Packing for Basic [MERGED]

[Cobblers]

Anyone know if bringing a space pen will result in the death and destructionof an engineering piece of art?

 

[sarahsmom]

Anyone know if bringing a space pen will result in the death and destructionof an engineering piece of art?

is it a pen? Does it write? Does it write in the colour the staff told you to write the report/homework/memo/etc in? Yes to all of this? great!
Is there ANY reason to point out to anyone, especially staff, that your pen is not a cheap 39¢ piece of crap like everyone else? NO!!!

Bring it if it makes you happy. It won't take up much room anyway.

 

[Pitohui]

Was just hoping for some input on the current kit list:
- We're to bring one bath towel, then buy another at CANEX, is our civi towel just used until we get one from CANEX therefore bring a cheap one to dispose of after? Or does it matter which towel we use day to day meaning it would be a good idea to get a nice towel?
- I was discussing work-out supplements with recruiters such as protein powder, aminos, multi vitamins, etc. and was told no problem, bring them, pack a week's worth to have in my "shoebox" storage for personal affects in my room and have the rest in on-site storage to refill each weekend, I was hoping for input regarding this;
  - can someone explain this shoebox storage for personal affects? Do we just get a small shoebox sized box for personal affects?
  - I bought a lot of supplements at a sale before I got the job offer (160 days worth, it would fill my Swiss rucksack), should I bring it all for BMQ, Land Course and occupation training or would I be able to get some more from civi storage before going to occupation training, I know about paying to access civi storage while in BMQ but know nothing about how it works after BMQ.
- Right now I'm looking at bringing a Swiss rucksack full of supplements and either a full backpack with all my kit requirements or a carryall containing the empty backpack and all the kit requirements, thoughts regarding the carryall/backpack options?

 

[sarahsmom]

The shoe box is a typical size shoe box, but it will be a clear plastic one so they can see what is in it, but they will not open it.
When I went through BMQ, there was no food allowed on the floor. So not allowed to bring chips back from Canex. nothing from the vending machines. Only water was allowed. If you bring supplements and protein powder, they will be locked up in civvy storage which you will not have access to until after Indoc (typically 4-5 weeks). Or they will be confiscated and given back to you at the end of BMQ, after graduation. Don't bother bringing the supplements. The carryall will be fine for luggage, people bring hockey bags, suitcases, backpacks, as long as all your clothes fit.

The towel you will buy at Canex is so the whole platoon is the same. When they do inspection they want all the towels to be the same colour and size. They will be your inspection towels. SOmetimes  they will expect them to be wet, so if you choose to use another towel make sure you use the "official" one too from time to time.

 

[Pitohui]

When I was talking to the recruiters about the supplement powders and vitamins, etc. they said that "things are changing regarding fitness and nutrition so it shouldn't be a problem"

 

[BeyondTheNow]

Bring a small personal towel, at least. While your first trip to Canex happens quickly, it’s not immediate. You’ll need something in the interim.

 

[sarahsmom]

When I was talking to the recruiters about the supplement powders and vitamins, etc. they said that "things are changing regarding fitness and nutrition so it shouldn't be a problem"

When they say things are changing in the military, you have no idea how slowly things change. The military hates two things: change and staying the same.
This forum has given you advice on what to bring and what not to bring. Now it's up to you to make a decision based on your understanding of that information. If you are allowed to bring your vehicle to BMQ, then pack it full of supplements and what not, and after indoc fill your boots (no pun intended). Your car will also be a good place for all the civvy clothing you realize you won't need or ever want to wear again (camo pants for example).
Good luck!

 

[Pitohui]

When they say things are changing in the military, you have no idea how slowly things change. The military hates two things: change and staying the same.
This forum has given you advice on what to bring and what not to bring. Now it's up to you to make a decision based on your understanding of that information. If you are allowed to bring your vehicle to BMQ, then pack it full of supplements and what not, and after indoc fill your boots (no pun intended). Your car will also be a good place for all the civvy clothing you realize you won't need or ever want to wear again (camo pants for example).
Good luck!

I'll be flying in, I'll just have my Swiss rucksack for my supps and if they toss it into storage, so be it; better to have them and can't use them than to be allowed to use them and not have them, worse case I'll have them for Land Course or occupation training in case I'll be allowed then and not BMQ, heard it is really up to the instructors for BMQ anyways.

