Commuter Cringe driving along the Gardiner in Toronto.

[mo-litia]

I take it from the emoticons that you're kidding. Please say you're kidding.

;D I was kidding about everything EXCEPT for calling Toronto a cesspool of Liberalism and thanking the Almighty for Albertan rednecks-we keep the rest of the people in the country at least partially grounded in reality.  ^-^

 

[B.McTeer]

I remember some years back running a weekend JR Ledaers ex down at the   Niagara on the Lake Trg area....
And having a brand new OPP Officer drive by at night, see the gate to Area C open, and, convinced that the local civvies had entered DND property to party, drive into the area with her cruiser (no Lights of course).....

Right into the ambush laid across the "MSR" by our guys........(.the CQ / OPFOR was late arriving).......

She got lit up...then turned on her cherries and put 'er in "R" for rocket.....

hahahaha i would have loved to have seen the look on her face hahaha

 

[shaboing]

We used to do all sorts of training throughout the city, in parks, etc.   It was fine until some dumb hippie wrote all sorts of complaining letters, now we've had to stop until we sort out all the paperwork with the city to continue.   We did an urban patrol through a creek that goes through downtown, mostly underground.   All sorts of folks on a patio looking down on it were startled by a buch of people moving up the creek with rifles and red lights, until one of us explained what was going on!

any idea when were gonna be allowed back outside again sir?

 

[Redeye]

any idea when were gonna be allowed back outside again sir?

Not a clue.  There is work in progress on the matter, on memoranda of understanding and such things with the city that take care of the issues that were raised, and we should be back in business so to speak.  The Ops Cell is working out all the details.

 

[MPIKE]

Never assume the authorities are in know after only one phone call.  Call them several times before the event, send them a letter and call them the day of the event.  It is funny how soon they forget what you have told them.

I don't think I have met one reservist who hasn't had a story like this one at one time or another.  I have been on both sides of this myself.

Its not neccesarily that they have forgotten but rather someone on our end hasn't spoken to the right person or it is almost always the way the info was delivered over the phone.  The lack of detail of what and where the training is leads to the confusion.  "Hi it's the army calling we are going to be training outside today I'm just letting you know..click" ...doesn't cut it. and yes I'm speaking from first hand experience on that one.

Always ask for a police supervisor, many times the initial person you are speaking to is a civilian calltaker. If you have called the local station confirm that your message has been forwarded to the Communications/Dispatch Branch so it is dessiminated asap to the coppers on the road.  Lastly, double double check with each other before you leave that someone has called in.

Unfortunately, I have met many civies who have acquired all the wannabe pieces of kit to look like a soldier of today.  Thankfully, our recruiting procedures have filtered them out. However, those same idiots " :threat:" wish they were you and like to run around with look-a-like c7 paint ball guns and cadpat from Ebay.  And it's because of these "special people" that the police are required to drop by and check you out. 

For safety sake, if you are stopped  don't jerk around.. You know you are training then but also know that the police are not in "training mode" when they show up. With any luck, you'll have a fellow soldier wearing blue that day that will be able to clear the matter up quickly. Remember the public at large will always be ignorant to the fact of what the army is and what it does.  This is a fact of life.

 

[Trinity]

UGH....

A about 6 years ago??  I was teaching on a Medical QL3 in Toronto.

We did a BFT downtown early Saturday morning, with webbing helmet and rifle.

We wrote the police and let them know what we were doing but still someone called
it in and they showed up. 

I don't blame the police at all.  In fact he was quite calm when he spoke to me, although
he was in plain clothes and I thought it was some civie that wanted to jump me for my
rifle since I had to fall back (shut up tess!!!) with a candidate that wasn't doing well. 

But yeah.. the info never got passed down to the guys on the beat.  I think they figured
when 40 plus people are walking downtown at 6 am with rifles either its army or they need
one heck of a SWAT team. 

