# BMQ-Showering



## Proud2BCanuck (24 Jan 2014)

Hey, I am a potential candidate for the CF and I was just curious as to how showering works at BMQ and after in the SQ portion of the training. I could careless about communal showers, I am not that prudish. I am more interested in knowing when you are able to shower and for how long. Do you get to shower in the morning when you wake up, after PT and then before bed? How much time do you get to shower? What is the best method to shower quickly and make sure you are clean; Navy shower? Can you bring baby powder, a shower brush and moist wipes? Is cologne and anti-antiperspirant allowed?


----------



## RedcapCrusader (24 Jan 2014)

BMQ, SQ (and probably on all courses).

Reveille 0530
PT 0530-0615

5 minutes to shit, shower, shave and be changed ready to clean and prep for inspection. Depending on the course schedule and staff inspection may be before or after meal.

Ablutions 0615-0620
Cleaning/inspection prep: 0620-0630
Inspection: 0630-0645
Breakfast: 0645-0715
Classes: 0715-1230
Lunch: 1230-1300
Classes: 1300-1730
Dinner: 1730-1800
Classes: 1800-2100
Study/Personal time: 2100-2300
Lights out: 2300.

This is just an example of the timings I faced. In the military (more so in the Army) they tell us that 5min is lots of time to do the 3 S's and dress.

Sometimes classes would run into meal times (or, marching to the meal area and standing in line would take a while) so you'd only have 5min to eat once you've gone through the meal line and sit down so learn to shovel.

Sometimes the end of day personnel time is used for getting jacked up for being late or failing inspections and you either do pushups until the earth moves closer to the sun or change parades (1min to change out of one uniform into another over and over), or cleaning etc. Some nights we didn't end until 0130 or even 0230. You will want to maximise your sleep because you WILL need it and want it, shower at night if you want but you should sleep instead (depending on course/staff you may not be permitted to after lights out and during personal time you should be studying or working on uniforms anyway).

For field exercises, bring baby wipes there's no showers there. Deodorant, toothbrush/toothpaste, and baby wipes. Depending on staff, resources or time in field you may or may not be required to also shave (males). Deodorant is the same as antiperspirant and is permitted. Leave the colognes for civvy time/leave.

Shower brush? Best method to get clean is an old army saying: "Pecker, Tits, and Armpits". Use soap or bodywash it's all you need.


----------



## Pusser (24 Jan 2014)

Don't worry.  You will be able to take adequate showers at appropriate times.  You won't be able to share long warm showers with a friend as described by Gunny Highway, but you will have ample opportunity to get clean.  A bigger problem will be that one person in your platoon (and most platoons have at least one) who seems to feel that bathing is unnecessary.


----------



## Nfld Sapper (24 Jan 2014)

Heartbreak Ridge - Long Warm Showers

 ;D


----------



## Fishbone Jones (24 Jan 2014)

Pusser said:
			
		

> worry.  You will be able to take adequate showers at appropriate times.  You won't be able to share long warm showers with a friend as described by Gunny Highway, but you will have ample opportunity to get clean.  A bigger problem will be that one person in your platoon (and most platoons have at least one) who seems to feel that bathing is unnecessary.



Ahh yes. Dirty Billy.


----------



## Proud2BCanuck (24 Jan 2014)

Pusser said:
			
		

> Don't worry.  You will be able to take adequate showers at appropriate times.  You won't be able to share long warm showers with a friend as described by Gunny Highway, but you will have ample opportunity to get clean.  A bigger problem will be that one person in your platoon (and most platoons have at least one) who seems to feel that bathing is unnecessary.



yeah ive read up on people who just wet their towels for inspections, thats pretty gross. Then again there are some people who shower like everyone else who just naturally stink. I am not that judgemental, if the man is showering and still stinks, it is most likely out of his control and then they deserve everyone’s sympathy. I am kind of curious, what happens to the recruits who just wet their towels?


----------



## Fishbone Jones (24 Jan 2014)

Proud2BCanuck said:
			
		

> yeah ive read up on people who just wet their towels for inspections, thats pretty gross. Then again there are some people who shower like everyone else who just naturally stink. I am not that judgemental, if the man is showering and still stinks, it is most likely out of his control and then they deserve everyone’s sympathy. I am kind of curious, what happens to the recruits who just wet their towels?




They get reported and counseled. If classmates are unsuccessful in *verbally* convincing them, their cadre can "have a word" with them and so forth, all the way up to release, if it needed to come to that. 

"Blanket parties" or other corporal punishment will not be tolerated.


----------



## Nfld Sapper (24 Jan 2014)

On my 3's course we took the fire hose to him.....


----------



## Fishbone Jones (24 Jan 2014)

NFLD Sapper said:
			
		

> On my 3's course we took the fire hose to him.....



Exactly the type of comment we need to stop giving people illegal ideas with.


----------



## Loachman (24 Jan 2014)

I'm still waiting for the Starship Troopers showers.


----------



## Mr. St-Cyr (24 Jan 2014)

Proud2BCanuck said:
			
		

> yeah ive read up on people who just wet their towels for inspections, thats pretty gross. Then again there are some people who shower like everyone else who just naturally stink. I am not that judgemental, if the man is showering and still stinks, it is most likely out of his control and then they deserve everyone’s sympathy. I am kind of curious, what happens to the recruits who just wet their towels?



