# Couple Q's before going to BMQ



## SeanPaul_031 (19 Aug 2005)

1)I checked in the archives and there seemed to be many diff answers to this so here it is: Would it be a problem to bring a 5lb bucket of whey protein? And if not, where would I keep it?

2)A couple guys suggested bringing a combat knife for the field. I have a legal one, but how would I bring it with me to St. Jean if im travelling by air (as Im assuming it would not be allowed on the plane).?

3)Are all the items in the kit list, availabe for purchase at the Canex? Things like the shoe shining kit Im hopeing I can buy on base as I want to get the right type of brushes.

4)Combination locks. Some ppl are telling me to bring 3, other ppl are saying dont bring any because they have to give you specific ones there?

5)Shaving cream. It says in my kit list "not to be transported by air". Im assuming that means that they wont let me bring shaving cream on the plane and I have to purchase it at the Canex? Ye this is a dumb question but I dont want to have to dry shave for my first week there....


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## NavComm (19 Aug 2005)

Once you get to bmq they will check everything you have with you. I don't know about the protein but I know that has been talked about on the board before. Maybe someone who knows that better than me can answer. It may have to be cleared by the medical staff. I know if you have any medications they have to be taken to MIR to be cleared (this includes advil, etc).

You won't need a combat knife. In fact I think they would probably take it from you and put it in the civvie lock up. If it's not on the list, it won't be in your possession.

Yes, all items are available at Canex.

Bring 3 locks. One for your locker, one for the other locker where your one civvie outfit goes and one for the gym.

I brought shaving cream on the airplane. We didn't go to Canex until a Tuesday or Wednesday and arrived on base on Saturday night. So bring what you can and what you absolutely need.


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## SeanPaul_031 (19 Aug 2005)

About the combat knife, some of my buddies were telling me it was really useful in the field.

Im wondering if it was kept with the cargo luggage then would it be possible to be brought on the plane with me


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## Lima_Oscar (19 Aug 2005)

Here is a list from Canadian Air Transport Security Authority:

http://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/english/travel_voyage/list.htm


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## SeanPaul_031 (19 Aug 2005)

"Knives or knife-like objects of any length (such as hunting knives, scuba knives, swords, sabers, meat cleavers, straight razors and religious knives)" are permitted on checked baggage.

Niiice, thanks for the link Lima


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## SeanPaul_031 (19 Aug 2005)

;D hah, for all the dominatrixes out there, you are allowed to bring whips in your carry-on baggage


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## Island Ryhno (19 Aug 2005)

1) No
2) No
3) Yes
4) Bring Four
5) Bring the damn shaving cream, if you are overly concerned about it exploding and crashing your aircraft, get a lotion type or bar soap type.


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## alexpb (19 Aug 2005)

How long is the flight from Ontario to BMQ in Quebec?

(question for people who live in ontario    )


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## honestyrules (19 Aug 2005)

Reference the padlocks, on my course, we had to buy the specified padlock for our locker (the one in our cubicle, after all your weapon is in there) and give a spare key to the section commander (the instructor). We went to the canex as a group and been allowed to buy what we needed. Basically ,we had a list of stuff to get...you know (boot polish, brushes...)
It is good to bring a bit of cash, just in case (100$) or so.
3 more combination locks (if you get them before you get there, make sure you memorise the combinations). They give you little coloured stickers to put on them, so you know that the combination of the green dotted one is...makes it faster to open up in a hurry.

As mentioned ,they'll take the knife away from you and might give it back to you just before the field portion of the course (in Farnham for St-Jean). Put it this way, if you bring the big mofo Rambo knife, they'll laugh at you. By the way, you might bring a knife, but you won't require more that a basic 15$ knife for basic anyway.

As mentioned, medication will be taken away from you. If it's something like a puffer or other"prescribed" medication, they'll double check with the medics.

For the supplements ,they'll probably laugh at you and say that you won't need that stuff and they'll take care of your fitness...

