# Need to ask!



## cathtaylor (3 Sep 2004)

;D Hi I'm starting BMQ in just a few week and I was wondering from other ones that have gone through, about Civi clothes... I hear that you really don't need to take too much. May I ask what you have brought with you to St.Jean such as civi stuff??? I just don't want to bring too much then have too much to carry with me.

Thanks
Cath


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## Bert (4 Sep 2004)

For BMQ, I brought two changes of civy clothes, lots of socks, and warm sleepwear like track pants.
For the most part and being a guy, this was good enough but you may want to consider a few
things.

It is possible you may not get your military clothing and St-Jean kit until the second week.  This
may mean you will have to wear civys in the first week.  You may want to verify this with your
CFRC and what may happen in your BMQ, but bring enough changes so you can be comfortable
in the first week.  The floors have their own washer and dyers and you'll have to share it with
your section.  

I found St-Jean barracks to be a little cool at night and used track pants for sleeping.  Another
suggestion is to buy a swiffer and hide it in your civy kit.  They are great for the last-second 
sweep of the cubical floor before inspections.  

After the first week, you won't see much of your civy clothes until the forth weekend of BMQ.


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## Budgie (5 Sep 2004)

what happens if you get caught with a swiffer?


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## Righty (5 Sep 2004)

You don't want to know man....


I remember smith, and his swifter...


May god have mercy on his soul where ever he is.


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## Sundborg (5 Sep 2004)

lol, Smith and his swiffer...

At BMQ, you can keep anything you want ( to some extent) in your own personal box in your locker, it is a shoe box to be exact.  I kept swiffers in there for myself, they worked great!


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## Bert (5 Sep 2004)

In addition to the shoe box that you keep in your cubicle locker, there is a "civilian lock-up" on the 
floor (St.Jean); a room where you place your civilian bags and civy clothes.  You can stash the 
swiffer there.  Theres nothing wrong in doing this because everybody brings supplies with 
them like soaps, shampoos, razors, socks, clothes, extra towels and crap like that.

The Course Senior will have the keys and you can work out amongst the sections to open it up
before/after breakfast.  The Staff will look in the civilian lock-up room to make sure it is neat
and clean during inspections but they won't care about stashed swiffers or contents of the bags.
(If by chance they go looking into bags then their NOT for swiffers if you know what I mean).
You bring out the swiffer, quickly go over the floors in the cubicles just before inspections, and 
then stash it away.   

There is nothing in the course documentation or the rules that say you "cannot use swiffers" but
for sure the Staff will frown upon it and may take it away if they find it somewhere.  This is
just section teamwork, bring it out, swiff the cubicles, stash it away.


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## hiv (5 Sep 2004)

Bert said:
			
		

> In addition to the shoe box that you keep in your cubicle locker, there is a "civilian lock-up" on the
> floor (St.Jean); a room where you place your civilian bags and civy clothes.   You can stash the
> swiffer there.   Theres nothing wrong in doing this because everybody brings supplies with
> them like soaps, shampoos, razors, socks, clothes, extra towels and crap like that.
> ...



When I did my BMQ, we weren't allowed in the civilian lockup at any time except on weekends that we weren't CB'ed. Something to consider...


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## Budgie (5 Sep 2004)

> You don't want to know man....
> 
> 
> I remember smith, and his swifter...
> ...




oh man... I'm scared now. *cries*   :crybaby:

But not too scared to join. hahah


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## NavyGrunt (5 Sep 2004)

swiffers were contraban on my basic course. We use to hide them in the ceiling tiles. ;D


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## Righty (5 Sep 2004)

I have heard so many stories of things that were hidden in the celing tiles, or things that were found in the celing tiles...


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## Bert (5 Sep 2004)

Tribal Jedi

Perhaps course characteristics are different depending on the Staff.  The Alpha
and Bravo platoon at the time were allowed access.  Where you referring to
a St. Jean BMQ?


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## Sundborg (5 Sep 2004)

Aaron White said:
			
		

> swiffers were contraban on my basic course. We use to hide them in the ceiling tiles. ;D



Contraban  lol!  Did they at least let you have tissues for those emotional days?


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## hiv (5 Sep 2004)

Bert said:
			
		

> Tribal Jedi
> 
> Perhaps course characteristics are different depending on the Staff.   The Alpha
> and Bravo platoon at the time were allowed access.   Where you referring to
> a St. Jean BMQ?



