L
LightFighter
Guest
You won't fail BMQ if you can't swim, or if you have poor form. IMO, it wouldn't hurt you to learn how to swim before joining the CAF, especially given the trade you want to join as.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 60
Yeah I guess I should take some swimming lessons ;D
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 60
Read through all the post, helps a lot. Thank you all guys!
I am not a swimmer and I sink quickly. While with the flippers I can manage to float and move for a certain distance (took a swimming class and learned how to front crawl). Here is my question hoping somebody can answer: Is flipper allowed in the test? Many thanks!
I am not a swimmer and I sink quickly. While with the flippers I can manage to float and move for a certain distance (took a swimming class and learned how to front crawl). Here is my question hoping somebody can answer: Is flipper allowed in the test? Many thanks!
- Reaction score
- 13
- Points
- 530
glassnight said:
No. Swimming aids of any kind are not permitted, except (unless they’ve done away with this portion of the test) when jumping off the diving board (forget the exact height) to simulate evacuation of a ship/boat. In which case, you have a life preserver.
Oldgateboatdriver
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 2,266
- Points
- 1,010
BeyondTheNow: I suggest you merely google "Life Preserver Pics" and look at the pictures.
I can guarantee you that the Navy does not have any "test" that require anyone to jump off a diving board using one of those.
What you refer to has nothing to do with the CAF swimming test. During the sea survival phase of NETP, personnel will have to jump from said diving board wearing their personal life jacket un-inflated, then inflate it once in the water, make their way to an upside down life raft, turn it over and get the whole class into it. It is a full class exercise.
I can guarantee you that the Navy does not have any "test" that require anyone to jump off a diving board using one of those.
What you refer to has nothing to do with the CAF swimming test. During the sea survival phase of NETP, personnel will have to jump from said diving board wearing their personal life jacket un-inflated, then inflate it once in the water, make their way to an upside down life raft, turn it over and get the whole class into it. It is a full class exercise.
- Reaction score
- 13
- Points
- 530
Oldgateboatdriver said:
OGBD:
Not in anyway trying to be disrespectful, but I’ve successfully completed the RegF BMQ swim test twice. The portion of the test where we jumped off the diving board (with the life preserver provided to us) was explained to us (by staff on both of my pls) as I explained it to the user above. If what we were instructed to do wasn’t supposed to be a military simulation off of a vessel of any kind, then I apologize and was misinformed by the instructors at the time who used the language/terminology while explaining as I used also.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 60
BeyondTheNow said:
Thank you BeyondTheNow! :nod:
Oldgateboatdriver
Army.ca Veteran
- Reaction score
- 2,266
- Points
- 1,010
My apologies if this is now the case BTN.
It wasn't in my days. We only had to swim a couple of length in coveralls and then do about ten minutes of threading water in the deep end to qualify at basic. Then the naval test was more advanced.
But I can tell that, if you were told what you say by the instructor, then that instructor was not in the Navy. A life preserver is a very very specific item, sometimes known as a Kisby ring. And very few of them are carried onboard ships. But it is exactly that, a rigid ring of hard foam that you throw to someone in the water to assist them before you can pick them out of there. You do not, under any circumstances, jump into the water with it around your waist, or you will either slip through it or break your arms.
I suspect you were asked to jump in the water wearing a positive buoyancy life jacket (these are the big orange coloured ones). again, here, there is a methodology to jumping with them (feet crossed* - arms crossed across your chest, holding the top of the life jacket) to avoid injuries. Doing this, without the next step (getting into a lifeboat or liferaft) from a one meter board is a very poor simulation of abandoning a ship - which is normally done from higher up and with the inflatable type of life jacket and then requires you to right and board a liferaft.
*: If you wonder why we cross the feet, it is because you are simulating jumping in water from a sinking ship. Therefore, you can expect debris floating in the waters around you. If you jump legs opened, well, you can end up with a hit to the vital parts - if you know what I mean. By crossing the feet, you guarantee that the shock of anything you hit will be "absorbed" by your legs and you will be deflected or push it aside automatically.
