# Inspections While Living in the Shacks



## Lumber (5 Nov 2007)

If someone is living on base, but not in a PMQ, do they undergo regular (if only few) room inspections? Are there more intense inspections, similar to say a CO's inspection while one is on course?
What about when someone lives in a PMQ? Is there any kind of standard of cleanliness (aside from basic human hygene) that they must adhere to?


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## navymich (5 Nov 2007)

NCdt Lumber said:
			
		

> If someone is living on base, but not in a PMQ, do they undergo regular (if only few) room inspections? Are there more intense inspections, similar to say a CO's inspection while one is on course?
> What about when someone lives in a PMQ? Is there any kind of standard of cleanliness (aside from basic human hygene) that they must adhere to?



It would probably depend on which base you are at.  But the ones that I have been at, yes, there are room inspections.  The barrack warden will sometimes post notices of inspections, but they are also allowed to enter randomly too so your room is expected to be livable.  When you are on course, yes, there will be more inspections.  For example, West Coast Fleet School has regular stand-to inspections.


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## navymich (5 Nov 2007)

As for PMQ's, here is a blurb from the  CFHA Conditions of Occupancy:



> Good Housekeeping Practices
> 23.The occupant is responsible for all good housekeeping practices related to their
> MQ.The interior of the MQ is to be kept clean and tidy.


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## patt (5 Nov 2007)

they do random walk throughs but you never know when they will go around.


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## boehm (5 Nov 2007)

I lived in the shacks in Wainwright for 6 months and the only time my room was inspected was when I cleared out. It was a simple laid back inspection, I had to vacuum under the coffee table a second time and that is it. Do not expect crazy fold your underpants into a square type inspections, they just look to see if your not growing any new species of mold in your room. Keep it clean and you are good to go.


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## Franko (5 Nov 2007)

NCdt Lumber said:
			
		

> What about when someone lives in a PMQ? Is there any kind of standard of cleanliness (aside from basic human hygene) that they must adhere to?



There are regs in place for PMQ occupation and the state of them.

Depending on which base you belong to, CFHA loosely enforces them and it seems, recently, that Base doesn't care either way.

I've seen everything from derelict vehicles to lawns over 2' in height, garbage strewn over an entire lot, ovens to refrigerators left on the curbs for months. Troops even park their cars on their lawns for years on end. Hell, there was even a grow op broken up a few years back in a vacant PMQ.

The ward reps (appointed IIRC) don't even do their duties of ensuring the semi annual cleanup is done. I've shown up a number of times to see that only a handful show up out of the literal 100+ troops in a block who live there. Funny thing is as far as I can recall the CoC has the ability to inspect PMQs as long as they provide notice one week prior. At least that was the policy back in '94 in Gagetown.

Then of course there are the morons who enjoy racing their pimped out Chevy Cobalts/ Honda with the wing from Crappy Tire bolted on with the fart can add on as children play mere feet from the curb. 

Are the MPs around? Very rarely.....at least from what I've seen and my neighbors.

As a matter of fact one just peeled out across the street.....Mr Red Honda with tinted out windows and a fart can.        :

Anyone know where I can get a spike strip?        ;D

/rant.

Regards


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## Michael OLeary (5 Nov 2007)

Recce By Death said:
			
		

> As a matter of fact one just peeled out across the street.....Mr Red Honda with tinted out windows and a fart can.        :
> 
> Anyone know where I can get a spike strip?        ;D



Magnum road Spikes 12 foot :: 12 feet spike strip ::NSN 5340-01-515-8518


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## Greymatters (5 Nov 2007)

Recce By Death said:
			
		

> There are regs in place for PMQ occupation and the state of them... Anyone know where I can get a spike strip?



Spent years 4 to 7 of my career living in PMQs.  After year 6/7, no chance of ever doing it again, spent the next 13 years in my own house. Unfortunately, not everyone who lives in PMQs is professional, is cooperative with their neighbours, or may not even have a lifestyle that is considered respectable.    

