CFLRS Info

[GO!!!]

As for Gunner98's comment on sucking it up, ummm, no.

Ummmmm, yes, or get the F out. If you can't function in basic trg, where you are only a tenth of as hungry/tired/sore you'll be at later points in your career, just leave, it's only a taste of things to come. The working conditions get worse, and the amenities (food/water/sleep), and opportunities to partake in them only shrink.

If recruits are required to eat or get a counselling, then they need to ensure that we are actually given the opportunity to eat,

Nobody is "required" to eat. You can go 3-4 days with very little food with no appreciable decline in capabilities, given the proper motivation to do so.

especially with the amount of physical training we are given.

Which is't much. You are not even close to deployable fitness levels right now, and certain units in this army like doing things like 25+km marches through the mountains as a section minus, with the enemy force chasing you. The reason for that is that when you are humping a 90lb. ruck up a mountain in A'stan, you don't fall apart and require a medevac, compromising the whole mission.

It makes more sense to fix the problem then to try and put a band aid on it or tell us to just suck it up.

You are told to "suck it up" because the training only gets harder from here. If you can't hack it at the easiest , most heavily regulated training base in the nation, just go away. We don't need weak people that can't deal with adversity, or think this is supposed to be some type of uniformed welfare.

The purpose of basic trg is two-fold; to establish basic military skills in young soldiers/officers, and to identify those unsuitable for military service.

Which group are you in?

 

[Sig_Des]

Everything is a test? Most. When the platoon screws up, is late, whatever and you have to shorten meal time to follow the schedule, I understand. I don't think my staff ever let us 5-10 mins to eat just for the sake of a test. There's plenty of situations they can test us in.

I'm not saying they plan on only allowing you 5-10 minutes to test you, but they do see how individuals deal with it. Talk about it with some of your staff after you graduate, and they'll tell you what they were thinking and saying to each other at the time.

 

[Scott]

Springroll,

You've been in since, what, August? Ever think that there have been many people go through the same things you have? Ever think that most, if not almost all of them, have just toughed it out and moved forward?

I suggest you read and re-read the advice given to you here before mashing the reply button.

We've been down this road before... :

 

[Springroll]

I do play by the rules(or in this case the school's SOP's), that is part of having integrity and being honest to myself as well as my team mates. That may not be important to some, but it is extremely important to me.

Yes, whomever said it was right when they said there are machines all over the place at the mega, but I choose not to live off of chip and chocolate bars, and the only areas to get the decent stuff is the green break room or the laundry rooms in the blue sector.

The Mega has never, in the history of the building, been as full as it is now, so without many of you experiencing it, how come you feel you are qualified to speak about it? I have been told many times on here to "stay in my lane", without you experiencing this, why are you not "staying in your lane"?

I am, by far, not the only one complaining about this, just one of the few on this forum making a genuine concern known.

 

[Trinity]

Springroll

If its not too late..  SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I've been on many courses too.. from which I had 5 minutes or less
to ZERO to eat.

Their experience, Mega or not...  is just as valid.  We've all gone
through it.  Stop arguing with members who have more years in
the military than your entire course.

And I say this without prejudice...

edit..  spelling

 

[Sig_Des]

I do play by the rules(or in this case the school's SOP's), that is part of having integrity and being honest to myself as well as my team mates. That may not be important to some, but it is extremely important to me.

I don't want to touch this one, but I am happy you won't be over there with me. Actually, I will. You posted using suspenders to hold down the bed condom tight in another thread. Do you not see this as a "cheat" and have it bother your integrity?

Yes, whomever said it was right when they said there are machines all over the place at the mega, but I choose not to live off of chip and chocolate bars, and the only areas to get the decent stuff is the green break room or the laundry rooms in the blue sector.

If you're going as hungry as you seem to put across, you take what you can get.

The Mega has never, in the history of the building, been as full as it is now, so without many of you experiencing it, how come you feel you are qualified to speak about it? I have been told many times on here to "stay in my lane", without you experiencing this, why are you not "staying in your lane"?

You're absolutely correct. NONE of us here, in our combined years in the CF, have EVER been at a training establishment or food service establishment on a base, where the capacity was SO full that there were up to 30-45 minute waits for chow, and have had only 5-10 minutes to eat, or *GASP* have gone without. I AM SO SORRY that I failed to acknowledge your monopoly on THAT particular experience.

I am, by far, not the only one complaining about this, just one of the few on this forum making a genuine concern known.

Sign of the times?

 

[Kat Stevens]

MY FRACKING GOD!!  Do you really feel that special as to be the only boot in the history of the CF to miss a meal? Jeebus Kripes! "Revamp the entire training system, Springroll's got a tiny tummy rumble.  The horror!  Rewrite the entire CTP, Springroll didn't get her three squares today and had to run a whopping 5 Ks."  The pure fracking ego on you is astounding, I hope they make you CDS after basic, while you still have all the answers.  It appears 11 weeks of basic hasn't deflated your sense of self importance any.

