BMQ Instructors

Anyone who’s been on BMQ (that’s basic training for Canada’s military) will almost certainly tell you they had problems with certain instructors. I know I definitely did.

No names obviously because that’s not professional but he weird thing is by the end of the course I ended up greatly respecting those instructors I had problems with.

For instance… during a classroom lesson I volunteered to go down and fill up the huge water can for everyone. I had to go to a different than normal water source because a Corporal told me the one we’d been using wasn’t drinkable water. So off I went. Once I got back to the classroom, everyone was waiting outside on a break saying I was in trouble. Turns out I’d left my C7 rifle beside my chair during the lesson and didn’t take it with me. I naturally assumed that buddy next to me would look out for me because I was doing something for everyone else. So when the class went on a break and buddy didn’t pick up my rifle the instructor took it. The remedial training I received was that Read more...

News on the military ‘n myself

The last two months have been very eventful… and after 23 years of dreaming I finally made it happen. A slight incident cut it short officially by only two days but I’m making that up at the end of December on a weekend.  After that I’m hoping to get on my artillery course, all driving courses, and especially communications courses so I can get on those badass radios and do radio stuff.

Whilst on BMQ (L)… I experienced the awesomeness of IMP (individual meal packs) which are issued to the Canadian Forces.  Call me ridiculous but I loved them.  That may be that I was deprived of home comforts whilst in the field… nevertheless I now fully believe all my instructors when they say that out of all the western military powers in Afghanistan, we have by far the best meals.  Apparently the Yanks and British soldiers will always try to trade meal parts.  The bread in a packet rocks!  If you’re interested… you can actually buy IMPs from a surplus store.

I’m also glad that I did not join the British Army.  Not because of any perceived lack of dashing bravery, ruthlessness or competence… but because of the mere factor that our (Brits) squaddies bomb around Afghanistan in rag top Land Rovers, and their armour plates only cover their heart and not other vital organs.

Being a Canadian soldier I now have a lot of restrictions on what I can or cannot post on my website regarding the Canadian Forces particularly… so you might see the tone of my blog posts change somewhat.

One of our boys has passed away… Pte Kyle Whitehead from 3PPCLI passed away when his vehicle rolled on the Big River First Nation. What’s really uncanny is that his best friend ‘Sgt. Darby Morin’ from the same First Nation in Saskatchewan – passed away on the same day in Afghanistan whilst serving with the U.S Army.

According to this news story… the upcoming Olympics is pushing the Canadian Forces to the edge.  This article says that 4000 Canadian soldiers will be guarding the Olympics to protect all the heads of state.  That along with the Afghanistan mission and the upcoming G8 summit in Huntsville is testing the limits of our endurance according to this story.  My answer to that would be to quote one of my instructors on basic training… ‘We’re Canadian soldiers – we win!’.  I know one thing that would solve problems like this…  boosting Canada’s defence budget from $18billion to about $36billion to increase the size of our armed forces.

Military stuff

As the time draws near, just a few days away, my interest in the military seems to be increasing. The American war machine claims to be the most efficient in the world, certainly the most funded… but they can’t seem to train their soldiers to stop sexual harassment or assault on its female personnel. There’s a story on BBC News which details female American soldiers carrying a knife to defend themselves against members of their own platoon.  My first thought was that the movie ‘The General’s Daughter‘ was fiction and that sort of thing didn’t happen in real life. It’s disgusting that the upper echelons in the U.S military damn well know this goes on but do diddly about it.

On another note… the Canadian Defence Minister  Peter Mackay sent me a letter a couple of weeks late regarding my application to join the Canadian Forces.  Would have been nice had it arrived in a timely fashion.  He also said recently in Parliament that Canada’s Federal Government wouldn’t accept any Cyclone MH-92 helicopters that were ordered for the Canadian Forces unless they have the ability to fly if the main gearbox loses oil pressure.  I think I’m going to volunteer for the Conservatives campaign next election.

Waiting to hear

I still haven’t heard from Canadian Forces Recruiting Group – I think they’re doing the background checks right now.  I just wish there was a way to speed it up without getting lax on the security controls.

Alberta’s military bases are getting a $40million upgrade which is splendid!  Aside from creating 200 jobs, CFB Edmonton is getting $21million for housing a training site.  CFB Wainwright is getting a water plant upgrade, and CFB Cold Lake is getting  upgrades to its infrastructure.  Harper says there’s going to be $400million of upgrades this year.  That remains to be seen – although I’m skeptical.  Even though Conservatives are traditionally pro-military, Canadian Conservatives are traditionally marginally less anti-military than most Canadians.

Canada’s military getting the shaft

Even though I’m not yet a voter… I was very pleased when the Conservatives came to power for one reason only – their defence procurement was thought to go sky high.

The Prime Minister’s promises of asserting Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic was a splendid idea.  I’m not against the government spending lots of my taxes on Canada’s military.  I’ve always been of the opinion that Canada needs to add in the very least Read more...