Cell phones at work or in school.

[Schafer]

Hello
  Army.ca

        I have made a couple post's around here and I have done the search and I have turned up nothing related to this topic one search even took me to a thread about the review of the movie (The Sum of all Fears), But back to the main question, due to the occupational choice of some, we may have our phones ring while at work or in school and it is in fact someone from your unit calling you. Or someone in a military position and they have had to call you for what ever reason being. What I'm asking is have any (CF) or other military personnel ever had this happen ? If so how did you deal with the situation ?

        I am asking this because of a situation that had occurred to me, while I was in school this past year. My school has a no cell phone policy however if you are not on school property you can use it and if it as at lunch you can use it as long as your not in the building. On one occasion I was having lunch with my friends outside and my phone rang so I answered it. It was the Recruiting officer from my reserve unit calling As I'm talking to him on the phone I had a teacher come out of these doors and yelling at me from across the yard to put my phone away so I simply told him I cant do that at this moment and he told me I had to or I'd be sent to the office so I told him again I can not put my phone away and he said to me " it cant be that important" So I explained to the recruiting officer the situation and he asked if he could talk to the teacher I handed the teacher the phone and said my recruiting officer wants to talk to you. After 15 minutes went by the teacher handed me back the phone and apologized for interfering and with that he walked away.

Has anyone else ever had a situation similar like this happen to them ?

 

[Sigger]

Ummmm... kay.

I double dare you to have your phone on ring during an inspection.

 

[vonGarvin]

Ummmm... kay.

I double dare you to have your phone on ring during an inspection.

I raise your double dare to a double DOG dare! ;D

 

[RHFC_piper]

Ummmm... kay.

I double dare you to have your phone on ring during an inspection.

heh... it wouldn't be a phone anymore... it would be all the parts of a phone in a heap, across the room, on the floor.


Time and place...  I have my personal cell on and with me in my office at work, simply because I get a lot of personal admin and military related calls.  It's also a way for work to get a hold of me when I'm out of the office... But I sure wouldn't bring it on a parade, or during a course (in class).  It's all about time and place. 

 

[Sigger]

I just remember forming up during SQ and hearing the Canadian anthem coming from somewhere in the front rank.
OMG.... can you say buddy F****d?

Just thinking about that gives me the cold sweats.

 

[garb811]

I'm perplexed at how you're going to react in a real emergency if you thought a call from your recruiting officer was something that couldn't wait.  My god, what would have happened if they had called while you were in the shower after working out and the phone rang and you didn't hear it?!  :

Folks act like just because they have a cell phone they need to answer each and every call immediately, no matter where they are or what they are doing.  As RHFC_piper said, time and place.  There are times when you just need to shut the damn thing off and accept the fact that someone might have to wait 30 min to talk to you about whatever trivial matter it is they are calling about.  If you're really that concerned about missing a vital call about whatever the ongoing drama in your life is at that point in time is, get voice mail.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

have you ever heard the old addage 'IF ITS IMPORTANT THEY'LL LEAVE A MESSAGE?"  :

 

[medaid]

Believe it or not I can't pick up the phone, so leave a message after the beep. I can't pick up or I'd answer the phone, where could I be?

BEEEEEEEP!

 

[King Elessar]

this past saturday i was taking the Canadian Firearms Safety Course. there was a "gentleman" who answered his cellphone 4 times during the course, another "gentleman" answered his twice during the course. that teacher had some great patience since he didn't even say anything. if it was me, i would have used the cellphones as shooting targets.

 

[geo]

At LFQA HQ, the building is EMSEC and all cell phones must be off - at all times.

Let's face it, do you really need to be connected 24/7 ??? I don't think so - I certainly don't.

At the very least - put the phone on vobrate - you can always pick up the messages - AFTERWARDS

 

[geo]

this past saturday i was taking the Canadian Firearms Safety Course. there was a "gentleman" who answered his cellphone 4 times during the course, another "gentleman" answered his twice during the course. that teacher had some great patience since he didn't even say anything. if it was me, i would have used the cellphones as shooting targets.

