# First BMQ Weekend turned out dysfunctional!!! Cont from SHARP trg thread...



## JBP (26 Jan 2005)

My god... I have witnessed the horrors of a major logistical F*cKuP on my first BMQ weekend in the reserves! Welcome to the Reserves out Plt 2i/c sayz...   :

So, originally we were told, entire weekend, 1 day SHARP, rest is BMQ type stuff.. Cool...

Thursday before the weekend we were going (Jan 21-23). We're told no, it's just 1 day of SHARP and we go home! Cool...

WE GET THERE... Saturday morning at about 8am EST. Cool... HEAD torn OFF by pissed off MBombadier (Arty MCpl for those who don't know)+ 2Lt who were running the course that we apparently "didn't show up for" on Friday like we were suppose to... Our unit somehow fudged the training roster and got it all backwards completely... They ask who the F*cK in our pathetic plt knows what the hell is going on... I put my hand up, answer, "Well MBombadier, we were told to report here today for SHARP training". MBomb answers, "SHARP training? WTF, there is no SHARP training! This is BMQ!"....... Us----->>>>   :crybaby:   ???     Them ------>>>>     :evil:   >   :skull:

.....

They eventually understood that our unit's command FUBAR'd things up real fine and that we were misinformed.... Right after that some fruitcake from our unit answers that he DOESN'T KNOW what DOUBLE TIME is.... So, we run, 2X across the entire armoury. Not bad, wakes you up in the morning when you thought you were doing easy SHARP training and in civvies!!!...

Eat breakfast (Oh god, it made up for everything....)
Got 9 mins for about 30 guys to go to the bathroom (I had to do #2....   :-[ )
Told we will continue with BMQ as planned originally and start our training (basic drill, classes on Ethics+Firedrill/orders etc etc etc). 
Was great and fun+fantastic watching some people get yelled at while F*cking drill up. Hillarious actually, even I got yelled at once, loved it.
Lunch (My god again X2.... Great, can't complain about the food one bit, lovin' THAT too... )

Day goes on, we finish at 4-4:15PMish, told we'll load on bus go back to homebase (Linc+Wink regiment) because none of us brought any kit to stay overnight. Also told to report back for training in the morning. Cool.... Problem: Giant winter storm, takes us 2.5hrs to get back when it normally takes 40mins... Was F'ckn hillarious watching people smash thier cars up on the QEW, yeah, so hillarious we thought we were going to have to be scrapped off the pavement alongside some of the smashed cars...   :

Report back in the morning to Linc+Wink armoury at 6:40AM EST   :boring: . 3/4 Pltn shows up, bus suppose to arrive at 7AM... 7:15... 7:30..... A guy leaves...   8.... 8:45.. Everyone else leaves but 3 of us who are trying to contact our BMQ course guys, have no contact info or command... 9:30... WE leave.... 

So in other words we missed a WHOLE day+half of BMQ...

 ???

 :-\

Emailed+called the crap out of our Pltn Sgt 2i/c... Emails us back WENSDAY (sp?) apologizes for big messup... TOLD now that must re-attend catch up class+course material THIS weekend or else we are dropped off the course.....   :rage:   :rage:     :rage:

So... Folks, that saying of "SUCK IT UP AND SOLDIER ON!".... Applies... It has to, or else you will fail to see the logic of the military when things f*ckup.... I have no problem with making up the training becuase I don't have to work on weekends... This just serves to show you how and why the retention of the reserves is so bad at times. I bet we'll loose about 3-5 guys over this incident.... Not because they won't suck it up either, because they have other obligations like fulltime jobs etc etc, hence why we're Reserves...

What you folks think about that mess eh? Bet some of you new folks are saying, "Shit, hope they don't fuck us in the ass like that!"....   :   GOOD LUCK FNG's!!! 

Hopefully this soap-opera of my beginning in the reserves comes to an end with a good, straight hardcore weekend of BMQ... 

 :warstory:

Pte (R) Joe out...


----------



## Fishbone Jones (26 Jan 2005)

Don't think of us as dysfunctional. Think of us as idiot savants. Just really good at only one thing. Welcome to our big, happy group hug.


----------



## Inch (26 Jan 2005)

Look on the bright side Joe, it's a bloody good memory and war story. That's the kind of thing that can't be quantified when explaining what the military is like, just laugh it off and enjoy it.  ;D


----------



## Butters (26 Jan 2005)

ahah man that's funny as heck. Althought you missed 1 and a half days :\


> Right after that some fruitcake from our unit answers that he DOESN'T KNOW what DOUBLE TIME is.... So, we run, 2X across the entire armoury.


 very very cute.


