# The Brits are Envious- Post-Afghanistan Decompression



## tomahawk6 (14 Sep 2007)

The Brits on arrse are envious of Canadian post-Afghanistan decompression. I link to it below for your reading pleasure. 

http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/viewtopic/t=77430.html


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## IN HOC SIGNO (15 Sep 2007)

tomahawk6 said:
			
		

> The Brits on arrse are envious of Canadian post-Afghanistan decompression. I link to it below for your reading pleasure.
> 
> http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/viewtopic/t=77430.html



Yeah it's interesting to read what others think of what we're doing. I just talked to the Padre who got back from Cyprus last night and he thinks we're doing the right thing over there too...but there are those who think there is no need for this and they'd rather just go straight home.


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## daftandbarmy (15 Sep 2007)

They're  probably just jealous 'cause the Canadians are trapping all the decent women along the Paphos to Dhekelia coast. It's tough for pale, poor, spotty Tommy Atkins to compete with healthy and wealthy Johnny Canuck!     :crybaby:


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## MG34 (17 Sep 2007)

IN HOC SIGNO said:
			
		

> Yeah it's interesting to read what others think of what we're doing. I just talked to the Padre who got back from Cyprus last night and he thinks we're doing the right thing over there too...but there are those who think there is no need for this and they'd rather just go straight home.



Yup, Cyprus was a waste of time and money for most, definately not worth it for the vast majority of troops, for the rest it was a chance to finish their shopping spree that began in KAF.
  Decompression should be done with members of your unit  who can share similar experiences and such, not with a bunch of strangers with  whom you have no common experiences and are more interested in getting hammered than the process.


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## TheHead (17 Sep 2007)

MG34 said:
			
		

> Yup, Cyprus was a waste of time and money for most, definately not worth it for the vast majority of troops, for the rest it was a chance to finish their shopping spree that began in KAF.
> Decompression should be done with members of your unit  who can share similar experiences and such, not with a bunch of strangers with  whom you have no common experiences and are more interested in getting hammered than the process.



That's your opinion.  I never heard a bad thing at all from any of the soldiers I was in Cyprus with. We had a blast.  The one thing that pissed us off was a few of us got shafted and had to do it with the WOGs.  Hearing them cry about the air conditioning not working and not having their own wireless internet threw us into a rage after doing what we did.


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## Nemo888 (17 Sep 2007)

Whats a WOG?
Waste of Good Space?


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## TheHead (17 Sep 2007)

Nemo888 said:
			
		

> Whats a WOG?
> Waste of Good Space?



haha everyone has their own definition.  Mine, those KAF rats who sat on KAF the entire tour telling war stories at Canada house, wearing there "While you were in Canada Chillin, I was in Afghanistan Killing" shirts. Most combat Arms use it as a derogatory term for non Combat arm trades. I just use it for people who I just mentioned.


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## daftandbarmy (17 Sep 2007)

Here's some trivia for you: I believe the term originated in Egypt during the British administration and stands for:

W - iley
O - riental
G - entleman

Lately, it's obviously been used to describe those who are so far back in the battle that they have to move forward to B Echelon to take a shower.


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## HItorMiss (17 Sep 2007)

Intresting and here I thought the term originated as a derogatory name for the African proters and such who did the menial jobs for the Brit officers and NCO's . Which was then shortened from Woggie to WOG and applied to all support staff.


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## daftandbarmy (17 Sep 2007)

.... and given the nature of COIN operations, it's not rerally that fair to say that the Log 'Wogs' are safe. Everyone's on the frontline now though, as always, the PBI bears the brunt:

THE INFANTRYMAN  
" Let us be clear about three facts. First of all, all battles and all wars are won in the end by the infantryman. Secondly, the infantryman always bears the brunt. His casualties are heavier, he suffers greater extremes of discomfort and fatigue than the other arms. Thirdly, the art of the infantryman is less stereotyped and far harder to acquire than that of any other arm."

Field Marshall Lord Wavell


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## Sig_Des (17 Sep 2007)

I've heard it as WithOut Guns....to describe those who aren't on the pointy end.