No, actually I did mine in Gagetown (this was during the reg force recruitment blitz and they had to outsource BMQs all over Canada) but some of the people who came up through my QL3 with me also had their civvie lockups restricted. I just wouldn't count on being able to access things in there.

As a sidenote, don't put anything in the ceiling that you don't want them to find. They aren't stupid. They know there is stuff up there.


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## Bert (5 Sep 2004)

Roger that, St. Jean from my knowledge is OK with civy lock-ups.  The Mega is made out of concrete so ceiling tiles 
are not an option anyway.  Hehehe.


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## Jason Bourne (6 Sep 2004)

Ahhh..the swiffer...I hid mine in the civvy lockup...usually on most course the staff is just gives the keys to the Course Senior who has the perogative to just leave it open so anyone can go into it. As for Civvy clothes, bring like..2 pairs and leave the rest at home. When you do leave St. Jean, you leave with a lotta stuff...all the kit that gets issued to you..specially if you're Land. I'm regretting my decision to pack a hockey bag full of crap now. 

Other Interesting Tidbits...

- they tell you to buy three locks with the same combination at the Canex downstairs. They also tell you to give them the combination to these locks written down. After seeing what happened to a few recruits lockers ( you keep your extra key to your locker in your barracks box which has a combination lock on it...which they have the com. to...) I changed mine. 'Cause I don't want my dress shirts getting tied together in knots....and stuff 

- Theres stuff the really works well on floors you can buy downstairs at the Canex, it has vinegar in it. Use it night before to take off the boot scuff marks for the morning inspection. 

- Take really REALLY good running shoes with arch support if you need it. The shoes they issue you there are shit. Absolute shit. I spent about $100 on my shoes and I don't regret it. 

- Take a good quality alarm clock. One that doesn't get broken/and or go off at the wrong time. Nothing pisses people off more than a alarm clock going off at like 3am..trust me..I know


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## Righty (6 Sep 2004)

> 'Cause I don't want my dress shirts getting tied together in knots....and stuff


]


WHAT?!?!?!

I'm pretty sure the staff cannot do that?

can they?


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## NavyGrunt (6 Sep 2004)

They sure can.


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## Budgie (6 Sep 2004)

why would they do that ???????? :O


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## NavyGrunt (6 Sep 2004)

You left your locker unlocked and they hate you......


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## Scott (6 Sep 2004)

The Mystery Master Corporal is obviously alive and well.


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## Righty (7 Sep 2004)

Ohhh... you didn't say they would do it if it was unlocked... i knew that... I thought you meant they opened the lock themselves and tied the shirts.

From my reserve BMQ experince... 

Don't leave any button unbuttoned
Any buckle unbuckled
Any lock open
And...
Any key without someone holding on to it  ("The BMQ key tag of triumph"... Our class key was attached to a pick axe for the whole course)


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## Jason Bourne (8 Sep 2004)

Thats beautful lol the key tag of truimph! Yes...if you leave ANYTHING open..they will fuck you up so bad sometimes its ridiculus. Don't doors open, barracks open and god forbid...your locker! The main driving force behind this is weapons security. After like..5th week you have a C7 parked in your locker and ...wel just don't loose that either. A trip down to the Green Desk hurts..and its even worse when you have to talk to your staff Monday morning specially if it was a weekend. Make sure that damn Fire Picket stays awake  

Also, you have the RIGHT to challenge any staff who is in the process of taking a weapon on your floor if that person is away and you're "watching" it. Make damn sure you challenge that staff so you can cover your ass later on. The french instructors LOVE to jack people specially on weekends cause they hate being there too. 

- Make sure your cleaning room door is locked before your platoon leaves the floor for the day. If you don't...you will come back to a mess that will boggle your mind. We did. 

- Don't hide your rucksack under your bed. You WILL regret it...mine was sort of in peices...

- Before going to bed, don't leave anything out cept your water canteen, alarm clock. Anything else WILL be taken by the staff.


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## Andrea_Dawn (9 Sep 2004)

This might be a dumb question but why do they take your stuff or mess around with it? Just to piss you off? I can't understand what the point would be...... ???


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## kmcc (9 Sep 2004)

most likely just because they can


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## Inch (9 Sep 2004)

Andrea_Dawn said:
			
		

> This might be a dumb question but why do they take your stuff or mess around with it? Just to piss you off? I can't understand what the point would be...... ???



