htown11 said:
Can't find anything about living on base/ weekends
You must be a very fast reader! That was a lot of material.
Try this,
Average day (or week or month or even a year) as a Combat Engineer
http://army.ca/forums/threads/109556.0
2 pages.
Expect to spend a fair amount of time away from home and your family, so ensure you have your sh*t wired tight administratively and your family has contingency and care plans in place. You will be busy day to day, unlike some of the whining in the other thread that was linked to. Some days may seem to drag on where mandatory cleaning and maintenance are required.
After training, life in the regiment field squad goes like this:
- Show up 0730 for parade.
- If PT day (3 days or more a week), then PT for a while, go back to shacks, change. Parade.
- Sit in cage until something to do. (Sweep floor, inspect vehicle, move some stuff around)
- Sit in cage until lunch time.
- If Wednesday then, regimental Parade at 0730, followed by safety talk, then SQ parade. Then sit in cage, possibly till lunch. Random takings tossed in here and there.
- Go to lunch. Return for Parade.
- Sit in cage.
- Normally about 30 minutes before you leave for the day (15:30 - 16:30 - sometimes much later) someone will come with last minute tasking. (Sweep the bay out, clean up some area, check some vehicle going to field)
- Repeat process next day.
Anything else from this involves training course, field prep or cleanup.
You might be wanting to do something, training, or anything but sit in the cage, but that will be difficult to do. Higher ups want to have people at their finger tips in case something comes up and you are needed for something. Probably a very similar story in most regiments.
Eventually you will reach the rank of MCpl and you will get to sit in the office area away from the No hook ranks. Spend most of your day in office area I assume. Unless there is training or field prep/cleanup.
"Stress on the family, how long are you away from home?"
"Strength required by spouse/family? Time away from home?"
"...make it easier or more fun for the family? Do people wish they went with less danger, more activity, less time away, Is there any suggested preparation a husband or wife can do to be more stable with the stress that is gonna come with the lifestyle??"
"...make the best decision possible for my family."
"If my girlfriend moves out to wherever I'm posted how often will I get to see her? Generally speaking, how often after MOC are you away for more training? Is there any kind of average you could give me?
"Typically spend a week or two away every month?
Spend a month or so away once every few months?
Usually home at night except when _________ .
I'm trying to get an understanding how often my girl will be home without me. I'd really appreciate any information you could share. I mean, combat engineers have families too don't they?"
"I just need some details about the lifestyle for my significant other's sake."
"how often could I expect to be home?"
etc...
