Going to Basic

[CF reserves]

Thanks for all the help guys it sounds easier than i expected but i guess I'll find out.

 

[marshmanguy]

Do everything as fast, as properly and correct as possible when they say and how they say.

 

[wern32]

How many years in do I need before I can tell people what basic training is like? I apologize for having very little tolerance for people who make things seem harder than they are to make themselves look tougher than they are. Basic training is a lot different now than when you went through, Aesop. You get 6-8 hours of sleep a night, three meals a day, and the field exercise is a camping trip. Instructors aren't even allowed to use "foul language" or give push-ups as punishment. The hardest part about basic is trying to stay awake during the SHARP training.

I didn't say I was a stone cold killer, but as an infanteer I am trained to kill. The CF just seems too "touchy-feely" for an organization that's supposed to be capable of war fighting. You used to be in the combat arms, in a trade that I have a lot of respect for, and I would think that you could understand.

I understand completely...There are many per here in the INF including myself that have their OT or release in.   The quality of troops that are coming from WATC are embarrassing.

 

[patrick666]

Do no count on someone else's opinion. Keep your mind open and fresh for a new experience. When you get there, you will know.

 

[chrisf]

How many years in do I need before I can tell people what basic training is like? I apologize for having very little tolerance for people who make things seem harder than they are to make themselves look tougher than they are. Basic training is a lot different now than when you went through, Aesop. You get 6-8 hours of sleep a night, three meals a day, and the field exercise is a camping trip. Instructors aren't even allowed to use "foul language" or give push-ups as punishment. The hardest part about basic is trying to stay awake during the SHARP training.

You seem to have a pretty warped interpretation of what basic is like now (At least it wasn't the basic I experienced, though from what I understand, the basic course I was on was an exception, not the rule, as the course O was largely left to his own devices as far as running the course went, who in turn largely left it to our old school course WO... not a full metal jacket experience by any stretch, but certainly much more "sensible"  then the few other basic training courses that I've personally seen, and far more "sensible" then some courses I've heard about)

That being said, there's one thing I've got to question... I have a hard time believing that you didn't get three meals a day on basic... I have no problem believing that you were given had 2 minutes to eat the meal, but I have a very hard time believing that you were withheld meals...

 

[Pte. Bloggins]

You get 6-8 hours of sleep a night, three meals a day, and the field exercise is a camping trip.

6-8 hours of sleep eh, maybe you did, but I sure remember waking up alot earlier then we were suppsoed to alot of days to get extra cleaning done. 6-8 hours? Maybe on weekends...ok, like the last 2-3 weekends.

Camping trip eh, I don't know about you, but most camping trips I've been on don't involve section attacks and trench digging, but hey, maybe your childhood camping trips were a little more hardcore then mine.  

(edited for spelling)

 

[GO!!!]

I understand completely...There are many per here in the INF including myself that have their OT or release in.   The quality of troops that are coming from WATC are embarrassing.

If the quality of troops coming from WATC is embarrassing, then the fault lies with the instructors - only they can do the paperwork to get someone tossed - and it can be done - I've seen it.

The fact  that "it is just too hard" to get rid of someone is a testament to the character of the NCO's, not the troops.

For all those crusty ##'s out there who sit back and "tsk tsk", lamenting about the state of the forces and the quality of recruits - take a 16 wk task as staff on a Battle School (or BIQ) whatever it's called now - and fix the problem.

So, maybe the problem lies with the NCO's who would rather ride out the last 5 yrs to retirement as a CQ, instead of trying to fix the problems the have so aptly identified.

Complaining without a solution is chatter - the weak chatter, and chatter will bring you to the ______?

I welcome anyone elses thoughts on this topic.

