Status of Reserve BMQ/SQ

[Sig_Des]

I am currently a week away from completing my Communications Reserve BMQ/SQ at CFB Shilo, and things are a lot different than I thought they would be.

One thing that disturbs me is the lack of area's covered. Seeing that the combined courses are now only 7 weeks, they have cut out quite a bit. There is nothing on the C6, M72, or Carl G. The swimtest has been removed, as has been the 13k ruckmarch, as "Students may become injured". Students who are not NEARLY physically fit enough are still here in week 6. People who are falling out of a 6K Jog, each day.

Is it just me, or are the Forces continually dropping standards and coddling recruits, affecting the general standard of our soldiers? I am proud to be a member of this organization, but am also somewhat disturbed by what seems to be happening.

What happens if I'm on tour, and someone some of these people are serving next to other CF members, possibly endangering them, because of the lack of drive or motivation. Who does this reflect on, the recruits with no drive, or the organisation that isn't driving them?

All Comments are welcome.

 

[D-n-A]

BMQ and SQ combined is only 7 weeks? My BMQ alone was 5 weeks. The SQ course being taught in my area right now is 4-5 weeks long I beleive, and the C6, Carl G and M72 LAW are covered in it. The swimtest, from what I hear it is something that can still be done in Reserve BMQ, but there isn't always the time or facialitys to do it.

What you didn't get covered on your courses should be covered in your unit during the year, atleast in my unit its covered, as I'm sure it is in the combat arms units.

As for the people who lack drive and motivation, they probably won't last long in the CF or get very far with a poor attitude.

 

[Blindspot]

Is it just me, or are the Forces continually dropping standards and coddling recruits, affecting the general standard of our soldiers? I am proud to be a member of this organization, but am also somewhat disturbed by what seems to be happening.

I don't know if this is true or not but an American friend of mine told me that recruits in the US Army are now issued a yellow card that can be used as a "time out". Getting a serious dressing down by an instructor? Pull out your yellow card and call a "time out" to avoid the stress and major embarassment. What wonderful thing that would be to have when the enemy is firing at you. Sounds like something any one of my three levels of government would have thought up.

 

[PTE Gruending]

Blindspot, thats a myth, do a search on this site......

I don't know if this is true or not but an American friend of mine told me that recruits in the US Army are now issued a yellow card that can be used as a "time out". Getting a serious dressing down by an instructor? Pull out your yellow card and call a "time out" to avoid the stress and major embarassment. What wonderful thing that would be to have when the enemy is firing at you. Sounds like something any one of my three levels of government would have thought up.

 

[pbi]

I'm not so sure this is a myth. I have read references to it by various US writers (military and non-) who have complained about the damage this was doing to the quality of soldier being produced by the US Army training system. I'm sorry, but I don't have any of those references at hand. This "yelllow card" would not really be all that surprising, because over the last few years the US Army has been struggling with recruiting and retention problems. Some US commentators have even suggested that they are in danger of drifting back to what they call the "Hollow Army" in which units were badly undermanned during the period following Vietnam (?).

Bringing in the black beret for every soldier was one of the methods that was applied to try to reverse the trend of bad recruitng and poor retention. I'm not sure if it fixed those problems, but it severely p**sed off the Ranger/SF community, who had been wearing the beret before.

The US Army may be big and powerful but it makes dumb mistakes just like we do, believe me.

 

[PuckChaser]

After doing my CommRes BMQ in Shilo in '02, and hearing the stories from the recruits that came back, its gotten progressively easier. I was in the first year of CommRes being in Shilo, and it was the biggest pain to get around. The school building you were in? We marched to that every day. 2.7kms. My PL had 5 medical RTUs due to foot problems (extended marches). I'm appalled to hear they've cut the C6, and the 13k out of the program. I know I didn't do the full Carl G/C6 firing and such, but we did the theory and handling drills, which is enough considering we're in Comms. I learned the M72 at my unit, you might as well.

PT is something seriously lacking, and needs to be addressed. There's something to be said when an entire PL can complete the 13k BET under time, without anyone falling out, or falling behind. Some people think its a summer camp, and that impression needs to change.

 

[Sig_Des]

PT is something seriously lacking, and needs to be addressed. There's something to be said when an entire PL can complete the 13k BET under time, without anyone falling out, or falling behind. Some people think its a summer camp, and that impression needs to change.

Man, I totally agree. Some guys from the unit I'm in and I have actually decided to do a 13k ruck on our own. We felt deprived. And I'm aware that the instructors aren't at fault here. The orders to cut the physical dmands trickle from the top. I just felt a little cheated. I was expecting a huge physical challenge, but did less pt than I do in practice for my local Rugby club.

 

[skura]

But the basics all stay the same, right?   The push-ups, sit-ups, chin ups, running (well, not so much running it seems, but the other three things mentioned, they wouldn't be taken out or given lower standards as well would they)?

What about training required for certain trades...are they being altered as well or the just the BMQ/SQ standards / testing?

