Single Quarters & Rations (R&Q) [MERGED]

[McG]

Military barracks may move from Winnipeg to CFB Shilo
Written by CBC News Online staff
WebPosted Sun Apr 8 22:31:01 2001

WINNIPEG - The mayor of Brandon, Manitoba says he couldn‘t be happier about reports that 700 soldiers and their families will be moving from Winnipeg to Canadian Forces Base Shilo.

"It means spin-offs for business," says Reg Atikinson. "It means spin-offs for local communities, and I also received calls from mayors from two local communities this morning who are equally as excited about this."

CFB Shilo is a short drive from Brandon, and having the Winnipeg battalion move in would ensure its future.

Many people have become worried that since German forces moved out last year, the base will have to close.

Ottawa has yet to confirm the move, but there are reports Defence Minister Art Eggelton will make the announcement this Thursday.

If Winnipeg‘s Kapyong Barracks closes, there‘s one group ready to lay claim to the valuable property.

The Brokenhead First Nation says the federal government owes the land to the Ojibway Nation.

"If it goes up for sale, definitely Brokenhead First Nation has first dibs on it," says Chief Harvey Olson.

Winnipeg mayor Glen Murray, meanwhile, says he wants city residents to phone their members of Parliament to protest against any such move to close the barracks.

"I‘m hoping quite frankly that Winnipeggers get outraged by this," he says.

 

[Yard Ape]

This is really old news. With 2 PPCLI already doing most of thier trg in Shilo, this makes excellent fiscal sence. The Germans are gone so now there is room for the Bn, the facilities are already there, it would save on time and cost to bring the Bn up for exercises, and it would allow for the closing of a large portion of CFB Winnipeg. If the city is worried, they would do better to focus their lobbying on brining in greater airforce assets. On the other hand, what‘s in Shilo for the troops after hours? That can make a big difference in retention.

Yard Ape

 

[RCA]

Now that the subject has come up I can throw my two cents in.

There is alot of disinforamtion coming oui that needs to be corrected. For one Kaypong is closing no question about it. Therefore 2PP is moving anyway. Either to Winnipeg north side (17 Wing) or Shilo. There is no infrastruture at 17 Wing and everything must be built on from scatch with limited space (don‘t forget Base Supply, Base Maint and 38 CBG HQ now needs a home. Two, Shilo is a training range where 2PP will now only be minuites away from plus they can practiclly move into thre German facilities.

There is a lot of whinning in Winnipeg about them losing "their" troops. and nothing to do with practical military matters. Also there seems to be a lot of whinning comming from 2PP also. Moving is a fact of military life. As to the quality of life that they are complaing about.. does that mean that 1 RCHA is a second class unit beacuse they are based at Shilo?

 

[McG]

Winnipeg troops moved to Brandon
By MELANIE SEAL
Globe and Mail Update
With reports from Canadian Press
POSTED AT 12:29 PM EDT, Thursday, April 12

More than 700 soldiers and 500 civilians will be uprooted as a Winnipeg army closes up shop and moves to Brandon, Man., defence minister Art Eggleton announced Thursday.

The 2nd Battalion the Princess Patricia‘s Canadian Light Infantry is being transferred to CFB Shilo, east of Brandon. The move will be complete by 2004.

"This was not an easy decision. But it is the decision that makes the most sense for the Canadian Forces and the Canadian taxpayer," Mr. Eggleton said. "Simply put this decision over time will reduce operating costs of land forces in Manitoba."

He said operating costs at the Shilo site will be $1-million a year less than in Winnipeg.

The quality of life for troops and civilians at CFB Shilo was assessed, Mr. Eggleton said. The move will mean approximately 1,500 to 2,000 new jobs near there, he added.

Winnipeg Mayor Glen Murray, who was absent from the press conference, campaigned against the transfer. The base is Winnipeg‘s fourth largest employer, and its departure will hurt the city‘s economy. Defence department documents estimate the unit contributes $58-million annually to Winnipeg.

The barracks in Winnipeg will be closed, and the 16 hectares of land will be sold through the Canada Land Company.

In 1999, Germany told Canada it would cease its training operations at CFB Shilo. At that time, the defence department began to research the implications of moving to the base.