Just my two cents and a heads up.


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## canadianblue (20 Aug 2005)

I was kindof wondering whether or not to buy that stuff on the list in St Jean or at home. However one question I have is this, I leave on September the 10th, and my BMQ start date is on the 12th of September. What will be happening in that extra day, and will all the BMQ recruits be on the same flight from lets say Alberta, etc.


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## Zensunni (20 Aug 2005)

I'm going to St.Jeans for BMQ on Sept.12th as well. I was wondering the same thing as Futuretrooper concerning whether to buy the things on the list or wait until I am in St.Jeans.


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## Island Ryhno (20 Aug 2005)

Buy as much of the stuff as you can, then when you get there, they will tell you it's all wrong and go to the canex and buy the proper stuff. Generally, the people from the same city(s) arrive at the same time. So for example, most people in southern Alberta, would leave from Calgary, and in the north Edmonton etc etc. Ontario seems to have people coming in the most in drips and drabs, big population I guess. You are confined to barracks for the Saturday and Sunday while you are waiting to start your course, with everybody else from your platoon. You can go out to eat or to the "break" room. Good luck, enjoy the mega.


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## NavComm (20 Aug 2005)

Just to add to Rhyno's comment on those first two days.....you will be in a virtual twilight zone. Although the course hasn't started yet, we got kitted up the first night with our book bags, coveralls, pens, pencils, ball caps and pt gear.

The Sunday morning we were woken up at 0530 and pretty much kept busy that entire day. It's all a bit of a fog now but I do remember thinking, "hey, I thought we weren't starting til Monday???"

Like I said, we didn't get to the Canex until the Tues or Wed so bring most of what's on the list. The only thing I needed at Canex was one boot brush, I had everything else on the list and the MS said what I had bought was fine.

Bring lots of white, green and black thread and several good sewing needles.

Put away any notions you have on what you think is a useful item. They will tell you what is useful and what isn't. And if they think that knife is not useful, you will not have it in your possession. If you choose to keep it in your possession anyways, then they will let you know when your flight for home is leaving.


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## DrSize (20 Aug 2005)

alexpb said:
			
		

> How long is the flight from Ontario to BMQ in Quebec?
> 
> (question for people who live in ontario      )



I already have a warning so I can't say anything harsh but have you ever taken a geography class or actually looked at a map????????? Ontario is a HUGE province.  It would take a good 30 hours to drive from Ottawa(eastern ontario) to Kenora(western ontario).........As for flights it probably ranges anywhere from 1-3 hours to fly to Montreal from Ontario depending on what city.


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## alexpb (20 Aug 2005)

...?

What the heck? What does having looked at a map or taken a geography class have to do with my *simple* question.

Some how i'm supposed to know by looking at a map how long it would take to enter Montreal from any place in Ontario by plane? Give me a break.
I've never been in a plane.

A simple answer would be exactly the last part of your answer, "anywhere from 1-3 hours".

Don't be an ******* about it. Maybe that's why you already have a warning?


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## onecat (20 Aug 2005)

there is no reason to bring more than one lock, as once your there you will have to buy there locks and they sell special sets of there that all have the same combo.. which is good as its hard enough to remeber one let alone 3 different ones in 4:30 in the morning.   As for cleaning kits buy wnat you will show at the canex, and then just use the stuff bought with for everyday use... for inspections you can keep it in your personal box... ( this a is shoe box so its not big) or in your side bag.   bring cd player or a mp3 player as it gets boring with no music on the weekends.

enjoy its not that hard after week 3 when your getting use the route.

as for the flight question, just look it up on the net. or on your ticket if you have that already, general 3 hours would be the rule, and on hour from montreal to St Jean.  if you ahave friends take a taxi its a 100.00 and way easier than the bus unless its waiting for you.


