Living in shacks as a 30+ y/o

[CivJuniorProgrammer]

Suppose if you have spare cash you could rent a bachelor pad in Kingston somewhere, just make sure you're in on time for inspections and school...or hook up with a long term significant other/FWB, again making sure you're back in time for inspections/school/work/whatever...
When I lived in there, I was Base Staff, so on other side in B77, had allegedly more mature mod mates, but the dude in the room over me had a predilection for bringing home screamers, the rubber heads under me would have parties I wasn't cleared to attend at weird hours (not as bad as the lineman, but got loud), etc...I spent a lot of nights away at my girlfriend's, just had to get up pretty early to get home and work ready as we had an earlier start when I worked at RMC. After awhile, I kept a uniform at her place.


I had someone show up at the MIR one time saying they needed a chit to get a room with non-smokers (was an issue in those days) - I wrote back a chit to the CFSCE SOR with words to the effect "This is an admin issue not medical - do your job"...got me dragged into my WO's office. They apparently still don't like doing the simple thing and moving folks...

Yeah ideally this is what I want to do but they can deny you living out for a multitude of reasons including but not limited too course start dates, any kind of training etc, and they could just deny it because someone is having a bad day, the "I did it so you have to do it" mentality is alive and well in the CAF unfortunately

 

[CivJuniorProgrammer]

It is, in fact, not part of the experience.

Your course staff are being lazy gits.

When you are a supervisor, do not do the same to your subordinates.

Trust me I won't, someone has to break the cycle of "I suffered so you have to suffer".

 

[Good2Golf]

I've had those thoughts trust me but with how soft these kids are today you can even use the wrong words without someone getting charged so there's that lol

Maybe EMP their PS5s?

 

[stoker dave]

I have nothing much to add to this and haven't lived in a military facility for decades but all this smells like a lack of leadership. If unsupervised kids are running around in a building disturbing others who need their rest, they need to be reined in and learn to live in a group setting.

Leadership includes not allowing unacceptable situations to persist. If it's poor behaviour or racism or misogyny, someone has to stand up and stop that right away.

I would also consider another tack. Suppose you were driving and were in an accident. There is an investigation and it is determined that a contributing factor to the accident was fatigue. Why weren't you getting proper rest? Because of conditions in your barracks. OK, now you have a safety hazard. Who is now responsible for addressing a safety hazard?

In my business (I have worked at camps in remote locations such as mine sites that aren't much different than barracks) a situation such as this would not be tolerated for five minutes.

 

[Quirky]

No wonder retention is low

Recruiting and getting people through the door is the #1 priority right now. They don't give a rats ass about retaining people.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I have nothing much to add to this and haven't lived in a military facility for decades but all this smells like a lack of leadership. If unsupervised kids are running around in a building disturbing others who need their rest, they need to be reined in and learn to live in a group setting.

Leadership includes not allowing unacceptable situations to persist. If it's poor behaviour or racism or misogyny, someone has to stand up and stop that right away.

I would also consider another tack. Suppose you were driving and were in an accident. There is an investigation and it is determined that a contributing factor to the accident was fatigue. Why weren't you getting proper rest? Because of conditions in your barracks. OK, now you have a safety hazard. Who is now responsible for addressing a safety hazard?

In my business (I have worked at camps in remote locations such as mine sites that aren't much different than barracks) a situation such as this would not be tolerated for five minutes.

Camps have absolutely no tolerance for this. You be on the next plane/bus/boat out of there and good luck getting another job in the industry. Mind you they also pay better and feed well. I have never known the CAF to be bad or stingy on food.

 

[medicineman]

No wonder retention is low because who in their right mind would live like this, the only thing I can see if that these kids come right from their parents place and this is their "College Experience", I've gone to a MO actually and he told me "not being able to sleep around others is grounds to be released from the CAF"

Interesting...I'd like to see in the CFMO's where that is.

Yeah ideally this is what I want to do but they can deny you living out for a multitude of reasons including but not limited too course start dates, any kind of training etc, and they could just deny it because someone is having a bad day, the "I did it so you have to do it" mentality is alive and well in the CAF unfortunately

Again, back to the other part of what I said, you need a friend living in or around town - someone asks, "significant other, I'm back in time for inspection, task, school, PT or whatever and didn't leave the geographic area." If it goes to the SSM or OC, plead your case there. Funny thing I recall from being on my French course in St Jean after going through Cornwallis for Basic - us untrained cornflakes had a curfew on school nights - in our rooms NLT 2330. My CSM was duty one night and was collecting ID cards at the entrance to our JR's Mess at 2332 one night - 300 people +/- from the 4 Junior Rank companies were charged on one day and ended up CB'd and fined...sounds like these youngsters might need a taste of that, though I doubt anyone has the stones or ovaries to do that any more...

 

[CivJuniorProgrammer]

Interesting...I'd like to see in the CFMO's where that is.

Again, back to the other part of what I said, you need a friend living in or around town - someone asks, "significant other, I'm back in time for inspection, task, school, PT or whatever and didn't leave the geographic area." If it goes to the SSM or OC, plead your case there. Funny thing I recall from being on my French course in St Jean after going through Cornwallis for Basic - us untrained cornflakes had a curfew on school nights - in our rooms NLT 2330. My CSM was duty one night and was collecting ID cards at the entrance to our JR's Mess at 2332 one night - 300 people +/- from the 4 Junior Rank companies were charged on one day and ended up CB'd and fined...sounds like these youngsters might need a taste of that, though I doubt anyone has the stones or ovaries to do that any more...

