The CFS Alert Merged Thread

[gaspasser]

They banned the muggins period.  We had our last big hoorah in April.  Mass party in the linkway.  70 out of 72 people drunk out of their minds (except for 2 lonely techs in OPS because of a stupid finger fault down south ... not that I'm bitter or anything!)  You can only drink in the Wolfs Den or the Arctic Club, so no more waking up the house bartender at 4 in the morning to get the keys (unless you were the house bartender ;D!)  So much has changed because a few very bad COs looking to make their PERs better.

OR, a few bad apples that made it worse for everyone else.  Some alcoholics come to mind.  I use that word because some were...at least on my tour.

 

[LCIS_Cpl]

  Yeah there were defenitely a few people who took the drinking to a level I didn't know existed, but we normally took care of things like that ourselves before anyone higher had to get involved.  Coming from the tech side of the house gives a little inside knowledge on where things in Alert are heading, and now that the Air Force is taking the station over, things are going to change drastically.
  1 CAD is dumping a ton of money into Alert, which is defenitely a good thing, but it seems to keep pushing the things we do in operations to the wayside, which is not always a good thing.  Most of the support guys in Alert had no idea what we did, and thought we never worked.

 

[gaspasser]

Maybe I lucked in with being VFD, got to tour the whole complex and see what goes on.  Plus being MSE, I once drove the techs out to a site and saw a bit of the trade...geesh, these guys actually went outside!  There were some who didn't venture outside ever! except to catch the plane!!!!
I'm not too worried anymore about Alert, I've done my ONE tour and that's it!@

 

[LCIS_Cpl]

Hey! At least someone knows we had a job, lol.  But at least being in OPS we could always tell the CO: "Sorry sir, you can't come up here, you don't have the clearence."  Nothing funnier than seeing a Major's face when a young private tells them they can't do something, LOL.  ;D

 

[gaspasser]

ROFLMAO, good one!!!!!!   
:

 

[BradCon]

Greetings,
I'm an applicant but would like to know

How does one go about being posted in Alert?
I'd love to go.

Do families go to Alert as well?

Can a civilian get a nursing contract in Alert

Thanks


B

 

[PMedMoe]

You request a tasking (it's a (up to) six-month tasking not a posting).  Depending on which unit you are at and what trade you are, you may or may not get a tasking to Alert.

No families.

Civilian?  I'm going to say no but I could be wrong.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Google is your friend:

http://www.img.forces.gc.ca/org/cfi-goi/cfsa-sfca-eng.asp

 

[Hardrations]

I did my tour in CFS Alert 28 May to 27 Nov 1980. That's when females were first posted in. Some time around August I think (been awhile). They did a survey on the females being posted there. Recently came across the follow up request on the survey. Any how I was the baker for 6 months one of the best times I had in the Army. Got that job right of the plane as the last two bakers only made apple pie and choclate cake. Not a place to do that sort of thing. I hear now that it's reduced to around 40 to 36 personel as it's all automated to Ottawa. Many good memories of times had and people met.

 

[atomx]

All the kitchen staff, support, and many other positions have been contracted out.

Not sure all the posistion that will remain military, but there's around 15 that I can be sure of.

 

[gaspasser]

You might see that all change back to military staff soon with the AF taking over Ops up there.
Latest rumour has it that BT is cx'd for this spring and the possibility of a seaborne resup. 
Too bad the "Houses" came out and it 's only the one bar...sort of a good thing too.  My liver is still recovering after 7 years!
brrrr,,,one of the FC

 

[REDinstaller]

Mar 99 until Sep 99, Best tour ever. The only work up required is a 2 week bender to get your liver accustom to drinking so much. ;D

 

[Goibniu]

hello all,

I might be in the wrong section here but hopefully one the wonderful mods could place it in the correct spot.  I'm heading up to CFS Alert for a 3 month GD tasking and looking for helpful hints and suggestions on what to bring other then my Arctic kit.

thanks for the help everyone !

 

[REDinstaller]

Hobby stuff if you're into that. PT kit is good. lots of time to run and such in doors. There should still be TV's in each room, don't know if they went to dvd players yet. I went up in 99, VHS back then.

 

[Goibniu]

cool, thanks... i think im guna pack up the ole PS3

 

[REDinstaller]

Have fun, just remember to get outside once in a while. otherwise you'll go crazy.

 

[Good2Golf]

Have fun, just remember to get outside once in a while. otherwise you'll go crazy.

Just don't do that at 0200, or you'll screw yourself up since the sun will be above the horizon to the North! 

 

[REDinstaller]

All depends on when you go. I remember the first sunset, all 2 minutes of it.

 

[Good2Golf]

All depends on when you go. I remember the first sunset, all 2 minutes of it.

True, but I considered that even if he left tomorrow, 3 months would put him within 50 days of the summer solstice, i.e. no sunset as the lowest point on the horizon would still be about 8 degrees above the horizon in end-Apr.  This year, the 24 hour sunlight begins on 7 Apr and ends on 6 Sep.   

Regards
G2G

 

[chrisf]

Bottle of vitamin D if you're headed up at all during the dark season (Right now, mid january, they're probably getting a few minutes of twilight per day)

Bring a good sense of humor, patience, and be willing to get out of your room and socialize. I've spent a reasonable amount of time in the arctic, and everyone who doesn't enjoy their time is crooked because they spend their off hours crooked in their rooms watching movies.

And take EVERY OPPORTUNITY YOU CAN TO PLAY TOURIST!!!!! If the opportunity comes up to go a fair distance, say Tule, or Eureka, TAKE IT! If the opportunity comes up to go fishing, go to crystal mountain, whever, DO IT! Even if there's no opportunities that come up, make friends with the EC people and visit the GAW lab, make friends with the MET tech and watch the plane land from the the shack, ask a trucker (Probably civis now) if you can come out for an hour or two while plowing, JUST GET OUT OF THE DAMNED BUILDING!!! Also, take whatever precautions are required when you are leaving the building...

Plus PT kit, there's two well equipped gyms, regular floor hockey games. If you're headed up in the summer, take some fishing gear, tackle/cheap rod.  There is/was a good supply on station, but it doesn't hurt to bring some extra.

If you're stopping in Thule on the way up or down, joining instructions should tell you to take American cash, they do accept credit cards and debit, but bring enough to cover the cost of the hotel and breakfast ($60?) just in case (If nothing else, it's nice to be able to tip the drivers in Thule with money that's useful to them... it's not mandatory, but they deserve it... I felt bad when I was there the summer... one of their drivers did a fantastic thing for us, wanted to tip him, only had Canadian cash)