And for Baloo... this WAS outside FYI / CNE property... although at TSR they have been lucky
not to have any incidents lately.

Better for them to error on the right side. 

GOOD JOB Toronto NCO!!!  seriously..  I've been trying to defend you for a while now when
ppl ask me.. but i didn't know exactly what was up.  More proof of how incompetent the media is.

 

[teddy49]

A Lee-Enfield shouldn't need a BFA, since it isn't gas-operated.

When you have a firing party on parade, they never use BFA's.   On the FN's as I understand it, they simply turned the gas to zero because recock the weapon as part of the drills (with the C7 the gas isn't adjustable, but you still recock the weapon manually).

Sorry to rehijack this but I couldn't let it go.  I'm sure Redeye knows this, and just didn't say it clearly, but the Lee Enfield is a Bolt Action rifle.  It is a manual repeater.  At least to me, Redeye's post left open the interpretation that the Enfield could be operated by other means, ie; Recoil operation like the .50 cal machine gun and the C-5 GPMG.  I'm saddened that anyone on this board would need to be informed of this, but I do realize that there are people on here who's first exposure to firearms was, QL-2 or BMQ and the C-7.  Or cadets who have had no exposure to firearms.  Again sorry for the hijack, but it breaks the heart :crybaby: of a proper Alberta Gun Toting Redneck.

 

[Baloo]

Ack.

Guys, I wasn't even thinking about using blanks for salutes. I guess that was too obvious.

Carry on.

 

[Slim]

just didn't say it clearly, but the Lee Enfield is a Bolt Action rifle.  It is a manual repeater.

done and dusted.

move on.

 

[Old Ranger]

When on any trg "Off Property" you always need to be extra aware.

We made the mistake of not telling my family or neighbours of our little midnight swareh that had two Patrols run into each other at the end of my driveway.  Almost went really bad when my 16 year old brother got the drop on my Sgt. and Lt. with his Shotgun.
Police showed up and everything went smooth.  My brother didn't join up because of the incident.  Policies changed to inform the populous of further training (Local Police were properly informed prior).  No worries about my brother being mentally scarred, he's a "Super" Tac officer now.

B

 

[Pencil Tech]

I take it from the emoticons that you're kidding. Please say you're kidding.

No, he always says stuff like that. Seriously though,here in Edmonton, people are very used to seeing the army. Last spring, Patricias did FIBUA training in the north end of the city, off the base. I remember coming back from the plant nursery and there was a LAV3 blocking off 66th Street with troops in fighting order around it.

That's Edmonton. I have heard more than once from pers from 1VP and Strats that when they were based in Calgary they used to get that kind hostile reaction when they did BFT's etc. So you can't generalize about Alberta (my probably losing battle). But Edmonton is Army Town.

 

[Slim]

I have heard more than once from pers from 1VP and Strats that when they were based in Calgary they used to get that kind hostile reaction when they did BFT's etc.

I remember not only BFT's but also the friday 'RecceRun" around the Glenmore Resoivouir...Not once did I ever see or hear of anyone saying anything bad about the Sqn during those training evolutions.

All were done with FFO and weapons.

Its only in Toronto that I've ever seen people acting out around the CF...and have never seen the TPS show up before!

Times are changing...and not for the good.

Slim

 

[George Wallace]

Don't forget Slim....many people in Toronto don't even know we have an Armed Forces.  :

 

[Slim]

Don't forget Slim....many people in Toronto don't even know we have an Armed Forces.    :

My opinion of those 'many people' is actually quite low! Sometimes living in this spoiled city (I actually live outside town but come here to work) gets the better of me.

Anyone hiring BG's in Calgary?

 

[Glorified Ape]

There's that Jan Brady again... Toronto, Toronto, Toronto!!! That's ok... when we remember you exist, we don't hate you for it.

 

[Infanteer]

If it wasn't for Toronto, everybody would be dumping on either Vancouver or Montreal - so hats off to Hogtown!