines (British guys, I think I got the unit right), it did however seem that we had better sniping gear at least. I'll tell you what though, Canadians definitely have the most fatties, and the Dutch or Aussies win for women. Singaporeans have cool uniforms, the French have the tightest pants, the Brits are retarded for driving around like they do, and the Americans are like a pet pit bull who just wants to eat people.
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May 11, 2010 21:31
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Fire Above posted:Basic's what it is. The fun times start when you get to your trade school. Infantry battle school was everything I wanted out of a military experience that basic left me high and dry for. Hell I wouldn't be surprised if you guys stop doing PT after half way through. Still 15 minutes of PT is a pretty big joke... Basic training is a joke. Actually if some of my good civilian friends decided to join I'd probably try to do basic with them just because it'd be fun. If you want to be all crazy Full Metal Jacket brainwashing and getting lightly tortured, go through battle school.
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May 26, 2010 16:57
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Lassitude posted:How do regforce view reserve people? Thinking infantry, specifically, as that's my regiment. Watching Generation Kill the other day, and when the reservists showed up they were portrayed very negatively. It's the marines and a TV show, granted, but I still had to wonder. I've never been to Afghanistan myself, but I've always been curious at what sort of prejudices must invariably exist toward part-timers. Poorly. When you go on tour you'll receive a bunch of fresh-faced reservist kids who've spent hundreds of dollars on random kit that they don't know how to use and you'll be thinking "where the hell did these guys come from?". Eventually they become so integrated that they become similar to the rest of "the guys": some are quality soldiers, and some are bums off the street. The good ones from my tour rebadged over to the reg force afterward and it's like they were never in the reserves. But yeah, being "in the army" for a couple hours every Thursday is a little different from living on a base every miserable loving day of your existence. There's a line, and it's there for a reason.
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May 29, 2010 04:56
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Fire Above posted:So, how about that drug scandal? Good times in Wainright. I can't really blame them. I'd have the biggest meth lab if I had to live in Wainwright.
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Jun 17, 2010 04:06
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Samu posted:I have my BMQ in around 2 weeks and so far the only real "training" I've been doing is making sure my liver is ready for the weekends in Montreal. Drinking like a retarded army guy is the most important thing you learn in BMQ.
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Jun 25, 2010 19:57
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Well it would've been 3RCR. We've been back from Afghanistan for a year, have been incredibly busy for the whole time, had to deal with being away from home for 3+ months so far since January (in part thanks to the G8/G20), and generally don't give a poo poo for a bunch of flag-burners, so no. It definitely would not have been a good idea. ps Happy Canada Day!
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Jul 1, 2010 17:39
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Hopefully Cabaret Erotica is still around. Wear a condom. Good luck!
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Jul 6, 2010 22:56
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- Don't call everyone "sir", only officers and MWO/CWOs. - Don't gently caress your course-mates (I condone intercourse, I don't condone blading). - Play the grey man unless you are really awesome, in which case do something stupid once so you get the staff's attention. If you do this, don't be an rear end in a top hat or douchebag. - There is no way to cheat when shining shoes except for burn shining, and that only works well on already-polished boots. - When you try skoal, don't swallow your spit. - Help out people who are struggling if you're not. - Above all else, work your hardest, be respectful, and be modest. BMQ is easy as hell and a lot shorter than it feels.
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Jul 8, 2010 20:04
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Mr.48 posted:-Get gortex socks, they are loving amazing. Oh right, I forgot he was going combat engineer right? Goretex socks are usually hit or miss for people. Personally I thought they would be awesome as well but in practice, my feet sweat far too much and subsequently get just as wet anyway. In my experience, the only way to avoid wet feet/boots is to avoid walking through swamps. Hahahaha For your sleeping kit, yeah, throw your bag in your bivy bag, but throw all that poo poo in a garbage bag and shove it in your valise (or compression sack if you guys get the new rucks during SQ now). Your sleeping bag is your livelihood in the field, keep that poo poo dry and you will not regret it. Really, you could read all the tips and advice in the world and you'll still only be 10% of the way there. The only way to learn is long, long hours either in the bush, playing with your rifle, or shining your boots.