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## NavComm (20 Aug 2005)

radiohead said:
			
		

> there is no reason to bring more than one lock, as once your there you will have to buy there locks and they sell special sets of there that all have the same combo.. which is good as its hard enough to remeber one let alone 3 different ones in 4:30 in the morning.   As for cleaning kits buy wnat you will show at the canex, and then just use the stuff bought with for everyday use... for inspections you can keep it in your personal box... ( this a is shoe box so its not big) or in your side bag.   bring cd player or a mp3 player as it gets boring with no music on the weekends.
> 
> enjoy its not that hard after week 3 when your getting use the route.
> 
> as for the flight question, just look it up on the net. or on your ticket if you have that already.



I wasn't required to buy their locks. I brought 3 and they were fine. Three combination locks, just like the kit list says. Although 3 locks with the same combination would have been nice, I was able to manage with 3 different combinations.

cd players, etc were confiscated in Borden. The kit list explicity says not to bring them. People who did, had them taken away. In week 5 we were given one am/fm clock radio per room, to be placed at Bravo bunk and set to one specific radio station.

Also putting things in the book bag wasn't a great idea either because during week 4 inspections they decided to inspect those bags. Anyone who was storing extra kit in the book bag got it tossed across the room. Anything not issued or on the list or that can't fit in your personal box had to be stored in civvie lockup. If you do bring a cd player, you most likely would keep it in civvie lockup and only get to use it when on leave.

As for flights, just go to aircanada.ca and put in your departure and arrival cities and you will see how long the flights are. We had a long wait at the Toronto airport while recruits from all over the country arrived and we were put on one bus to take us to Borden. Make sure you have some cash or food/water with you as this can be a very long wait.

That's my .02. I realize different courses may have different rules.


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## DrSize (20 Aug 2005)

alexpb said:
			
		

> ...?
> 
> What the heck? What does having looked at a map or taken a geography class have to do with my *simple* question.
> 
> ...



The point I was making is there would be an extreme difference in the flight if you were flying from Kenora as apose to Ottawa.  Why wouldn't you specify what city you would be flying from?? Makes a huge difference.  Ontario has more than one city you know.....  If you went as far as specifying what city you could even visit the Air Canada site and setup a mock flight that would tell you the EXACT time it would take


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## P-Free (20 Aug 2005)

alexpb and others wondering the length of their flight,

Here, check this site. http://www.expedia.ca From Pearson in Toronto it's 1 hour 10 minutes, from the Ottawa airport it is 40 minutes. Just put in your own city as the departing city and put Montreal, PQ as the arrival city. 

But you could also travel by train, bus, car, you never know. It all depends on distance I think.


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## alexpb (20 Aug 2005)

Since i said Ontario, instead of the city, you would use it as a w hole and would say "anywhere from 1-4 hours depending on where you are located"

There would be an educated answer.

There is no way that all of a sudden it would turn into 1-10 hours depending on where you were located in Ontario.
You only have to give a take an hour or so depending on where it is. Ontario isn't the size of Europe.


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## P-Free (20 Aug 2005)

6 hours from Kenora with a connection in Winnipeg. 40 minutes from Ottawa. There is your answer. For your city, do a search on expedia or any other such site.


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## alexpb (20 Aug 2005)

They say to bring about $100 with you, and they also give you some money, don't they? I thought it i read it was like $220 or something...


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## NavComm (20 Aug 2005)

I brought cash with me. Once there you will be paid on the 15th and the last day of each month. You can also use interac or credit cards at the Canex.


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## P-Free (20 Aug 2005)

alexpb said:
			
		

> They say to bring about $100 with you, and they also give you some money, don't they? I thought it i read it was like $220 or something...



Yes, I believe they give you a cash advance on your first pay right when you get there. But all the money they give you is used to buy stuff you need from the Canex I believe.