OUT

 

[SupersonicMax]

Springroll, I totally agree with you that you should be given sufficient time to eat every meal.  However, sufficient doesn't necessarily means long.  5-10 minutes to eat once the first one sits down was pretty standard on my course.  However, it happened that we had to eat in 2-3 minutes which is, I think, okay once in a while.  

I don't see any reason during training to restrict food.  During training (especially any kind of basic training), you need all the energy you can get in order to be able to LEARN (no energy or little energy, the links between neurones won't be created properly).  In later exercises, where you train for a specific mission, I think this is when you should be put into the mission's environment.

Max

 

[scoutfinch]

The Mega has never, in the history of the building, been as full as it is now, so without many of you experiencing it, how come you feel you are qualified to speak about it? I have been told many times on here to "stay in my lane", without you experiencing this, why are you not "staying in your lane"?

I am, by far, not the only one complaining about this, just one of the few on this forum making a genuine concern known.

:'( Oh muffin.

We had 8 people in 4 person rooms this summer at CAP.  No desks, 4x2 bunkbeds and 8 additional metal lockers moved in to each room because there were only 4 existing lockers built into each room.  No one bitched about it too loudly because it was just the way things had to be so as to get people trained.

Give me a break and quit whining about how crowded things are at the MEGA.  Get over yourself.  Try to remember this is not about YOU... MISSION FIRST.

 

[SupersonicMax]

Give me a break and quit whining about how crowded things are at the MEGA.  Get over yourself.   Try to remember this is not about YOU... MISSION FIRST.

What's the mission at CFLRS?  Train people.  Give them the tools to achieve it (including food). 

Max

 

[Scott]

:brickwall:

 

[scoutfinch]

What's the mission at CFLRS?  Train people.  Give them the tools to achieve it (including food). 

Max

Read above, Max.

I wasn't commenting on food.  I was commenting on the complaints regarding crowded accomodations. 

I have already given soft advice without criticism on the food issue because I agree with you. 

 

[armyvern]

Exactly, go back to the way it was.

Frankly, I don't care. I don't go back to St Jean again unless as an instructor, and that is many many moons into my future. I'm off to CAP and phase training, I don't care. The pervasive attitude seems to be 'suck it up' not 'try and fix it', just like you yourself suggested. I don't buy the catch phrase 'suck it up' It's redundent. If there is a problem, fix it. Don't keep 'sucking it up'. We need an army of thinkers and doers, not Jenna Jamisons.

But hey, what do I know.     

Interesting point. Your go back to the way it was.....along with this whiney post (and the ones that follow it):

I am in no way minimizing what our men and women are doing over there, but when you can be counselled(only need 7) off a platoon, and you get counsellings for not eating, well, it seems a bit screwy if you aren't given the time to eat.

You know what, give me an IMP to eat on those days when the line ups and the timings don't mesh and I would be happy.

Wow. Sounds like Cornwallis to me. Wait in line 1/2 hour, grab your food, wolf down what you could in 5 mintues and then beat your as$ back to the RV point that was previous assigned. Walk don't run.

You see, stress is the important thing to place on course candidates and it seems that you are getting it. Fair and square. You see you may only be afforded 5 minutes to eat once you've waited in line, but you were afforded the opportunity to eat, and a mere 5 minutes to wolf it down. So no excuses, you don't eat, you get counselled. That's the way we play, and always have played. If you are coming here to Gagetown on course, don't expect it to get any better for candidtaes. It's in the job description.

It seems to me that if they did give you an IMP (because you're special); you'd be on here whining about only getting an IMP for lunch. Learn now, when soldiers aren't complaining...somethings wrong. I guess everything is going all right in St Jean.

Build yourself some bridges and get over it. It's the name of the game. You may actually survive after all.

Edited to add:

For the others:

They are getting food, they are sent to meals. They choose to skip to avoid waiting in line 1/2 hour to spend 5 minutes wolfing down what they're given only to rush back to meet their next timing. Their choice. They need to get over it; thousands of us have before them. We're still alive.

 

[MdB]

Sometimes it's 5 mins, other it's 30 mins. Always, the food is good at St-Jean, I mean great. Most of the time, we had between 10 and 20 mins. Over that, and even 20 mins, you have time to relax.

I remember this particular meal at Farnham. End of Ex Vimy week, had slept like 12 hours during the week, it's Friday, we were happy to finish the course, got 30-40 mins to eat, what a lunch we had. Great memories. Even the damn site clearances we had to do in the rain... hehe, more to come, Ducimus!

 

[Franko]

They are getting food, they are sent to meals. They choose to skip to avoid waiting in line 1/2 hour to spend 5 minutes wolfing down what they're given only to rush back to meet their next timing. Their choice. They need to get over it; thousands of us have before them. We're still alive.

Exactly.

Just wait until you go on a tour and the lineup at the DFAC is so long that you'll spend about 25 minutes in line and you're due to go outside the wire in 10 minutes.

Get used to it, it's the way of things.

There is plenty of time for you to stand in line and wolf down your grub....just kick the other slow pokes in the arse.

