# Some Questions About BMQ



## howitzer89 (4 May 2011)

I've used the search feature but couldn't match it with anything.

I'm applying to the military tomorrow as a Naval Weapons Tech. I know it's a long way away until I would go to BMQ providing I pass everything but I'm just curious about a couple things. 

When you finish your BMQ course, do you take home and keep everything in your kit? besides your weapon/mags/gas mask?. Just wanna know out of curiosity. 

Watched a lot of Basic up on youtube, still don't understand why you need to have a picture frame, can someone explain to me the reason behind this?

Thanks for the help guys


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## jwtg (5 May 2011)

howitzer89 said:
			
		

> Watched a lot of Basic up on youtube, still don't understand why you need to have a picture frame, can someone explain to me the reason behind this?



Save yourself some trouble and avoid asking questions like this.  The bottom line will usually be 'because we told you to.'


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## howitzer89 (5 May 2011)

gotcha, found a thread on the picture frame though. search must have just been acting up.


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## Michael OLeary (5 May 2011)

howitzer89 said:
			
		

> Watched a lot of Basic up on youtube, still don't understand why you need to have a picture frame, can someone explain to me the reason behind this?



Well, it 's like this.

We used to make soldiers sleep on thin mattresses atop iron framed beds with 30-40 soldiers in a room with no privacy. The soldier had to unmake his bed every day, roll the mattress and fold the bed frame to make space in the centre of the room for table and benches. this was where the soldier spent time in barracks when not on tasks to clean crappers or sweep the parade square. The soldier's "personal space" was one small shelf and a few hooks over his bed. Over time, some soldiers acquired photographs, bought with the little money they saved away from their hard drinking and heavy smoking. One of those soldiers decided when he was on a training course that a little touch of home would be nice and brought a photo, which he displayed as he might in his home barracks. This, of course, caused a Sergeant Major to fly into a rage, have a complete nervous breakdown, smash the photo with his pace-stick and have the soldier charged on the spot for being an individual. In the ensuring charge parade, the soldier, supported by witnesses, explained to the Company Commander that the photo was of a beloved battalion mascot that had sadly been killed and eaten by heathen highlanders in a neighbouring battalion during a summer concentration at Niagara, or that perhaps it had just run off to get laid and never returned.  The Company Commander, a gentle soul, was so moved by this tale of woe that he dismissed the charges and, with the concurrence of the Commanding Officer and the Regimental Sergeant Major, changed the regulations not only to allow soldiers to have a photograph of a beloved one, but that it was so important that each soldier would be required to have a photograph. That decision also served to ensure that no further casualties among the Warrant Officers would occur from one soldier being different from his or her peers (for that reason at least). 

And that, my dear fellow, is why the Recruit School still requires each new soldier to arrive with a picture frame.


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## Sigger (5 May 2011)

Fantastic


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## 211RadOp (5 May 2011)

Gee, and I thought it was so the MCpls could make disparaging remarks about your loved ones.   ;D


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## mariomike (5 May 2011)

Michael O'Leary said:
			
		

> And that, my dear fellow, is why the Recruit School still requires each new soldier to arrive with a picture frame.



That is a wonderful post!  

Edit to add:
Gotta love the photo.


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## Sigger (5 May 2011)

In BMQ, I could not for the life of me get a photo for the frame. My MS demanded I fill the frame or I be (enter threat here).. So I bought a Punisher comic from the Canex, and cut out the most badass illustration and used that. On the next inspection the MS then asked if I went to summer camp, and from then on, I was called Pte Nerd   Oh, good times!


