# BMQ for reservists?



## Shepard (18 Jan 2013)

Forgive me if this already had been posted before.. there were threads such as this one, but they did not answer my questions.

Tomorrow is my big day.. and on the Forces.ca website, it is said that training can start anywhere from 5 to 30 days from the day you are enrolled.
I thought that BMQ full-time training begins in May, and that the part-time training begins in September- this is only what I've read though.. so how can you start training from 5-30 days in January?

Also, I've read that you have to pay $640 a month for space rent, is this true, or did I read something wrong? And my last question, part-time training takes place during the weekends. So, do you leave on Friday nights and leave on Sunday night? Are there any links that could give me additional information on this? It is done with a local regiment, correct?

Thank you for taking the time to read this.


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## MikeL (18 Jan 2013)

I don't believe Reservists pay Rations&Quarters when on course.


During the year the fall/winter Reserves run weekend BMQ courses.  There are also some full time courses in the summer.  As a Reservist you may be waiting longer then 5-30 days for a BMQ course.. all depends on when you are enrolled and when the next course with an opening is run.


Why is tomorrow your big day?


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## AgentSmith (18 Jan 2013)

Shepard said:
			
		

> Forgive me if this already had been posted before.. there were threads such as this one, but they did not answer my questions.
> 
> Tomorrow is my big day.. and on the Forces.ca website, it is said that training can start anywhere from 5 to 30 days from the day you are enrolled.
> I thought that BMQ full-time training begins in May, and that the part-time training begins in September- this is only what I've read though.. so how can you start training from 5-30 days in January?
> ...



As a reservist, you don't pay R&Q while on course. If you're on a weekend BMQ usually your training will start on Friday evening and go until late Sunday afternoon. Usually training will be ran by a unit locally though field training will likely take place at a larger Area Training Center (for example here in LFCA......Meaford) It all depends on where you live.


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## Brigitte (19 Jan 2013)

Are you being sworn in in Montreal by any chance? If so, see you tomorrow!


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## Shepard (19 Jan 2013)

Yes, I am being! There is supposedly going to be 100 people there- what are the odds! Good luck, and may nervousness and anxiety not be with you.


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## Shepard (19 Jan 2013)

AgentSmith said:
			
		

> As a reservist, you don't pay R&Q while on course. If you're on a weekend BMQ usually your training will start on Friday evening and go until late Sunday afternoon. Usually training will be ran by a unit locally though field training will likely take place at a larger Area Training Center (for example here in LFCA......Meaford) It all depends on where you live.



Thank you for the info. I am from Montreal though, do you know where it will be taking place at?


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## Journeyman (19 Jan 2013)

Shepard said:
			
		

> Yes, I am being!


Best existentialist post.


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## P_Laurin (21 Jan 2013)

Finally, a thread that I actually know enough about to have a say in it! 
Well Reserves BMQ usually runs full time in the summer, or part time over the fall/winter time. On the weekend course, you arrive on friday, and leave on sunday afternoon or early evening. You get payed standard rate for a private (two full days and one half day). Just hope that you get on the summer course, because constantly having to readjust to the army lifestyle after two weeks of being at home is quite annoying.


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## Eye In The Sky (21 Jan 2013)

Stillanewguy said:
			
		

> On the weekend course, you arrive on friday, and leave on sunday afternoon or early evening. You get payed standard rate for a private (two full days and one half day). Just hope that you get on the summer course, because constantly having to readjust to the army lifestyle after two weeks of being at home is quite annoying.



Couldn't it be argued, however, that a *Weekend BMQ* course is a good introduction of the life of a Reservist serving in the Class A world?


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## AgentSmith (21 Jan 2013)

Shepard said:
			
		

> Thank you for the info. I am from Montreal though, do you know where it will be taking place at?



How should I know? You'll have to ask your Chain of Command. They will have the most up to date info regarding your courses.


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## brihard (21 Jan 2013)

Eye In The Sky said:
			
		

> Couldn't it be argued, however, that a *Weekend BMQ* course is a good introduction of the life of a Reservist serving in the Class A world?



I suppose you could see it that way, sure. It gives recruits a sense of the kind of balance that will need to be struck with whatever else is going on. I still think full time BMQs are much preferable to the part time ones; having to try to retain 48 hours worth of info for two weeks between each weekend session leads to skill fade and knowledge loss, and the troops don't really get that sudden sharp habituation to actually living 'army' for a month. I think it would be preferable for them to get that on BMQ so they're already used to it come BMQ-L.

But as always it's the art of the possible, and what we actually have the resources to achieve...


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## Eye In The Sky (22 Jan 2013)

Brihard said:
			
		

> I suppose you could see it that way, sure. It gives recruits a sense of the kind of balance that will need to be struck with whatever else is going on. I still think full time BMQs are much preferable to the part time ones; having to try to retain 48 hours worth of info for two weeks between each weekend session leads to skill fade and knowledge loss, and the troops don't really get that sudden sharp habituation to actually living 'army' for a month. I think it would be preferable for them to get that on BMQ so they're already used to it come BMQ-L.
> 
> But as always it's the art of the possible, and what we actually have the resources to achieve...



Agree 100%, having taught 'full time' and 'part time' BMQs.  On the part time/wknd ones, the best trg period was always the March Break week.  9 days straight.  Even that was a challenge for some who were used to the '48 hours of army' stuff.


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