::EDIT:: I guess the basics ARE being changed, this is basic training afterall...

 

[PuckChaser]

I don't know if the difficultly level is going down, but a lot of things are changing over at CFSCE. We had an hour long critique written up about my 5's, just from the changes that were made and tested on us.

 

[Sig_Des]

But the basics all stay the same, right?  The push-ups, sit-ups, chin ups, running (well, not so much running it seems, but the other three things mentioned, they wouldn't be taken out or given lower standards as well would they)?

Push-ups we did a lot of. Sit ups, very rarely, and chin-ups, well.... we had to do as many as we could on our evaluating pt test on the first week. After that, it was as many as you want to do in the Shacks

 

[ackland]

I'm not sure how things are out in shillo, but I instructed a Comms basic in Meaford in 01. It was slightly different than what every one else was being taught. The experience that I had was that Comms being under a different comand than the asrmy did what they wanted and left out what they didn't like. I t was alien to me I am an Armoured SGt and i acted as the swing NCO for that course the othe plt had another armoured mcpl as the swing nco. we were both shocked at the double standard tha t was being taught and the lack of motivation being applied to the troops. there was little emphasis on troops being physically fit do to there future jobs with in a comms regiment. It seemed they weren't intrested in good soldiers as they were in unbroken tech wennies.lot's of week people were removed from the course and the tempo was raised much to the efforts of myself and fellow armoured mcpl.

If you are concerened by this you should endevour to stay upto date on your soldiers skills and pass those on to your recruits if and when you become an insructor and follow the steps required to remove the week who can't hack it. :warstory:

 

[Sig_Des]

The plan Is to keep up, and at least keep myself motivated. But if this is something that reflects the status of the Comm Reserve as a whole, I've honestly been considering switching over to the Infantry. I've never had so much fun as being a 2IC on a patrol. SQ was probably the most fun I've had in a long time, and even a couple of instructors said maybe I'd enjoy that pace more

 

[hiv]

I'm not so sure this is a myth. I have read references to it by various US writers (military and non-) who have complained about the damage this was doing to the quality of soldier being produced by the US Army training system. I'm sorry, but I don't have any of those references at hand. This "yelllow card" would not really be all that surprising, because over the last few years the US Army has been struggling with recruiting and retention problems. Some US commentators have even suggested that they are in danger of drifting back to what they call the "Hollow Army" in which units were badly undermanned during the period following Vietnam (?).

The US Army may be big and powerful but it makes dumb mistakes just like we do, believe me.

Maybe this will clarify things on this matter

http://www.snopes.com/military/stress.htm

 

[FlightSergeantRose]

I just got back from the BMQ/SQ in Winnipeg at the Minto armoury. It was about 7 weeks long and we did c7, c9, c6, grenades, and we fired the Carl G. We spent 10 days at Shilo for our FTX. It was cold out there but it was alright.

 

[PteCamp]

I too just got back from the wonderful CFB Shilo. I was there for just the SQ portion because the BMQ I did didn't offer SQ.
I found that the SQ portion of the summer was a cake walk. Even from watching the BMQ from the beginning of the summer it looked to be 10 times easier then when I went through basic the previous summer. I know a lot of you guy who have been in a while keep saying "When I did basic...." and me and a lot of the other guys who were in Shilo even found ourselves saying that same statement and we had only done basic the summer before. Why is it getting so easy? The challenge and stress is what makes BMQ what it's supposed to be, and yet there is very little. I saw a lot of people get through this summer who definitly should not have.

-KaT-

ps. Mopo_26 what platoon were you in?

 

[meni0n]

Last year basic in Shilo had the 13km walk c6, grenades and the carl g. We did do the swimtest and good PT due to great instructors. Once SQ started we were doing 10km ruck marches 3 times a week. This year's drop in standards might be due to change of commandant and the sgt major. Although last year's commandant wasn't ahem too rought. Rules at the school were no swearing. On the 13km march, she came along with us and I said someone was on chit but with my accent it sounded like sh*t and she said to me no swearing. Go figure.

 

[Sig_Des]

ps. Mopo_26 what platoon were you in?

I was in 5 Platoon. Were you GD during the BMQ Portion?

 

[chrisf]

When I did basic...." and me and a lot of the other guys who were in Shilo even found ourselves saying that same statement

I did a weekend basic, and I found myself saying the same thing... on the other hand... I once watched an instructor bite the head off a live chicken [For legal purposes: No, I have not watched an instructor bite the head off a live chicken. That was a joke. My course WO for basic was however a very scary man.]

P.S. Pft. Navy.

P.P.S. Barrel.

 

[PteCamp]

Mopo_26 yeah I was on of the wonderful GD Staff during the BMQ portion of the summer.

And Just a Sig Op for your info the Navy training was a great/challenging experience....don't put the Navy down...

 

[chrisf]

You'll note that after rethinking my reply, I modified it extensively... though I'll knock whatever I want to knock. Particularly the barrel.