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## trucker00 (20 Aug 2005)

Here's a helpful hint that I learned on my 3's. Bring two toothbrushes, two toothpaste, two razors, and two shaving creams. Use one set once then put it on display for inspection and never use it or touch it again. Use the second set as your everyday set. It will save you time. Trust me.


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## P-Free (20 Aug 2005)

ok trucker ..you think your instructors are STUPID? or are you just LAZY? theyve been doing this for years and years. and you think after weeks of seeing a brand new bottle of toothpaste and shaving cream that they wont catch on? you defeat the purpose of inspections. 

i would dump that shyt on your head if i caught you doing that!!!


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## SeanPaul_031 (20 Aug 2005)

trucker00 said:
			
		

> Here's a helpful hint that I learned on my 3's. Bring two toothbrushes, two toothpaste, two razors, and two shaving creams. Use one set once then put it on display for inspection and never use it or touch it again. Use the second set as your everyday set. It will save you time. Trust me.



...and they dont get suspicious when they see that your Jesus toothpaste is always full and that your toothbrush bristles are always in new condition?


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## Zombie (20 Aug 2005)

P-Free said:
			
		

> ok trucker ..you think your instructors are STUPID? or are you just LAZY? theyve been doing this for years and years. and you think after weeks of seeing a brand new bottle of toothpaste and shaving cream that they wont catch on? you defeat the purpose of inspections.
> 
> i would dump that shyt on your head if i caught you doing that!!!



P-Free, take it easy buddy...did you read trucker00's profile? He has something neither you or I have - military experience. If you don't agree, you don't have to take the advice.


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## P-Free (20 Aug 2005)

heheh...ok i will admit..i cant read..


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## trucker00 (20 Aug 2005)

The one thing the army wants in a solider is one who can solve problems and who has time management skills. If you can find an easier, time effective and the safest way to complete a task. By all means use it. If can master this, you'll have no problems on any course you'll take in the future, or during your career for that matter.


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## trucker00 (20 Aug 2005)

Another thing is teamwork. I found this system works really well for inspections and uniformity. Two people irons ever ones shirts and puts them away. Two people polish boots. Two people irons all the pants. And one person goes to locker verifies the layout according the kit layout. etc, etc.  Big thing is teamwork and uniformity.


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## trucker00 (20 Aug 2005)

One last thing, Always be 15 minutes early.


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## DarylG (20 Aug 2005)

For the towels on the kit list, what size are they supposed to be?  Large bath towel, medium hand towel, or small face towel?

 Thanks, Daryl


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## Island Ryhno (20 Aug 2005)

You people are all obsessive compulsive and should go get checked out. FFS people, it's basic training, no one is going to eat your spleen if you don't have the perfect anything. For the first couple of weeks, everyone there is an idiot anyway, no one knows any better than the next person what the fuck they are doing. Relax, go and enjoy the goddamn course. Sean Paul and P-Free, if you two would remove your heads from your hinies long enough to look around the forums about basic, you'd see that nearly everybody who has done basic uses the old two sets trick. Jesus started it when he was a f*cking private, he had two goddamn jars of water to turn into wine. Combo locks - you can buy them in sets of two, and get this, they even have the same combination. Navcomm, I believe you were on a reserve course weren't you? It's different on reg basic in St.Jean, do bring an mp3 player or something, also some books, it will really help. Arrgh, I know there is going to be another one of these threads in two days, why do i bother.  >


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## Lima_Oscar (20 Aug 2005)

Island Ryhno said:
			
		

> ...FFS people, it's basic training, no one is going to eat your spleen if you don't have the perfect anything. For the first couple of weeks, everyone there is an idiot anyway, no one knows any better than the next person what the **** they are doing. Relax, go and enjoy the goddamn course.



Words of wisdom. We should just all arrive, meet new friends from across the nation (pretty cool i think), and go through the same sh*t together.


