TDV -- Ex Stalwart Guardian

[Strike]

Just wondering if anyone saw the "Truth, Duty, Valour" episode on Stalwart Guardian today.  It will probably be running a few times this week if you missed it.  Anyway, wondering what your views of the show were.

 

[alan_li_13]

Oh BAHHH!!! I wanted to see that episode so bad!
I dont ever get to see TDV anymore becuz of my school and cadet schedule!
If anybody saw it, please tell us how it was.

 

[Baloo]

I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with the troops because of the casual attitude that they took with the camera in regards to acting as if the Canadian public was their combay buddy. Saying things like "F***ing right, yeah. Yeah, we lit that f***er up good. Kicked some a** today." to the camera when you're being interviewed in the middle of a BFA battle might not be the smartest thing to do. I know we don't always have the best image, and as much as I would dismiss the behaviour (and participate...) in the field, or in battle, I would cauthion others on what they say to the public. Am I overreacting? I don't know. But I have always been taught to watch my mouth when in front on cameras...can it be excused that it was military training? Or that it came from Pte.'s, or that it was on a show like TDV? Will anyone even care?

 

[CBH99]

I'm not sure anybody would really even care, to be perfectly honest with you.  Its a show, with a cameraman in the field with troops as they undertake intense combat training - who cares if the guys swear?  You know how army language us - back when I was in, the F-word was as common a word as anything else.  When the public watches that show, I think the public will be more concerned with the cool toys, and whether or not the soldiers are effective in their tasks - I don't think many people who watch the show will care too much about the language of the troops.  But, I've been wrong before.

 

[stukirkpatrick]

It seemed to me though  that they were more talking to the camera operator - who even was egging them on for some comments - I like how when they asked an nco if he kicked ass, and he responded with a professional assessment of the situation (right before the ending counterattack)

 

[Strike]

Baloo,

The reason I started this post was to see if anyone felt the way I did about their performance.  Glad to see I wasn't alone.  It really unnerved me wrt how most of those interviewed spoke.  It's one thing for them to swear and such while in the middle of a firefight.  It's another to do it in everyday language.  I was always taught to speak to people like the media in the same way I would talk to my parents -- IOW watch the language.

CBH99,

We all know mil language is a little rough.  I tend to get some good potty mouth going after coming back from the field or when I've spent time away from civilians.  Unfortunately there are some non-military types out there who might get bothered not so much with the language used during the Ex, but the language used while being interviewed.  Sure, the camera guy was egging them on, but the crews for this show are very young.  I would be surprised if any of them were over the age of 25.  Of note, the young American kids that they were interviewing were nothing but polite and respectful of the camera.  Certainly different from how we tend to stereotype them at times (see thread about the General saying it's fun to shoot people).

Other than that, I was still pretty disapointed with the show.  They focused purely on the Infantry side of things with only small mention to the other reserve units that were participating.  This was the biggest Reserve Ex of the year involving all the combat arms trades.  What about all of them?

 

[Love793]

I really think the episode, wasn't all that great.  It really showed the Militia in a bad light.  I fully understand that in the heat of the moment certain things may slip out, however when the most commonly heard word out of one the guys mouths was "F*ck" or some variant of the word, there's a problem. Any one from 33 LIB, know if the supervisor muckled on to these guys?

Compared to some of the other episodes, I really think it left a lot to be desired. They could have shown a lot more of the ex, from the other Arms and services point of view.  It really looked like there was just a company involved in the ex, and not a complete bde.

 

[CBH99]

I admit, I haven't been able to catch the episode.  I looked up the times, but always seem to miss it.  Anyways, I'll take your word for it - having not seen the episode, and seeing the collective reaction of this group, I'll assume the militia guys could have been more tactful infront of the camera.  Hopefully I'll catch it, I wanna see it now.

 

[stukirkpatrick]

Yeah its true that it focussed too much on the infantry with some engineer support, when they could have shown more interaction with the other elements  - I konw that on LFWA's Active Edge, I was exposed to armour, mechanized LAV's and CSS in the form of transport vehicles, and a trip to the BMS for brief illness, while still doing infantry tasks - I also witnessed an artillery barrage and Cougar gunnery, and I'm sure that Stalwart Guardian had all these things, which only received a few seconds of coverage.