Yeah it'll be a little rough if I have to do inspections and live out, I've seen guys on course who live out and just have to show up either deus and shoes in hand that wouldn't be so bad but trying to maintain an actual bedspace and living out would be a little difficult but possibly doable, I'm gonna try that route in the long run but again they can deny me living out in a official capacity but as long as I'm there for those important training, tasks, PTs etc then it's possible. We'll see though I'm just burned out after 6 months of living with children honestly, on my 9th or 10th roommate now all perfuse late night snorers, gamers or discord keyboard slappers, waiting to go on course which I got pushed back from an initial start date I was told and im about to do a VOT in 12 weeks, I love this job and being a part of this organization is a proud time in my life, im tasked out and work around some amazing people during working hours but it's just hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel surrounded by all the bullshit in the shacks sometimes. I Appreciate the sound advice though.

 

[George Wallace]

So reading through this, it sounds like you are in Holding Platoon. Not being on a Course, there would be no Course Staff to be constantly monitoring the Course in the Shack. Holding Platoon usually doesn't have the same level of leadership that there would be found on a Course. I have to agree with others, that there is a definite lack of leadership here.
I'm also surprised that, in this day of age, there is a "phantom shitter. In my day, that would call for a 'Blanket Party' if the little fuch was caught.

 

[MJP]

So reading through this, it sounds like you are in Holding Platoon. Not being on a Course, there would be no Course Staff to be constantly monitoring the Course in the Shack. Holding Platoon usually doesn't have the same level of leadership that there would be found on a Course. I have to agree with others, that there is a definite lack of leadership here.
I'm also surprised that, in this day of age, there is a "phantom shitter. In my day, that would call for a 'Blanket Party' if the little fuch was caught.

Your day was full of shitty people that would think that is a good idea to remedy issues. Thankfully such folks that think like that are a past part of the CAF experience. Those that harken back to those days probably don't belong in today's military.

 

[George Wallace]

Your day was full of shitty people that would think that is a good idea to remedy issues. Thankfully such folks that think like that are a past part of the CAF experience. Those that harken back to those days probably don't belong in today's military.

Neither does the "Phantom Shitter". The whole shack used to suffer, due to individuals like that, with the extra cleaning they had to do. Now no one accepts responsibility and leaves it to the civilian cleaners. And you wonder where discipline has gone.

 

[MJP]

Neither does the "Phantom Shitter". The whole shack used to suffer, due to individuals like that, with the extra cleaning they had to do. Now no one accepts responsibility and leaves it to the civilian cleaners. And you wonder where discipline has gone.

Sure, but I can assume that we can both agree that arbitrarly beatings of people because we don't like their actions doesn't lead to good force discipline either?

 

[George Wallace]

Sure, but I can assume that we can both agree that arbitrarly beatings of people because we don't like their actions doesn't lead to good force discipline either?

Those would have been drastic actions, which I never seen in my time; but "Blanket Parties" and "Out behind the Tank" were still referred to as a "Cautionary" to impress upon the minds of those stepping outside the lines within your unit. People still remembered their fathers taking them out behind the woodshed or the teacher/principal with the ruler or strap, in those days. Things that parents and teachers would be going to jail for today.

 

[MJP]

Those would have been drastic actions, which I never seen in my time; but "Blanket Parties" and "Out behind the Tank" were still referred to as a "Cautionary" to impress upon the minds of those stepping outside the lines within your unit. People still remembered their fathers taking them out behind the woodshed or the teacher/principal with the ruler or strap, in those days. Things that parents and teachers would be going to jail for today.

Rightfully so.

So I assume we agree criminally assaulting people to conform is a bad idea regardless of organization or reason and doesn't work?

 

[brihard]

Rightfully so.

So I assume we agree criminally assaulting people to conform is a bad idea regardless of organization or reason and doesn't work?

In some cases it probably does actually work for minor crap like this… But it’s obviously bad for other more significant reasons, and lends itself to abuse and a culture of impunity.

 

[MJP]

In some cases it probably does actually work for minor crap like this… But it’s obviously bad for other more significant reasons, and lends itself to abuse and a culture of impunity.

I can agree with that reasoning. The cure is worse than disease.

 

[Blackadder1916]

I'm also surprised that, in this day of age, there is a "phantom shitter. In my day, that would call for a 'Blanket Party' if the little fuch was caught.

The response to a "phantom shitter" is not a blanket party, but to deposit a turd in his bed. Or so I am told . . .

 

[CivJuniorProgrammer]

So reading through this, it sounds like you are in Holding Platoon. Not being on a Course, there would be no Course Staff to be constantly monitoring the Course in the Shack. Holding Platoon usually doesn't have the same level of leadership that there would be found on a Course. I have to agree with others, that there is a definite lack of leadership here.
I'm also surprised that, in this day of age, there is a "phantom shitter. In my day, that would call for a 'Blanket Party' if the little fuch was caught.

These kids have no standard of living go a shack on a Monday vs a Saturday and you'd want to poke your eyes out with a fork, and yes lack of leadership or giving a fuck is highly lacking, the "I suffered you have to suffer" mentality is alive and well, I spoke with a officer about this and he said "it's a right of passage" and I spoke to a MO about this and he said "not being able to sleep next to other members is reason to get released from the caf" so in a nutshell I should go fuck my self lol

 

[medicineman]

The response to a "phantom shitter" is not a blanket party, but to deposit a turd in his bed. Or so I am told . . .

A certain thud on a QL5A Med A course had the course number of the QL5 Med A course more senior to them pissed onto their bunk one night...or so legend has it

 

[CivJuniorProgrammer]

A certain thud on a QL5A Med A course had the course number of the QL5 Med A course more senior to them pissed onto their bunk one night...or so legend has it

I'd say there is more truth to that legend then anything I swear these recruiters see shit pumps coming from a mile away and say "'you're in!" Before they walk in the door