# Pay Parade



## GunnerGleadall (13 Oct 2012)

When I was in the 3rd RCHA, during the mid to late 1960’s soldiers had to attend “Pay Parade” in order to receive their pay. Each individual would march up one at a time and the officer would count out the cash to every soldier.

At that time, our wages were nowhere near as much as the average soldier receives today and I was just wondering if soldiers have to do the same thing these days.  It just seems risky to carry that much cash around currently after going on Pay Parade.


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## ModlrMike (13 Oct 2012)

No. Direct deposit is how it's done now. On occasion, by cheque. Sometimes on Ops there may be cash pay, but it's not nearly as common as it used to be.


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## Tank Troll (13 Oct 2012)

We don't even get field pay in cash anymore. However once the Gov cuts LDA then it might appear again.


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## exspy (13 Oct 2012)

GunnerGleadall said:
			
		

> Each individual would march up one at a time and the officer would count out the cash to every soldier.



I was only a participant at a pay parade once.  During the summer of 1970 I was attending the six-week cadet camp at Vernon, BC.  Part of a large contingent of cadets from Ontario.  Anyways, at one point during our time there we were given a portion of the $100 stipend that was given to each cadet who attended a six-week course.  We were formed up (single file) in alphabetical order, walked up to wooden table covered with an grey army blanket, slammed to attention, saluted the officer (which was our CIL company commander), counted out the allotted cash in front of said officer, signed for it, put it in our cap, saluted again, stepped back one pace, turned right, and marched off.

I always thought it kind of cool.  Kind of like being a real soldier at the time.

Good times.

Cheers,
Dan.


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## OldTanker (14 Oct 2012)

I thought it was supposed to be a red blanket? So the colour of the money stood out while it was being counted out. Maybe an old paymaster or pay clerk can confirm.


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## dapaterson (14 Oct 2012)

In the mid 90s, I was eating with a friend who had signed for the cash for a large exercise.

She looked at me and said "Half a million dollars in cash - is it enough to just take it and run?"

To which I replied "Not now that you'd have to split it with me."


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## JorgSlice (14 Oct 2012)

Dan M said:
			
		

> I was only a participant at a pay parade once.  During the summer of 1970 I was attending the six-week cadet camp at Vernon, BC.  Part of a large contingent of cadets from Ontario.  Anyways, at one point during our time there we were given a portion of the $100 stipend that was given to each cadet who attended a six-week course.  We were formed up (single file) in alphabetical order, walked up to wooden table covered with an grey army blanket, slammed to attention, saluted the officer (which was our CIL company commander), counted out the allotted cash in front of said officer, signed for it, put it in our cap, saluted again, stepped back one pace, turned right, and marched off.
> 
> I always thought it kind of cool.  Kind of like being a real soldier at the time.
> 
> ...



They still do it a VACC to this day.

Edit: Staff Cadets have their pay as Direct Deposit from DND


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## SprCForr (14 Oct 2012)

I always felt kind of bad for Zwicker at the FOA pay parades during Waincon. Then another got posted in. That one's first intial was after his.

Then he got posted out...


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## GAP (14 Oct 2012)

dapaterson said:
			
		

> In the mid 90s, I was eating with a friend who had signed for the cash for a large exercise.
> 
> She looked at me and said "Half a million dollars in cash - is it enough to just take it and run?"
> 
> To which I replied "Not now that you'd have to split it with me."



All those $2.00 bills got put to good use...... ;D


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## Rifleman62 (14 Oct 2012)

Dan: 





> Anyways, at one point during our time there we were given a portion of the $100 stipend that was given to each cadet who attended a six-week course.



Wasn't it $5 a week, commencing week two? Cheque sent to your residence for $75. Big money in the 60's. 

1962 for me, and 1965 as a Militia Cpl instructor.


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## Rifleman62 (14 Oct 2012)

Provided with another guy, the armed guard for the payroll at Moss Park Armoury in the summer of 1966.

In the olden days, we always got paid in cash. You had to watch it being counted, as once you stepped away ..........

The Navy procedure, I believe, was off caps, and the money was counted into the cap, then on caps, salute etc.


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## exspy (14 Oct 2012)

OldTanker said:
			
		

> I thought it was supposed to be a red blanket? So the colour of the money stood out while it was being counted out.



I'm going purely by memory on this one.  But then again, everything in my memory tends to get grey over time.



			
				PrairieThunder said:
			
		

> They still do it a VACC to this day.



Glad to hear it.  Can't believe that fire trap is still in use.  Have they at least replaced the barracks?



			
				Rifleman62 said:
			
		

> Wasn't it $5 a week for week commencing week two? Cheque sent to your residence for $75. Big money in the 60's.