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## PuckChaser (18 Sep 2007)

I've heard mixed reviews about Cyprus. Friend of mine that just got back there told me it was very expensive, as the local economy is trying to cash in on us being there all the time. I just hope the decompression isn't tout en francais for this roto. Most of my guys don't speak french, and I only have a basic comprehension. It'll be a long 2 days of briefings if we can't understand whats going on.


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## TheHead (18 Sep 2007)

Just do what most of the guys did.  Show up hungover and sleep through it.   haha

No but seriously, I'm sure they'll accommodate you. Do the people at Tim Hortons only speak french now?


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## PuckChaser (18 Sep 2007)

Nope, the CFPSA staff are all bilingual, and I think some of the Timmies people only speak english. Theres a little friction, but not as much as you would expect.


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## 1feral1 (18 Sep 2007)

Ha, my decompression training was 4 or 5 days in Kuwait, CB'd to the base. We got to wear PT gear, and wander around to the US MWR tents and PX. A 15 min Psych interview, and an everending journey to KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, or this donut place. I did go a massage by this Philippino sheila, but no happy ending, and I aint lying, but it did relax my weary bones.

A bazaar was held so went to that, the rest was boring as hell, and as much as I was happy to out of Murder City, the time in Kuwait was boreing as hell. 

I did not go DFAC mode once. Not even for the ice cream. 

I also enjoyed the USO tent, as it was the best place to hang out.


Then flew out, and home. Met by the new CO and RSM, very low key, like a bunch of skinheads being discreetly welcomed by a few low-pro army people. In less than 60 mins, I was home, and in less than a week I was dumped.

Welcome home Wes! What a crock of shyte! The real battle does not start til you open the front door of your so called  'home'. It was truly an anti-climax coming home.


Cheers,

Wes


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## geo (18 Sep 2007)

Slug,  I see no reason why you would believe that you would get anything but good service in the language of your choice in Cyprus.  The locals will prolly only speak English & Greek (french highly unlikely).  The CF people looking after you - will deliver their services in either or.... if you do not get the service you expect & require, sing out & get to talk to the supervisor.


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## HItorMiss (18 Sep 2007)

Wes,

          Very much reminds me of my own return to Canada. Met by CO rear party and the DSM there was a speech by both though only the DSM's was memorable, something along the lines of  "What you did in Afghanistan doesn't mean anything here, your back in Canada now so get it out of your head" I am paraphrasing however you get the picture. We worked 3 half days then off to leave where I watched my relationship dissolve (It was going to anyway but my mental state added the Nitrous to it) and low and behold back to work and belt fed course. 


As for Cyprus I did indeed have a good time but not because of the venue or the services provided, I had a good time because I was lucky enough to be accompanied by 2 good friends and the CoC I had, had my experiences with. Few Drinks ( OK a lot of drinks) some tears and some laughs. I spent a few hours in Grunts room and we talked frankly about some bad things we had seen and I know I myself worked out or I should say started the process of working out how it was I felt and why. Is decompression needed? I think yes was it run adequately? It could have been better administered but they tried very hard and the you could see the effort. They just didn't really know what they were getting into and met with a lot of resistance from many of the soldiers who were in the greatest need of the decompression. The fact that when mental health issues are being administered primarily by Civi's who have nothing to relate in terms of Combat, it is very hard to open up.


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## 1RNBR (1 Oct 2007)

was not over but i definately agrre with what you said that some of the boys we getting upset as how can a civvie relate to any combat experience that these guys have had


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## Armymedic (1 Oct 2007)

MG34 said:
			
		

> Decompression should be done with members of your unit  who can share similar experiences and such, not with a bunch of strangers with  whom you have no common experiences and are more interested in getting hammered than the process.



If that was the case, then the whole purpose of those 3 days was truly a waste of time. 

There are people whom are looking to see if it is truly beneficial for  people to have phsyc interviews before you get home, or better to have such meetings after you have gotten home. Seems 3rd location forced fun is not proving as successful anymore as it did after Apollo.


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## Scoobie Newbie (2 Oct 2007)

St. Micheals Medical Team said:
			
		

> If that was the case, then the whole purpose of those 3 days was truly a waste of time.



I seem to recall saying that sentiment exactly after I got back.


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