Basic Training Graduation

[stacy mogan]

Just wondering how much notice we would get as to whether or not our "recruit" is going to be graduating on schedule? At what week would it be ok to make travel arrangements. At what point on graduation week can we go on base to see him? Also does anyone have recommendations as to where to stay close to base and if any hotels give discounts for military families? When would he know if he is going directly to his training place or coming home or going elsewhere for "on the job training" before his course starts? We are starting week 3 and all seems to be going well. As always Thank you all for your answers!

 

[Recce41]

Mom
You will receive a invitation, don‘t book anything until you receive one. He could fail, the course could be held, if they fail too many or to many people quit. In the old days people failed the very last day (Graduation Day), I had 3, get dress to graduate and be told they failed. This was when Basic training was 15 weeks. You never know until the last week, so you took your chances having family come. If you were close to failing. You will get about 3 weeks give or take.
As for post training, what trade is he? He may go go as soon as he is done. or wait for more soldiers to graduate to fill the next course. Some courses graduate,spend a day with family, then head out for DP1 (trade training). There is no OJT for any trade, only for people that transfer from one trade to another (LOTP). But they are Snr Corprals with time in. There is two courses of Armour ( tank/Recce crewman) waiting for training in Gagetown. Some have been there for months, in a holding Troop.
If he would have graduated just before Christmas, he would may have went home for Christmas leave. If you E-Mail me I can give more info or I could give my phone and discuss it.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Mom,
a quick web search for the Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) for St. Jean doesn‘t turn up a web page for them. This page Other MFRCs does identify an e-mail address for the Montreal MFRC. If you e-mail them they should be able to give you some advice on hotels and transportation in the Montreal/St. Jean area.

Mike O‘Leary

 

[Zoomie]

You should be able to stay in the Megaplex on Base. Just get your son to inquire about it when the time gets closer. It should cost you around $20/night. During this time of year, the Mega is mostly empty, so there‘s lots of rooms available to you.

 

[stacy mogan]

Thank you all for your responses, I knew I could depend on you ! Counting the days til graduation and my first opportunity to be on a base!

Take care all!

MOM

 

[PTE Gruending]

Just a quick question:
I‘ve heard of people failing on the last day, mostly rumours of course. But how could the Army allow this to happen? I mean, what a waste of time and money!

 

[SpinDoc]

Nope, not rumours my friend. It happens. Have seen it first hand. I don‘t think money factors into it much, and it wouldn‘t make sense to write up a rule saying "don‘t fail people on the last day because we spent money on him". Keep in mind that the recruit (in the case of Reserves) who RTUs off the course, whether it is 10 days into the course or the last day, likely finishes off his Class B contract.

And then there was this private recruit once who shoplifted from the Canex on the last day of the course and got arrested by the MPs...

 

[Michael OLeary]

Every course in the CF will have some of the more important PO (Performance Objective) Checks, i.e, course subject tests, during the last week or two of the course. Where some candidates may have already have had failures and retests on earlier PO Checks, they may be in a situation where a their next failing grade will result in being removed from training. When someone is on the edge like this, the candidate‘s file has to be processed through the course, company and camp commanders for the final decision whether to retest or to fail the candidate. That process can take a few hours, or a day or more to action depending on availability of these officers and the number of cases being reviewed with courses finishing simultaneously. Unfortunately, the result can be last-minute announcements of course failures.

Mike O‘Leary

 

[Pikache]

And then there was this private recruit once who shoplifted from the Canex on the last day of the course and got arrested by the MPs...

I think I remember that. For a can of shoe polish, I believe.

 

[Recce41]

I remember the last day 5 fellas got nails on the beach at Cornwallis the night before. The MPs picked them up, they graduated then instead of coming to Petawawa with the RCRs for Btl Sch. They went to jail, got recoursed stayed 3 more weeks. Two showed in Petawawa, the other three went PPCLI. They could have been canned, but just the punishment of three more weeks in **** was better.