Guide to BMNQ (Basic Military Naval Qualification)
Good day,
As a recent graduate of BMNQ I thought I would create this guide in an effort to assist those preparing for BMNQ at CFB Valcartier. The reason I feel there is a need to post this because of the huge difference between BMQ and BMNQ. Without further ado I will get down to it.
DISCLAIMER: Every basic training, platoon, section, ect. has different rules and expectations. I am posting based solely on my experiance of BMNQ and your experiance may be different.
How BMNQ starts:
Your first steps of BMNQ are actually at your home unit. You will receive at least 15 days (I believe) or training at your home unit before going to BMNQ. This will include your first aid, as each unit is different I suggest you speak with the person in charge of training you to learn more.
Part of your home unit training will include online learning where you will need to study a variety of educational materials and complete several PC’s and EC’s (Performance checks and Evaluation checks). Once again it is best to speak to your home unit about your online learning.
Once you get to CFB Valcartier (Valcatraz) and Camp Vimy:
This is where it begins to be very different from BMQ! Your entire basic training will be conducted out of MOB Tents. This means that you will always be sleeping in a tent, on a cot, in a sleeping bag. So I will begin here with tips as per your accommodations:
- · More or less the average people per tent was 8
- · The tent is on a concrete platform and there are about 2-4 electrical outlets in each tent
- · Tents are separated into guys and girl tents
- · You sleep on a general army cot, one inflatable camping mattress, one sleeping bag and cover
- · You will store your ENTIRE kit in a lockable Barrack Box (Pelican Case)
- · Showers, washrooms, and laundry are in a separate building
o 1 shower stall per platoon, 6 shower heads; get comfortable with your platoon
o Ladies; you will share 1 shower stall between 4 platoons you will less space than the guys
o 3 toilets per platoon; 3 urinals per platoon
o 2 washing machines, 2 drying machines per platoon
- · Meals are at the galley, it is a 1-2km march away
- · The food here was really good, but unhealthy
- · Each platoon has a “classroom”
o This is where you will form up everyday
o You will spend almost your entire first 4 weeks here
o The classroom is a roofed pavilion with curtains and a projector
o You will sit on a wooden bench (like a sports bench at a basketball game)
o You will share a wooden table with 2-3 people
o Just like BMQ you will have death by PowerPoint here, not to mention those wooden benches will kill your back (PT was a godsend not a punishment)
That’s all I can think of for accommodations so, I will move onto Physical Training (PT):
- We had about 2 pure PT sessions per week.
o The PT session was very cardiovascular based workouts
o Expect a lot of running; prepare for about 2-5km runs
o Circuit Training with body weight
o Work on your push ups about 25 military style
- We also had 2-4 sessions where we were taught by PSP
o More strength based sessions
o Work on your squats and arm strength
- Punishment PT will be the core of your PT
o Push ups (buddy push ups, holding push ups, human centipede push ups, ect.)
o Sit ups (Team sit ups, weighted sit ups, ect.)
o Planks (Side plank, front plank, ect.)
o Wall sits (Arms extended, with weapon, singing, ect.)
o Running
o Whatever cruel thing they could think of
I can’t go too in depth about the in-class learning but I will touch lightly on topics you will cover:
- · Weapon Theory (C7 and Sig Sauer P225)
- · First Aid
- · CBRN Procedures
- · CAF Drill and Ceremony
- · CAF Safety and Security Policies
- · History of the CAF and RCN
- · Sea Survival
- · Fall protection, Man Aloft
- · CAF, RCN, Traditions and Values
- · Shipboard operations
- · Conducting naval and joint operations
- · Legislative framework
- · Personal Awareness and resources
What most questions are about Infamous INSPECTIONS:
DISCLAIMER: inspections are run by the platoon commander therefore every platoon is different and I am giving these tips based on my experience!
- Inspections will take place in your MOB Tent
- Much easier than BMQ inspections
- Everything you need for your inspection will be given to you besides your underwear get 4 pairs of plain white tighty whities to make it easier on yourself
- Your personal kit (toothbrush, soap, razor, ECT.) will NOT be inspected. So do not waste money buying a “inspections kit”
- Things we got nailed for most:
o Threads on uniform (Irish pennants), BURN THEM WITH FIRE
o Dirt and grass on your cot (underneath sleeping bag and mattress)
o Do not leave a broom in your personal tent, it goes back to the common tent
o Do not move during inspection
o Make sure your buttons are done up on all kit
o Make sure your pants are bloused properly
o Dirt on boots is a bitch dust them off with a Swiffer and cloth every morning
o Starch is both your best friend and worst enemy, use it wisely
o Make sure everything on your cot is lined up
o Don’t get inspectors rank wrong
- Make sure your drill is spot on
- Do not burn your uniform like a gomer pyle
- Check for lint on your beret
- Blacken your sea boots in the AM
- Everyone is good at something, find that and work together by doing only what your best at
- Be loud when reporting “Ordinary Seaman, (Last Name), (Last 3 digits service #), Trade, (MOSID), awaiting your inspection (inspectors rank)!”
- The dust from the tent will get EVERYWHERE
- You get doubles of everything you use for inspection, keep one “inspection set” and one “work set”
- Things to bring to assist with inspection:
o Hand broom and dust pan
o Swiffer duster
o White kitchen garbage bag to keep dirt off your boots
o Q-tips for cleaning weapons
o A hard brush for muddy boots
o Toothbrush for weapon
o Toothbrush for boots
The rest I have is just basic tips to use throughout (some may have been taken from another thread):
- · Use your ears 2x more than your mouth
- · Try your best in everything
- · No matter what you will be yelled at don’t be a baby about it
- · If you can, be the ghost
- · If you think you know something, keep your mouth shut
- · Have a sense of humour about the whole thing
- · Don’t talk shit about your platoon mates you’re in it together
- · TEAMWORK IS KEY
- · The course isn’t over until you are home, we had someone kicked off course during grad parade for being an idiot
- · Meet your timings
- · Always check your uniform for buttons, threads, ECT.
- · Always check your buddies uniform
- · Triple check everything
- · Nothing in this is personal
- · If you are on time, your actually 5 minutes late
- · Wear one set of combats and wash it at night, keep one for inspection
- · Sew your name on everything, label everything
- · Learn from other peoples mistakes
- · Don’t show off
- · Shave at night and carry a razor head during the day just in case
- · RELAX
- · Sickness is passed around very easily. Do your best to keep healthy.
- · This is a hard one but it caused A LOT of problems for our platoon! You will be tired, dirty, stressed, annoyed, pent up, horny and if you finally get weekend leave all you want to do is fuck the first thing you see. Do your best not to sleep with people from your platoon! It only caused problems for us, A LOT of problems. Save it for the other platoons.
Well that’s all I got for right now, I will add more if I remember any good tips. If you have any questions I didn’t answer here feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer. If you don’t want to post it publically just send me a private message and I will be happy to give you an honest answer.
Side note: I will be gone from Sunday, February 22nd until March 8th. I will respond to any questions after that!