Not sure when BMQ starts

[Norris95]

I've been accepted to start the weekend version of BMQ with the Army Reserves. I signed up in Saskatoon, with the North Saskatchewan Regiment, so it will probably be held in Dundurn. All that I was told is that training will start sometime this September, and that they would contact me. I'm starting to get nervous because there is less then a week until the first weekend of September and I have not been contacted. I tried calling several numbers and even going to the armouries but nobody ever answers and the armouries were closed when I went. Should I be concerned or should I just wait it out and hope they contact me? Thanks to anyone that helps.

 

[MikeL]

The Reserves haven't even stood back up yet(AFAIK),  relax.  Talk to other members and find out when the unit stands up,  show up on that night and you will get the info you need.

 

[Norris95]

Thanks, only thing is I don't know any of the other people. There was a corporal who said to call him if I had any questions but I never got his number.

 

[dangles]

I do not know how it works out West, but here in Ontario at my Reserve unit we come back from stand down on Sept 4th. Also, our BMQ courses are held at the start of October.

You have been sworn in already right?

 

[Norris95]

Yea I was sworn in a few months ago. I'll just wait it out I guess!

 

[brihard]

I've been accepted to start the weekend version of BMQ with the Army Reserves. I signed up in Saskatoon, with the North Saskatchewan Regiment, so it will probably be held in Dundurn. All that I was told is that training will start sometime this September, and that they would contact me. I'm starting to get nervous because there is less then a week until the first weekend of September and I have not been contacted. I tried calling several numbers and even going to the armouries but nobody ever answers and the armouries were closed when I went. Should I be concerned or should I just wait it out and hope they contact me? Thanks to anyone that helps.

I work in an Ontario reserve unit as a recruiter and in the unit operations cell (which deals with courses), and my job puts me in a position to have a great deal of familiarity with reserve recruiting and basic training.

It is likely that BMQ will not start for your area until mid to late September. Early to mid Sept is normally when the reserves 'stand up' again for regular training; the summer is always a busy time for us and regular training ceases. Part time courses, in my increasingly extensive experience, usually begin late Sept/early Oct to let things shake out on the administrative side.

You have, I gather, been enrolled. Do you have your uniform and kit yet? Do you have military ID yet? These are things your unit needs to arrange for you.

It is reasonable at this point in time, if you are enrolled, to be asking your unit when you will begin training, and to ask for at least the first couple weekends you expect to attend. You serve part time and have a life to work around. They may not have answers yet, but it is fair for you expect someone in a position of authority to tell you that. Contact whoever you've been given as a point of contact at the regiment, and respectfully explain that you need to get such info as is available so you can prepare your life to work around the needs ot the regiment. There is no justifiable reason for them to have a problem with you politely making such a request.

 

[Norris95]

Yea I got my initial kit list (although I've come to realize my pants are about 13 sizes too big) and I have yet to get my military ID. So even though the unit has stood down, I can still contact them?

 

[Cundalabra]

I'm also doing weekend bmq in Saskatchewan this fall. I'm being sworn in this week and will be getting my kit sometime after that.  I'm still in the dark about most of the details, but was told that bmq won't be starting until after the weekend of September 15th.

I'd echo some of the comments about things picking up in early September. My unit's first full parade isn't until the first week in September.

 

[brihard]

Yea I got my initial kit list (although I've come to realize my pants are about 13 sizes too big) and I have yet to get my military ID. So even though the unit has stood down, I can still contact them?

The unit itself doesn't stand down completely'; there's still a full time administrative day staff. Usually the battalion orderly room (the clerks and admin) and the operations cell (courses and taskings).

 

[Maxadia]

But if you are still missing many people because the units are not back from stand down, wouldn't there be a 1-2 week delay in getting all the pertinent info collected in order to schedule all the members into courses?  I am assuming that the administrative staff doesn't completely decide how the course load is scheduled and laid out?

 

[brihard]

But if you are still missing many people because the units are not back from stand down, wouldn't there be a 1-2 week delay in getting all the pertinent info collected in order to schedule all the members into courses?  I am assuming that the administrative staff doesn't completely decide how the course load is scheduled and laid out?

Reserve BMQs are generally run within the Brigades. This is all figured out in spring/summer. From when a reservist is enrolled, they quickly become available in CFTPO for the Ops cell to begin loading. There's not much staff work beyond confirming that recruits are available for said course, getting positions on  aBMQ sourced to the unit, and filling them.

The unit training stands down in the summer, but the unit doesn't simply stop. I see no justifiable reason for the process of getting recruits onto BMQ to cease in the summer months. It's very little actual work, and it's an important task. Everything that matters for the pre-BMQ enrolled recruit (BOR and Ops) is still going in the summer months.

In short, if BMQs run in September, it becomes a command function to ensure that tasks are delegated to the right people with the right lead time to get those spots filled and get troops on course. But it shouldn't be a burdensome function, because frankly not a bit of that should fall outside the routine functions of ops and BOR. It's not like the recruits sitting there without BMQ are merited against each other to compete for BMQ positions.

In my example, I have four or five troops I expect to enrol in the next couple of weeks, to begin BMQ in January. I would say for each troops I'm looking at about a half hour of checking and double checking their enrolment papers, the enrolment ceremony itself (to be handled by an officer), another fifteen minutes of paperwork on the other end, walking the enrolment docs a few blocks to the CFRC, a minute per recruit in CFTPO to course load them, and then setting up clothing stores appointments for them with a suitable Cpl to escort them. Not exactly a lot of work, and it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to deal with. These applicants have jumped through a number of hoops to get in, and it's fair to expect the unit to meet them the last bit of the way to inform them in a timely manner of how they will begin their reserve careers.

