Reserves - Basic?

[wooohooo]

I'm in the middle of spring classes right now but when that's over I'm thinking of joining the reserves. I'm interested in their health areas but that requires passing basic (I think)

So what is basic like? I found this on their website:

http://www.forces.ca/media/_PDF/fitnessresv_en.pdf

They have a minimum of doing that many pushups, sit ups etc... but is that just how many they make you do? 14 weeks seems like an awful long time too... do they actually just send you to a base in Quebec and train you? I'm still going to take school next year but I was hoping to do reserves part time.

[drewboy12]

Its pretty intense, I dont know personally, but its learn, eat, work out, get yelled at. and all the videos that glamorize it, i hear its pretty rough and brutal. You got to have balls to be in the army. I am all for it tho. make sure its something you want to do.

[Azure]

Don't know much about it outside of people saying that once you're done your time you come up a better person and more equipped to deal with life in general.

[CaptainCrunch]

Most fun I ever had in my life. Yes you get yelled at, yes you get physically beaten up, but its a real education, you really learn about how far you can push yourself.

At the start, I was like no fricken way I'll survive it, but every day you push yourself a little further and feel a little tougher.

And getting into shape pre basic is important, and crucial and key.

But I would never ever trade it in ever.

I started in the reserves and I went over to regular

[FlamesAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by wooohooo

They have a minimum of doing that many pushups, sit ups etc... but is that just how many they make you do?

That's like the bare minimum you need to be considered physically fit. You'll do all sorts of physical training during your courses outside of the actual fitness test you'll likely do on your basic. Your instructors will be creative when comes physical training .

14 weeks seems like an awful long time too... do they actually just send you to a base in Quebec and train you?

If you join the Regular Force, then your basic will be 14 weeks and in St. Jean, Quebec. The reserves works much differently. The standard route is that you will do your BMQ (basic) for about one month in July, followed by your SQ (soldier qualification) right after in August. Basic is just that... you'll be taught how to dress properly, use all your issued kit, basic drill movements and qualified on the C7 rifle. SQ takes it a little further and you do a field exercise and learn grenades, C9 light machine gun and all that fun stuff. You will generally follow these courses up with your trade specific course the following summer... so a course specific to infantrymen, engineers, armoured recce, etc. Also around one month in length.

You will likely do these courses in Wainwright, AB (east of Edmonton) and/or Shilo MB (east of Brandon). They can also be done during the September to May training year during the weekends, depending upon availability. I would recommend doing the summer courses, however. Training is better and it's tough to switch on soldier mode every weekend (and then spend your weekend getting yelled at )

I'm still going to take school next year but I was hoping to do reserves part time.

The reserves is designed to cater to students and people with full time jobs. The general commitment is wednesday nights, 7 to 10pm (or 1900 to 2200... might as well get started now ) and one weekend a month from September to May, excluding December. The weekends you'll usually drive to CFB Edmonton, CFB Wainwright, etc, and do some shooting, urban patrolling, winter warfare, etc. These are not mandatory commitments, however, as it is understood people have other things (school) that will get in the way. Then you have special events like Remembrance Day, for instance, that you'll do.

You can do the odd Wednesday and odd weekend ex or throw your name in to go overseas and everything in between. I would recommend getting those 3 courses I mentioned above out of the way ASAP and then many more opportunities will open up for you. More courses become available once you're " trade qualified," less restrictions on field exercises as you're qualified to use most of the weapons, more "taskings" become available, etc.

The reserves is good because it is very much a whatever you make of it type of thing. I've pretty much been on both ends of the spectrum I mentioned above. It can definitely suck some of the time, but it can also be a great job and overall experience. Meet new people, something different than the regular 9 to 5 grind, often you forget it's "work" in the traditional sense. I've been very fortunate in that my reservist "career" has been anything but the standard and I've gotten to do a lot of fun things not many others have gotten to do.

Happy to help with any other questions you may have.

[Fugly]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Most fun I ever had in my life. Yes you get yelled at, yes you get physically beaten up, but its a real education, you really learn about how far you can push yourself.

At the start, I was like no fricken way I'll survive it, but every day you push yourself a little further and feel a little tougher.