 

[noreaga808]

Besides the poor choice of words used during some interviews and lack of variety in coverage of the entire Exercise I have one other issue to add. To some of you it may seem like a minor issue but I found it odd that a few of the troops were wearing hats and shirts that appeared to be American Army type of camouflage pattern. I'm surprised a unit would allow any infanteer onto an exercise without the proper uniform, especially since a camera crew was following them around.
Overall in my opinion, this episode was one of TDV's weaker entries into the series. It wasn't due to the Army but the poor production of the show.

 

[Love793]

Besides the poor choice of words used during some interviews and lack of variety in coverage of the entire Exercise I have one other issue to add. To some of you it may seem like a minor issue but I found it odd that a few of the troops were wearing hats and shirts that appeared to be American Army type of camouflage. I'm surprised a unit would allow any infanteer onto an exercise without the proper uniform, especially since a camera crew was following them around.
Overall in my opinion, this episode was one of TDV's weaker entries into the series. It wasn't due to the Army but the poor production of the show.

I kind of rolled that into the showing of the Mo in a bad light.

 

[noreaga808]

Love 793, yeah I did see that we brought up the same issues. I just wanted to concur with you and the others and also to add another point in regards to the uniform issue which also doesn't give a good impression of the Militia.

 

[MPSHIELD]

To some of you it may seem like a minor issue but I found it odd that a few of the troops were wearing hats and shirts that appeared to be American Army type of camouflage pattern. I'm surprised a unit would allow any infanteer onto an exercise without the proper uniform, especially since a camera crew was following them around.

I watched that episode today. Correct me if I'm wrong (and I could be), however, my friend who was on that ex he told me there was an sizable contrabution of American Engineers that "played enemy force" and some "played" on the "friendly force" side as well. The uniforms that appeared to be "American Army type of camouflage pattern" were probably Americans soldiers in the attack mixed in with Canadians in the fire fight. ;D

I also noticed that there was a few CDN soldiers that were still wearing the "in term" US style boonie hat. This US boonie hat was issued 2-4 years ago and was only suppose to be a temporary thing until the CADPAT HAT came around. The CADPAT boonie hat has been available for a while so I do not know why they would be wearing the US style boonie. As per a recent CANFORGEN, members of the CF are no longer permitted to wear them despite being an issued item.

But as most of you have mentioned, I too believe there was a little to much of the F word on that show. That is again, my opinion only.

 

[Tpr.Orange]

I was kinda dissappointed that TDV stuck with just one group during the week long excersize... I figured they would have gone out and tried to attach themselves to all aspects of the combat arms, and service support.


From what i could see some of the colorful language used wasn't needed. Dont get me wrong, ill let out a couple of bad words hear and there, but when on camera its a completly different story.

Im on the fence regarding the episode, and feel more could have been done. Although everyother episode this year has been great.

 

[Redeye]

Any one from 33 LIB, know if the supervisor muckled on to these guys?

There may be fallout for some people over things they said.  Only a couple of people, though, I think.  Those camera guys were right up there egging them on though, and by the end of that raid no one was really concerned too much with decorum for the cameras after tromping through Highview Tower for a few hours.

 

[Yeoman]

I was kinda dissappointed that TDV stuck with just one group during the week long excersize... I figured they would have gone out and tried to attach themselves to all aspects of the combat arms, and service support.


From what i could see some of the colorful language used wasn't needed. Dont get me wrong, ill let out a couple of bad words hear and there, but when on camera its a completly different story.

Im on the fence regarding the episode, and feel more could have been done. Although everyother episode this year has been great.

exactly. I'm actually suprised they didn't do anything on the jump company. I had alot of friends in the jump company, and it sounded like they had a million times more fun and excitement with what they did over what the rest of the battalions (well brigades, but really battalions) were doing out there.
Greg

 

[Armymedic]

I missed the show...in bed sick 

IIRC, they were using US style BDUs as enemy force, as well as ANG troops from downs south...

I was looking forward to the show as the ex had alot of potential. But remeber, not everything can be caught by one or two cameras.

 

[x-grunt]

I found the episode quite satisfying. Sometimes I find TDV interesting but a bit dull - not this time.
Like others I was a bit jarred by the F word usage. Accurate, and hard to keep from slipping out, but not great publicity on public television. I also noted the OPFOR wearing US clothing, and thought that an interesting choice for the "enemy".

My favourite line of the show: "I TOLD you to keep your head down"   :warstory:

 

[Love793]

The opfor wearing US BDU is one thing(half of them where American), they where clearly marked in Red as "Orangelandians".  This issue is the guys from 33 LIB wearing American combat hats.  Unprofessional so far as I'm concerned.

 

[Northern Touch]

We'll, I never saw a video camera or crew once in my 9 days there.