# MAR ENG MECH training at CFNES in newfoundland



## ralli909 (3 Oct 2007)

I've search over and over and didn't find much info regarding doing the courses at MUN in St Johns.  I've completed the recruiting process and the application to MUN, so I believe once I get the call and complete BMQ, its off to MUN for two years.

Can anyone tell me what to except, daily rountines ect.

The thing I'm most worried about the living quarters.. is there married quarters? Or can I live off base (school)? two years is a long time without my wife and daughter (although a few weeks is nice  )

Is anyone there married or know someone who is and could tell me


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## Nfld Sapper (3 Oct 2007)

ralli909 said:
			
		

> I've search over and over and didn't find much info regarding doing the courses at MUN in St Johns.  I've completed the recruiting process and the application to MUN, so I believe once I get the call and complete BMQ, its off to MUN for two years.
> 
> Can anyone tell me what to except, daily rountines ect.
> 
> ...



From what I know of the program, students of CFNES reside in Hillview Terrace. An apartment complex , which is leased by the school for students' accommodation.

Hillview Terrace Web Site


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## Pud (28 Oct 2007)

Hillview Terrace is set up for the single students.  If you are married and have children you have the option of living out (ie getting your own apartment/buying a house) or you can live in the PMQ's.  The PMQs there are far from stellar.  I just graduated from there this January and was in the PMQs alot visiting my mate who was living there with his family.  You do have some options, but only if you are married. Single people have no options.  They will be living at Hillview Terrace.

As far as daily routines, you go to school each day.  You wear your uniform to school everyday. Fridays are the only exception, you can pay $2 and wear your civis.   There are things that you partake in, such as morning PT and morning Drill.  Not every morning, but usually once a week.  I didnt take the METTP program but the routine is basically the same for all students.


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## prom (6 Nov 2007)

And to add to Pud;

Be glad you are married as going to MI (Marine Inistute) there are very few ladies, CONA is across the sky walk, and they have about 100x as many though still not a huge amount.


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## ralli909 (6 Nov 2007)

LOL the wife will be glad to hear that   Thanks for the replies guys


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## CallOfDuty (7 Nov 2007)

......that's alright prom.......all the ladies are just down on George street...


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## prom (8 Nov 2007)

or you can just roll down the hill to the main campus ;D


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## Danjanou (8 Nov 2007)

prom said:
			
		

> or you can just roll down the hill to the main campus ;D



Ah yeah the Breezeway 8)

My info re the PMQs in Pleasantville is very dated, but IIRC they were a hole when I left in 1989 so I can just imagine what they're like now. WW2 Surplus buildings ( like most of CFS St Johns) unless someone put some money into the place since. Location re MUN aint the best either , perhaps better to look at an apt. Not sure if in your case you'd qualify but Burton Pond Apts were available for married students when I was at MUn. Not too bad and fairly cheap.


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## prom (8 Nov 2007)

See you remember the Breeseway in all its glory! Since your departure they have built a new Students Union Building (the woody lol), and with that a new Breeseway. It was still fun up on till the last time I was there, however nothing will ever be like the old Bway.... Now its a research lab for INCO.... sigh.


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## ralli909 (14 Nov 2007)

Got my job offer today for stoker Swear in Nov 21 and told I'm going to be at MUN Nov 25.

Now I'm assuming the school will be closed for Christmas? (how long if closed), so I figure that I'm going to be there for a few weeks getting admin stuff done and setting in, maybe back home for Christmas then straight into the school work January. I maybe wrong though

Is this how it works, just wondering.

Going to ask at the recruiting center when I go to get sworn in, but sometimes they don't have an answer right away for you.


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## Pud (15 Nov 2007)

ralli909 said:
			
		

> Going to ask at the recruiting center when I go to get sworn in, but sometimes they don't have an answer right away for you.



Its not so much the answer right away as much as it is the right answer.    They have a tendency to not know the answer but will give you one anyways.

You are right, you will get there and do some admin stuff, in routine and such, then you will get Christmas leave (not sure when it starts, usually around the 18th or so and will be expected back the first week of january, roughly the 4th i think.)  At that point school will start and away you go.  It would appear you will be showing up as a cornflake (not completed basic training).  You will probably get a brief few weeks of military experience before your Xmas leave (drill, military knowledge courses, etc) and then you will do your BMQ the following year during work term.  The students who are already BMQ qualified will go to Halifax for a 4 month work term while you get a sunny, warm, all expense paid 13 week vacation in Beautiful St Jean Quebec.  You are gonna enjoy that.  

Congrats on getting accepted.


