# Does Anyone Miss The Old Days?



## Gorgo (11 Aug 2002)

To everyone on the board,

I‘m a former Adm Clerk (831) who did time with the Militia (the Lincoln and Welland Regiment), the Navy (HMCS Saguenay), then two Army postings (Cdn Land Forces Comd & Staff College, then 1st Cdn Sigs Regiment) before getting out in 1991.

I must confess that even now, over a decade since I left the CF (and half a decade since I left Canada to work as a teacher in Korea), there are many times that I miss a lot of the good things working in the military presented to me.

It‘s been a while since I‘ve delved into military affairs on a serious basis.  **** , I suppose I got seriously disenchanted when the whole Somalia disaster came down and cost us the Airborne (and before anyone asks, as far as I was concerned, then and now, disbanding the Airborne was just another of the moronic decisions the idiots in the Land of Oz unleashed on good people who only wanted to do what they were trained to do!).

Even now, picking through issues of The Maple Leaf when I visit the DND homepage, I just can‘t begin to BELIEVE the changes that‘ve hit the CF over the last decades.

Do any of you folks out there rather miss the days when things were a lot simpler?

Cheers!

Fred


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## Sharpey (27 Aug 2002)

Even in my just shy of a decade career, I have noticed changes. The public is looking at us more closely, making sure we don‘t screw up. We are alot more PC. Basic training sure isn‘t what the stereotypical basic training used to be. FMJ? Not anymore, more like Big Cumfy Couch it seems. 

Militia bullets are more common place (bang! bang!) Pyro seems to be few and far between. Exchanges? HA! Seems that everyone up top is pinching pennies and we, the "employees" have to do the same job with less stuff! Vehicle breaks down? Good luck, no more stables nights, no more parts either. Haven‘t seen an Iltis headlight bulb in years!

Seems we are not allowed to be Soldiers anymore, but yet we are expected to be Soldiers. Our Army is going downhill it seems, but yet the Troops are striving to recover it.

Disbandments and threats of amalgamation etc..., doesn‘t look good on us. I hated my Regiments rerole at first, but stuck with it due to Regimental pride. I think that‘s it! I think Pride is what is keeping us trucking.


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## rolandstrong (30 Aug 2002)

I served with the Seaforth highlanders in the early 90‘s and i am coming back after 9 years away. I heard at that time the forces changed a lot in the 80‘s, but didn‘t really understand. Coming back into the fold it looks very different from my time there! My good friend has served close to 20 years in the militia, and in the early 90‘s had ample opportunity to do his jump qualifier, and even jungle training in the caribbean. He was telling me that the courses don‘t even train the c-6! Apparently this has been passed on the regiment to conduct. With the limited time, commitment, and budget regiments have, I don‘t see how they can fill in the gaps of regular training. I thought the courses were supposed to bring the reservists up to speed with reg. force protocal and bring up the caliber of reserve effectivness. Now that we are cutting these back, where does this leave the militia. I don‘t have first hand reg. force experience, but I can‘t image the strain feels any better for these guys....

We are really in need of some support...both regs and reserves. I hear it, just don‘t get it, if ya know what I mean....


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## bossdog (10 Aug 2004)

I don't miss getting whacked with a pace stick in the back of the head (Basic Trg) but at the same time a know of a few new guys that could use a good sorting out (like the old days).


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## Michael Dorosh (10 Aug 2004)

Fred Herriot said:
			
		

> To everyone on the board,
> 
> I'm a former Adm Clerk (831) who did time with the Militia (the Lincoln and Welland Regiment), the Navy (HMCS Saguenay), then two Army postings (Cdn Land Forces Comd & Staff College, then 1st Cdn Sigs Regiment) before getting out in 1991.
> 
> ...



Given that you freely admit to not really knowing what you're talking about, I don't think you're in a position to judge "the changes that've hit the CF over the last decades."  

Especially if you are using Maple Leaf as your sole source of information.

Perhaps if you discussed in detail which changes you are referring to you might have a case.  As for missing the "old days" I'm not sure that freezing to death in cotton underwear, eating rotten meat out of tin cans, lugging FNs without night vision equipment, training to fight the Red Army on the North German Plain while wearing a bunny suit, wearing the CF bus driver suit or any of the other myriad "simplier" things of the 1970s and 1980s is anything to get hysterically sentimental over.  But that's just me.


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## bossdog (10 Aug 2004)

I'll drink to that! But it does makes new guys soft when they walk in to a silver platter army...


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## Brad Sallows (10 Aug 2004)

Joining the discussion a little late, aren't we?  Check date on Fred's post.


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## Michael Dorosh (10 Aug 2004)

Brad Sallows said:
			
		

> Joining the discussion a little late, aren't we?   Check date on Fred's post.


 
Communist.  >:-(


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## axeman (10 Aug 2004)

I'll vote with dorish. after joining in 87 ive seen a lot of changes   some goo some not so . the implemetaion[sp] of human rights was starting up when i first threw on a green uniform. now even sharp training has been realized as a waste as it was prejiducial against some ppl. great . yup i didnt like useing 1950 style packs .   but the 64 is a better pack then the 84 . the new cad pat is good even better then most of you realize.   looking back at the old days yup it was better in a way that has improved because im not slogging around in a rain   jacket that i wouldnt trust to collect dust.or any number of kit improvements that have come down the pipeline. every now and then some of this new stuff shoulda been rethought or not forced upon us untill some non mil contracted ppl tried it out . or maybe some reall pointy end personell not truckers or of the like not to call down mse ops as they have a job i dont want to do . but if its made for fighting troops let us try it out .   but anyway i was ranting , yup the good old days was that the old days.   : :


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