The Cost Of Treating Troops As Free Labor Providers

[jollyjacktar]

I remember that treasure hunt well.  I had some fun watching the reaction of a Snr NCO late in the day who came across me shredding some blank papers and demanded to know what I was shredding when I responded "it's nothing, just some Somalia documents I found stuck in the back of the drawer of the cabinet".  I thought they were going to have a stroke.  ;D  Good times, good times.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Range declaration 20 odd years ago:

"I have no live rounds, empty casing, or Somalia documents, in my possession SIR!"

Gold!  :nod:

 

[dapaterson]

The look on my Adjt's face when I announced I'd found a Somalia document in the pay office was priceless.  His death threats when I handed over a copy of the CANFORGEN were just the icing on the cake.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

;D

 

[SeaKingTacco]

As a result of one of them I still have this strange urge to search my filing cabinets  ;D

I would point out that the CDS in question was Boyle and he was a pilot.

I have an excellent memory on this point, as I was as near to ground zero on that issue as it was possible to get on that particular day...

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

You seem no worse for wear.

 

[cavalryman]

I would point out that the CDS in question was Boyle and he was a pilot.

I have an excellent memory on this point, as I was as near to ground zero on that issue as it was possible to get on that particular day...

And I remember doing a little jig the day he 'left'.  I was ground zero on a few files when Boyle was ADM (Per) and he was the only 3 star in 35 years that had me walk out of 101 after giving a briefing and straight into the E&C for a pint or three.  No other senior officer had ever tossed me under the bus in public before and none has since.  He was a damned good captain though, from what I heard.

 

[Pusser]

Ah yes, I remember it well - the Jean Boyle School of Leadership:  all faults are those of your staff.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

There is an urban lengend about a parade, an Officers mess and a PPCLI MCpl who called him out during the following townhall.

 

[MJP]

There is an urban lengend about a parade, an Officers mess and a PPCLI MCpl who called him out during the following townhall.

Is that the one where someone listed the wasted man hours?

 

[medicineman]

As a result of one of them I still have this strange urge to search my filing cabinets  ;D

Urgh...I remember having to go through that charade.  Of course, my Clinic HCA at the time had been in Somalia - seem to recall the smell of smoke coming from his office that afternoon  ;D.  I found documents dating back almost to the Vietnam war, but no Somalia things.

MM

 

[Old Sweat]

I had been given a used secure hard drive from the NDOC a while before Somalia. I retired at the end of October 1994 and a while later found that my old hard drive had the Somalia op logs on it, a good deal of which I had written over.

 

[Gunner98]

There is an urban lengend about a parade, an Officers mess and a PPCLI MCpl who called him out during the following townhall.

I was a witness to a Base Briefing in Shilo when a young Artillery Officer questioned why CDS Boyle felt it OK to continue the tradition of civilian clothes on Friday so the CDS et al could go drinking at lunch and blend into the crowd.  This young Gunner Offr was directed to write a letter of apology to CDS Boyle for his inappropriate question. His apology was vetted from his Battery Commander all of the way to the CDS.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

How long was his career?

 

[Pusser]

There is an urban lengend about a parade, an Officers mess and a PPCLI MCpl who called him out during the following townhall.

The story I remember was that of a junior member on parade who, when approached by the CDS (the reviewing officer) made a comment to the effect that things would be a lot better if they hadn't been standing too long on a parade square waiting for him to finish drinking in the Officers' Mess.  I seem to recall it happened in Halifax though, so I'm not sure a PPCLI MCpl was involved.

The trouble with stories like this that they are like fine wines - they get better with age...

 

[Eye In The Sky]

It's been some years now but I thought it was a parade in Calgary when 1 PPCLI was still there.  ???  I also seem to recall a CBC story about the MCpl getting charged, but that might just something old age put in my head when it started knocking on my door...

 

[Old Sweat]

I recall at the time that the CDS kept a battalion (I think in Western Canada) on parade waiting in the cold while he did whatever in the mess. No other details provided, but it was not a well-received story.

I also vaguely recall CBC reporter Brian Stewart stating to Peter Mansbridge after JB was fired that the CDS had had a plan to fix the forces which involved addressing the regimental system. Stewart also stated most of Boyle's problems came from senior PPCLI officers, which was repeated by Peter Worthington in a column. Worthington listed a number  of names including Paul Addy, late-RCAC.

 

[jollyjacktar]

I will say one and only one thing positive about the Boyle on everyone's bottom.  He was trying to get a really decent pay raise before going where he richly deserved.

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Well if the story is true that is certainly deplorable behaviour and his RSM should have grabbed him by ear to the parade.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Well if the story is true that is certainly deplorable behaviour and his RSM should have grabbed him by ear to the parade.

'Never interrupt your enemy while he is making a mistake'

Napoleon