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## NavComm (20 Aug 2005)

P-Free said:
			
		

> ok trucker ..you think your instructors are STUPID? or are you just LAZY? theyve been doing this for years and years. and you think after weeks of seeing a brand new bottle of toothpaste and shaving cream that they wont catch on? you defeat the purpose of inspections.
> 
> i would dump that shyt on your head if i caught you doing that!!!



I did that on my bmq and I certainly am not lazy and my instructors were far from stupid.


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## NavComm (20 Aug 2005)

Rhyno, yes I was on the reserves course. I thought there were probably differences between reg force and reserves bmq. We had some reg force airforce on our navy reserve bmq but I heard that army bmq is a lot different and that navy reserve is more similar to reg force basic.


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## P-Free (21 Aug 2005)

trucker00 said:
			
		

> Another thing is teamwork. I found this system works really well for inspections and uniformity. Two people irons ever ones shirts and puts them away. Two people polish boots. Two people irons all the pants. And one person goes to locker verifies the layout according the kit layout. etc, etc.   Big thing is teamwork and uniformity.



yes..thismay work until someone fucks up! then everyone gets in the shit for one persons mistake..no thank you!


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## Redeye (21 Aug 2005)

It does work, and it's really the only way to do anything.  The entire point of BMQ is to turn a group of individuals into a team.  You'll pay worse if everyone else is wrong but you're right - because it means you're an individual.  If everyone is "wrong" but they're all the same (remember, we love standardization), you're not going to suffer as much.

The point is, been-there-done-thats are telling you how to get things done in the best way possible, it's worth listening.



			
				P-Free said:
			
		

> yes..thismay work until someone fucks up! then everyone gets in the crap for one persons mistake..no thank you!


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## Jungle (21 Aug 2005)

P-Free said:
			
		

> yes..thismay work until someone fucks up! then everyone gets in the crap for one persons mistake..no thank you!


You're going to be a Cbt Engineer right ?? So what's next... you're going to build a bridge, or clear a minefield, on your own because you're afraid someone else is gonna fuckup and make you look bad ?!?!??
You'll have to change that attitude ASAP and trust your mates. In the future, you will trust them with your life; now you can't trust them with your shirts ??


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## NavComm (21 Aug 2005)

P-Free why don't you wait until you've actually been to bmq before making all these ridiculous statements? Admit it, you are clueless as to what's going to happen there.

Someone sent me a pm asking me if there were any a$$holes at bmq. My reply was: there are 360 recruits there, so there is bound to be some a$$holes, just make sure you're not one of them. I extend that same advice to you.

If you get to bmq and start making all these judgements that this guy is a f*ckup or that guy is a jacka$$ you will soon find out what the old adage "the pot calling the kettle black" means. Wake up. People on here are trying to give you good advice.


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## aesop081 (21 Aug 2005)

NavComm said:
			
		

> P-Free why don't you wait until you've actually been to bmq before making all these ridiculous statements? Admit it, you are clueless as to what's going to happen there.



Thats pretty chronic around here 



			
				Jungle said:
			
		

> You're going to be a Cbt Engineer right ?? So what's next... you're going to build a bridge, or clear a minefield, on your own because you're afraid someone else is gonna fuckup and make you look bad ?!?!??
> You'll have to change that attitude ASAP and trust your mates. In the future, you will trust them with your life; now you can't trust them with your shirts ??



Jungle, thats good.   I almost fell over laughing when i read that.   I'd actualy like to see him try, fail then turn around and ask for help.....see how far that would get him   :


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## SeanPaul_031 (21 Aug 2005)

Thx for all the advice ppl.

IslandRhyno, I wasn't knocking down the old 2 sets trick, I know I'll be doing it myself when I leave. I was asking if they get suspicious that they see that youre doing this...Im sure they are well aware of this trick and they dont mind that everyone does this?


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## Island Ryhno (21 Aug 2005)

Resourcefullness,Initiative, drive and time management skills, they all make for a good soldier. That's what you would be showing them. It works, the instructors want you to figure out how to make it work, they want you to find ways to meet impossible timings. Now have at 'er.


