meaford

[portcullisguy]

I'm in Meaford now, doing Op Athena pre-deployment training, and I am reminded of why I hate the place so much.

Marching in step - We are not on course, but because so many people are, it has been deemed that we shall march in step and carry rifles are the shoulder arms anyway.  Luckily I'm a C6 gunner, so I still get to sling it.

No Camelbaks - We are supposed to be doing 8 weeks of BFT work up training compressed into 3 weeks, so we are marching nearly every day.  Ruck or webbing, or both.  And it has now been decided that we will not carry camelbaks, not even in our rucks, or under our cbt shirt.  No non-issued kit will be seen.

Shacks must be in order - Ok, I know it's the army, and I keep my area pretty tidy anyway, but if they wanted us to do hospital corners, it would have been less aggravation on everyone if they said so from Day 1.  I've never stayed in shacks longer than a weekend, before this, so I've never had to make hospital corners on my bed.  Hell, I was using a ranger blanket anyway, and not the base linen.  But now we ALL have a perfectly made bed which none of us sleep on, on the top bunk.  We just stow the ranger blankets and spare pillow away in the morning.

Tank ruts - Everyone's friend!

Weather - While it has mostly been really nice (although cool lately), I just know it won't last.  Meaford weather turns in an instant, and winters are friggin horrible.  Not looking forward to it.

Nothing to do - Meaford is boring.  Owen Sound isn't much better.  Going out costs money anyway.  I invested in a portable DVD player and have a stack of movies, so does everyone else.  Lots of DVD trading going on.  Only thing to do during down time.

I shouldn't complain, because I'm not on course.  It just feels like I am. 

 

[rounder]

Ray,

  I think that is your name. I spoke with someone on the same trg as you, and he said the exact same thing. I'll shed some light on Meaford and their BULLSHIT policies. Rest assured when you get to Pet it will be different. The Army does not exist in real life like Meaford. Part of the problem is that the place full of "has been staff" and they hate the reserves, as does CBO, lets not forget those thieving bastards. They are there to support the reserves and they do the opposite... they steal money from the reserves. I say F!@K them. Don't take it personally, they are all losers (90%) anyway. They live in a battleschool world that doesn't exist in the real army. Look at some of those guys posted there, no one else wants them. Why, because they are pricks and the guys in the battalions will end them. The whole Idea of non-issued kit is fine... then issue it. Your training for the war on terror and they are screwing you around. All I can say is hang in there man... take the bullshit and then grow from it, and if you ever get the chance to teach there... DON'T!!!!!!!

Good luck...

 

[Slim]

Hey all

Well I have to chuckle a bit at the Meaford stories I'm reading in this thread. Back when I was crawling around that place it was great...This is before the RCR Battleschool moved in and jammed a pacestick up the base's collective a$$.

This was back around '87 and '88. The place was almost all canvas and the Mo', back then, was far more into having a good time that it seems to be now, with all the anti- this and that policies in effect.

The training was just as good and the Jr's was always hopping! (For anyone old enough to know what I'm talking about remember the "Caution-Chang Crossing" sign outside the old canvas kitchen?!)

I was in Meaford recently and my brother and I drove around the base just for the heck of it. Now everythig is all marching and formal. Just goes to show that the fun seems to have gone out of soldiering.

Oh well...Maybe I'm just remembering the good stuff and not the bad. Take it for what it is I guess.

Slim

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

walking in step I can see, a sign of professionalism.  As far as the rooms go, as long as they are relatively clean I couldn't see a problem with it.  In regards to the camel back, I would use it anyway.  Just ensure you finish your canteen first.  Then tell them your using your initiative by carrying more water and therefore not become a heat casualty.

 

[Fusaki]

They live in a battleschool world that doesn't exist in the real army. Look at some of those guys posted there, no one else wants them. Why, because they are pricks and the guys in the battalions will end them.

Not all the staff deserves to be painted with the same brush. While I have heard of NCOs getting sent to Meaford because they wern't wanted in Battalion, I know that there are plenty of particularly checked out NCOs working in Meaford as well.

On the other issues...

What would happen to the Battleschool Candidates if there were a bunch of Res walking around without marching and using non-issue kit? It would be harder to enforce the rules to those on course and it would ruin the Battleschool atmosphere thats an important part of infantry training. In my opinion, cutting some slack to those visiting the base would do more harm to candidates then its worth. I wouldn't be such a ball licker if this wasn't an anonymous forum, but I gotta say I stand by the RSM on this one. The senior NCOs who decide these sorts of things are not just administrative throw aways. They're regularly rotated in and out of positions in Meaford and between each battalion.

 

[rifleman]

What would happen to the Battleschool Candidates if there were a bunch of Res walking around without marching and using non-issue kit?

They might be considered trained?

 

[rounder]

What would happen to the Battleschool Candidates if there were a bunch of Res walking around without marching and using non-issue kit?

