Topic: Personal Items Required by Recruits (Regular Force)

[Michael O'Leary]

The following is from a document produced by the Canadian Forces Recruit School, at St Jean. It identifies the items a recruit will be expected to arrive with or purchase during training:

PERSONAL UPKEEP AND CLEANING MATERIALS

1.   The following is a list of material required by a recruit at CFLRS. An advance of $135.00 will be given to all recruits on the Monday of the first week. If a recruit already has an item in his possession then he/she is not required to purchase it.

2.   This list has been sent to CFRETS for dissemination to all recruiting centers. The vast majority of recruits will come complete with the exceptions of the Canex items. Recruits are not encouraged to buy extra shaving supplies, i.e. soap, razors etc... Irons will be bought if necessary only, with the ratio of irons to recruits being 1 to 3-5. There is no reason for every recruit to have an iron.

ITEMS   QTY
1.   Razor-track II style
2.   Shaving Cream
3.   Tooth Brush w/ Case
4.   Tooth Paste
5.   Mouth Wash
6.   Shampoo and Deodorant
7.   Laundry Detergent (medium size) or Liquid Detergent (Wisk or other)
8.   Spray Starch
9.   Underwear  ( same style); 5 pr
10.   Kiwi cloth
11.   Black shoe polish ,1x lge tin;
12.   Boot brush (stiff)
13.   Case or Bag of some sort
14.   Combination Locks, 3
15.   Abus Key Lock 85/50
16.   Sewing Kit
17.   Shower Sandals
18.   Facecloth (white)
19.   Black Safety Band For Glasses (if required)
20.   Boot Bands, 2 pr
21.   Picture Frame (5" x 7") plastic transparent  (Optional)   1
22.   Iron, ratio should be around 1 to 3-5 recruits
23.   Lint brush
24.   Hangars( all the same style and colour), 18-20

Females will be required to buy the following as well:

25.   Hair Net, Hair clips
26.   Athletic Bras, 3
27.   Feminine Supplies
28.   Elastic band same color of hair

[GrahamD]

What is a boot band?

[Righty(Banned)]

to blouse your pants

[-Skeletor-]

http://www.wheelersonline.com/images/CPProducts/1013lg.JPG

you use it to blouse your pants

[Carcharodon Carcharias]

Are you seriuos? It not a band of boots. Its a semi - disposable stretchy green cord, which attaches around your leg so you can blouse your pants above your boots.

I dont use em, I use quality 4mm rubber bands, they are cheap and plentyful, and I dont whinge if I loose one, or if I break on. I keep a handful of extras in my shaving kit.

Cheers,
Wes

[Michael O'Leary]

A boot band it a length of elastic fabric cord, the commercial ones have small metal hooks for linking the ends. They are places around the top of the combat boot and the outer cuff of the combat pant is rolled inwards and under the band to give a neat "bloused" apperance to the bottom of the pant leg.

[koach]

The above information is part of the joining package that is sent to all new recruits prior to proceeding to Saint Jean.

[Michael O'Leary]

That is true Koach, but it‘s not given to them during the months they may wait between application and offer. That‘s the period during which they find us and ask many questions about their pending future that the CFRC has not yet  decided to provide the information that may satisfy their natural curiosity.

[alexk]

personaly i use the big black boot blousers i never lose them  and they work great

[a Sig Op]

Never say never... anything can be lost...

I recall a comissionaire telling me about loosing a pair of MLVWs and a Leopard... apparently they were cammed very very well... anyway, at the end of the ex, they just couldn‘t find them...

Two years later they were found... after another Leopard ran over the posistion and crushed one of the MLs.

[Carcharodon Carcharias]

Things being lost - back in the 80‘s we were using a Soviet style defensive position in the spring. Leaning against the wall in a nearby trench was a 9mm SMG w/sling, BFA attached, full mag, cocked, and on safe! Mild surface rust, so maybe been there over winter or the previous fall.

We turned it in, and we were later told they did not even know where it came from, and who really knows whats happened to it since.

Wierder things have happened.

In 1990, I found a C7 bayonet less scabbard, and it too had been there over the winter.

One other time when in the winter, when the C1 was in use, a guy from our tent group lost his breech block. It was gone in the snow!

In the spring we went back to the same area to find it, and there it was. Found safe in the need of a wee bit of CLP.

Regards, Wes

[brin11]

Back when I first joined I remember running all over town (civvy town) with my list of stuff that I needed before going to basic training.  Very similar to the above list.  I looked  everywhere  for bootbands and asked everyone if they had any/what they were.  Of course, no one had a clue what they were and I remember being terrified that I didn‘t have them when I left (I had everything else).  Oh, the ignorance of youth!

[Sierra Kilo]

I encountered the same worries about packing before I left for basic (its hard if you forget something when you are 20 hours away from home for two months), since I had never been away from home for that long of a time - closest was maybe a month, but with family.

It all turns out in the end, and you can also work with your buddies to trade/borrow things until you can acquire it yourself.  Boot bands?  I started using rubber bands, and they work fairly well, if they don‘t break on you...

I felt that the whole time was a great experience for me, and you don‘t need to be stressed out over what to bring, just don‘t show up with nothing  

[Yes Man]

How do you know if you should bring an iron or not...I dont know who I am going to do basic with.

[Sierra Kilo]

I don‘t know about regular basic courses, but I think irons will be supplied for you.

-Can someone correct this if it is wrong?

[jutes85]

1. Razor-track II style
2. Shaving Cream
3. Tooth Brush w/ Case
4. Tooth Paste

I have never used a razor before and I‘ve very found of my electric Bruan shaver. Will they get upset if I bring an electric instead of the razor and cream?

[WillyMethod]

Itll Probably Be Convescated As You have Been told On Countless Other Threads

[tree hugger]

I‘m pretty sure the reason for no electric razors is that you can‘t bring them to the field...noise factor.  Just get a scrapper...

[bobthebui|der]

straight razor only. I‘ve mastered the art of dry shaving....Shaving cream eats up too much of my time.

[brin11]

Bring the razor and cream.  If you don‘t use it, then...  I‘ve actually had to set my locker up with razor, cream and aftershave and I‘m a female.  Its all about being the same!

[chk2fung]

Something you might want to consider is to bring two of everything in regards to toiletries.  Come time for inspection you want a display set and a set you actually use.  Its a pain cleaning your shaving cream bottle, toothpaste cap and soap dish before every inspection.  If you‘re in garrison the staff won‘t harrass you too much about the electric shaver, but in the field you better play it safe with the razor.

[Cpl Bloggins]

Just remember to actually use the soap a bit first, before actually putting it in the drawer. Otherwise you will have to answer questions about why does your soap mysteriously get changed every morning...or why does your soap have dust on it.  

[jutes85]

Ok, can‘t I just use a razor for the field and the electric when inside? And why would they harass me if I use an electric?

[Carcharodon Carcharias]

Just use a ‘pull type‘ razor, like the others. You want to be seen as all of the same, electric things make you different and stand out. Don‘t draw ‘attn‘ to yourself, just blend in. Besides your electric razor will clog up with dirt, cam creme, and stuff in the field and will get ruined.

Cheers,

Wes

[Spartan]

is the reserve bmq/sq different from Reg bmq in terms of  kit list?
and slightly related: what is the difference between reserve and reg bmq/sq?