Because they can't shoot at you or make explosions or whatever, it's to put stress on you. Train like you fight and fight like you train. If combat is the first time you're ever exposed to multiple levels of stress, you'd probably crack and be a liability to your teammates and possibly get them killed in the process. Screwing with your kit is one way of teaching you the importance of security and also adding a little more stress to your life.

Cheers


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## George Wallace (9 Sep 2004)

Andrea_Dawn said:
			
		

> This might be a dumb question but why do they take your stuff or mess around with it? Just to piss you off? I can't understand what the point would be...... ???



S E C U R I T Y  ! ! !

One Man; One Kit......

To teach you to get in the habit of putting things away when you are done using them.  Then when you take off in the middle of the night, you will know that you did not leave any of your kit behind in the dark; especially your weapon.

Does it make any sense now?

GW


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## Jason Bourne (9 Sep 2004)

Ahhh weapon security...on my SQ we had an unfortunate soul "loose" his weapon in the field. *sigh* Twas a terrible day for charge parade too frickin' raining outside and stuff. He's right..one man one kit and you will figure out how very VERY important that is when you get up in your training. Weapon security is of utmost importance they will stress this so much. I was so paranoid..I tied my C7 to me when I slept AND it was in my sleeping bag. Go figure eh. 

Stress is something most civlians don't deal with everyday hence the introduction of stress in increasing levels. It ony gets worse trust me. I hated course senior and I was stuck with it for a week and a half.Don't let it get to you though..its not real stress...just induced stress and theres nothing personal about it. 

Jason


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## Scott (9 Sep 2004)

"Hold canteen at arms length, now invert canteen"

"Gentlemen, you now have 60 seconds to clean up the mess"

All while wearing bunny suits and gas masks.


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## Andrea_Dawn (10 Sep 2004)

That totally makes sense when it comes to weapons. If I was stupid enough to lose or leave behind a weapon I would punish myself. 

 I was more interested in personal belongings. From some of the posts I read it sounds like people will "tie your shirts in knots" etc so that it would seem that you were messy or unorganized. Is this true? Do you lock up all your personal stuff too?

Thanks.


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## Inch (10 Sep 2004)

Security is about more than just your weapon. One man one kit, you secure all of your kit because if you lose a piece of it you become a liability to your teammates. If you get your shirt tied in a knot you're supposed to learn and let that be the only time you leave your kit unsecured since you experienced what happens if you don't secure your kit.  It's not to be mean or to hurt you personally. 

Cheers


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## Pte. Bloggins (10 Sep 2004)

Jason Bourne said:
			
		

> - Theres stuff the really works well on floors you can buy downstairs at the Canex, it has vinegar in it. Use it night before to take off the boot scuff marks for the morning inspection.




Just an FYI, the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is amazing when it comes for scuff marks on floors.


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## Spooks (13 Sep 2004)

Well, I went to my BMQ a year ago so not much should have changed.

-Civvies, bring two sets, maybe two and a half. You're bound to buy some in Montreal or the nearby mall when you get your weekends
-Swiffers, go ahead. If your staff don't like them then stuff them in your civvie lockup stuff and use them on weekends after week 4 or whenever you get access to it.
-Avoid large amounts of "junk" to come with you as it becomes a large burden if you are fortunate enough to move to another floor
-White erasers. Great for scuffs on floors and it won't stri the floor like some of the 'I-have-a-better-idea' cleaners that can be found in the cleaning closet.
-Shaving cream goes back INTO your locker after using it. Same for shampoo and anything else under pressure or squirtable. You will find your instructors may have become Paris street artists if they didn't join the military.

There's a lot of little advice posted around here if you look on what to bring, what to do, what not to do and so on. Everyone's had their own experience from physically demanding instructors to mentally demanding instructors. Big thing to have with you going into Basic is determination. I've seen a lot of my fellow candidates drop out through the entire training cycle because they believed they couldn't handle the hardships they were facing. When you're done it's all easier. If you're in the Navy life becomes pretty slack according to my Naval friends, and same with the Air Force. A lot of people thought along the way that their job was gonna always be like the 'hard day' they were having and gave up. BMQ is easy, it's fun, just do what your told to the best of your ability. Work with your team because they get you through it just as much as you get them through it. The life after the initial training phase, be whatever MOC you're in, is far more enjoyable than anything civy land has to offer.

-Spooks


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