Life as an Infantry Soldier?

[Dacier]

I‘m leaving for BT in March and after MOC joining the PPCLI. What unit, I don‘t know, I asked but was told to wait.

I‘m wondering, on an average day, what does an infantryman do? When your not training or on a mission, what is the day like?

 

[Dacier]

Am I being told indirectly that infantry don‘t post during their average day?

I know there are a few infantry guys on that can answer.

 

[Johnson]

I would like to know as well since I am going in as Infantry also

pls answer....

 

[Jungle]

Tough question... let me explain; first, every Battalion is different, and CO‘s have different priorities. When you talk about "an average day" I suppose you are talking about time in garrison. In most units, the day begins with roll-call, then PT. The rest of the day may be spent doing maintenance, administration, refresher training (first-aid, weapons handling, etc...) or sports. Or you may be sent on a QL-4 or career progression course, or on a task outside the unit. The Infantry is a trade where the tempo changes constantly, from "can‘t keep up" to nothing to do for a few days. Those who can‘t adapt or don‘t like it usually leave the CF or remuster, but it is probably one of the big reasons why people leave the Infantry.

 

[Dacier]

By sports you mean a pick up type game, or a regulated league based system? I never thought of that one.

For weapons handling, is their a limit on the amount of target practice a day?

Do uneventful days have a basic time shift? 6am to 5am, or work till your done?


Also, do the new recruits take awhile to be accepted by the veterans?

 

[Jungle]

You can do sports 2 ways: as a member of a unit or formation team, where there is a league and regular games. Or in inter-platoon (sect / coy) games organised locally, and usually during working hours, for fun.
By weapons handling, I do not only mean going to the range. You go to the range a number of times a year, not necessarily when you feel like it... I also mean Immediate actions and stoppages, target registration with MG‘s, dry firing etc...
The working day begins according to the unit schedule, and ends when you get dissmissed... as I mentionned earlier, every unit is different.
You will be accepted by the group if you remain yourself.

 

[Ray]

Hi there
i just past my basic training in st jean and i m now in meaford doing my sq course. It is about 10 times harder then basic but you get to play with the big guns c7 c6 c9 84mm rl ect. and 3 weeks of field work then you do BIQ of 9 weeks. get ready for some real work and alot of cleaning (alot)and get ready to run like **** if your coming to meaford after basic. run budy run and get ready to run again. run in hills as much as you can, it will help you alot and push ups and sit ups will be your new best friend. well, just get ready for it because i have guy‘s in my course that are out of shape and well I don t know if there going to make it . I hope you know what the infantry is all about. not to scare you but get ready for it. I was running 5 km a day for 4 months before I got to basic and I‘m having some trouble .
:mg:
:rocket:
:sniper:

 

[Fusaki]

is there a martial arts club at Petawawa?

 

[Doug VT]

Yeah there‘s a couple of different one‘s. There‘s a club for just about anything here!!

 

[Marauder]

Don‘t know about the PPCLI, but I was talking to some PTEs from 1RCR this summer and they said you‘ll learn to love doing routine LAV maintnance (sub-EME stuff) if you end up in a mech unit. They said that‘s how they killed most mornings after PT was doing veh parades on the carriers. Of course, they all had LAV drivers and gunners courses, so they may have been chosen for that. LOL

 

[marcuslebler]

Hi, im new here and am goin in the canadian army in about 3 months. Im thinkin about infantry beacause i think i would like to travel and have an exiting life style. I was just wondering what is it like as an infantry man, from day to day living. Is it exiting, to you travel alot, and is it enjoyable? Also could you tell me how I would be able to to speciality training, like parachutist, or sniper.....thanks alot

 

[combat_medic]

Reg force? Reserve? What part of the country? What kind of physical shape are you in? Officer or NCM?

 

[Jungle]

I suggest you do a little research on this board. There‘s plenty of info about what you are asking on here.

 

[Jarnhamar]

In a sense, anything anyone tells you will be a lie. It‘s up to you to find out for yourself. Whats fun to me is a waste of time to you.
Oh im such a great philosopher, even though I can‘t spell.

In the infantry when your on excersise or doing your job you‘ll always be busing doing one thing or the other. Theres many many things that you‘ll be doing that you‘ve seen in the movies growing up. It‘s pretty cool. When your at work BUT not on an excersise or playing wargames etc.. it‘s very very boring because your going to be sitting around on your but listening to the radio, telling lies to your buddies about girls and complaining.

As an infantry soldier you won‘t travel outside the country that much except when you go overseas to bosnia (or the new tours comming out to afghanastan). The odd individual might get a posting here and there or your platoon might do some adventure training somewhere but for the most part you as an infantryman are not required at bases like a supply technician, cook or clerk would be. (As one of those trades i think you‘d actually travel more)

Once your trained you‘ll have the chance to take speciality courses catered to your trade. Theres not many sniper clerks nore are there many infantry soldiers with courses on how to load an aircraft.

Apparently one of the best trades to take if you want to travel is Traffic Tech (airforce)

 

[Wilson601]

From what i‘ve seen; the infantry is hard when its hard, but when its slack-its F*CKING slack.

Theres a lot of cards played in the infantry..in garrison anyway. :skull:

 

[Tyler]

For the most part it kinda‘ sucks, except for the weapons :evil: Even range days can get boring after a while and firing weapons can get repetitive. But no matter how bad, boring, or hard something might be, something always compells me to do it all over again. Don‘t ask me what.

Well Marcus, we need more info from you (as medic was saying) as to what exactly you are applying for before any more detailed questions can be answered by some of the more experienced members on the board.

Tyler

 

[tjmackey99]

Perhaps you guys can throw some of that more detailed information my way, as I am going to be a Reg Force Officer in the Infantry. Just trying to glean as much info as possible before I get to find it all out first hand...lol!

 

[Slade]

well, in my expirience, in the beginning its really tough. but the longer your in for, the more you get the hang of things. the first day of course, my instructor said, "this is like every other job, some people are good at it, and some people arent. this job isnt for everyone."

 

[Soldier of Fortune]

Whats does the average day (not doing wargames etc.) for an officer in the infantry include? Is it as boring as an NCM‘s day? What is the more rewearding/fun job, Officer or NCM?

 

[newfoundlander]

Im am joing the forces soon......infantry all the way....i was woundering what the lifestyle is like day to day. is it awesome,exciting,hard ...........thanks please write back.