# Climbing



## thurmas (13 Aug 2010)

Hi there this is my first time on here, I start my bmq on sept. 6 at St.Jean as an RMS Clerk in the air force. My question is that in my recruitment booklet they gave me a cd rom to play on my computer which shows what BMQ is like and it shows recruits climbing a rope up to the ceiling of a gym and I am wondering does every recruit have to do that? I am not the greatest with heights as I am sure others are aswell. I know there is some rock climbing aswell and I have taken some lessons for that to be prepared but climbing a rope to a ceiling with no harness seems pretty unsafe?


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## danteh (13 Aug 2010)

When I went through Basic(about a year ago) the PSP staff(your gym staff) made everyone climb the ropes. They show you a good easy way to do so and it is very effective. As for rock climbing, I never did that and I havn't heard or seen anyone else doing that in Basic, I could be wrong though.

If you have anymore questions dont hesitate to ask


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## HItorMiss (13 Aug 2010)

thurmas said:
			
		

> Hi there this is my first time on here, I start my bmq on sept. 6 at St.Jean as an RMS Clerk in the air force. My question is that in my recruitment booklet they gave me a cd rom to play on my computer which shows what BMQ is like and it shows recruits climbing a rope up to the ceiling of a gym and I am wondering does every recruit have to do that? I am not the greatest with heights as I am sure others are aswell. I know there is some rock climbing aswell and I have taken some lessons for that to be prepared but* climbing a rope to a ceiling with no harness seems pretty unsafe? *



Ok you know you are joining a job where maybe some day someone will try and kill you right, I mean thats pretty much the definition of unsafe.... 

This is monitored and and there are mats to break your fall.

Does every recruit have to try yes, however to the best of my knowledge you only have to attempt it and not complete it.


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## Veiledal (13 Aug 2010)

BulletMagnet said:
			
		

> Ok you know you are joining a job where maybe some day someone will try and kill you right, I mean thats pretty much the definition of unsafe....
> 
> This is monitored and and there are mats to break your fall.
> 
> Does every recruit have to try yes, however to the best of my knowledge you only have to attempt it and not complete it.



not too sure that an rms clerk will be in the line of fire very often


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## HItorMiss (13 Aug 2010)

You're sh1tting me right.....  :


Chances are slim perhaps, but I have known an RMS clerk or two on a CLP or on a flight, and what do you think would happen if the CLP was ambushed or the Helo was forced down.... Give your head a shake


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## Lavitz (13 Aug 2010)

I graduated basic back in March, and as I recall there are 3 colors (3 different heights) on each rope. They told us to go to whichever level we felt comfortable doing. It looked high when you were looking up, but once you start climbing you'll probably end up wanting to reach the top, like I did even though I wasn't originally planning on going that high. Like danteh said, they show you a great technique that's easy to learn. 
We had an RMS clerk on my platoon that was absolutely terrified of heights. I'm not sure if she did the repel tower, but I know she never went up the cargo net on the obstacle course, and never went on the zip line, but still graduated with us.


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## DavieRocket77 (14 Aug 2010)

Lavitz said:
			
		

> I graduated basic back in March, and as I recall there are 3 colors (3 different heights) on each rope. They told us to go to whichever level we felt comfortable doing. It looked high when you were looking up, but once you start climbing you'll probably end up wanting to reach the top, like I did even though I wasn't originally planning on going that high. Like danteh said, they show you a great technique that's easy to learn.
> We had an RMS clerk on my platoon that was absolutely terrified of heights. I'm not sure if she did the repel tower, but I know she never went up the cargo net on the obstacle course, and never went on the zip line, but still graduated with us.


 Wow, hard to believe these skills aren't manditory.


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## thurmas (14 Aug 2010)

Thanks Lavitz, I am not as bad as the person you mentioned but it's nice to know you can go 3 different levels and if it's monitored properly that's not so bad.


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## hmorneau (14 Aug 2010)

thurmas said:
			
		

> Hi there this is my first time on here, I start my bmq on sept. 6 at St.Jean as an RMS Clerk in the air force. My question is that in my recruitment booklet they gave me a cd rom to play on my computer which shows what BMQ is like and it shows recruits climbing a rope up to the ceiling of a gym and I am wondering does every recruit have to do that? I am not the greatest with heights as I am sure others are aswell. I know there is some rock climbing aswell and I have taken some lessons for that to be prepared but climbing a rope to a ceiling with no harness seems pretty unsafe?