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## Pusser (5 May 2011)

Many years ago, when I re-classified into LOG, I had to go on the Basic Logistics Officer Course (BLOC), which seemed to think its purpose was to "weed out" those who had "slipped" through BOTC (as we called it then).  Thus, after seven years in CF, I found myself in "basic" training again (more or less - more sleep, but less logic).  One of the requirements was to have a photo of a loved on my desk.  Trouble was, I didn't have a loved one at the time.  By way of solving this dilemma, I took advantage of my previous experience in the intelligence community.  As we were cleaning out some files one day inside the "Shield" at MARCOMHQ, I came across a stock 8x10 glossy of Sergei Gorshkov (founder of the modern Soviet Navy).  If you watch the opening sequence of _Hunt for Red October_, you can see the same photo as the camera pans around Jack Ryan's office.  Since it was being thrown out anyway, I decided to keep it and even had a Russian linguist write on it (in Russian), "Dear Pusser, best wishes.  Sergei," with a felt tip pen.  This was the photo that ended up on my desk at BLOC.

The best part was when the Course Director came around to inspect.  He saw the photo and asked, "Is that your grandfather?  He sure has a lot of medals!" :facepalm:

I had a hard time taking that course seriously.  This was reflected by the rubber ducks my roommate (who was ex-infantry) and I kept in the bathtub in our quarters....


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## Sigger (5 May 2011)

;D


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## hamr37 (5 May 2011)

> Well, it 's like this.
> 
> We used to make soldiers sleep on thin mattresses atop iron framed beds with 30-40 soldiers in a room with no privacy. The soldier had to unmake his bed every day, roll the mattress and fold the bed frame to make space in the centre of the room for table and benches. this was where the soldier spent time in barracks when not on tasks to clean crappers or sweep the parade square. The soldier's "personal space" was one small shelf and a few hooks over his bed. Over time, some soldiers acquired photographs, bought with the little money they saved away from their hard drinking and heavy smoking. One of those soldiers decided when he was on a training course that a little touch of home would be nice and brought a photo, which he displayed as he might in his home barracks. This, of course, caused a Sergeant Major to fly into a rage, have a complete nervous breakdown, smash the photo with his pace-stick and have the soldier charged on the spot for being an individual. In the ensuring charge parade, the soldier, supported by witnesses, explained to the Company Commander that the photo was of a beloved battalion mascot that had sadly been killed and eaten by heathen highlanders in a neighbouring battalion during a summer concentration at Niagara, or that perhaps it had just run off to get laid and never returned.  The Company Commander, a gentle soul, was so moved by this tale of woe that he dismissed the charges and, with the concurrence of the Commanding Officer and the Regimental Sergeant Major, changed the regulations not only to allow soldiers to have a photograph of a beloved one, but that it was so important that each soldier would be required to have a photograph. That decision also served to ensure that no further casualties among the Warrant Officers would occur from one soldier being different from his or her peers (for that reason at least).
> 
> And that, my dear fellow, is why the Recruit School still requires each new soldier to arrive with a picture frame.




I don't think there could be a better answer to your question  ;D


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## howitzer89 (6 May 2011)

lmao that's awesome. Just this post makes me pumped if i get the call to go to BMQ. As challenging as I know it's going to be on me I have a feeling the people are going to make up for everything else. can't wait


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## Sigger (9 May 2011)

howitzer89 said:
			
		

> lmao that's awesome. Just this post makes me pumped if i get the call to go to BMQ. As challenging as I know it's going to be on me I have a feeling the people are going to make up for everything else. can't wait



Well that's just it. It is what you make of it. I, for one had a blast.


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## BearPusher (21 May 2011)

The picture frame is there so you can find a picture of your course Warrant officer's hot daughter and spread it around the entire course  ;D Oh god. I'm still seeing shit from that one!


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## Precept (21 May 2011)

Navy give almost all the kit back to CFLRS. You dont need it. You will keep your navy clothing. 

You need a picture frame on your desk for inspection. It's your connection to home. Don't bother bringing one with you, as they will make you buy one at Canex. Just like the joining Instructions state.


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## Drag (21 May 2011)

We took a picture of one of the instructors and one morning the whole section had it...  He just about lost it!


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## Sigger (21 May 2011)

D3 said:
			
		

> We took a picture of one of the instructors and one morning the whole section had it...  He just about lost it!


That is pretty awesome. Haha!


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