And getting into shape pre basic is important, and crucial and key.

But I would never ever trade it in ever.

I started in the reserves and I went over to regular

That's exactly what I say, but I finish it with "but I wouldn't do it again". Graduating from boot camp felt 100 times sweeter than graduating from high school/post secondary.

Do they even combine the QL 2/3 any more? I thought they split it up for the reserves?

[CaptainCrunch]

I was just typing most of it and you beat me to it damn you.



I ran through my reserve basic over a summer, and I kept at it while going to school and it didn't interfere at all.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Fugly

That's exactly what I say, but I finish it with "but I wouldn't do it again". Graduating from boot camp felt 100 times sweeter than graduating from high school/post secondary.

Do they even combine the QL 2/3 any more? I thought they split it up for the reserves?

Yeah they split up the 2/3 as it makes more sense for part timer schedules.

And your right, I wouldn't do it again. I basically had to do it twice. the first time was basic and the second time with JLC which was twice as brutal.

[peter12]

Going to school in order to figure out how to throw a grenade?

I've wasted my life.

[Fugly]

JLC is the Master Corporal course, right? From what I heard, it's more challenging than basic because you're also instructing at the same time. And the course is taught by MWO's if I remember right. They were always the 'grumpiest' of the bunch when it came to the senior leaders.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Fugly

JLC is the Master Corporal course, right? From what I heard, it's more challenging than basic because you're also instructing at the same time. And the course is taught by MWO's if I remember right. They were always the 'grumpiest' of the bunch when it came to the senior leaders.

Correct, it was a bear of a course and Warrant Officers as a rule have far less patience then a basic training instructor, and they don't have the sense of humor of a basic training instructor.

Your expected to teach course, lead simulated combat missions and show that you can gain the respect of others. the end of the course was a three day combat mission with no real sleep to be had.

And there are no kid gloves, if you screw up you don't get gently corrected.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by peter12

Going to school in order to figure out how to throw a grenade?

I've wasted my life.

Yeah, wait until your instructing shiny faced recruits on how to properly use a hand grenades.

It was the first time that I saw my life flash in front of my eyes. Combine that with having to dispose of duds.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Yeah, wait until your instructing shiny faced recruits on how to properly use a hand grenades.

It was the first time that I saw my life flash in front of my eyes. Combine that with having to dispose of duds.

I know a few Israelis that served in the army. One of them was an artillery spotter on a 155 mm gun battery. Oh man, that job sounded awesome, except I guess his position had the highest statistical chance of being hit by counter-battery fire.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by peter12

I know a few Israelis that served in the army. One of them was an artillery spotter on a 155 mm gun battery. Oh man, that job sounded awesome, except I guess his position had the highest statistical chance of being hit by counter-battery fire.

One of the most dangerous jobs in the military is running a RRB (Radio Rebroadcast) detachment. It acts as a link between communication nets. Usually with counter battery, the minute that you push the button to transmit, the artillery is already on the way.

Anything to do with radio work is incredibly dangerous.

[wooohooo]

So basically by being in the Reserves, the BASIC training is in fact super duper basic? July and August would be the perfect time for me.

Do I spend my time at the base or is it a set time in the summer and go home after? I heard you get paid in the reserves? How much does one get paid? I looked somewhere and it said if training is over 6 hours you get paid in full if not then half of that. Found that for an officer cadet it's $90 a day. Would that be right? Lastly, after completing basic what happens? What kind of jobs would I be doing then? I'm more interested in the health fields in the Army... do I get to pick or is it up to them?

Thanks for the help guys

[CaptainCrunch]

I've been out for a long time now. But to answer your questions. During my basic I went home at night, except when I spent the last 3 weeks in the field up in Wainwright. You get paid in the reserves, I don't know what the pay is anymore, In 2008 a reserve basic recruit made $83.00 a day, its probably increased a little.

Theres not a day that your not working a full day, we basically went 7 days a week because there's a lot to cram into basic training. An officer is $90 per day.