It wasn't in my days. We only had to swim a couple of length in coveralls and then do about ten minutes of threading water in the deep end to qualify at basic. Then the naval test was more advanced.
But I can tell that, if you were told what you say by the instructor, then that instructor was not in the Navy. A life preserver is a very very specific item, sometimes known as a Kisby ring. And very few of them are carried onboard ships. But it is exactly that, a rigid ring of hard foam that you throw to someone in the water to assist them before you can pick them out of there. You do not, under any circumstances, jump into the water with it around your waist, or you will either slip through it or break your arms.
I suspect you were asked to jump in the water wearing a positive buoyancy life jacket (these are the big orange coloured ones). again, here, there is a methodology to jumping with them (feet crossed* - arms crossed across your chest, holding the top of the life jacket) to avoid injuries. Doing this, without the next step (getting into a lifeboat or liferaft) from a one meter board is a very poor simulation of abandoning a ship - which is normally done from higher up and with the inflatable type of life jacket and then requires you to right and board a liferaft.
*: If you wonder why we cross the feet, it is because you are simulating jumping in water from a sinking ship. Therefore, you can expect debris floating in the waters around you. If you jump legs opened, well, you can end up with a hit to the vital parts - if you know what I mean. By crossing the feet, you guarantee that the shock of anything you hit will be "absorbed" by your legs and you will be deflected or push it aside automatically.
- Reaction score
- 13
- Points
- 530
Oldgateboatdriver said:
Thank you for the info, OGBD. I received a PM from another Navy member who helped explain what was causing the confusion also. (I chuckled a little bit, as you're correct, the staff giving direction wasn't Navy.) I'm also not navy, and I wasn't aware that the terminology was incorrect.
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 10
Are you required to know how to swim to qualify for the Infantry Reserves and the Basic Military Qualification?
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 110
there is a swimming portion of bmq where you swim with your sack and rifleBRAVO COMPANY said:
BDTyre
Sr. Member
- Reaction score
- 4
- Points
- 230
The course I'm currently on will apparently require a swim test at some point. I'm just curious as to the format of the swim test as we have a mix of people, such as myself who did a swim test on my infantry course that saw us treading water and swimming without and with a life preserver, in combats (we may have even worn boots), newer people who only did it in combats (no boots) with a life preserver and new people who have never done it.
I've been told the current format is combats, no footwear, with a life preserve. You need to tread water for one minute and swim to the other end of the pool. Is that correct? We're trying to get the newer members on course to feel comfortable with what will happen before we go into the swim test.
I've been told the current format is combats, no footwear, with a life preserve. You need to tread water for one minute and swim to the other end of the pool. Is that correct? We're trying to get the newer members on course to feel comfortable with what will happen before we go into the swim test.
Blackadder1916
Army.ca Fixture
- Reaction score
- 2,761
- Points
- 1,160
https://www.cafconnection.ca/National/Programs-Services/For-Military-Personnel/Military-Fitness/Specialty-Trade-Program/Basic-Military-Swim-Standard.aspx
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 10
I can not swim, is it any way to learn it , or any exemption. I applied for Finance administration.
Thanks
Mehrzad
Thanks
Mehrzad
- Reaction score
- 13
- Points
- 530
mnnamdari@gmail.com said:
(Assuming you’ve applied for regular force) I was at CFLRS for mine and life jackets were provided to those who needed them. All were expected to get in the water and at least attempt all components, regardless of swimming capability. There are also several staff ready to intervene if needed.
The pool at CFLRS was closed for maintenance for quite some time; I’m not sure if it’s opened again. Depending on when/if you go, and where, I’m not sure if all locations currently running basic courses (training has been spread out due to covid) have pool accessibility, or if they’re even currently including the swim test . Someone else will have to chime in on that piece...