Edit - In all that time, they inspected only twice at any place - when we moved in and when we left.


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## pbi (5 Nov 2007)

I lived in PMQs in Calgary 89-97, and Oakville (near Toronto) 98-2002 and 2005-2007. I never, ever, once encountered a PMQ inspection. The only ones I was even aware of were one or two in Calgary done "for cause" after other indicators pointed to possible health/safety problems inside the PMQ due to stupid/criminal behaviour by occupants. As far as I know the practice of PMQ inspections as they were known in the early 1970's is dead.

Cheers


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## medicineman (6 Nov 2007)

The only time I had an inspection in MQ's was in Calgary - but that was an annual fire safety inspection.  In Kingston, when I lived in shacks, the CO's and Base Commander occasionally exercised their rights to inspect - but we always got notice.

MM


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## armyvern (6 Nov 2007)

I did attend an inspection of a PMQ.

There had been a complaint made to CFHA from a neighbour about the inside of the premises that morning. I recd notice down the CoC and accompanied the individual up to the Sup O's office to give notice of inspection. From there, took the member to the residence for the inspection (so from notification of complaint - to member notification - to inspection approx 1 hour -- all at work) ... the friggin' place was absolutley spotless ... and was very obviously always so.

Turns out there was a history between the member and the complainant (who apparently figured no one would actually _check _ the Q -- just that the CoC would hear about the complaint -- thus suffer the career). The outcome of _that_ was rather lovely.  >


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## 392 (6 Nov 2007)

Recce By Death said:
			
		

> Then of course there are the morons who enjoy racing their pimped out Chevy Cobalts/ Honda with the wing from Crappy Tire bolted on with the fart can add on as children play mere feet from the curb.
> 
> Are the MPs around? Very rarely.....at least from what I've seen and my neighbors.



You don't happen to live on Moreuil Wood do you?   A couple single guys moved in a couple doors down from me, and apparently racing down the _wrong_ side of the street, fart can blasting, is "cool". 

Not to mention the 4 a.m. Sunday wake up calls to boom, boom, boom and drunken idiots running up and down the street.....I wasn't aware Sassy's relocated to my street. : On the up side, the MP's did pay them a visit on Sunday, so I'm curious to see how this Saturday night works out.....


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## bilton090 (6 Nov 2007)

(  an inspection of a PMQ. )  And not a march out, I "d like to see that with my 9D  :threat: , the joke here in Gagetown the MP's going into the Q's, don't see them there !,
if you do call them, they  tell you to call, the RCMP.

      As a matter of fact one just peeled out across the street.....Mr Red Honda with tinted out windows and a fart can.        

Anyone know where I can get a spike strip?        +1 Vern   same sh#t here


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## garb811 (6 Nov 2007)

bilton090 said:
			
		

> (  an inspection of a PMQ. )  the joke here in Gagetown the MP's going into the Q's, don't see them there !,
> if you do call them, they  tell you to call, the RCMP.



Which is entirely correct as the RCMP have jurisdiction on the streets in the Qs in Gagetown.


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## Fishbone Jones (6 Nov 2007)

Well, this one has gone right off the rails 8)

Bottom line. Rooms in 'the shacks' can and will be inspected. Sometimes with warning, sometimes not. Keep them in accordance with the standards that are available from the Barracks Warden, and you won't have any problems.


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## Franko (6 Nov 2007)

392 said:
			
		

> You don't happen to live on Moreuil Wood do you?   A couple single guys moved in a couple doors down from me, and apparently racing down the _wrong_ side of the street, fart can blasting, is "cool".
> 
> Not to mention the 4 a.m. Sunday wake up calls to boom, boom, boom and drunken idiots running up and down the street.....I wasn't aware Sassy's relocated to my street. : On the up side, the MP's did pay them a visit on Sunday, so I'm curious to see how this Saturday night works out.....



I feel your pain and no....I'm not on Moreuil.

I truly wish that the MPs did a few late night check points in the Q's....both North and South Side every odd weekend. 