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## X-mo-1979 (15 Nov 2007)

So guys who OT to this trade whould show up with the naval capbadge I guess?Also Im assuming that they would just do two years of summer work terms where their BMQ is completed?

Im seriously thinking about this trade.
Anyone actually been in this trade?


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## X-mo-1979 (15 Nov 2007)

Also what is the promotion rate like in this trade?Is it one where people tend to stick at certain ranks forever,bottlenecking at the LS rank?Career progression?


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## Pud (16 Nov 2007)

X-mo-1979 said:
			
		

> So guys who OT to this trade whould show up with the naval capbadge I guess?Also Im assuming that they would just do two years of summer work terms where their BMQ is completed?
> 
> Im seriously thinking about this trade.
> Anyone actually been in this trade?



The way the stoker program is set up in St Johns is basically like this, assuming you are BMQ qualified.  Year 1-   1st semester of school, Jan-apr.  2nd semester april-aug.  work term from aug to christmas.  Year 2  3rd semester of school jan-april  4th semester april-aug.  You graduate in sept.  (You get 2 weeks leave in august before your work term starts i believe.)  If you arent BMQ qualified you do your basic during the work term.  Then its off to halifax/BC to start the next phase of your training, your 3s equipment.  What this program does for you is basically just do all your 3s and 5s education up front.  Upon graduation you get promoted to Acting/Lacking LS.


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## JDnav (19 Nov 2007)

apparently they have 30 ppl starting indoc next week pudsey. they must have a lot of ppl coming in for the course all together
I hope the stokers like 530 hha!..dont piss in the vacuum

For the marine institute CFNES. You get AB after one year (after work term/BMQ) (stokers 4th semest start i think)
After you finish the course (2 years) you get acting LS. basically twice as fast as norm. And you get spec pay when you finish your QL5 i think it is


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## X-mo-1979 (19 Nov 2007)

Thanks PUD.I would be ot'ing as a cpl into the trade,I have a few years punched now lol.
Now your 3's equipment course,is this just DP1 course where you learn about the ship itself?Also what about naval indoc course?Do they still run that?

Postings as well.What are the chances to being posted to a naval reserve say in NFLD etc?
Also what is the promotion rate like in the trade?(i.e past LS to MS and up)


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## Pud (20 Nov 2007)

As far as your questions go. the only one I can answer for sure is the one about the 3s.  This is an equipment training course where you are trained on the gear you are expected to repair on the ship.   You will learn about the ship once you get posted to one upon the completion of your 3s.  As far as promotions and postings go, I havent a clue how fast you can move up the stoker trade.  I am an NET who just went through the St Johns program with some stokers.  I cant see them posting you to a naval reserve unit but stranger things have happened I suppose.


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## ghostbear (24 Nov 2007)

I'm in the same position, Sworn in on the 21st and sent on the 24th.  I'm in Hillview right now actually.  Tomorrow morning at 08:00 I head out to MI, but I'm not to hopeful considering its a Sunday, but I'll report as ordered.  Big mess getting me here though, no one knew I was coming and it was just a post that I glanced on on this forum that saved me from sleeping on the street tonight as 530 was booked solid.  

So far, its been a weird day, but I start Indoc tomorrow so that should be fun.  I've been assured that this mickey-mouse isn't typical of the military in Canada, but if I have one gripe its that if I'm being sent 3000km, I'd at least like to know that someone will know what to do with me when I get there.  At any rate, I'm going in for NET(T), to the OP, look me up, I'm sure we'll be seeing each other somewhere.


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## JDnav (25 Nov 2007)

The staff at MI are having a hard time finding places for people cause there not used to this many people coming in a year. Be happy your at hillview though ghost. 530's shit. and it cost 425$ a month for food which you have to pay..i just got to hillview this month after a year of that and its way better. Indocs not bad... they give you a lot of drill within a few days though which is the only hard thing to grasp.


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## ghostbear (25 Nov 2007)

JDnav, Do we get access to any of the facilities at CFS St John's?  Specifically the mess hall, Gym and Jr. Ranks Mess?


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## JDnav (26 Nov 2007)

yes you do. gym always open to you... till 9 or 10pm weekdays and 10am-4pm weekends. jr ranks is open some nights..cant remember which. every 2 weeks theres a tgif thing on fridays where theres free food, poker and stuff. If your living at hillview you can still eat at the mess but it costs you whatever the meal cost. If your living at 530 you have to pay rations and eat at the mess. it cost 425 a month,, basically a rip because of the amount of meals you miss.


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## Nfld Sapper (26 Nov 2007)

Yeah the JR's here blows chunks, barley open and really has very little stuff to do there either.


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