----------



## winchable (27 Jan 2005)

Weekend BMQ's are the most dysfunctional part of the reserves especially when they get messed up.
Good point about retention though, while they say that the reservist is twice the citizen even the super citizen needs to put food on the table, and having to reschedule a much higher paying job for the reserves can take a toll on performance reviews and jobs in the civilian world.


Idiot savants hahaha brilliant RHF.


----------



## Hutch (29 Jan 2005)

Was that by any chance Hamilton Armouries? The weekend I missed because of bueacracy?  But hey I'll be there next weekend (dances a little for himself, I have winter bmq, (happy)?


----------



## Steel Badger (29 Jan 2005)

Cease Complaint...for stronger it wil make you!


----------



## JBP (29 Jan 2005)

> Was that by any chance Hamilton Armouries? The weekend I missed because of bueacracy?   But hey I'll be there next weekend (dances a little for himself, I have winter bmq, (happy)?



Yeah that's where it was. Just a hint so you don't get your head torn OFF when you arrive, it's Master BOMBADIER, not Corporal... And, DRILL, DRILL, DRILL yourself to pieces if your unit isn't doing it for you. We had a "catch-up" day today, 4 HOURS of drill to make sure we're ready. I tell ya my feet are sore as hell. And guess what, we have to go in Tuesday for guess what, final review of our "catch-up" DRILL...... ....     :crybaby:   It's okay, I actually am glad our unit is helping us catch up and all that, it's better to learn it now then later of course, and possibly fail. 



> Cease Complaint...for stronger it wil make you



So true Steel Badger, or as my Pat Pltn 2i/c said to a recruit today when he tried to whine about something... "What? WHAT??? Did you just speak? GET TO ATTENTION when you talk to me! If I wanted your f*cking opinion I'd GIVE IT TO YOU Private!!! As for the rest of you, I'd like to dismiss the notion that the army is a democratically run organization..."



Shut up and do what they tell you. See you there man, again to those on this site, THANK YOU for the overall information and advise you've given whether directly or indirectly, it's proved invalubale!!! 

 :warstory: Ruck'n up and soldiering on!   :warstory:

PS> Got my brand-new Tac Vest! Can't wait til' the day I can load up on ammo and have some fun at the range (yeah, probably a whole magazine to myself.... Lol..)....


----------



## Sappo (30 Jan 2005)

interesting tale... cant say my first weekend was anywhere near that.... mine went pretty normally i suppose.

the most we have had for f-ckups have been people waking up 1 hour early for PT, and in the process waking up all the instructors...

or having classes run 20-30 minutes late.


been going smooth so far


----------



## nULL (31 Jan 2005)

Yeah, BMQ is pretty good. I got a good initial review from my course head, been managing to be the "gray man", keeping up in PT and flying below the radar. My first weekend I was jacked up, hard, by a terrifying Warrant for not having a beret (I was never issued it, but I made DAMN sure I had it the next weekend) but other than that it's been pretty good. I'd agree that the food is awesome, but so far there's been a bit too much talking. I mean, it's not that I don't want to learn about the ROE and the DAOD's, but I want to learn that _later._ 

Oh yeah, and my drill sucks and military justice is pretty harsh. Would that I could remain the gray man forever....


----------



## JBP (31 Jan 2005)

> Would that I could remain the gray man forever....



So far I've done that but I want to step ahead and take the "Section leader/course representative" for my group. Don't know how they choose one of those but I'm sure if you work hard, always turn-out good (never late, uniform in good order, haircut to suit etc etc) do better drill then the other guys and beat most in PT and simply ask for it I think I got a good shot at it. We haven't chosen one yet and I was told it's kind of informal but simply looks good on you if you get it and can keep it through the course. Probably something noted in your service record I suppose. "Blue chit"???

Joe

PS> Any info on that would be welcome from you experienced folks!


----------



## Sappo (7 Feb 2005)

As far as Section Senior and Course Senior on MY course:

Section senior, everyone gets a chance to try it out.... I just did Section Senior this past weekend, and had a pretty good time.