 

[Maxadia]

That sounds like a perfect world to me.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that reality is different.  I would assume that sometimes, somewhere, the "right people" might not be around during a summer (training, family vacations, etc), and things might get pushed later than they would in a perfect situation.  I would also guess, that in some smaller centers where personnel are covering more than one position due to a smaller active membership, that this could happen more often than in a fully staffed regiment.  If things were to get pushed later than possible, then that would explain the numerous posts from several veteran members here about "short notice" before courses.


Now, this is all just my opinion. As is:

I see no justifiable reason for the process of getting recruits onto BMQ to cease in the summer months.

Unless you personally are aware of everything going on at the OP's unit, the above would be an absolutely true statement.

The bottom line for the OP thought, is that BMQ will most likely start in the second half of September, and that they should be prepared to expect it at that time.

 

[brihard]

Your guesses don't bring anything to the table on this. This is the world I work in, these are exactly the jobs that I do, and it is easy. It takes little real staff work at the unit end to load a troop on course and to let them know. Because it is so easy, and because BMQ is a sine qua non for continuing with training, I see no reason for what I have said to not be correct. This isn't a reg force guy getting 48 hours notice for his PLQ where he simply goes off on TD; we know recruits are coming in months out, reserve BMQs are scheduled on an FY basis, and apportioning of BMQ positions isn't rocket surgery. We know they need to balance reaerve service with the rest of their life. It is irresponsible on our end not to begin looking out for the interests of our troops from day one. We owe a new guy with zero exposure yet to the system much better than just 'watch and shoot'.

One decent Cpl with CFTPO access and email addresses or phone numbers for the recruits can handle this with ease. If the unit cannot man so as to be able to allow this important task to happen, then the failure is quite a bit higher up the chain than the Ops NCO.

 

[Bluebulldog]

Brihard..having said that, there are still lots of PTE(R)s out there that are literally sworn in, and are often loaded out shortly thereafter with no kit on their first weekend or two of BMQ while the training cell, and ROR get the rest of the ducks in order.

Norris, you're being introduced into a system where info may or may not reach you in a timely basis. The advise you have been given is fairly spot on. Once the unit stands up for training, find out who your CoC ( Chain of Command) consists of, and begin asking the questions. Make yourself available, as you may or may not receive timely notice, but mid Sept - early Oct is what I've seen BMQ start in ON.

 

[Norris95]

Thanks for the quick responses, I'll just keep trying to contact them every few days for now and see what happens. At least now I have a ballpark for what to expect lol.

 

[brihard]

Brihard..having said that, there are still lots of PTE(R)s out there that are literally sworn in, and are often loaded out shortly thereafter with no kit on their first weekend or two of BMQ while the training cell, and ROR get the rest of the ducks in order.

Norris, you're being introduced into a system where info may or may not reach you in a timely basis. The advise you have been given is fairly spot on. Once the unit stands up for training, find out who your CoC ( Chain of Command) consists of, and begin asking the questions. Make yourself available, as you may or may not receive timely notice, but mid Sept - early Oct is what I've seen BMQ start in ON.

Yes, absolutely. And such instances are usually a result of one of two things: A combination of an applicant making it in for a course by the skin of their teeth without there yet having been time to get kitted - this happens and isn't rare - or a chain of command that left things too late. It remains fair for the recruit to expect and to ask for timely info.

 

[dangles]

Thanks for the quick responses, I'll just keep trying to contact them every few days for now and see what happens. At least now I have a ballpark for what to expect lol.

Yeah and if I were you I'd use this time to read up threads on what to bring to BMQ, and talk to people who have done it before you if you can. I recommend a good pair of running shoes, a pair of combination locks for the duffel bags you will be issued. But there is a bunch of other stuff you WILL need so try to look that up.

Also start making sure your sleep cycle will allow you to wake up around 4:45am without being completely useless for the next 18 hours....work on your physical fitness etc.

 

[Norris95]

Yea I"be been doing as much of that as I can. I just need to work on my sleeping schedule ;D

 

[Habs]

Yeah and if I were you I'd use this time to read up threads on what to bring to BMQ, and talk to people who have done it before you if you can. I recommend a good pair of running shoes, a pair of combination locks for the duffel bags you will be issued. But there is a bunch of other stuff you WILL need so try to look that up.

Also start making sure your sleep cycle will allow you to wake up around 4:45am without being completely useless for the next 18 hours....work on your physical fitness etc.

Oh lordy yes. A GOOD quality pair, if you don't, you'll regret it. Don't get a cheap pair at Walmart. I don't recommend combination... I recommended key locks. Easier, quicker, and you can't forget the combo. Just don't lock the key in your locker... haha.....  :-\

The sleep thing is the key. Half of my platoon (including me sometimes) passed out during a class/lecture/whatever-you-wanna-call-it almost everyday. Our Captain knew how to punish us, but that didn't stop us from falling asleep 5 minutes later... 5 hour energies are your life line! Seriously.

 

[BDTyre]

5 hour energies are your life line! Seriously.

Be careful with that stuff - it doesn't work the same for everyone. We got a supply of Red Bull on deployment, so I figured about a half hour or twenty minutes before leaving the FOB, I'd down one. I wasn't feeling tired or anything like that, but I just thought it would help me keep alert. Forty minutes later and we're rolling down the road and I'm doing the head bob. Once I stopped drinking that stuff, I never had any problems.