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Jul 9, 2010 00:09
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DrakeriderCa posted:gently caress anyone who gives you static for being motivated. This is what I did - be a quiet professional, do your best at all your tasks and don't be an rear end in a top hat. That doesn't make you a keener or a suckup, it makes you a good soldier. Just to add to this, I tried very hard during SQ and DP1. As a result, I got the fieldcraft award, which resulted in me being placed on a recce course once I got to battalion. I tried my best on recce and got put on sniper course two months later. Sometimes you get lucky and things actually pay off. But note what DrakeriderCa said: don't be a cocky prick, and help out your buddies when you can.
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Jul 15, 2010 02:39
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tuyop posted:Probably the hardest course in the Army, maybe in the whole CF and one of the hardest officer selection courses in NATO. It's a terrible loving time. This explains a lot.
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Aug 9, 2010 02:56
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My Spirit Otter posted:Wow, wrong on two accounts, I wore a set of disposable earplugs when I fired the Carl G. It wasn't loud if you were firing the weapon, only if you were spectating. Also M203's are the most badass weapon I've fired even if it was just chalk rounds. Its fuckin' so much fun. Its a hard weapon to accurately fire and it's just all around badass when firing from the hip(had a really cool RO) For the record, the M203 is one of the best weapon systems we employ overseas. A good grenadier is a very valuable asset.
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Aug 29, 2010 06:31
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grover posted:Has Canada shown any interest in the XM25 the US is developing to replace the M203? Doubtful. The only other option I've seen is one of those easily detachable stand-alone grenade launchers where the tube swings to the side to load instead of forward.
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Aug 29, 2010 19:51
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WOFOC posted:No its not. You're gonna have to explain this one.
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Sep 3, 2010 16:21
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Samu posted:I want to go sleep in holes and shoot my rifle though PAT platoon can ruin people, depending on who's in charge of ya. Hopefully you don't have to do it for long, if at all. SQ can probably be run at most bases these days, mine was in Meaford though in case it helps. You're right to want to get done your training asap. Life is much better once you've started your real job. Are you aware of which engineer battalion you'll be joining?
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Sep 6, 2010 00:57
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Samu posted:I don't know, I'd be happy in either 2 CER in Pet or 1 CER in Edmonton. I speak French so it's even possible that I get sent to Valcartier. Yeah, if you really don't care where you go, don't go to Pet. It truly is a shithole. If you are going to want to be close to home though, then stay close to home. Canada's a big place.
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Sep 6, 2010 09:54
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tuyop posted:So congrats for not being a total loving retard? Didn't you fail phase 3 or something?
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Oct 10, 2010 22:34
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edit: nevermind, naming people probably isn't too kosher, especially sniper school fellas.
acumen fucked around with this message at 15:16 on Nov 23, 2010 |
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Nov 23, 2010 15:05
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Mr.48 posted:Is that the same hill as the Hog's Back? If so, gently caress it, gently caress it to eternal oblivion. Hog's Back is the northern part of the training area and Warner Hill is the southeastern part if my memory serves.
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Dec 3, 2010 17:29
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Faffel posted:I'm a fairly smart, but officially uneducated guy (dropped out around grade 9 due to serious depression issues - a stupid decision and a long story) and one of the big pushes for me to go back to school is to finish my Grade 12 and apply for Navy or Air Force and I was just wondering if life in the Canadian military is as reviled as it is in the US military. Do you guys feel like the amount of effort you put into military life is worth the payoff? How often do Canadian infantrymen get deployed into hostile situations? If I'm more interested in the technical jobs/not getting my balls shot off, should I not even consider regular Army? I'm fairly ignorant about the whole thing, but life for me is not going well and I need some serious structure and rear end-kicking to get myself in gear and the military looks like a good way to do that. I just don't want to end up counting the minutes until my contract is up, so I'd like to hear from some experienced guys about what it's like. If you possess even a modicum of intelligence the infantry will drive you crazy. I can't talk a lot about other trades because I don't really have the adequate exposure, but they seem to be more or less the same. As far as getting rewarded for your hard work, it's incredibly hit or miss. You'll see the most brain-dead, incompetent soldiers get promoted ahead of the top soldiers in battalion fairly often, although there are plenty of ways to be recognized for the quality