I was at a conference.... phone rings and the gent answers the phone... instructor asks him to take his call outside.
Once the fella leaves the room - the instructor locked the door.... individual failed mandatory training - too bad, so sad

 

[MedTechStudent]

At the very least - put the phone on vobrate - you can always pick up the messages - AFTERWARDS

I find "silent" is better than vibrate. Because not only to you avoid someone actually hearing the vibration which does happen, you also then are not thinking for the rest of the class "Jeez I wonder who that is who called, is it someone important, maybe I won something etc etc etc..."

 

[King Elessar]

I was at a conference.... phone rings and the gent answers the phone... instructor asks him to take his call outside.
Once the fella leaves the room - the instructor locked the door.... individual failed mandatory training - too bad, so sad

that'll teach him, well hopefully. some people are thick skulled  :blotto:

now that is what i wish the teacher had done to these 2 guys.

 

[Dirt Digger]

Back in my day, that spot on your belt where the cell phone goes is where we tied the onion, which was the style at the time.  ;D

But seriously, when I was in junior high, the school had one pay phone.  In senior high it went up to three.  If someone needed to get a hold of you, they called the main office and if it was an emergency, they brought the message to the classroom.  The system worked worked for the last fifty years before cell phones were even invented.

Now what you managed to do was not pick your battles, and made a teacher look potentially foolish in front of a crowd of your peers.  That could come back and bite you.  Do you think that you could pull a stunt like that on your recruit course?  "No MCpl, this call's important."  I guarantee you that wouldn't happen, but for some reason you thought it was the appropriate course of action with a teacher.  Hell, just wait until an RSM yells at you from the other side of a parade square...that stops traffic.

It's been said already...if it's important they'll leave a message.

 

[SupersonicMax]

I have my cell phone on pretty much all the time at work and I never had any issues.  Pretty standard for everybody where I work.  Not a problem to pick up if you're not talking to someone.

Max

 

[aesop081]

Mine stays in the car during work as the hangar is an EMSEC zone.

 

[PuckChaser]

have you ever heard the old addage 'IF ITS IMPORTANT THEY'LL LEAVE A MESSAGE?"   :

Or they'll call back.  8)

 

[Spanky]

Personally, I despise the cell phone, Takes up valuable pocket space that could be used by anything else, and never gives me a moment of peace. But I have one because my parents want to stay in touch, and it is handy for when I need to make calls.

As for military related stuff, only two situations where I've needed to use a cell phone. The first time was when I scheduled my testing and etc. with the CFRC, and I called during lunch after clearing it with a teacher. That is the responsible thing to do!The second is right now, as I'm waiting for two phone calls for medical paperwork. So, the phone stays on and on my person for the next week. Otherwise, I keep it off and in my backpack. No reason to have it on in school or work otherwise.

 

[211RadOp]

I actually kicked a person out of a class I was teaching when he reached for his phone for the third time in the first period. I said if it was so important for him to waste his time, then he can do it somewhere else.

I personnaly carry mine everywhere, always on vibrate. If I am in a class or a meeting, off it goes. The only time it is not on my belt is when I'm in the field. Not much reception in the middle of most training areas anyway.

 

[geo]

I actually kicked a person out of a class I was teaching when he reached for his phone for the third time in the first period. I said if it was so important for him to waste his time, then he can do it somewhere else.

I usually start off any training lecture with a "OK, everyone reach into your pockets and turn OFF your cellphones - thereafter, I'd boot out anyone with a telltale "ringing".  However, I have had people give me an advanced "heads-up" that they were expecting an urgent call..... at which point we'd decide how real the emergency was - Common sense.

I personnaly carry mine everywhere, always on vibrate. If I am in a class or a meeting, off it goes. The only time it is not on my belt is when I'm in the field. Not much reception in the middle of most training areas anyway.

Huh ???
Often, the Cells are the only reliable means of communication when in the field.