# ILLITERATE - NOT AN OPTION



## George Wallace (26 Nov 2007)

Illiteracy is NOT AN OPTION in joining the Canadian Forces.  Today, Canadian soldiers are expected to be highly skilled and motivated.  They must be well educated.  They will be expected to write reports and draft documents and orders as they progress through the ranks.  If you want to join the CF, you might as well start now and practice your writing and communication skills, as some day in the future your life may depend on you being able to clearly and concisely give instructions or orders.  A incorrectly spelled, or incorrectly used word could mean catastrophe.


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## Kat Stevens (26 Nov 2007)

Especially an incorrectly used indefinite article...for want of a horseshoe nail and all that,


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## riggermade (26 Nov 2007)

George Wallace said:
			
		

> Illiteracy is NOT AN OPTION in joining the Canadian Forces.  Today, Canadian soldiers are expected to be highly skilled and motivated.  They must be well educated.  They will be expected to write reports and draft documents and orders as they progress through the ranks.  If you want to join the CF, you might as well start now and practice your *writting * and communication skills, as some day in the future your life may depend on you being able to clearly and concisely give instructions or orders.  A incorrectly spelled, or incorrectly used word could mean catastrophe.



I agree George


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## George Wallace (26 Nov 2007)

Kat Stevens said:
			
		

> Especially an incorrectly used indefinite article...for want of a horseshoe nail and all that,



See!  There is a very big difference between "Artistic" and "Autistic".



I must apologise for my "muscle memory", and Touch Typing, that insists on my typing "writing" with two "t's", not one, and then forgetting to use Spell Check to pick up on that error..... ;D


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## the 48th regulator (26 Nov 2007)

Oya...

_fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too.
Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe can.

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it._

dileas

tess


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## riggermade (26 Nov 2007)

the 48th regulator said:
			
		

> Oya...
> 
> _fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too.
> Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe can.
> ...



Now that is scary because I was able to understand it completely


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## Reccesoldier (26 Nov 2007)

Tess, where on earth did you dig up my grade 12 English notebook?


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## Big Foot (26 Nov 2007)

Wow, that sure is ridiculous, yet easy enough to read. I can't even imagine what would happen if I tried to pass in a term paper or a PDR/PER written like that.


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## JBoyd (26 Nov 2007)

I have seen that before, has been circulating the internet for at least a few years or more . Still interesting to see every time I see it.

In regards to the first post, while being illiterate is obviously not an option and one must be able to have at the very least basic grammar skills. What is the view on hand writing? both cursive and printed. I know many people whos handwriting is illegible, and there are many professions who are notorious for illegible handwritting ie. Doctors.


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## Roy Harding (26 Nov 2007)

JBoyd said:
			
		

> I have seen that before, has been circulating the internet for at least a few years or more . Still interesting to see every time I see it.
> 
> In regards to the first post, while being illiterate is obviously not an option and one must be able to have at the very least basic grammar skills. What is the view on hand writing? both cursive and printed. I know many people whos handwriting is illegible, and there are many professions who are notorious for illegible handwritting ie. Doctors.



My handwriting sucks.  I'm convinced I was born left-handed and was forced to learn cursive with my right hand (normal procedure in the '60s).  In fact, it was BECAUSE of my handwriting that I learned to type, became a clerk, and had a career.  My early exposure to typing, back when it was a "female" thing (prior to computers) enabled me to get in on the ground floor of PC use.

All that being said - my handwriting remains a curse.  When I take notes, I have to immediately sit down at a computer and transcribe them before what I meant fades from memory.  At those times I need to pass information in handwriting, I tend to print, very slowly and concentrating on making it legible.  I used to work with a fellow who's printed notes (taken at lightening speed) actually LOOKED typewritten - unfrickin' believable.

All that being said - poor handwriting isn't a show stopper, but it can make life difficult for you.  If you need to pass information in handwriting (and you will - Mark I Field Message Pad is still the preferred option when not in bivouac - not to mention various forms, etcetera), it's going to take you longer to do than someone who has good cursive skills.

If you've got poor handwriting skills, try to take the time to improve it - it will make life easier.


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## JBoyd (26 Nov 2007)

Roy Harding said:
			
		

> My handwriting sucks.  I'm convinced I was born left-handed and was forced to learn cursive with my right hand (normal procedure in the '60s).  In fact, it was BECAUSE of my handwriting that I learned to type, became a clerk, and had a career.  My early exposure to typing, back when it was a "female" thing (prior to computers) enabled me to get in on the ground floor of PC use.
> 
> All that being said - my handwriting remains a curse.  When I take notes, I have to immediately sit down at a computer and transcribe them before what I meant fades from memory.  At those times I need to pass information in handwriting, I tend to print, very slowly and concentrating on making it legible.  I used to work with a fellow who's printed notes (taken at lightening speed) actually LOOKED typewritten - unfrickin' believable.
> 
> ...



Thanks, I myself am Left-handed, and my handwriting isn't terribly illegible as some people I know, however it could be better. I remember once in highschool I had to rewrite a 1000 word essay because the teacher did not wish to spend the extra time trying to decipher some words which were harder to read then others. It took longer to rewrite it as I concentrated very hard on making it legible, and took my time doing so. another question I have on the subject is do forms and messages that need to be written have to be in cursive? or is printed handwriting allowed? If cursive is the prefered method then I should most definately touch up my cursive skills.


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## PMedMoe (26 Nov 2007)

JBoyd said:
			
		

> there are many professions who are notorious for illegible handwritting ie. Doctors.



There's a reason for that.  It's so it's harder to forge their handwriting on a (stolen) prescription pad.