 

[Pitohui]

I was looking for an up to date list of items besides the required kit to bring as in tips for preparing for inspection, I find a few items scattered across the forums including things that instructors are on the look out for like the smell of hair spray for boot polish. Things I've found include dryer sheets/Swiffer pads (wet or dry?), magic erasers, liquid boot polish for the soles of your boots, barrel snake, small spray bottle, ghost kit (pretty straight forward), shaving brush for cleaning your rifle, I have a mini USB vacuum cleaner the size of a pill bottle (good for maybe tight areas/corners/windowsill), also read somewhere about bringing a carton of cigarettes to sell if you're not a smoker. I was hoping we could get a single list up to date (2018-2019) and opinions of these items.

 

[Dark Chivalry]

I was looking for an up to date list of items besides the required kit to bring as in tips for preparing for inspection...Swiffer pads (wet or dry?), magic erasers...barrel snake...ghost kit (pretty straight forward)...shaving brush for cleaning your rifle...also read somewhere about bringing a carton of cigarettes to sell if you're not a smoker. I was hoping we could get a single list up to date (2018-2019) and opinions of these items.

During Indoc you are not allowed to access your civi lockup bag(s) except during specified times. The more junk you bring with you, the more stuff you have to hide, and meticulously keep hidden from staff. Stuff like ghost kit may save you time, but no one should feel like Basic is impossible without it. I know so many candidates that brought all kinds of stuff, weighing down their luggage, and they just never used it. I brought a Swiffer duster, and a DRY mop. The wet Swiffer pads have to be kept rightside up or the liquid collecting in the bottom of the refills will spill because the lid is garbage. We found they weren't worth the hassle.

A bore snake is a great piece of kit, and stores easily in the cleaning bags you'll have around anyway. That being said, once people know you have one, you may find yourself with a lot of hungry mouths to feed, so to speak. The cleaning rods provided can and will get the job done, they just aren't as efficient. You'll have plenty of time to burn, one way or another. Also, the cheap ones break, but the expensive ones aren't worth bringing on Basic so...you decide.

Don't buy a shaving brush for your weapon. Spend $3 on the crappiest wood handle 1-inch paintbrush you can find at Canadian Tire. In fact, buy two. One wet that you put CLP on, and one dry for sand. A MBdr instructor on course gave me that tip, and I've honestly still got the same brushes tucked in my map pouch to this day. It should go without saying that you want to keep the dry one dry forever. Once a brush has CLP applied to it...it's oil; it never quite comes out completely.

I'd also recommend bringing a 12" metal ruler, a roll of duct tape, and a permanent marker. Sharpie has an "eXtreme" one that resists fade, but it's a bit chunky. The pen/fine point ones are more useful for marking your nametags on kit as you notice them start to fade after wash cycle #83. The duct tape is also for marking kit, but pick an obnoxious colour like alert orange, yellow, or pink. DO NOT pick red or blue, course staff mark kit with those colours all the time. The tape can be stuck inside bags (out of sight) or wrapped around things like your marker, handles of stuff, on the underside of sewing kits, etc. If you loan out a marker, or your sewing kit is put beside 3 others, you know yours apart. I had a permanent marker in my pocket all through Basic and became quite skilled at subtle markings that helped me save time finding my kit in a pile of bags or whatnot, combined with duct tape hidden under flaps or behind stuff.

The metal 12" ruler is for making your bed. They'll give you a plastic one that may be a part of your inspection. It will eventually snap if you use it to stuff sheets under the mattress. The metal one is stronger. I found it more nimble than my hands at getting the sheets tucked, without ripping out the work I'd already done.

 

[Elmo]

Quick question here because I haven't seen it here or gotten a direct answer from the Recruitment center. Straight razors, shavettes or double sided safety razors. Yes or no. I get quite bad irritation and in-growns with disposable bics and even the gillettes. I've found that only a true sharp straight razor actually does a better job and doesn't give me irritation or in-growns. The only reason I can think that they wouldn't allow it would be because of the sharp single blade/ removable blades that I can only assume someone has used for self harm at one point and they have been disallowed. Anyone there right now that can ask or knows exactly please let me know.

 

[BeyondTheNow]

Quick question here because I haven't seen it here or gotten a direct answer from the Recruitment center. Straight razors, shavettes or double sided safety razors. Yes or no. I get quite bad irritation and in-growns with disposable bics and even the gillettes. I've found that only a true sharp straight razor actually does a better job and doesn't give me irritation or in-growns. The only reason I can think that they wouldn't allow it would be because of the sharp single blade/ removable blades that I can only assume someone has used for self harm at one point and they have been disallowed. Anyone there right now that can ask or knows exactly please let me know.

It will be solely up to your staff. Sometimes things are confiscated, sometimes not. The obvious items are caught quickly, but factors related to what's missed are a) if staff finds them during initial inspection of recruit belongings and/or b) if the recruit admits to having them when questioned.

