Soldier Qualification Course (Questions & Answers)

[spud]

Rumors around Borden (yes again) concerning rolling SQ into Basic, which will become about 13 weeks. Any thoughts? 

Yes I know how the rumor mill works (in fact I was once cleared to rumor) but sometimes the rumors turn out to be factual.

potato

 

[MacKenzie1NSH]

Does anyone know anything about the reservists drivers wheels course in halifax this winter? Like dates or even what this course consists of... And also as a reservist I beleive that the reg force can have better courses because they have more money and say than we do, like for my DP1 (QL3 to you old timers) Infantry, I was with 2RCR and we had lots of opportunities to do stuff, more so than my friends who just stayed with the unit. But hey I havn't been around long enough to judge, so I'll leave it at that..

 

[Weakone]

I don't seem to have a drivers license....  :-X  Will I be needing one for the previously mentioned driving sections of SQ?

 

[George Wallace]

You will be put on a Driver Maintainance Crse for a vehicle.  You will get that veh put on your Military Licence (404) when you successfully pass that course.  You will be able to drive the vehicles marked on your 404s both on Base, in the Training Area and on Civie roads and highways. 

This has all been covered before in another Thread. 

404s do not give you the right to drive anything but what is posted on them.  You can not drive a Civie car using you Military Lic.

 

[Ex Ranger Instructor]

I don't seem to have a drivers license....  :-X  Will I be needing one for the previously mentioned driving sections of SQ?

CFB Esquimalt demands that you produce a valid civvy license before you will be issued a 404.  As far as I'm aware, this policy has been in effect for several years now.  I've always meant to research the matter more closely, as it says right on your 404 that you need no civvy license so long as the 404 is valid, but I'm lazy.  Anyone in the know as to the formal letter of the law on this?

Mods, new topic wrt 404 issue?

 

[canadianblue]

I'm really confused about SQ, I was on the 13 week pilot course which was supposed to be the new combined BMQ/SQ course, however I have been told that I'll be doing SQ, and at the same time I've heard I won't be doing SQ. My next unit is PRETC in CFB Borden, and I would like to know if I am doing my drivers and SQ course there, or will I not be doing my SQ course. It's confusing especially since I haven't been given much info on what I'll be doing in Borden.

As well if somebody doesn't mind, what is the SQ course and Drivers course like down in Borden as compared to what I had to do at St Jean.

Thanks for the help.

 

[D-n-A]

FutureTrooper, looks like your gonna have to just wait an see if you are taking SQ or not, an if your driver wheel is there or not.

SQ isn't run in Kingston though, only at the battle schools(Wainright, Meaford, Gagetown, etc).

Driver Wheel is pretty relaxed, nothing like BMQ at all. Your do some classroom an written tests, but most of the time you are out driving.

As for what SQ is like, read this thread.

 

[Dog]

As far as I know, until the BMQ and SQ courses become a single course, anyone who runs through the pilot courses still has to do SQ, I'm not sure where I read that, but it was on the internet, so it MUST be true  .

Hey, I consider myself lucky to get ten weeks of SQ rather than a watered-down version in Basic. I'll probably change my tune once I'm there, but I'm not there yet....

Speaking of...

Does anyone know the dates of the SQ's that run in the spring?

I'm finished BMQ on the 31st of March and am trying to find out if I'm going to have time to see my fiance and family before I head off to SQ. I've done a search and came up empty.... even if you just point me in the right direction in order to find out that would be great.

Alternately, is there a standard break in between the courses? Generally, do you get a week or two off?

 

[D-n-A]

You sure SQ is 10 weeks, AFAIK Reg Force SQ is 8 weeks.

I don't know any dates, but they are run fairly often. You might not go straight onto SQ after BMQ, you could wait out in PRETC/PAT before you go on it.

 

[Spr.Strange]

Ok, i have a problem here, i am starting SQ on the 16th of Jan.

All these post's i am reading are saying that SQ is 20 days of training or around the same time. I have been going under the impression that it was 7 weeks of training. Now is it based on your trade or is this just conflicting information?

 

[MacKenzie1NSH]

I would assume it is conflicting, because I know the reservists is only 20 days or so, and I am pretty sure that the Reg force is 7 weeks.

 

[Dog]

I'm looking at the information sheet about the SQ for Infantry soldiers... I don't know where all these estimates are coming from, but the sheet I have in front of me says:

"On successful completion of BMQ, Infantry Soldiers go to a Military Training Centre for the 10-week Soldier Qualification (SQ) course, which covers the following topics: (etc,etc,etc...)"

So... back to my original question... any instructors know when it might be held after March 31?

 

[Skinny]

I think they are running a 7 week course, i just got off an excellerated 5 week course and my sister platoon did the 7 week course.

 

[George Wallace]

I'm looking at the information sheet about the SQ for Infantry soldiers... I don't know where all these estimates are coming from, but the sheet I have in front of me says:

"On successful completion of BMQ, Infantry Soldiers go to a Military Training Centre for the 10-week Soldier Qualification (SQ) course, which covers the following topics: (etc,etc,etc...)"

So... back to my original question... any instructors know when it might be held after March 31?

Let's see...to quote you

I'm heading off for January 16th Basic in Borden as well....

and you know that SQ has been added onto that Crse now.....so you should know the answer.

 

[Dog]

I'm doing an 11-week BMQ...

You mean to tell me I'm going straight to battleschool after Basic? I bet I'll be unprepared if that's the case.

Until the extended BMQ is standard and SQ is eliminated for infantrymen, something that, as far as I know isn't going to happen (at least not while I'm going to be going through), then I'm going to be going through SQ just like everybody else. There's a thread about it around here somewhere:

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/26990.0.html

 

[canadianblue]

Even with the extended BMQ, I still have to do 2 weeks in Gagetown to do small arms training. I would assume it would be the same with all 13 week courses.

 

[Standards]

The SQ has changed in length significantly since it was first implemented a couple of years ago.

In the initial version, the successful candidate would become qualified SQ, driver wheeled and comms.  (Note: I'm using the older terms that were applicable at the time - driver wheeled no longer exists as each vehicle is a separate course and comms is now ATCIS Op).

Currently the SQ course is 17 training days long for PRes and 33 training days long for Reg Force.

When I last looked at the draft TP for the Enhanced BMQ, certain elements of the SQ had not been included such as the C9 and C6.  This would be why pers who have just graduated Saint-Jean still have to complete some top-up training.  Eventually these topics are supposed to be incorporated into the DP 1 trade courses for the Combat Arms.

The SQ should disappear in another year or so once the Enhanced BMQ is totally implemented and the people that completed BMQ (old) have been given ample time to take the course.

 

[J.D]

They run courses all year long.  They know well in advance when and where [well at least a month so the instructors can go through a little training to get everyone on th esame page.].  I was just  on one in wainwright, it ended jan 24 06.  If you do yours in meaford in the summer watch out for the raccoons.  They will tear through your ruck to get your rations.
Cheers

 

[MedTech708]

It's held in Meaford, isn't it?

 

[youravatar]

MeddTech yea it's in meaford this summer. at least that's whats been rammed down my instructors on my end.

Cheers.