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## Roy Harding (26 Nov 2007)

JBoyd said:
			
		

> Thanks, I myself am Left-handed, and my handwriting isn't terribly illegible as some people I know, however it could be better. I remember once in highschool I had to rewrite a 1000 word essay because the teacher did not wish to spend the extra time trying to decipher some words which were harder to read then others. It took longer to rewrite it as I concentrated very hard on making it legible, and took my time doing so. another question I have on the subject is do forms and messages that need to be written have to be in cursive? or is printed handwriting allowed? If cursive is the prefered method then I should most definately touch up my cursive skills.



Forms and such can be block printed - it's usually preferred as cursive can be hard to read.

I wouldn't let improving my cursive skills become a fixation - but work on it as you can, you never know when you'll be required to pass orders or notes which were handwritten, cursive is faster - as long as it's legible.


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## JBoyd (26 Nov 2007)

PMedMoe said:
			
		

> There's a reason for that.  It's so it's harder to forge their handwriting on a (stolen) prescription pad.



Hmm never even thought of that, guess you learn something new everyday 

Roy, I haven't writen in cursive since high school, so I may just take a weekend and touch up my memory on what is what in cursive , other than that my cursive was never really illegible. my printing is legible, however it definately could be better. I was told once that men in general have poorer hand writing then women, don't know if there is any truth to that.


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## the 48th regulator (26 Nov 2007)

JBoyd said:
			
		

> I have seen that before, has been circulating the internet for at least a few years or more . Still interesting to see every time I see it.



Naw, c'mon. I was the one that invented it, stop trying to burst my bubble...btw the way I got a funny joke....Knock Knock....Pull my finger first....

Kids these days.... :

dileas

tess


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## Rayman (27 Nov 2007)

the 48th regulator said:
			
		

> Knock Knock....Pull my finger first...



48th are you giving a free lesson in what the gas chambers like?


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## 1feral1 (27 Nov 2007)

When I enlisted here in 1995, it was a group process, queueing up for medicals, being weighed and measured in one big room, eye tests with another 10 guys, and then the testing. Aptitude, psych, and the rest of it. About maybe 60 of us.

This part of the written terminal was this test on basic comprehension of the english language.

It was a generic paragraph, which was dictated out loud by the DS (repeating nothing), where we all had to write down as it was spoken.

This showed the recruiters what level of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and memory/comprehension we had, and ensured that we could hear right, take down the word for word paragraph, and that we could write correctly, using the english language with confidence.

The Australian Army recruits from all accross the country (and at times abroad). mainly mainstreamers come in. I have seen very few ethnic minorities (aside from Greek, Italian etc) or in green, and even less lining the streets on ANZAC Day, etc. Soldiers are mainly of western European appearance with roots from north west Europe.

Going back in time......

Back in the RRR in the late 70's had a guy who could not read period. He was given  tests orally (including his recruiting tests), and passed, and that included future exams through his time in rank, up to the early 1980's. 

In those days, Recruit instruction was weekends (held in the armoury), and I have no clue how he made it through his 031 courses, which were all Dundurn based, with instructors from accross western Canada.

In time, he ended up being a real admin drama, made some enemies in high places, and was railroaded out of the CF in the mid-late 90's. 

Never made it past CPL, and never should have been accomdated in the first place.

Cheers,

Wes


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## Blindspot (27 Nov 2007)

Isn't this whole thread akin to a Brailled "Wet Paint" sign?  ;D


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## Greymatters (28 Nov 2007)

Roy Harding said:
			
		

> If you've got poor handwriting skills, try to take the time to improve it - it will make life easier.



Using block letters solves a lot of those problems...

I would point out that unless you are a Mensa+ candidate, every person will come across words in the English language they are unfamiliar with, especially words that are specific to a trade or occupation, or an area of knowledge.  There are plenty of ten-dollar words in the dictionary and encyclopedia whose meanings or connotations are unknown unless we look them up.  Even in common everyday writing, most people often confuse certain word groups where the words look the same.  This does not make you illiterate, only less educated.


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## Reccesoldier (28 Nov 2007)

Greymatters said:
			
		

> Using block letters solves a lot of those problems...
> 
> I would point out that unless you are a Mensa+ candidate, every person will come across words in the English language they are unfamiliar with, especially words that are specific to a trade or occupation, or an area of knowledge.  There are plenty of ten-dollar words in the dictionary and encyclopedia whose meanings or connotations are unknown unless we look them up.  Even in common everyday writing, most people often confuse certain word groups where the words look the same.  This does not make you illiterate, only less educated.



And those that are literate will look it up, even if they get the gist of the word from the context.


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## PMedMoe (28 Nov 2007)

Reccesoldier said:
			
		

> And those that are literate will look it up, even if they get the gist of the word from the context.



And that's a great way to broaden your vocabulary.  Either that, or get a "Word a Day" calendar!


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## geo (28 Nov 2007)

When I joined back in '70, my unit still had one person who was illiterate & would make his mark + get it witnessed by someone else.

While in the CF, those days are long gone, the equipment is highly technical AND troops are often expected to operate on their own - with only minimal supervision... 

... a friend of mine attended the British Army's annual conference of RSMs a couple of years ago.  They discussed illiteracy within their ranks - it appears that they had a Sgt who was illiterate but managed to make himself understood.  As an example, when preparing a stores request, if he needed a dozen rifles, he'd draw a pictogram of the SA80 and write 12 next to it... not pretty but, it works.

Nevertheless, I'm not sure I could work longterm, with an illiterate Sr NCO.


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