Hi, I myself don't like heights at all, but I have done some rock climbing in the past. It's good in life to overcome our fears. I think this basic class is there for that, and as a team with good technic we should be good to do lot more then we though we was able to do at first. If you are going there and expect to stay in your confort zone, then you are wrong. 

"Ok you know you are joining a job where maybe some day someone will try and kill you right, I mean thats pretty much the definition of unsafe.... "

Well, I don't expect our staff to be "someone that will try to kill us". They will try to push ourself, sure, but also to avoid injuries. They are highly trained and I will trust them, I will not see them as someone who will try to kill me, that's not their goal. So relax, everything will goes fine, and don't forget that we will do all this as team.


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## hmorneau (15 Aug 2010)

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
    Eleanor Roosevelt


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## aesop081 (15 Aug 2010)

Algae said:
			
		

> Well, I don't expect our staff to be "someone that will try to kill us".



You sure missed the point of the remark.   :


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## hmorneau (15 Aug 2010)

CDN Aviator said:
			
		

> You sure missed the point of the remark.   :



I did not, but in this case they are instructor and not taliban, so that's point less.


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## aesop081 (15 Aug 2010)

Algae said:
			
		

> I did not, but in this case they are instructor and not taliban, so that's point less.



No, the point is not less. Thats the trouble with all you "know-it-all" recruits, you think you have all the answers. The individual stated that climbing up a rope seemed a bit unsafe.

Well guess what, this is the military and even though all possible precautions are taken, our job is inherently unsafe, both in training and operations.

If the person considers climbing a rope without a harness as "unsafe", what will they think of someone trying to kill them ?


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## George Wallace (15 Aug 2010)

CDN Aviator said:
			
		

> You sure missed the point of the remark.   :



Agreed.  She still missed the point.


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## hmorneau (15 Aug 2010)

George Wallace said:
			
		

> Agreed.  She still missed the point.



I'm a guy, looks like I'm not the only one.


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## aesop081 (15 Aug 2010)

Algae said:
			
		

> I'm a guy, looks like I'm not the only one.



How cute ! It thinks its funny.

 :


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## hmorneau (15 Aug 2010)

CDN Aviator said:
			
		

> How cute ! It thinks its funny.
> 
> :



Well, I'm sorry. It's obvious that I have miss something. I was just trying to help with the information I had. That's probably why we will have to keep our mouth shut and ears open during that course.


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## Nfld Sapper (15 Aug 2010)

Algae said:
			
		

> Well, I'm sorry. It's obvious that I have miss something. I was just trying to help with the information I had. *That's probably why we will have to keep our mouth shut and ears open during that course.*



Best advice yet for this thread......


You know most of the people on this site have been instructors at CFLRS ST. JEAN so they might know a thing or two about what goes on there....


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## HItorMiss (15 Aug 2010)

CDN Aviator said:
			
		

> No, the point is not less. That's the trouble with all you "know-it-all" recruits, you think you have all the answers. The individual stated that climbing up a rope seemed a bit unsafe.
> 
> Well guess what, this is the military and even though all possible precautions are taken, our job is inherently unsafe, both in training and operations.
> 
> *If the person considers climbing a rope without a harness as "unsafe", what will they think of someone trying to kill them ?*



Algea,

Reread the above post, pay particular attention to the part I have made bold. That was the exact point I was trying to make. Climbing a rope is without a harness maybe risky (though I highly doubt it) But the Military is a very dangerous profession and if you think that is unsafe what are you going to think when a Rocket comes into your FOB or your driving over one of the most heavily IED/Mined routes in the world???


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## hmorneau (15 Aug 2010)

About the danger, how dangerous it is to be in a non-combat jobs vs a combat jobs?


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## aesop081 (15 Aug 2010)

Algae said:
			
		

> About the danger, how dangerous it is to be in a non-combat jobs vs a combat jobs?



Bullets, rockets and suicide bombers don't ask you what you are before killing you.


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## George Wallace (15 Aug 2010)

You should read more.  There is a lot on this site that discusses what life is like in the CF.  There are lots of posts on how much Non-Combat Arms Trades are often in danger just as much as Combat Arms Trades.


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