I seem to recall it only happening once.  And I think it was for more than $5.  Refer to earlier post about the greyness of my memories.  And yes, $100 was a fortune to a 15-year old in 1970.

Cheers,
Dan.


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## Bass ackwards (14 Oct 2012)

Dan M said:
			
		

> ...walked up to wooden table covered with an grey army blanket, slammed to attention, saluted the officer ...



I can remember at least one in the Reserves in the early '80's. The reason I remember it is because I marched up too close to the table, thus when I brought my knee up to do a proper halt, it hit the table and knocked it and its contents back onto the officer seated behind it.  :facepalm:


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## my72jeep (14 Oct 2012)

Sept. 1983 Holinfells Germany Brigade ex I was a young Sapper and I had not drawn pay since Mid June, As an 18 yo  living in the shacks I did not have much of a need for money beyond  20 mark's ($10 cnd) for the pop machine out side my room that sold Heineken for a mark a can. I was out helping fix a thrown track and was last for pay. I marched up to the Pay Master saluted rattled out my name rank ans sin number. and was payed all out standing pay plus field pay in five and ten mark bills about 4000 marks. The next Officer in line was a Padrae looking for a hand out then the JR's PMC for mess dues, and last the Unit CO who took all but about 500 marks Put it in and envelop gave me a receipt and said its for your own good. This move I later learned was done to all the new members to the unit when payed the day be for our unit night in Nuremberg and the debauchery that in sues.


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## AmmoTech90 (14 Oct 2012)

Last time I went to a pay parade either in Wainwright during RV89 with 1 CSR, H Tp or FALLEX 89 with HQ&Sig.  

Normal drill, pay officer behind a desk in a tent, march up salute, say how much you want and if I remember correctly it was actually an acquitance roll you signed and you took an advance on your next pay as we were payed by cheque in the reserves at that time.

Actually it was in Germany as I then wandered over to the postie and got some money orders in Canadian because I wasn't sure when I would get my cheque back in Canada.


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## GAP (14 Oct 2012)

Not so much the payday thing, but change of MPC currency....they used to change the Military Payment Certificates (they looked like monopoly money) every 6 months or so.....

so we would go to the villagers when on patrol, let them know that it was 3 days to changeover. 


We gave them 10 cents on the dollar, then cashed them in for full value. average haul was 1000 - 1400 $


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## my72jeep (14 Oct 2012)

GAP said:
			
		

> Not so much the payday thing, but change of MPC currency....they used to change the Military Payment Certificates (they looked like monopoly money) every 6 months or so.....
> 
> so we would go to the villagers when on patrol, let them know that it was 3 days to changeover.
> 
> ...


Wasn't that an episode of MASH? you Winchester......


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## GAP (14 Oct 2012)

my72jeep said:
			
		

> Wasn't that an episode of MASH? you Winchester......



really?

It was being done long before we got there, and long after we left....


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## JorgSlice (14 Oct 2012)

Dan M said:
			
		

> Glad to hear it.  Can't believe that fire trap is still in use.  Have they at least replaced the barracks?
> 
> Cheers,
> Dan.



Replaced, no. Upgraded, yes. 

I believe they have only torn down 1 or 2 on the main garrison since... probably the dawn of time. Otherwise, they've been retrofitted with modern fire safety equipment, new bathroom elements, flooring, beds and mattresses have slowly been replaced, and a couple received new vinyl siding, but many are still the red wood or white and green as originally built.

On the west side of Highway 97, it's nothing but ballparks now (DND Land leased to the City of Vernon), an officer barracks, the School of Music building, F-20 (Transpo), G-20 sat empty for a couple years and is now an indoor Air Rifle Range and Mess Hall for the Cadets/Junior Rangers that use the Weatherhaven tents on Tent Lines (old K&D Lines - the barracks there are gone, was an empty field with a single building until 1998 when it was torn down, replaced by portable modular building when the tents were built) , H-20 which is the old Pioneer Course building is usually empty but I hear the BCDs are using it to store some gear.

The first attached photo is of the 1998 land plot - http://i49.tinypic.com/2hwe4wg.jpg
Second is current to 2012 (despite the fact I labelled it 2011 - may be hard to read for some) and I added some details to map it out - http://i45.tinypic.com/2nknjvc.png 
The third is current photo without markings - http://i49.tinypic.com/2hxcehf.jpg


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## chrisf (14 Oct 2012)

We had a mandatory pay parade for all the staff at the bde HQ during ARCON 2004, an advance for the full amount of our field allowance for the exercise... I didn't really see the point at the time given that we were all paid by direct deposit... in retrospect, I assume the canteen must have been doing poor business...


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