 

[Terry Warner]

The older I get and the more ‘TI‘ I get, the more I wonder how much spouses‘ lives are taken into consideration. How may 2PP wives and lovers have good paying career jobs? How many of those jobs will be available in Shilo?

I‘d bet a lot of fellows will move to Shilo on Imposed Restrictions (ie free R&Q) rather than lose household income and serenity. That will work for the married ones, but what about the lifestyle for the young guys? There is zero fun at the mess these days, and a DUI is too expensive. What will their quality of life be? Let‘s hope the community is as fairminded about letting the troops socialize in town on a Friday night as they are about letting them buy groceries on Saturday afternoon.

Terry

 

[RCA]

This is the voice of experience beacuse I come from the area...

First, I sympathize but what would be the diffrence if the members were posted to a different battalion. Same diff. Granted Brandon is not the big city, but who ever said the an infantry battalion had to be in a big city to boosts the cities economy.

Shilo is a training base, Winnipeg is not. How much time, money, and effort went in to moving 2PP to Shilo for training execises. I‘ve watch them drive the M113s down yhe Trans-Canada between Shilo and Winnipeg a distance of 200 kms. They spent most of their ROTO 7 training there.

It is interesting how all of a sudden the Westman area is the wilderness when 1 RCHA has been here and the QOL issues never came up. If is good enough for the gunners why not the infantry.

Brandon is a city of 40,000 and it does not roll up its sidewalks after 6 pm. It has had troops socialize in the city since WW II. In actual fact, its growth rate is higher than Winnipeg and its taxs lower. It is an excellent place to bring up kids and the crime rate is a lot lower than Winnipeg. Jobs are there to be found.

I think 2PP should kiss the ground that they weren‘t moved to Wainwright. In a couple of years they‘ll wonder what all the fuss was about.

 

[Tom Barrett]

Concur with RCA. Brandon is a great town, Shilo‘s a good place to work. They have everything Winterpeg has only smaller, so what? There‘s suckier places to go.

 

[Satelliteslayer]

I am just finalizing a OT to FCS and am looking for information on CFB Borden as well as the course outline for FCS.

First.... what is the situation as far as quarters go for CFSEME? It has been years since I was last in Borden and it wasn't at CFSEME.

Is it 4 per room, 2 per room ???

What about internet and computers? in Wainwright everything must fit in your "civvy locker"

Is there any storage locations near by, something like U-Haul and the like.

What is the schedule for a typical day? Morning PT, weekly drill, open locker inspections....

How is the parking? I have my truck are we allowed to bring it on base.

Pretty much any relevant information would be appreciated

Thanks

 

[AmmoTech90]

My time at CFSEME was a while ago, but here's what it was like in the 90s... Stayed in A149 for my 3's and A247 for 5/6/OSQs.

2 to 4 per room depending what shacks, I believe it is all 2 per room now, I heard at least part of 4 A buildings behind the O club had been renovated to 2 per room, A 247 is modular and 2 per room.

Rogers Cable is available with Internet in A 247 don't know about the other shacks.

We had a good size closet per person in each room, in bottom of each A247 mod there are storage lockers, 1/room I think.

No comment on PT, etc, it was too long ago, and varied from course to course, coy to coy.

Lots of parking, no problem with access.

Pray you don't end up in the old fire fighter shacks next to the arena, they suck.

 

[copper]

Typically FCS are placed in the Mods, 2 per room, 8 rooms per Mod.  Rodgers cable have most of the barracks hooked now for internet and cable, it can be hooked up within 48hrs at a decent price.  CFSEME isn't ridged about your rooms as long as you don't give them a reason, meaning no food or garbage left about and your bed made.  If you are a QL3 the standards will be set within the first few weeks, they normally leave you alone after that unless you f**** up.  You can leave your computer out as long as its neat.  The mods have ample storage space in the rooms, and a overflow locker in  the basement for each room.
Plenty of storage space for veh and trls.  Your PMV is allowed on the base, but keep in mind that the MPs training school is on the base and they do get road time looking for traffic infractions to write up.
If your VOT from hard Army, PT, Parades and inspections will be a breeze for you.

