Let's see... it's been a few years since I did this, but I'll be coming back in (grievance finally settled - yay! not in my favour - boo!) and parading with the Glens (SD&G Highlanders) as well.
Way back when (insert your favourite cliché about "how long ago" here) - when I first joined the Muh-lissha, everyone waited for a course run at the district (now Brigade) level, and paraded with their unit while they waited (usually doing general duties or being learning dummies for corporals who were going on leadership courses and needed some instructor practice, or some other such "unskilled labour" type job).
Once your BMQ (Basic Military Qualification) is over with, you will probably be joining your unit and taking part in more unit-level training (but then you'll understand what's going on
) and waiting for BIQ (Basic Infantry Qualification), usually run during the summer (for you, up on the Matawa plains in Petawawa, unless things have changed drastically).
So the basics of your training will be like this:
- Part 1 - BMQ teaches you to walk and talk and think army-style - drill, basic weapons handling, basic intro to most skills needed by soldiers (map reading, communications, basic mil law, etc.) and basic bushcraft (living under a complicated army-type tarp called a shelter half, cooking IMPs, walking around outside in the dark, etc.)
- Part 2 - Unit training teaches you about your unit - unit history, who's who in the regiment, how to wear a kilt properly and with pride (unless you're unlucky enough to have joined a "panted" unit ;D ), and to meet the guys* you will be working with on a regular basis. You will also learn what's awaiting you in your military career.
- Part 3 - BIQ teaches you the specific skills needed as an infantry soldier, and refines the basic bushcraft skills learned in BMQ. You do a whole lot more weapons training, and learn how to function under a lot more stress, with a lot less sleep.
Once you've finished these, you will officially be a trained infantry soldier, ready to continue the training in the direction that it needs to go - specialty trades training, leadership courses, special courses (depending on your aptitude, drive, and ability, you can take just about any course you would ever imagine - I know one guy who was with the Reserves his whole career - he had his CF parachutist course, completed US Army Ranger school, was a Pioneer, and really wanted to get his Demo Instructor course). There is one important thing to remember, though: YOU ARE ALWAYS LEARNING AND DEVELOPING - If you ever decide that you know everything you need to know, and that you can stop applying yourself, then you have at that point failed yourself, your buddies, and the CF.
Good luck, and enjoy!
* note that, even in today's PC army, I will persist in using the term "guys" in a gender-neutral way. (if you don't like it, go pound sand!)
. I think the parts of basic that I found difficult was trying to stay awake in class sometimes, (i'm sure a handful of you know what i'm talking bout) all the cleaning (I swear they're vents hooked up to the dryer or somthing becuase everyday there's an abundance of lint everywhere) and the sowing.... :