Course Senior we have had swapped out a few times as well, cant tell if its picked by random or those doing well, from what i've seen its not just those doing well


----------



## JBP (8 Feb 2005)

> As far as Section Senior and Course Senior on MY course:
> 
> Section senior, everyone gets a chance to try it out.... I just did Section Senior this past weekend, and had a pretty good time.
> 
> Course Senior we have had swapped out a few times as well, cant tell if its picked by random or those doing well, from what i've seen its not just those doing well




Ah, well I won't worry about it too much then. I noticed on this past weekend also that everyday they changed Section Senior everyday or whenever said person FUBAR'd something. It was a great 2nd weekend BMQ though, ALOT of pushups. Our section made some mistakes that cost our upper body measures in pain...

They told us when they issued us the C-7's that you DO NOT LEAVE YOUR RIFLE unless ordered to/OK'd by course staff and there is a picket man or two to watch them. What happens 10 mins later after a drill lesson? Everyone is thirsty and given a 5 minute break, 9 guys out of 13 leave thier rifles. OOOPPS!   : 90 pushups for the section to work off, and not 10 per guy either, 90 for EVERYONE...    It was good though, we did them in increments of 15-25 at a time throughout Friday-Saturday. All said we ended up doing about 250-300 for the weekend. At least it felt like that many.   ;D

I've heard some guys get let off at about 6-7pm. Earliest we've been let "off duty" was 9:40PM because the RSM felt like being nice at that point and we marched half decent for him. 

Only other time we screwed up was at the end of the day on Sunday, we were learning how to Ground Arms and Take up Arms, my GOD they killed us with squats!!! My left leg STILL hurts. We have to keep our knee off the ground and HOLD it there until everyone gets it JUST right. And they made us do it over and over and over until our section of 13 guys had it all timed together and right.

It was beautiful.

Can't wait until the next weekend.


----------



## JBP (21 Feb 2005)

Update on my course... Funny....

Now only 11 guys left in our Pltn. 1 quit, 1 went AWOL... 

Out of our 39 peeps on course, now only 33 left!!! This is only the 3rd weekend!!!! I guess they weren't kidding when they said only 1/2 the course would end up graduating if that...

This weekend was pretty damn hard. WAY harder then the last couple for sure. PT classes at 4:30AM were ROUGH... 3 guys out of our 11 got our first "red chits"... Unfortunately I was one of them! So much for being a "leader" on this course... 

I was told this wasn't a big deal so long a I fix what they had on the form+don't fuck it up again. Also that it doesn't stay on my file, gone once I complete the course (I will not quit, some guys were talking about wanting to quit. I've not felt I wanted to yet!)

I got a new pair of MkIII's... ONLY 1 pair... New pairs are hard to shine, especially when you have to do PT in them because you forget your PT gear. Yeah, that's basically how I got my red chit. My boots were all f*cked' up on 2 morning inspections after PT class. Sgt said my fault cause I didn't bring PT gear even though I only have 1 pair of boots. I agree with him, but also kinda stings cause I figured he'd give me until next weekend to fix the prob since he knew about it... I guess I have my chance now...  :crybaby:

From Friday about 7PM until Saturday 9:40PM we completed 240 pushups..... I though the weekend before was difficult!!! I love it though, my arms are getting PUMPED! I don't even remember how many we did on Sunday, lost track...

Anyone have any good hints on how to show "Teamwork"? Volunteer for Firepicket or watching weapons while we eat chow? Always helping carry guys stuff who are lagging behind? That kinda thing? It was on my performance review as needs abit of improvement. I thought I showed good teamwork already cause' I always help the boyz out and cheer them on, not good nuff' suppose.

Joe
BMQ 2050 CBG 31 Section 3 - BMQ week 3


----------



## Phillman (21 Feb 2005)

Course reports will always have a negative part to them. It is the staff's way of trying to get you to push yourself. Just keep helping out buddy when they need it.

I have never seen or heard of someone getting a perfect course report. So improve the faults they point oput if you can, and just keep on givin'er.




As a side note, its probably BMQ 0502, not 2050.  
05 = 2005
02= Serial #2


----------



## SF (21 Feb 2005)

WoW

 I really do hope things go smooth. I start my BMQ this Friday Feb 25th. I am supposed to get my kit tomorrow Feb22nd but no one has called to confirm, or even tell me when/where to meet. I was hoping to get a week or so to break in the mrkIII boots but I guess not. Everything about my recruiting process so far has been about waiting. Even my friend who has been with 3FES for the past year asked me "havent you heard the CAF mantra, hurry up and wait?"


----------