Keep in mind the finer points are always subj to change depending on who is the school RSM, Coy CSM at the time you arrive.

 

[VersuS]

I just finished my FCS QL3 in november. The shack are in A-147. There's 2 mess on base for the junior ranks, the Obidjiwa (cant remember how to spell it) which is located right besides the barracks where you can have free pizza/subs on thursdays evening.

A typical week:
3 days of PT, which was tyipically sports the monday, cardio on wed. (when they have enough people they split between a fast and a slow jogging group) and on thursday they go for a circuit training (mostly a slower cardio w/pushups and the like...)
We had an inspection/parade on every tuesday, in school, not a big deal.

For the shacks, the staff were okay with us, as long a we kept the rooms relatively clean. QL3's are in A-147, 2 bedrooms. No need to wax the floor, just keep your floor swept, garbage emptied and no food. They allows fridges in the room as long as you submit a memo for them, same thing for Air Conditionning (it get very hot in the shack during summer). Big locker in the room, small bookcase and small table for the TV. Plenty of parking for you car and trailer, if you got one. I even got my dirtbike there, plenty of trails around the base. Just don't do the same as me and get caught by the MP's near the Ammo Dump
The school for the FCS trade is right next to the junior ranks kitchen and the LAV part of the course is held next to the veh. tech school.

Very easy course. If you review your notes about 30 mins per week, there no way you can have trouble with the course.

If you need anymore info, just ask me

 

[BITTER PPLCI CPL]

I don't know what the cost is for troop's in other part's of Canada is, but in CFB Shilo the troops are paying about $350 (for one person) to eat at the kitchen. They are limited to one drink of milk and re-fills are extra, etc...Does anyone out think that's almost criminal! This price is not including rent!

 

[Michael OLeary]

$350 per month

= $11.66 per day over a 30 day month
= $17.50 per day if you only conside Mon-Fri for four weeks and exscape the base on weekends.

Cheaper rates than eating downtown I expect.

By comparison, University of Waterloo offers "A meal plan is required in REV and V1 (residences) and costs between $2,650 and $3,450 for two 4-month terms. " - that works out to $331 and $430 per month. (http://www.findoutmore.uwaterloo.ca/housing/mealplans.htm)

Dalhousie University quotes a "19 meal per week" plan at $1315 for the first semester and $1405 for the second semester. Assuming, on average, 4-month semesters, these rates are $328 and $350 per month. (http://www.housing.dal.ca/default.asp?id=190&pagesize=1&sfield=content.id&search=327&mn=1.7.369)


You do propose a valid question on "seconds". You should consult the chain of command to define the allowed controls by kitchen staff on extra helpings. I know that in Meaford a few years ago the staff were allowed to limit serving size, but not how many time a troops returned to the meal line.

 

[BITTER PPLCI CPL]

What are they charging the troops for? I spend $200-$250 on food a month and that last's me all month, and I eat a lot. Your telling me a single person's going to eat that much, if so then the kitchen staff should be so cheap!

 

[Strike]

The cost of the food in the mess includes preparation, as well as covering the cost of clean-up and waste.

Several bases offer a "pay as you go" system.  This is what I used in Moose Jaw, as I found that I was not eating anywhere near that much a month, what with BBQs and eating off base.

 

[Fry]

It's good to hear that I won't be getting seconds, because I need to eat much less. Despite the excercise, I still can't help myself when suppertime comes around.



So basically, if you go out on the weekends, you have to pay more for meals? 11bucks if you eat more food, 17bucks if you eat less?

 

[Michael OLeary]

So basically, if you go out on the weekends, you have to pay more for meals? 11bucks if you eat more food, 17bucks if you eat less?

It's a monthly rate for rations. If you choose to eat elsewhere, you don't get money back.

 

[DrSize]

For that much money a month you would expect it to be an all you can eat!!!

 

[dutchie]

$350 a month....and they cook it for you, clean up, and do all the shopping? I'll trade you anyday guys. That's a bar-goon.

edited to add:

That's $3.88/meal, breaky through supper, all you can eat.

 

[Strike]

It's a bargain if you don't take large blocks of leave -- a week or more at a time.  Then it can get frustrating.