 

[Mars]

I wouldn't necessarialy say that it is a testament to the NCO that troops cannot be removed from training in WATC, in the end the decesion to remove someone from training is made by the OC of training company.  The NCO's can do as much as they want to remove a troop from training, if the OC of training company won't sign off on it then what can they do?  I agree that some of the people who are coming from the WATC to the batallions aren't of the highest quality, but it has always been that way, what your just seeing now is a larger gap between the guys who are in the botton third of the course and the guys who are closer to the middle and the top.  Perhaps the problem lies in the way the courses themselves are run and not the instructors?

 

[marshmanguy]

"You won't get punishment pushups, just "corrective physical training". "


My section had to do pushups because we won the competitive PT exercises, so it was "congradulatory" pushups.

 

[CF reserves]

Alright it sounds alright so now I just need a phone call ....

 

[ReserveRecce]

I did my basic with the Reserves last July and while it wasn't quite Full Metal Jacket it wasn't a cake walk either. Most of our instructors were ex reg force and were determined to put us through our paces. We got up around 4:45, outside lined up for PT by 5:20. PT, usually 40-50 min long involved alot of running, with stops for push ups, sit ups, pull ups, and a few airborne push ups. After that came breakfast, inspection, then classes and drill took up the rest of the day with 30 min breaks for lunch and supper. The hardest part was getting used to only getting a few hours sleep, we didn't go to rack until 2300, with an hour on Fire Picket throughout the night.Our Field training was no camping trip, as we only got about 30 min sleep the first night since we all had two shifts on sentry and a trench to dig, not fun, but you feel good once its all said and done. It's not terribly hard, just keep a good attitude, trust and help your buddies, and don't let the instructors get to you.

 

[marshmanguy]

I completely agree, just remember "it WILL end".  And it's not like we need sleep EVERY night...

 

[JediElf]

I'm not sure if I really have any real insight to BMQ, seeing as how I've only done 2 weekends of it, but it isn't that bad. There is a lot of yelling, you hurry your butt off everywhere you go, and you help your buddies.  I have it good because I only have to do it 2 days at a time. If you wanna know how my BMQ is going, just stop by my website and check it out. http://www.militarymatt.blogspot.com

 

[CF reserves]

JediElf that website was really helpful.

 

[JediElf]

Glad to be of assistance. I had all the same questions as everyone else here. Heck, I still have no clue what to expect, but I'm lookin foreward to going back (After my weekend off of course  ;D )

 

[Wizard of OZ]

Do everything as fast, as properly and correct as possible when they say and how they say.

I don't agree with this you want to be a team not a star you should be with your team if you are to slow or two fast you will get hammered.

Is that card stuff true, It has been almost 6 years since i did mine, but i heard alot of changes had come through since then.

It was most definetly not FULL METAL JACKET, it was designed to tear you down and then build you back up again.  If you have good instrutors (hopefully a Sgt) so he out ranks some bad MCpls.  Then your crse should be fun but tough at times.  You will get food and sleep but not enough all the time.  You will enjoy it.  It is a life experience and everyday something new will happen.  It is something you can only do once though, i could not do it again especially after you know how the game is played.

So have fun and play on.

 

[Ty]

"The bright part of the night was that some of the MCpls were losing their voices already"

That was classic.  Good luck with the rest of your BMQ.

 

[JediElf]

Thanks a lot. I'm enjoying it so far. I'll try to keep the site updated.

 

[Sappo]

Indeed, good site.... nice info for anyone who isnt in the training yet.

what weekend are you on now?

I will be doing my 3rd this coming friday...

 

[chrisf]

I'm not sure if I really have any real insight to BMQ, seeing as how I've only done 2 weekends of it, but it isn't that bad. There is a lot of yelling, you hurry your butt off everywhere you go, and you help your buddies.   I have it good because I only have to do it 2 days at a time. If you wanna know how my BMQ is going, just stop by my website and check it out. http://www.militarymatt.blogspot.com

I'm glad to read that you still enjoy stripping weapons... wait till you've got 200 rifles in a weapons locker, and one extra piece that's supposed to be inside one of the weapons... repeat after me... remember to do the function test... remember to do the function test...