I haven't been at CFLRS for a while now, so I don't know what current initial inspection standards are like, or even if they still occur. I'd imagine they do. But when I was there, it wasn't uniform. Some platoon staff carried out very thorough inspections of belongings before recruits went up to their floors, (for me that inspection consisted of about 10 of us at a time going into a room with staff and them having us go through our stuff while they watched and asked questions about anything questionable, opening and closing pouches and compartments, etc.) and some platoons didn't have that initial search at all.

Bring what you feel you need, and have back-ups if your usual hygiene items aren't allowed. You'll have access to them again after graduation. If your skin is severely sensitive, you may be allowed to obtain a beard chit, which will give you permission to not shave during course. (Even though beards are now allowed for CAF members, being cleanly shaven during BMQ/BMOQ is still mandatory.) As you touched on, those types of items can be a liability. Perhaps not for you personally, but as unfortunate as it is, sometimes people, for varied reasons, can't handle the stresses that BMQ creates. I've witnessed minor self-harm to varying degrees and was present at CFLRS during more serious incidents. Neither you nor staff want to have to deal with that type of situation if someone were to get their hands on something you were responsible for bringing.

 

[Jarnhamar]

[quote author=Elmo] I can only assume someone has used for self harm at one point and they have been disallowed.
[/quote]

You realise you're going to be using assault rifles, bayonets and hand grenades right?

 

[BeyondTheNow]

You realise you're going to be using assault rifles, bayonets and hand grenades right?

Not at basic

 

[Jarnhamar]

lol

touche

They still use guns and cutlery still I hope.

 

[sarahsmom]

You can’t take the cutlery out of the mess. You turn in your bolt at the end of every day so the gun is essentially useless. They don’t issue gerbers/multi-tools until the first posting I think.
As for the bayonet, mine was so dull at BMQ it couldn’t cut paper.

 

[Elmo]

It will be solely up to your staff. Sometimes things are confiscated, sometimes not. The obvious items are caught quickly, but factors related to what's missed are a) if staff finds them during initial inspection of recruit belongings and/or b) if the recruit admits to having them when questioned.

I haven't been at CFLRS for a while now, so I don't know what current initial inspection standards are like, or even if they still occur. I'd imagine they do. But when I was there, it wasn't uniform. Some platoon staff carried out very thorough inspections of belongings before recruits went up to their floors, (for me that inspection consisted of about 10 of us at a time going into a room with staff and them having us go through our stuff while they watched and asked questions about anything questionable, opening and closing pouches and compartments, etc.) and some platoons didn't have that initial search at all.

Bring what you feel you need, and have back-ups if your usual hygiene items aren't allowed. You'll have access to them again after graduation. If your skin is severely sensitive, you may be allowed to obtain a beard chit, which will give you permission to not shave during course. (Even though beards are now allowed for CAF members, being cleanly shaven during BMQ/BMOQ is still mandatory.) As you touched on, those types of items can be a liability. Perhaps not for you personally, but as unfortunate as it is, sometimes people, for varied reasons, can't handle the stresses that BMQ creates. I've witnessed minor self-harm to varying degrees and was present at CFLRS during more serious incidents. Neither you nor staff want to have to deal with that type of situation if someone were to get their hands on something you were responsible for bringing.

I appreciate the response. Hopefully I can use it whilst keeping it in my room under lock and key. I guess I'll bring backups just incase worst comes to fruition. Gillete has those new razors for sensitive skin so maybe I'll give em a whirl. Appreciate the help.

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[Elmo]

You can’t take the cutlery out of the mess. You turn in your bolt at the end of every day so the gun is essentially useless. They don’t issue gerbers/multi-tools until the first posting I think.
As for the bayonet, mine was so dull at BMQ it couldn’t cut paper.

They give us a sharpening stone/ hone? One would assume that theyd a check for blade sharpness as "maintaining combat equipment " I'm just trying to think of the common sense approach to it (army common sense mind you)

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[mariomike]

As for the bayonet, mine was so dull at BMQ it couldn’t cut paper.

Been a while since I did BMQ, but from what I remember,  the bayonets looked pretty lethal.

 

[sarahsmom]

They give us a sharpening stone/ hone? One would assume that theyd a check for blade sharpness as "maintaining combat equipment " I'm just trying to think of the common sense approach to it (army common sense mind you)

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No sharpening stone. You don’t use the bayonet for much at BMQ  except parade. I don’t think they teach close quarters combat at BMQ anymore. One of the weeks they removed.