I became aware of this once. I issued orders to the instructors to provide supplementary training after hours to facilitate the course's ability to complete ablution within the allocated time frame. It is only a matter of organization, cooperation and repetition. Needless to say, the issue ceased shortly thereafter.


----------



## Proud2BCanuck (24 Jan 2014)

recceguy said:
			
		

> They get reported and counseled. If classmates are unsuccessful in *verbally* convincing them, their cadre can "have a word" with them and so forth, all the way up to release, if it needed to come to that.
> 
> "Blanket parties" or other corporal punishment will not be tolerated.



That's rough... If the man is showering and still stinks, because he just naturally does gets kicked out thats harsh. I would understand if the one who wets his towel did, because thats just being blissfully ignorant to the people around you.Not to mention it must take a helluva lot of effort to skip a shower. How can you sleep in your bed if you're that filthy?


----------



## Mr. St-Cyr (24 Jan 2014)

Proud2BCanuck said:
			
		

> Not to mention it must take a helluva lot of effort to skip a shower. How can you sleep in your bed if you're that filthy?



You will become aware what tremendous feats human beings are capable of once they abandon dignity.


----------



## Fishbone Jones (24 Jan 2014)

Proud2BCanuck said:
			
		

> That's rough... If the man is showering and still stinks, because he just naturally does gets kicked out thats harsh. I would understand if the one who wets his towel did, because thats just being blissfully ignorant to the people around you.Not to mention it must take a helluva lot of effort to skip a shower. How can you sleep in your bed if you're that filthy?



You asked about people that don't shower. Don't twist my words or try extrapolate my response to further your discussion.


----------



## Journeyman (24 Jan 2014)

Proud2BCanuck said:
			
		

> How can you sleep in your bed if you're that filthy?
> 
> 
> > You will become aware what tremendous feats human beings are capable of.....



:rofl:   That's just awesome.  

Oh, the war stories........  "yes kids, it's true. Once, I broke a sweat, but didn't get a shower....or a latte....before racking out; we were _that_ tired."


Nahhhh....nobody would believe that; it's not humanly possible.   ;D


----------



## Proud2BCanuck (24 Jan 2014)

recceguy said:
			
		

> You asked about people that don't shower. Don't twist my words or try extrapolate my response to further your discussion.



Sorry I read that wrong, going on 3 hours of sleep here. Apologies.


----------



## Eye In The Sky (24 Jan 2014)

RedcapCrusader said:
			
		

> BMQ, SQ (and probably on all courses).
> 
> Reveille 0530
> PT 0530-0615
> ...



I've taken and taught on many, many courses and I've NEVER seen 5 minutes only allowed.  Reg or Reserve.  So I'm going to call BS on the 5 min max for shower and shave.  I've never only had or only given 5 minutes for shave/shower time.

Now, aside from that issue, wtf is all the other stuff in post that has nothing to do with the OPs question about showering all about?  Did you shoot EVERY target on the range when you did PWT Lvl 1 too?

To the OP:  you will be given time to shower in garrison or perform 'field hygiene' if in the field/on field type training.


----------



## RedcapCrusader (24 Jan 2014)

Eye In The Sky said:
			
		

> I've taken and taught on many, many courses and I've NEVER seen 5 minutes only allowed.  Reg or Reserve.  So I'm going to call BS on the 5 min max for shower and shave.  I've never only had or only given 5 minutes for shave/shower time.
> 
> Now, aside from that issue, wtf is all the other stuff in post that has nothing to do with the OPs question about showering all about?  Did you shoot EVERY target on the range when you did PWT Lvl 1 too?
> 
> To the OP:  you will be given time to shower in garrison or perform 'field hygiene' if in the field/on field type training.



Well it happened.


----------



## Mr. St-Cyr (24 Jan 2014)

Journeyman said:
			
		

> :rofl:   That's just awesome.
> 
> Oh, the war stories........  "yes kids, it's true. Once, I broke a sweat, but didn't get a shower....or a latte....before racking out; we were _that_ tired."
> 
> ...



I seem to recall a disgruntled candidate erupting into my hoochie coining the phrase ''I've never lived in conditions as execrable as these in all my life''. To which I replied with due haste ''you obviously have never seen the Four Yorkshire Men'' and went back to completing my TEWT.

Aye.. we were poor and miserable but we were happy!


----------



## George Wallace (24 Jan 2014)

Copious quantities of beer helped.


----------



## brihard (24 Jan 2014)

Mr. St-Cyr said:
			
		

> You will become aware what tremendous feats human beings are capable of once they abandon dignity.


----------



## Mr. St-Cyr (24 Jan 2014)

Brihard said:
			
		

>



 :rofl:

Until now, I had only heard the name of that bar uttered by certain indignant members of my entourage. Now I can finally say I have seen it.

Well done.


----------



## Nfld Sapper (24 Jan 2014)

Brihard said:
			
		

>



Ah yes the 20-40-60 club..... also the only place to slay a dragon.....

 ;D


----------



## Fishbone Jones (25 Jan 2014)

Question has been answered and we're officially off the rails.

Time to lock 'er down.


----------