Keep in mind that everything that you are being exposed to is a well scripted schedule and the stress is put in there to force recruits to overcome it....regardless of the numbers there.

I know a few of the staff there right now and everything is quite well handled.

Regards

 

[armyvern]

Sometimes it's 5 mins, other it's 30 mins.

Exactly my point. They are given the time, some choose to skip the meals when they are only going to get 5 minutes to eat. Oh well, that's on them; and is most certainly counselable. I also carry very appreciative and fond memories of my meals in Cornwallis; 3 extras for eating a french fry on the way to my seat etc....must have been one of those 5 minute meals!!  ;D

 

[mechanic_chick]

Oh my. Haven't been on this site for sometime now. Ever since I was ... noticed for my infamous postings at BMQ... lovely

So heres my piece of pie which will probably amount to nothing due to lack of time ' in '. However , I also recently graduated from the dreadful CFRLS and this would be my take on it :

Meals and timings. Springroll , your like my sister. And realistically , I must say I can see both points here. SR is much like myself.. so I can understand. Yes , I left when the school was almost 30 platoons. So of course it was busy and yes you would have to meet timings , miss meals , get in crap.. etc etc. Really it's just part of the game if anything. It's only 13 weeks. And even though it FEELS like a life time , it will end. You WILL get to eat normal food again and have time to eat it. So just take a breather , find ways around it. Trust me .. you dont get counsellings for missing meals. They threaten it but I missed so many meals especially in the last few weeks... everyone did. They say theyll counsell you but it's only because in the first few weeks they want to make sure your eating and that makes sense. At the end of the course you know what your body can and cant do , what it can take and cant take. So if you know you cant wait in a line that long either take the hit ... TOGETHER as a platoon , or go to the vending machine. I recomend eating something though. You seriously cannot go skipping meals. I lost 15 pounds and I was only 120 when I got there. Im down to 100 now. Skipping meals wont help.

So thats my take on that. It's boot camp. Regardless of how many years ago you did it or where you did it some fundamentals dont change. Dont be so quick to judge the newbs.. we just have different experiences. And as for the newbs , dont be so quick to think yah know it all ( because we suuuureeee dont!! ).

Thats about it. I hated Basic. Hated %90 of everything we did there haha. Notice how my old positive attitude has changed into a bitter one , Jk.. well not really. I do miss somethings and some people and I can tell yah now it wont be soon forgotten.

Cheers.

OS Jesso.

 

[Good2Golf]

Interesting point. Your go back to the way it was.....along with this whiney post (and the ones that follow it):

Wow. Sounds like Cornwallis (*added* and Chilliwack) to me. Wait in line 1/2 hour, grab your food, wolf down what you could in 5 mintues and then beat your as$ back to the RV point that was previous assigned. Walk don't run.

You see, stress is the important thing to place on course candidates and it seems that you are getting it. Fair and square. You see you may only be afforded 5 minutes to eat once you've waited in line, but you were afforded the opportunity to eat, and a mere 5 minutes to wolf it down. So no excuses, you don't eat, you get counselled. That's the way we play, and always have played. If you are coming here to Gagetown on course, don't expect it to get any better for candidtaes. It's in the job description.

It seems to me that if they did give you an IMP (because you're special); you'd be on here whining about only getting an IMP for lunch. Learn now, when soldiers aren't complaining...somethings wrong. I guess everything is going all right in St Jean.

Build yourself some bridges and get over it. It's the name of the game. You may actually survive after all.

Edited to add:

For the others:

They are getting food, they are sent to meals. They choose to skip to avoid waiting in line 1/2 hour to spend 5 minutes wolfing down what they're given only to rush back to meet their next timing. Their choice. They need to get over it; thousands of us have before them. We're still alive.

+1, Librarian! 

As a ex-instructor on a BMQ course, I can tell you there was never an occasion that we ever deliberately kept candidates from having the opportunity to eat.  As well, as RBD points out, if you think/expect it to change...it doesn't -- standing 45mins+ in a DFAC for some KBR chow, I gave up and snarfed down a couple of PowerBars I always have aval so I could make my timing to Comd's OGp.  That's life.  "Adapt or perish."

G2G

 

[mechanic_chick]

" It seems to me that if they did give you an IMP (because you're special); you'd be on here whining about only getting an IMP for lunch. Learn now, when soldiers aren't complaining...somethings wrong. I guess everything is going all right in St Jean. "

Buahahaha.  ;D That's great.

 

[navymich]

Even when you look at where else you might be headed (ex. to the ships), you're not always guaranteed time to eat.  Sure, we brag that we get 3 meals a day plus soup at 10, but all of that can change depending on the operational requirements of the ship, or if you're in the middle of an exercise, entering/leaving harbour, or any other number of evolutions.  You learn to eat what you can, when you can, and enjoy the days when you can relax and fill your belly.

The whole eating thing can stretch into other "privileges" too.  Like having the chance to have a long, hot shower, or clean, dry clothes.  You take what you can get, when you get it, and enjoy the memories of when you do.