    I hear what you're saying, but it happens all the time (Res units train there on weekends) And as to my previous comment about the staff... perhaps I was blunt by WAY to many bad experiences there.

 

[GerryCan]

Wow portcullis guy, almost sounds like being in the army huh? Marching in step and all being the same?? Crazy if you ask me.

All joking aside, come to 1 RCR, then try to complain about being the same, drill, and camel baks.

As for the skids downtown in the dreaded Owen Sound, bah. We own that place, Owen Sound might as well be the base.
Bring your friends, which shouldn't be hard because most people don't have anywhere else to go, and don't act stupid and you won't get dummied out on the dance floor at Beach Brothers with a beer pitcher.

But then again, we got out 4 weekends out of 16 weeks so we pretty much went nuts when we got out, the rest I'll save for locker sentry as it's not suited for this board.

SQ?? No idea...I hear it's the same as battle school and I also hear it's right out of er so I don't know. Guess you have to do it and find out.

 

[foerestedwarrior]

As for the skids downtown in the dreaded Owen Sound, bah. We own that place, Owen Sound might as well be the base.
Bring your friends, which shouldn't be hard because most people don't have anywhere else to go, and don't act stupid and you won't get dummied out on the dance floor at Beach Brothers with a beer pitcher.

did you think that maby people like you with that attitude are the cause of the problem????

 

[Fusaki]

did you think that maby people like you with that attitude are the cause of the problem?

Like the civvies are soooooooooo fucking innocent...

 

[foerestedwarrior]

Like the civvies are soooooooooo ******* innocent...

never said they were, we deal with them wenever we are up in OS, but saying crap like this;

As for the skids downtown in the dreaded Owen Sound, bah. We own that place, Owen Sound might as well be the base.
Bring your friends, which shouldn't be hard because most people don't have anywhere else to go, and don't act stupid and you won't get dummied out on the dance floor at Beach Brothers with a beer pitcher

all it does is perpetuate things and make it worse, saying you practicaly own a city cus you are RCR waiting or on your SQ...oooooo you are sooo friken important. All this crap stemmed from people like you wanting to show those "civies" that army guys are better. They are just defending their territory.

 

[GerryCan]

I don't remember ever saying that the 'RCR' own Owen Sound. I mean, the odds are better in the army guys' favour obviously.
And i also remember saying 'don't act like an idiot.'

What I mean entirely is that a. You shouldn't have to 'watch out for the locals' if you have your friends there and;
                                        b. Don't act stupid and you won't have a problem.

Which reminds me of the first time i ever went to Owen Sound. A few of my buddies and I that were waiting for course to start in a week went out to town to play pool and have a few beers. I don't even remember the name of the bar we were in because the night ended up to be a lot longer than planned, anyways. We had been there for about 20 minutes and a guy walked up to us and the first thing he asked was if we were in the army. We replied 'yes we're here for Battle School.' He then replied with 'Well just so you guys know, we don't want any trouble here, we're here for a good time tonight.' We then replied with something along the same lines and carried on with our night.
So I guess what I'm getting at is that it's not just 'civvies' out there starting fights, and it's not just 'army dinks' either. It happens around every base I've been on, and probably won't be coming to a close anytime soon.

 

[Monksflat]

Meaford sucks.  There's no doubt about it.  I spent most of last summer there.  Ended up messing up my ankle; Somehow not in a tank rut, but on the obstacle course. Then was  RTU'd with a week left on my BIQ. 
If you're still going to be there during the summer, be prepared for some crazy weather in the field.  Bring what you need to keep yourself cool and hydrated, but also what you need to keep yourself warm.  On my SQ FTX, we had 4 guys go down one day as heat casualties, and 3 the next with hypothermia.  It was messed up.  Pretty much everyone survived though  ;D

 

[fleeingjam]

so basicly what would you guys give it on a scale of 1 to 10

 

[MikeM]

5 or 6

 

[Fishbone Jones]

-2

 

[foerestedwarrior]

-2

lmao....agreed

 

[Fusaki]

I'd give it a 5 or 6, only because a temporary posting to Meaford (i.e. enemy force) would get me close enough to the Greater Toronto Area to get home on weekends. So, for the record, Meaford still sucks.

 

[JBP]

So basically Meaford was established there and put there and kept as an active training facility because it is hardcore. It will kick your ass one way or another in some fashion. Understood...

Question:

For RESERVE folks going through Summer or any other timeframe BMQ, do they send you to Borden or Meaford if your from the Niagara Region/GTA??? Or either or depending on what room/facilities avail? Just trying to figure out where I'm headed!!! I believe the folks from Linc's+Winks (my future unit) went to Meaford this year, can anyone confirm?

Thanks,
Joe!
Mr. Merit Listed and ready to go!

 

[MikeM]

Depends on your brigade where you will go..

If you're in the GTA (31 or 32 CBG primarily) then expect to go to meaford.