Legendary Vandoos ‘do the job right'

[GK .Dundas]

At least the camps will be sorted with all the comforts.

or at least all the gucci spandex work out suits one could ever ask for!

 

[armyvern]

This will be an interesting tour, but going on previous experiance, I would not want to be the Battle Group relieving them down the road.  At least their camps will be sorted with all the comforts.

Absolutely correct above with the little edit.

 

[RatCatcher]

WOW, this topic is getting great. First of all, a couple of points of clarrification of me... I am a member of this roto, and from 5 GBMC, I also have been a member 1 CMBG and have been trained in Pet also (RCR Battle School for my JLC/JNCO).

I will not get into facts of past tours of the 5GBMC, since I have never done a tour with them (just the MDT with 3CSG), however I ask Retiredgrunt what is written on the signs of 1 CBMG... when I was there it was "The Army of the West".

As for this tour, we (I speak from my exp as a PMed/HSS pers), have been training very hard to bring honour to our country, our brigade, our unit and ourselves. Some of us, like myself have been training for a tour for over 2 years (TF 2-06, 4-06, 3-07), thats 3 wainwrights, and a handful of other exs.

Are the VanDoos cocky, damned right! Are the RCR, PPCLI, _____________(insert applicable unit/regiment/branch/service) cocky too.... IMHO damned right. Does the media sometime not understand the cockiness, yes and I mean always.

If you actually talk to the soldiers, they don't mention that we are going to "do it better", most just want to do the job. And honestly, we are under the microscope here in "La belle province", but we have another media in the rest of Canada watching us for different reasons. (Side note, I am sure none of you have ever received a mailling from peaceniks at your pvt residence...)

Every brigade, unit, branch, and service work differently. I have served or worked with all three Reg F brigades, and a couple of Res F ones too. While this may upset the way handoversare conducted, our main goals are the same:

1) complete the mission
2) help the people of Afghanistan get back on their feet
3) come home safe to our loved ones.

I thank you for the words of encouragement retiredgrunt and I thank all of you for your time today!

 

[vonGarvin]

Must be the "latin" blood, that we, Quebecers, have  ;D !

Vive le Quebec sexy!  >

 

[GAP]

I doubt there is any on this site, and of those that support the CF that think there ever was or will be anything less than excellence from the Vandoo's.

Razzing....yes, teasing....yes, pride....yes.

 

[MG34]

I doubt there is any on this site, and of those that support the CF that think there ever was or will be anything less than excellence from the Vandoo's......

That would be a nice change given their past "legendary" performance

 

[2 Cdo]

That would be a nice change given their past "legendary" performance

Concur 100%!

 

[BernDawg]

BTDT.

 

[Drummy]

More than 2000 Vandoos, from a total of 2,500 troops, will take over Canada's mission over the next seven weeks. (from first post in this thread).

I'm not sure any longer how many are in a Regiment, but if there are approximately 800 in a Bn X 3 Bns= 2400, does this mean that just about the whole Regiment is going over? Or is this another media screw up?

Drummy

 

[HItorMiss]

I would think this an error...

However if they were also manning postions in the PRT as well as the next OMLT, then the number could be accurate.

 

[Flip]

I would say Storied, but then again I don't think the term Legendary applies to any Regiment in Canada. As I said Storied is more accurate IMO.

I thought the Patricias are/were legendary.........
but I'm a civvie. What do I know?      ;D

 

[HItorMiss]

Again more storied then Legendary, they are the youngest Regular Force Regiment. In the end it really doesn't matter, every Regiment has it's history.

 

[Drummy]

I would think this an error...

However if they were also manning postions in the PRT as well as the next OMLT, then the number could be accurate.

Thanks HitorMiss  Drummy

 

[3rd Herd]

If you actually talk to the soldiers, they don't mention that we are going to "do it better", most just want to do the job. And honestly, we are under the microscope here in "La belle province", but we have another media in the rest of Canada watching us for different reasons. (Side note, I am sure none of you have ever received a mailling from peaceniks at your pvt residence...)

Despite my natural ingrained hazing nature of the VanDoo's if you care to look into some of their WW1, WW2 and Korean History there is a substainial tradition. Here is a record yet to beat I think, " In the chaplain's hut ... another casualty has just been given first aid. One of the scouts from the Van Doos has been wounded in the wrist. Roussin, an Indian, is the most wounded man in the Regiment, perhaps in the entire British Army. This one will earn him a ninth wound stripe. It's starting to become old hat to him; he's patched up and heads back to his post"(VAC) After all their founder, later command their unit much as my own. and then went on to become Govoner General Georges Vanier in 1959. Yes it is going to be a controversial deployment, but all of our regiments have been on controversial deployments, rotations or tours. I do not see any offers for these tour T-Shirts. And yes they are going to be under a microscope........................"Anti-war sentiment is growing across the country but nowhere is it like what is happening in La Belle Province. Anti-war letters were sent out to areas in which members of the Van Doos and their families live. And when members of the regiment were introduced in the public gallery of the Quebec National Assembly some members of the PQ refused to stand and applaud. Soldiers in Quebec have been yelled at and called “baby killers” by protesters. Anti war activists in other provinces have been content by and large direct to their anger for the war at the government, Stephen Harper and of course the man who is behind all of the world’s problems, George W. Bush. Even returning soldiers in the United States have not been subjected to the kind of abuse that those who returned from Vietnam were and what some of the Royal 22 Regiment in Quebec have and are being subjected to.
"http://www.canadafreepress.com/2007/weinreb071907.htm" The CBC has some interesting Van Doo archives at Royal 22nd Regiment: Canada's Fighting 'Van Doos' http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-71-579/conflict_war/van_doos/. The idea folks is to support our troops at one time or another we all lived in a glass castle.

 

[RatCatcher]

Thanks for the eloquent response 3rd herd.  You are right that there is traditions in heroes in all, look at Tommy Prince, Frederick Topham et al. We all, regardless of regimental/branch affiliation have a tradition to carry on .

 

[Mjohns]

Drummy/HitorMiss,

as a member of 1CMBG going over with 5 CMBG I can tell you that the 2000 number is innacurate.  The Vandoos are sending .......



Matt





Mode note: No need to include numbers or formations....

 

[mudrecceman]

Well, all I can say is...one of my former Tp Ldr's is a CIMIC Tm Ldr in the sandbox now...working alot with the PRT and his "protection force" is a VanDoo sect.

In his emails, he has nothing but good things to say about them.  "Excellent soldiers, always watching my back.  They have their shit wired tight" I believe was how he put it...

my 2 pennies.

 

[PuckChaser]

More than 2000 Vandoos, from a total of 2,500 troops, will take over Canada's mission over the next seven weeks. (from first post in this thread).

I'm not sure any longer how many are in a Regiment, but if there are approximately 800 in a Bn X 3 Bns= 2400, does this mean that just about the whole Regiment is going over? Or is this another media screw up?

Drummy

We're all labelled as Vandoos for TF3-07, be it people from my unit, 12 RBC, 5 RALC, 5 BN SVC, etc. The units coming from outside Quebec to fill slots sorta get lumped in.

 

[Drummy]

Thanks for all the replies/answers. 

I didn't think that the whole regiment would be going over, but then funnier things have happened, haven't they. 

All the best    Drummy

 

[DirtyDog]

Did anyone read the disparaging article on the Van Doos in Frank magazine?

Very negative.