Correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard the R22eR will be going to Afghanistan in 2009. As a reservist, I would like to go with them, but I don't speak a word of French. Do you think this would severely hinder me if I applied? Would talking French classes help my odds, even if there's no way I can fluent in a year?
A reservist with a language question...
- Thread starter Johnny_CA
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George Wallace
Army.ca Dinosaur
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Johnny_CA said:
Yes, is the simplest answer.
Johnny_CA said:
Your 'qualifier' at the end of your question, ensures the answer remains negative.
It will all depend on what qualifications you hold, and what Trade your are. Are you an "Expert" in any "Speciality" that may be required over there? French may not be a 'prerequisite'. There are other Trades that do not need to be Francophone, and are over there. Are you one?
If you are only trying to go over as a member of the R22R, as an Infanteer, then you are not likely to be chosen.
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Look for the "Managed Readiness" listing at your unit. It will indicate which units are currently scheduled to deploy; you may discover that other units will deploy earlier or later in the same year that may be a better fit for you, temporally or linguisitically.
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I understand that this might touch on a political issue, but isn't ISAF supposed to operate in English? How is this going to play out in KAF?
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Yes.Yrys said:
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mover1 said:
Yes, by speaking english on the common admin net or TIC net. Made for some entertaining turret shifts listening to the Dutch or other countries trying to spit out a contact report in english.
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Johnny, which regiment are you from?
Being a reservist myself (soon to be former hehe), and having worked quite a few positions within the NSE, and now with the Vandoos themselves, for TF0406 and now 0307, and having witnessed first hand a few people in your situation there, I may be able to answer your question. I just need a bit more information regarding your background. (IE, fill in your profile.)
Being a reservist myself (soon to be former hehe), and having worked quite a few positions within the NSE, and now with the Vandoos themselves, for TF0406 and now 0307, and having witnessed first hand a few people in your situation there, I may be able to answer your question. I just need a bit more information regarding your background. (IE, fill in your profile.)
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Olga Chekhova said:
It is true that ISAF operates in English, but remember that is the higher-ups, when it breaks down to the troops on the ground is where it gets intesting, take the engineers for example, we have 3 troops going over, the construction troop is a mixed bag of french and english, the combat troop is mainly french however we do have sections of heavy from edmonton that are just english. I think things will work out well as long as the orders don't get to messed up on the way down the ladder... Personally I am english working a a french regiment for 2 years now and I have picked up french very well it won't present a problem.
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I did my pre-training for Bosnia with 1R22ER and they punted a guy from my unit because he didn't speak any french. Of course they didn't tell him that as it was not a pre-requisite for the tour so they went back 4 months and wrote him up for a bunch of little things that added up in the end. It's not heresay either, I was his section 2ic and had to translate to him the bad news when they cut him.
If they want you on the tour, they'll find a way to get you there. If they don't want you....you're not going.
If they want you on the tour, they'll find a way to get you there. If they don't want you....you're not going.
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Beezer is kinda right, but it works both ways. Like FusMR says, we had guys that couldn't speak a word of french before, and learned along the way, and are doing just fine. There's those that couldn't pick up a single word in over a year of french training. And there are those that did learn, but still played the "I don't understand it well" card to cover their screwing up.
Obviously, if you can't communicate with your buddies, or your chain of command, once you're live, things can't go too well, and that's understandable. Same would apply if a French speaking person would attempt a PPCLI TF. The training length should help with that and give you time to learn. And if you still can't learn, yes you could be RTUed, but there are other positions to be filled before. And chances are, you'll be in a reserve only platoon anyways, and you won't get RTUed in one of those. I know some people in a current one that have been there for a year and still can't speak it. So I wouldn't worry about that if I were you.