As far as what jobs you would be doing, it depends on the unit that you joined. when your talking about health fields what are you talking about? Because at that point you want to see if there's a services unit in your city. if you want infantry you join an infantry unit, armor, you join an armor unit and so on. You can for the most part pick your trade. Your best bet is to talk to a recruiting officer because the field that you get to take depends on if there's open slots or requirements.

And when you say super duper basic. Its not that simple. They cram a lot of stuff into your basic training and its easy to be left behind, and if your left behind they don't really give you much of a chance to catch up.

When you consider that you have to learn drill, field craft, weapons use and deployment, navigation, field hygiene and care, communications, small group tactics, ambush techniques, camouflage and more, you don't have much down time, and you have a lot of study time when your not on duty.

Plus all that time on uniforms, it used to take me 2 hours a night to get my uniform up to standard. I was so relieved when we went into the field and wear cammo.

[FlamesAllTheWay]

Originally Posted by wooohooo

So basically by being in the Reserves, the BASIC training is in fact super duper basic? July and August would be the perfect time for me.

Ya they run you through rifle training all the way down to how to fill out forms and everything in between in basic. Get you acquainted with army life and find out if you're cut out for it/it's something you really want to do.

Do I spend my time at the base or is it a set time in the summer and go home after?

You'd stay on base and probably get some weekends off. Generally they keep you there for the first one or two weekends. Then you can "earn" them back, in which case you'd be able to drive home or whatever if you wanted.

I heard you get paid in the reserves? How much does one get paid? I looked somewhere and it said if training is over 6 hours you get paid in full if not then half of that. Found that for an officer cadet it's $90 a day. Would that be right?

That's pretty accurate actually. The pay system works on half and full days, with a half day being anything under 6 hours and a full being over. Half day for a new recruit ("no-hook private") is around $45 and a full day is $90. This is what's known as "Class A" pay, which is used for single day type stuff. As a reservist you can do that, or go onto Class B (which gets you little pay incentives like bonuses for being outside of your training area such as Calgary) for times when you're doing work over consecutive days. Class C is generally only used when a reservist is going to go overseas as it basically makes you a Regular Force member for the duration of the contract you sign to go on it.

Confusing, I know.

Lastly, after completing basic what happens? What kind of jobs would I be doing then? I'm more interested in the health fields in the Army... do I get to pick or is it up to them?

There is a medical reserve unit in Calgary called the "15 Field Ambulance." Joining them would be something to ask your recruiter about.

As far as what happens after basic, hopefully you do your SQ right after (like in August as I mentioned). During the training year you'll be parading with your unit (wednesday nights and weekends type thing I described in my earlier post) and if you're at least SQ qualified you can go on exercises and at least participate to pretty much the full extent. Also, when you go in for Wednesdays you pretty much get treated as a fully trained soldier whereas the guys who have only done basic or nothing still get treated as if they are still on course from what I have noticed.

Jobs in the army... well, there are plenty. It's a huge bureaucracy and they always need people to do various things. There are other courses you can do that vary in length, location, type, etc. Depending on availability they may be able to employ you full time as a clerk if your unit needs one or else something like RQ (Rations & Quarters) help if they need that. Sometimes a "tasking" comes out where they'll need someone to drive something or someone some place for some reason, or you can even instruct on a course if you're qualified enough. They also regularly need people for special parades, fun stuff like rappelling down onto the ice at the Saddledome, special community relations stuff like manning a booth at the Stampede or car show. I got lucky once and got to rappel out of a helicopter twice at the Lethbridge Air Show cause I happened to have done a basic mountain operations course earlier that year that taught me how to rappel without landing on my head. You'll find out pretty fast it's a special thing for a reservist to see a Griffon helicopter, let alone ride in one and rappel out of it .

Again, plenty of neat little stuff to do if you're qualified enough and keep your ears open.

[CaptainCrunch]

Flamesalltheway, your way more up to date on this stuff then I am, I'd say your answers are probably better then mine.

[wooohooo]

Wow this sounds really interesting. I'm going to try to pop into the recruitment office and figure all this stuff out. Thanks very much (CaptainCrunch and Flamesalltheway!!!)

[the crispy badger]

Did basic training in 1997 and while it was a learning experience, i would never want to put myself through that again.