# Family and being posted where I don't live



## Ehkart (10 Feb 2010)

I'm curious about what kind of schedule I'm looking at serving as a fulltime Armoured crewmember. The thing is that my wife wants to stay where she is on Vancouver Island and I'll be looking at Edmonton I guess? I'm curious about whether or not I'll be stuck in Cold Lake as well and if so for how long. I can afford to fly home every weekend to the Island if I want to so theres no worries about the financial aspect of it, however what I do want to know is will I have the time to make it home and back again on at least two weekends a month? As well will I be living in a barracks situation or can I get a PMQ? I know these questions are full of obscure intent and inexperience. I do not want to know if anyone wouldn't do this themselves or whether they think I'm being silly; what I'm really after is the after work type commitments that come with being a member of the Lord Strathcona if there really are any. My wife may be convinced to join me later on once her commitments here ease and I may want even to head to Petawawa with her. Is that something that is allowed, to change Regiments? Also as a side note is Lord Strathcona all MBT type stuff or can I become Recon Armour in Edmonton as well? Recon is really what I'm interested in the most. Thanks in adavance!


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## smale436 (11 Feb 2010)

:
     Wow. Lots of interesting questions here. I'll leave the crewman questions to a SME. As someone who lives in Cold Lake though, I can tell you if you are full or part time Armoured Crewman you will not be posted to Cold Lake. There is only one "strat" cap badge here in CL that I know of and he is a reservist that teaches first aid or something.


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## aesop081 (11 Feb 2010)

Ehkart said:
			
		

> I'll be looking at Edmonton I guess?



Or Valcartier, Petawawa and Gagetown.




> stuck in Cold Lake



Not likely.



> can I get a PMQ?



If your family stays on VI then why would you think to get a PMQ. Most bases i have been to now have a shortage of PMQs so not likely they will give you one.



> being a member of the Lord Strathcona



Who said you would be posted to the LdSH(RC) ? If you are going on the assumption you will go there, i've got news for you.


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## Ehkart (11 Feb 2010)

Assumption, no. I try my  best not to assume; but what I do is make the best of the information I've found thus far  I had thought that I'd be posted to Edmonton because thats what the recruitment video says directly. That you end up in one of the three Regiments, is there no choice as to which one, especially when Edmonton is the closest to your family? If not I guess I do the best I can and we work a little harder for the first while. The PMQ would be great but I hold no reservation, I know that; thats why I asked. Thanks for the early responses, guys!


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## Fishbone Jones (11 Feb 2010)

First, you're going to Gagetown, after Basic, for training. You'll be there for, probably, almost a year, give or take. Then you'll get sent to where they need you. Maybe Edmonton or maybe Pet or if your language profile fits, Valcartier. 

To be honest, given your first post, I see Administrative Burden written all over this. Your wife has already said she really wants no part of this, and I can't see her uprooting the kids and leaving a 10 k\ month business, on VI, to live in a PMQ in Pet........on Private's pay, no less. This isn't the Foreign Legion. You can't run away and hide in the CF. I suggest you sort out your personal life before you decide to join and become our problem. If it comes to it, you can't fight an ugly divorce from a turret on the Lawfield Corridor. Sorry if that's too blunt for you. Just my  :2c: .

I can only wish you good luck and that's really all I have to say on it. You have too much drama in your life.
 Someone else will have to help from here on in.


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## medaid (11 Feb 2010)

You gp where the CF sends you, NOT where YOU want to be.


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## liams mom (11 Feb 2010)

This is my first post after reading and being an inactive member for a long time.  I am a wife of an armoured soldier.

Here's our story: Married 12 years, together 18 years and we have kids. We have been posted to Pet and to Meaford and  Pet.  This is actually very good- most of our armoured friends have been all over, posted a lot.

There will be long stretches of separation, what with courses, exercises and deployments. The army "tries" to consider the family in career planning for the soldier, but really "tries" is all it amounts to.  We have no say in where hubby goes, when he comes home or even when he phones us! Hubby has missed an emergency surgery for me, birth of kid and even a few funerals. Not to mention all the other special dates.

Right now he is posted to Pet on IR and I have decided to stay in Meaford.  I have seen him very little since we began this IR experience. Since August he has been in Gagetown for 3 months, Calif for 2 months and then he's off to the box in April. My hubby has barely slept at his place in Pet. I'm actually ok with it because this is normal for us.

So, if you're looking to "escape" from family life for awhile, you've picked the right career!


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## Kat Stevens (11 Feb 2010)

If all you're looking for is an easy "get out of real life free" card, just go to Vancouver and sign on with any freighter or tanker that will have you.  When you find yourself in Kuala Lumpur with a knot on your head, pants around your ankles and a nickel in your hand, you'll know you made it.


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## Ehkart (11 Feb 2010)

forget about this "drama", I wanted to know a few things and thank you very much for the information. Everything I've read has actually been helpful as I've had a tough time finding the information I was after. True I am having difficulties over this decision because as it stands if I join there is a strong possibility that I'll lose my wife and kids but if I don't then I'll hate myself for the rest of my life knowing that I never became what I wanted. I'm still mulling thoroughly. Basically I should have done this ten years ago but a silly and very subtle medical condition held me back, recently I've found that it was totally curable and am nearly a month or so from being completely free of it. Anyways I'd like to say thanks for all the info you've all given me.


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## Loachman (11 Feb 2010)

Try the Reserves, as has been suggested. It'll cost you nothing, and maybe let you keep everything.


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