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## NavComm (21 Aug 2005)

SeanPaul_031 said:
			
		

> Thx for all the advice ppl.
> 
> IslandRhyno, I wasn't knocking down the old 2 sets trick, I know I'll be doing it myself when I leave. I was asking if they get suspicious that they see that youre doing this...Im sure they are well aware of this trick and they dont mind that everyone does this?



It's not a 'trick'. It's like wearing the same combats every day, wash them every night and leave the other two pair folded for inspection. On the occasional days when you have to wear a second pair (like maybe you hit the water on the confidence course) well then you only have to fold the one pair for the next day. It's time management. Less work to get the job done. They want to see your stuff 'inspection ready', how you got it there is your own business.


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## RowdyBowdy (21 Aug 2005)

P-Free said:
			
		

> yes..thismay work until someone fucks up! then everyone gets in the crap for one persons mistake..no thank you!



Haha, you will be punished for an attitude like that, teamwork is what BMQ is pretty much all about.  We had these blue "booties" we put over our combat boots before inspection so that we would not mark up the floor, but of course we took them off before inspection. One day a fellow recruit in the cubicle beside me forgot to take his off.  My section commander gave me a directive for not checking him over before inspection.

As far as the second shaving kit goes, many people did this in our platoon however when my section commander caught on to this, she started checking our personal boxes and there was hell to pay for the people who had dirty shaving kits in their personal box.  My advice is to not bother with the second kit, Gillette "foamy" took 10 seconds to clean (Gilette "Gel" was much harder) and I just used my shampoo as a body wash therefore I didnt need to clean my bar of soap and container very much.


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## canadianblue (21 Aug 2005)

I've got a question regarding the swearing in ceremony, would dress pants, blue shirts, with a tie be good enough for the ceremony. Or is it a better idea to wear a full suit to the swearing in ceremony? Can I wear something similar to what I originally posted on the flight to St Jean?

All I got in the mail was that it was a formal occasian and I had to dress appropriately.


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## onecat (22 Aug 2005)

"I've got a question regarding the swearing in ceremony, would dress pants, blue shirts, with a tie be good enough for the ceremony. Or is it a better idea to wear a full suit to the swearing in ceremony? Can I wear something similar to what I originally posted on the flight to St Jean?

All I got in the mail was that it was a formal occasian and I had to dress appropriately."


Wear what you want to wear.  Suits always good great, if you have one.  There is really no rule on what you can wear.  You have choice futuretrooper... wear what *you think* or your parent's think is appropriate.


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## SeanPaul_031 (22 Aug 2005)

No, there actually is a rule. Its no running shoes, no jeans, and having a tie is mandatory...I mean theyre not going to send you home if you dont come dressed properly, but it doesnt look very good either.

Just wear black pants or even khakis, a dress (button up) shirt tucked in with a belt and a tie, some nice polished shoes and youre set! Besides why would you bother to even dress inapropriately when you can dress otherwise?


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## NavComm (22 Aug 2005)

FutureTrooper, congrats on your upcoming swearing in. 

Yes, wear something nice. A suit would be nice for the pictures and it shows that you take this seriously and that you are proud enough to bother to look your best.

I also bought a frame for the oath and have it proudly displayed in my living room.

Congratulations again and good luck in your military future!


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## stevea32 (13 Mar 2009)

Sorry for bringing up an old thread but i have gotten 2 different answers to my question which is Are you allowed perscription medication while at BMQ? A recruiter told me it shouldn't be a problem but when doing my medical I was told they would be taken away.


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## Lil_T (13 Mar 2009)

From what I gather, and this is from reading previous threads as I haven't hit BMQ yet.  If you bring the medication, the medical staff will take it (and I'm guessing you go to the MIR to take your meds) just so that it's not in your room.  

Medical people - please - correct me if I'm wrong.


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