of soldier you are. In the infantry there are several more prestigious courses like recce, sniper, pathfinder, military freefall, etc. and awards for soldier of the year or the like that you can end up with. At the end of the day, respect goes a very, very long way, and even if junkass Cpl rear end in a top hat gets promoted before you, 80% of the people in battalion know that he's a dickhead and you're the real guy to listen to, even if he has the rank. Infantry soldiers get deployed to Afghanistan on roughly seven-month tours that rotate between three regiments (Royal Canadian Regiment in Ontario and New Brunswick, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry out of Alberta and Edmonton, and the Royal 22nd Regiment of Canada [Vandoos] out of Quebec). There are three battalions in each regiment (eg: 1st RCR, 2nd RCR, 3rd RCR) and each battalion will make up a battlegroup to go to Afghanistan that include artillery, engineer, armoured, etc. attachments. At this point, however, there are only a couple battlegroups left that are slated to go fight in Afghanistan so chances are you won't be seeing any combat in the infantry for a while. edit: If you want my personal opinion, then let me say that the better soldier you are and the harder you work, the more difficult and arduous taskings/jobs you're going to get, and you're not going to get away with skipping out on work or taking several months off because of a sore foot. You're not going to get a cushy posting somewhere. All you'll get is the feeling of self-satisfaction, which sometimes doesn't last long enough. One of my best friends in the military has essentially had the past two years off because he's a giant slacker, while I've been working my rear end off and we get paid exactly the same. Is it worth it? I don't know. acumen fucked around with this message at 17:59 on Dec 8, 2010 |
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Dec 8, 2010 17:51
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MA-Horus posted:8 years for PO1? Goddamn! I guess in the real forces you have to earn your promotions. I knew a guy that made master in 2.5 years (He had literally BMQ, SQ, DP1 Arty, Leadership course) and had just made corporal a few months before. Then about a year later he gets sergeant. This is why you don't promote people who have 2.5 years in. At our pre-holiday briefings this year they mentioned that the CF intends for MCpls to be promoted to Sgt with only a year in rank. Has anyone else heard of this?
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Dec 17, 2010 04:21
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I have no idea. Maybe it's to entice all the Cpl/Ptes who joined to fight the Tallyban and are now all getting out because we're setting up tent groups again.
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Dec 17, 2010 07:49
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MA-Horus posted:Certain eye-sight conditions will disqualify you for combat arms. I was combat arms, but then they found out I had different sight in one eye, so I had to go logistics. I was a vision category 4 and they put me on sniper course. 
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Dec 25, 2010 05:37
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tuyop posted:Pff engineers as combat arms. As if. yeah I hope you're kidding.
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Jan 13, 2011 02:00
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Coccyx posted:Hmmm, it's tricky guessing how much to disclose but here goes anyway. I've heard stories both ways regarding drug use, and it seems to dependent on the type of drug and the trade you intend on signing on to. One of my friends was flat-out denied to the Navy after admitting to having done mushrooms. I was put on a three-month drug probation because I truthfully went out and said I smoked pot a lot but I had been clean for three months (they told me they wanted six months since I did it last). Hallucinogens from the sounds of it seem to be the big issue because they don't want you "relapsing" or whatever when poo poo's going down or something. It's bullshit, but that's the way it is. Conversely, you could just do the same as 90% of the people I know and lie, although having some sort of paper trail behind you involving rehab may or may not pose a problem there. After a tour as a corporal or a private, assuming you don't spend too much during it or you don't have some girl at home spending all of it you're looking at 15-35k. This all depends on your trade (if you get spec pay, sea pay, danger pay, etc.) and the tour itself. We're pulling out of Afghanistan so at this point you're not going to have a combat tour there, which means you most likely won't get the maximum amount of danger pay or what have you. If your heart was set on shooting Taliban in the name of the Queen, sorry to break it to ya. Our military is a mixed bag. There are tons of problems with it that are pretty common in other militaries as well, but when it came down to our combat arms shooting things in Afghanistan, we were pretty well-regarded and recognized as capable and professional combat troops. Our three main allies (US, UK, Aus), in my experience, respect us a lot, and I have never seen or been in any pissing matches with any of them. From the few international concentrations I've taken part in, Canadians have definitely proven to be the biggest drinkers though, and that includes the Irish.
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Jan 17, 2011 21:08
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Samu posted:and walked by an entire ghillied up 2lt course this morning. hahaha what
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Mar 3, 2011 17:45
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