CFLRS Info

[observor 69]

Info posted on can.community military:

Block leave at CFLRS started yesterday with all candidates having left by
Thursday, except for a few that will be spending the Xmas season on base.
CFLRS is expecting to get to a max of 32 active platoons by March (with
350+ on PAT). Its will be, and has been, extremely busy here. Another 90ish
new instructors expected by summer, new construction in St-Jean and in
Farnham and quick rapid take-over of the Mega by CFLRS. Most of the units in
the Mega, including most of CFLS, will be moving to the old CMR to make room
for us. Busy time here.

 

[geo]

350+ PAT... does that include the new "remedial PT" troops?

32 Platoons - some 1200 odd souls (+ support staff).
I can see that facilities will be stretched a wee bit for the next little while.

 

[NJL]

It would be nice if there was more CFLRS (Reg Force) besides St Jean and to a lesser extent Borden... sounds like St jean is getting pretty crowded... maybe do it like community college and have a number of CFLRS campuses through out Canada... I wouldn't mind doing reg force bmq in either Alberta or BC... I'm from NS and going out west to do bmq would be good

 

[medic269]

I just finished there Nov. 30th and we struck lucky, we were in Farnham when the hordes of new platoons were coming in so the only real crowd we had to deal with was "G" week.  Meal lines were about 20 minutes long at peak hours.  Looks like the new recruiting campaigns are working! 

 

[geo]

Some of the new recruits during their weekend's off have been doing quite the number to the local "comfort inn"...... the front desk has the MPs and QPP on speed dial.

 

[Meridian]

I'm from NS and going out west to do bmq would be good

Maybe I'm missing something... but why does it matter where you do BMQ?

 

[old man neri]

Maybe I'm missing something... but why does it matter where you do BMQ?

Weather maybe?

 

[GO!!!]

Maybe I'm missing something... but why does it matter where you do BMQ?

We all know the locals are'nt all that friendly to anglos - especially ones in short hair in St Jean sur Richlieu.

English is the language of most new recruits, CFLRS is in Quebec.

I had a great time in Montreal, but I would prefer never to be posted or tasked in PQ for any length of time either, taxes, attitudes and language are all stacked against you there.

 

[Meridian]

G0 -

I hear you, but on BMQ, for a good portion of the course you don't even get to be out with the locals.... and Montreal is so close (taxi van = 10$/person), you don't have to actually -be- out with the locals ever.

Language wise, an anglo can quite easily get around Montreal without much french at all.  Plus, I'd even argue that visiting Canada's second largest city if you've never been before is probably a good to-do before you go out and see the world; particularly if you've from rural Canada.

I can understand what you are saying about long-term postings, however. 

 

[old man neri]

However the same could be argued about franco personnel being posted in english parts of the country. The reality is that you can never make a decision that will please everyone.

 

[Sapper.Murray]

Iam there now, well at BMQ on Block leave at the moment back in NS.

Its packed....and My Platoon and sister Platoon were the last 2 Platoons before Christmas, I hear we will be getting a bunch more in jan to march. Right now there are about 20-24 platoons. The next Platoon to come in will be 4 weeks behind us though so there is a decent spaceing for us, we might not be to packed in but the next Platoons to come in will be very packed.

Lunch will be a real bitch, and Breakfast already is when you have a PT run then Inspection.....bigger lines mean less time to eat...if any.

 

[NJL]

Maybe I'm missing something... but why does it matter where you do BMQ?

It doesn't really matter but I wouldn't mind seeing a part of the country I've never been (haven't traveled west of Ontario) plus I've been to the CFLRS in St Jean before (was doing BMQ but made the big mistake of VRing) and it is pretty crowded (the lineup for breakfast can get pretty long which means not much time to eat (a few minuntes if that))... not mention while it's true most instructors/support staff there are bilingual most have english as their second language and sometimes it's hard to understand what they're saying(or yelling).

 

[GO!!!]

However the same could be argued about franco personnel being posted in english parts of the country. The reality is that you can never make a decision that will please everyone.

17% of the country speaks french as a first language. I'd call the other 83% as close to "everybody" as you can get!

Meridian,

Granted, you don't spend much time there on basic, and my trips to Montreal were always a blast, I found the surrounding area to the mega quite hostile to us. Being taught by ESL instructors is not my idea of a picnic either.

 

[geo]

Lunch will be a real *****, and Breakfast already is when you have a PT run then Inspection.....bigger lines mean less time to eat...if any.

Lines do not have to be immense.  Instructors have to ensure that platoons go thru on a staggered schedule.  as an example: Plt 1 thru 4 go in at 11:30,  Plt 5 thru 8 go in at 11:50,  Plt 9 thru 12 go in at 12:10.  If there is good coordination between the training cadre and the kitchen, there is absolutely no valid reason to have immense lineups in the kitchens.

Any staff about? comments?

 

[Springroll]

Lunch will be a real bitch, and Breakfast already is when you have a PT run then Inspection.....bigger lines mean less time to eat...if any.

I am with you on that!!!

My platoon and my sister platoon are currently the most senior in the school(going into week 11 of 13). There are currently 24 platoons in house and 230 personnel on PAT. There have been many days where I have had to do without a meal just to make the next timing because of the line up reaching down to the doors that lead you into the green sector. Either the meals times need to be staggered like suggested by geo, or the timings need to be adjusted and more flexible.

The only bonus for us right now is that we head out to Farnham right after Xmas leave, so we will only have to deal with the line ups again for Grad Week only.

 

[NJL]

when I was on PAT(Sept)/re apllying with the CF in a couple months) I heard there was a rumor that PAT might be moved off the CFLRS... geeez 230 on PAT is crazy.. when I was there there was like 60-70 and even that seems like alot, the blue sectors must be pretty full...  New recruits FYI: blue sector is alot nicer than the green (rooms/pods with doors vs cubes and no doors) but with everyone being so close in the green sector helps with team bonding. 

 

[MdB]

They already moved CFLS students out of the Mega to Fort St-Jean. I heard they would move the PAT platoon out (to Fort St-Jean), don't know if it's done.

Staff personnel told me that they would probably add a third time slot for meals. Currently, you have 11:35 and 12:15. That would make sense with 32 platoons. Anyway, the least time I ever had to eat was 5-7 minutes, plenty of time to eat. ;D And yes, platoons have to follow the schedule not to screw it all up.

As for schools, there's already two detachments at Borden and Valcartier. I know many go to Borden, dunno about Valcartier. Maybe a third one in Western Canada would do good. The Mega is so full the instructors have now to be in apartments in St-Jean (DND is renting all it can).

 

[bluecollared]

there's a BMQ running at CFB Gagetown as well. just one course. I know they're passed week 5 b/c they had their rifles before I left for Xmas leave.

 

[Springroll]

They already moved CFLS students out of the Mega to Fort St-Jean. I heard they would move the PAT platoon out (to Fort St-Jean), don't know if it's done.

The only people that I know of that were transferred to Fort St Jean are the Officer's doing their second language training. PAT has not been moved other than up to floors 11 and 12 in the blue sector.

 

[JesseWZ]

Guess it's going to be a little different when I head back to Good Old St Jean for the second half of phase 1.