Obviously, if you can't communicate with your buddies, or your chain of command, once you're live, things can't go too well, and that's understandable. Same would apply if a French speaking person would attempt a PPCLI TF. The training length should help with that and give you time to learn. And if you still can't learn, yes you could be RTUed, but there are other positions to be filled before. And chances are, you'll be in a reserve only platoon anyways, and you won't get RTUed in one of those. I know some people in a current one that have been there for a year and still can't speak it. So I wouldn't worry about that if I were you.
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As I'm training for deployment with the current Vandoo Battlegroup, I can say it will definately hinder you, the degree will be dependant on your job. Most things are done in French first, and its difficult to get important briefings done in English. DAG forms are pretty decent, being in both languages, but sometimes you don't get that option to have all your stuff done in your official language of choice. Where I work, I have access to many bilingual people to translate for me, and having taken up to Gr 11 French, I'm actually noticing a huge difference in my French language abilities, which is a huge plus. I will probably be able to get my language profile at the end of the tour, simply because of all the company O Grps I have to attend that are in French.
I find that most of the Francophone's I've dealt with over the process are very receptive of English Canadians, as long as you at least attempt to speak French with them. Most will notice that you are having trouble, and will use the time to practice their English with you, a win win situation.
I find that most of the Francophone's I've dealt with over the process are very receptive of English Canadians, as long as you at least attempt to speak French with them. Most will notice that you are having trouble, and will use the time to practice their English with you, a win win situation.
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As a French-Canadian, I really have to agree with Slug's assessment, in that we're very tolerable as long as we see you trying, but if you're there, and basically whining every minute about french/frenchies, then no don't expect any help, otherwise, were good people. We usually help out english speakers, because we know where they come from, think about it, Canada is predominently english, over 75% of the geography/provinces work in english, as opposed to Quebec, and some of New Brunswick, so a lot of french people learn english and are in the same situation.
My father moved to Ontario almost 22years ago, back then he knew maybe a handful of english words that had to do with construction and cars, he learned pretty fast, took night classes etc, but people still made fun of him, to this day he's got an accent, and still makes mistakes but you know what he's glad he's bilingual.
About the ISAF doing things in English, well im guessing the people from Canada doing all the talking at that level are officers, and to become a Major and up I believe you have to be bilingual, so that explains that.
Beezer although that may be true, I think the same would be done to a frenchman if he didn't speak/understand english, the fact is if you cannot understand orders. you become a liability, and also if you can't bond with your platoon mates well you kind lose that team unity/bond. I don't think they really had to tell him it was a pre-requisite, its kind of a given, R22eR is a french regiment, same goes for every other regiment in Quebec, they work every day in french, just like PPCLI and RCR work every day in english, you wouldn't feel the need to tell someone that PPCLI do things in English therefore its a pre-requisite to speak and understand english would you, no, because its implied.
It also wouldn't be very reasonable to expect all the unit R22eR in this example to start doing everything in english because they got a handful of english people, and vice versa for PPCLI and others.
My father moved to Ontario almost 22years ago, back then he knew maybe a handful of english words that had to do with construction and cars, he learned pretty fast, took night classes etc, but people still made fun of him, to this day he's got an accent, and still makes mistakes but you know what he's glad he's bilingual.
About the ISAF doing things in English, well im guessing the people from Canada doing all the talking at that level are officers, and to become a Major and up I believe you have to be bilingual, so that explains that.
Beezer although that may be true, I think the same would be done to a frenchman if he didn't speak/understand english, the fact is if you cannot understand orders. you become a liability, and also if you can't bond with your platoon mates well you kind lose that team unity/bond. I don't think they really had to tell him it was a pre-requisite, its kind of a given, R22eR is a french regiment, same goes for every other regiment in Quebec, they work every day in french, just like PPCLI and RCR work every day in english, you wouldn't feel the need to tell someone that PPCLI do things in English therefore its a pre-requisite to speak and understand english would you, no, because its implied.
It also wouldn't be very reasonable to expect all the unit R22eR in this example to start doing everything in english because they got a handful of english people, and vice versa for PPCLI and others.
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