Well, I did it! I survived Basic Military Qualification (BMQ) at CFLRS! I would be lying if I told you it was a breeze to get through. I can honestly say it was one of the greatest challenges I've gone through in my life. Not just physically, but mentally, as well, especially in the beginning, but I made it! There were certainly times in which I doubted whether or not I was going to be able to get through the course, but, in time, everything came together and just over a week ago my platoon mates and took to the parade square for our graduation parade!
I was pleasantly surprised to learn a few days before our graduation that I was chosen by my instructors as my platoon's Most Improved candidate, which meant I was given the honour of carrying the Commandant of the school's pennant, which awarded at the end of every BMQ course to whichever platoon on each course that out-preforms their sister platoon during the course. So, when our platoon marched out on to the parade square on grad day I was right up front carrying the Commandant's pennant for my platoon.
And that was that. The next morning I was up out of bed at 03:00 preparing to clear out of CFLRS. Hopefully I'll never have to set foot in that building as a student ever again, or as an instructor for that matter. And so it was that at 05:00 on March 4 I hopped on a bus and made the eight hour trip from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec to CFB Borden, Ontario, where I'll be spending my time for the foreseeable future while I wait to begin my ACS Tech course and then while I actually take said course.
Life here at CFB Borden is 100 times better than it was back at CFLRS. When I get up every day I actually feel as if I am going to work now. I'm in my proper Air Force dress of the day, complete with my name tag, olive drab slip-on for my epaulet, and a proper Air Force cap badge on my beret; I finally look the part for what I've chosen to do, which, though it may seem like a big deal, feels really good. And that's just the start of it. I'm finally working proper military hours, and when we're dismissed for the day I'm on my own time. I can change out of my uniform into my civies, and I can even be so incredibly sinful as to sleep if I want to! I say sinful because, back at CFLRS, if you were caught sleeping before 23:00 you'd have thought you had committed a capital offence.
One thing is for certain. Life can only get better from this point forward. In time I'll be able to finally buy my first new vehicle. In fact, I already have enough money to just about cover my insurance when I do finally choose a vehicle, which I hope will be very soon. I may start looking for something after next week. We're just going to have to see what goes on. All I know is, for the first time in a long time, I'm excited for what the future holds!
I was pleasantly surprised to learn a few days before our graduation that I was chosen by my instructors as my platoon's Most Improved candidate, which meant I was given the honour of carrying the Commandant of the school's pennant, which awarded at the end of every BMQ course to whichever platoon on each course that out-preforms their sister platoon during the course. So, when our platoon marched out on to the parade square on grad day I was right up front carrying the Commandant's pennant for my platoon.
And that was that. The next morning I was up out of bed at 03:00 preparing to clear out of CFLRS. Hopefully I'll never have to set foot in that building as a student ever again, or as an instructor for that matter. And so it was that at 05:00 on March 4 I hopped on a bus and made the eight hour trip from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec to CFB Borden, Ontario, where I'll be spending my time for the foreseeable future while I wait to begin my ACS Tech course and then while I actually take said course.
Life here at CFB Borden is 100 times better than it was back at CFLRS. When I get up every day I actually feel as if I am going to work now. I'm in my proper Air Force dress of the day, complete with my name tag, olive drab slip-on for my epaulet, and a proper Air Force cap badge on my beret; I finally look the part for what I've chosen to do, which, though it may seem like a big deal, feels really good. And that's just the start of it. I'm finally working proper military hours, and when we're dismissed for the day I'm on my own time. I can change out of my uniform into my civies, and I can even be so incredibly sinful as to sleep if I want to! I say sinful because, back at CFLRS, if you were caught sleeping before 23:00 you'd have thought you had committed a capital offence.
One thing is for certain. Life can only get better from this point forward. In time I'll be able to finally buy my first new vehicle. In fact, I already have enough money to just about cover my insurance when I do finally choose a vehicle, which I hope will be very soon. I may start looking for something after next week. We're just going to have to see what goes on. All I know is, for the first time in a long time, I'm excited for what the future holds!
3 comments:
Its scary to think that this is a perfect representation of my life right now; I'm starting my grad week at CFLRS tomorrow, got selected as the most improved candidate and am going to CFB Borden after that for my ACS training. Thank you for the little bit of insight on life after BMQ!
As a candidate in the early stages of research on working for the Canadian Armed Forces, it was a pleasure reading your blog
As a candidate in the early stages of research on working for the Canadian Armed Forces, it was a pleasure reading your blog
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