See how many troops end up in the OPP hotel and have their car seized and auctioned off.

I'm not saying it's all of them....just the guys who think having a CF-18 wing on their trunk of their 10 year old Civic is cool.          

What's next? Speed holes made by a pick axe?

Regards


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## 392 (8 Nov 2007)

recceguy said:
			
		

> Bottom line. Rooms in 'the shacks' can and will be inspected. Sometimes with warning, sometimes not. Keep them in accordance with the standards that are available from the Barracks Warden, and you won't have any problems.



I know when I first got to Pet in 1996, we had weekly Wednesday morning inspections - the by your bed type   At the time, P109 was full, and a few of the barrack block lawyers decided to challenge the RSM on the inspections. Their argument was that because we paid rent, they shouldn't be inspecting us. Kind of along the same lines as someone renting an apartment. In any case, the RSM pulled out the CFAO for SQ's (which has been since cancelled, and converted to a DAOD), and highlighted the part where it read in very clear letters that rooms in the shacks are subject to inspection at any time to ensure the occupant is not living like a slob nor conducting any illegal activities.

Case in point, last summer (I haven't really been around since), a bunch of individuals in our unit's shacks decided they wanted to live like pigs, so the current RSM re-instituted weekly inspections to ensure basic hygiene practices were being followed. While to the average guy, it may seem like the idea is pretty hokey, sickness and disease travel pretty quickly in common quarters, and it just takes that one pigpen to make an entire unit sick......


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## geo (8 Nov 2007)

392 said:
			
		

> Case in point, last summer (I haven't really been around since), a bunch of individuals in our unit's shacks decided they wanted to live like pigs, so the current RSM re-instituted weekly inspections to ensure basic hygiene practices were being followed. While to the average guy, it may seem like the idea is pretty hokey, sickness and disease travel pretty quickly in common quarters, and it just takes that one pigpen to make an entire unit sick......



You know that when you get your flu shot, you're being injected with a diluted version of the flu bug... so your system can have an easy go at beating the bug & build up your immune system....  being exposed to a small amount of dirt & filth DOES have some redeeming qualities

BUT

exposing your unhygenic attributes to the RSM is not a healthy thing & does not help your immune system


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## 392 (8 Nov 2007)

geo said:
			
		

> ....exposing your unhygenic attributes to the RSM is not a healthy thing & does not help your immune system



Nor does it help build any trust up with your Sect Comd who now has to answer why one of his men is lacking basic hygiene skills, and has to take time out of his otherwise-designated family time as well as the off-time of his living-in Section Member to ensure he maintains (or achieves) a basic level of cleanliness  :. 

That couple months last summer was not a pleasant one. The RSM had it broke down into a 4 week Wednesday cycle; week 1 - Sect Comd's inspection, week 2 - Tp WO, Week 3 - SSM, Week 4 - RSM, repeat. While I have no issues giving one of my soldiers extra help or guidance where required (being part of my job and all), I am NOT there to re-teach basic hygiene and cleanliness their mother should have pounded into their skulls while growing up.....


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## geo (8 Nov 2007)

Yup,
Remember my 1st summer with the army.  We had a fella in the section that didn't wash - sorta had a grey tinge to him.
Someone (I know not who  ??? ) took one of the meanest looking, stiff bristled scrub brushes to him.... the next morning the man was so "pink" he glowed.
Somehow, we didn't have much trouble from him thereafter...


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## Greymatters (8 Nov 2007)

geo said:
			
		

> ... took one of the meanest looking, stiff bristled scrub brushes to him.... the next morning the man was so "pink" he glowed...



Its only a bit of group therapy, gotta let your fellow soldier feel the love...  

There are some standards that not everyone agrees on, but staying clean is one of them! We get plenty of chances to stink like pigs (in air, on ground and on vessels) no need to be 'offensive' when there's plenty of water at hand...


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## geo (8 Nov 2007)

Heh.... beats the "Aroma therapy" we had to deal with


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## Fishbone Jones (8 Nov 2007)

The question's been answered.


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