A Bad Influence

[John McGillivray]

Now I’ve done it….

My wife :love: may be thinking that I am a bad influence on my 17 year old son. He has joined the Army Reserves and has just come back from his first full weekend of training. It looks like he really enjoyed himself. He has been wearing a large grin on his face ever since he came home; or it may be due to the fact that he only got about 2 hours sleep since Friday. He even says that he likes the Army food!

For sure,…. It must be the lack of sleep.

But why did he choose to join an Infantry Regiment??? He should have gone into something more respectable like the Artillery. :

John

[Jon Skagfeld]

Originally posted by John McGillivray
But why did he choose to join an Infantry Regiment??? He should have gone into something more respectable like the Artillery. :

John:

When one joins an Infantry unit, one becomes part of the Regimental family.

It is most difficult to impart this feeling of belonging /attitude/je ne sais quoi to one who has not been part of the "system".

The experiences he will endure will remain with him for the rest of his life. In other words, he will have "bragging rights" that not too many other people can claim.

Tell him to remain steadfast, endure basic, do his TQ/QL courses, get his TIR, and then get his leaf.

It'll take about two years + to do this, including lots of other crap...but, Hey, there's no life like it!.

[JD Baillie]

One of my daughter's boyfriends came over bragging about joining the Comm Res.. and as a Lineman too! Got a whole lot of milage from that one... my twin girls were wondering if I didn't want to trade them in for the Lineman... I told them to wait and see if he finnished the couses. He's excited as heck.

Cheers all
JD
VVV

[Gunner]

Jon: All regiments have a strong family feeling, not just the infantry... I've had many a fun night in the Mess razzing and getting razzed by my 'Jimmy' buddies. Pride in the tribe goes with being a soldier of any badge or persuasion! Cheers! Mike

[Mark W. Tonner]

Hi John;

I'm curious, which Regiment is your son with.

Cheers

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by John McGillivray
Hello Mark,

My son joined the Royal Montreal Regiment.

Thanks John.

[Jon Skagfeld]

Originally posted by John McGillivray
Well my son has survived his first summer in Valcartier. Since joining he has completed his BMQ, SQ and DP1 Infantry courses as well as his first MILCON exercise (Noble Guerrier 2005). So far he seems to have enjoyed life in the military. The photo below is while on the SQ course.

Hmmm...
No mag in the C7??? : :

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

But why did he choose to join an Infantry Regiment??? He should have gone into something more respectable like the Artillery.

Artillery - snigger snigger. Why would you want to become a "dropshort". Infantry is the only way to go because when you lose your, tank, truck, helicopter or whatever, you are back to a "grunt" and that's where it's at.

Sergeant Bob

[Tony Smith]

Originally posted by Bob Moseley
Artillery - snigger snigger. Why would you want to become a "dropshort". Infantry is the only way to go because when you lose your, tank, truck, helicopter or whatever, you are back to a "grunt" and that's where it's at.

Sergeant Bob

Have to agree to a point, Bob. As a Young 'un, it was Infantry for me as they allowed you to take off into the hills with an SLR and all the food you could carry. You could even score a ride in an APC or Huey. Whoo-hoo! Of course, the longer time you put in, the more you realise that someone else always had better kit and more fun than an infantryman. Looking back now, I would have preferred to have got some experience in a RAEME workshop, Armoured LAD, Ordnance, or been the Stores Clerk responsible for disposing of written-off stores. . Or the absolute Mecca, Nirvana, Valhalla of all, get a posting to the Army History Unit and GET PAID 'til retiring age to run a museum.

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi Tim Tam
History Unit would be right for you especially as you've just discoverd my post of 9 months ago to the day.
Bob

[servicepub (RIP)]

John,

If I remember correctly, your son spent the past summer as a Guardsman with the Cdn Grenadier Guards doing Public Duties with the Ceremonial Guard (Changing the Guard). There he became expert in arcane drill manoevers. Now he is going to the other extreme of a soldier's life - combat.
My son will be joining the GGFG this year and hopes to deploy by 2008. I share your fears. However, I cannot deny that taking up arms in the service of one's country is the highest form of dutyy that a citizen will ever undertake.
My prayers are with your son.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by John McGillivray
It’s a bit of a sad father’s day. My son left for Afghanistan yesterday. He’s due back sometime in January. It’s going to be a long seven months.

John, I'm sure that deep down beneath your anxiety, you must be very proud of him. To have sired a son with such a strong sense of duty, commitment and courage is a fine thing, more so when viewed in contrast to the majority of his peers who populate the street corners of any big city in Canada.

He and you will be in our hearts and minds through the course of his tour.

[John McGillivray]

Thanks Geoff for your kind words.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

My words weren't given lightly, John, and I'd hazard a guess to say their import is reflective of most of the MLU membership.

During the course of his tour, you are of course welcome to post STATREPs as you wish, in this or a separate thread. And if there's anything we can do for him (or his buddies), please let us know.

Jif

[PPS]

John,

Even as an ex-service "furriner", I wish that all remains safe and well with your son, and his brothers-in-arms, on their tour of duty.

I am sure a lot of others feel the same way as well.

May he return safely to his homeland.

Paul.

[Darrell Zinck]

Originally posted by John McGillivray
It’s a bit of a sad father’s day. My son left for Afghanistan yesterday. He’s due back sometime in January. It’s going to be a long seven months.

Hi John

If he's still going to be D&S Pl, I'll stop over and have a look. While they're here at Kandahar Airfield, his Pl is subordinate to my Comd Post.

Want me to scare the crap out of him, give him a hug or perhaps just something in the middle??

I'm sure he'll do fine. The D&S here now have been very professional in their duties.

regards
Darrell

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by Darrell Zinck
Want me to scare the crap out of him, give him a hug or perhaps just something in the middle??

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

John
Ada's and my thoughts and prayers are with you and will be until the safe return of your son. BTW I have re-read all the posts but nowhere can I see what your son's name is. That would be nice.
All our best to you
Ada & Bob

[Pedr]

Thoughts and prayers for his safe return, and all those who stand beside him.

Pedr

Hi John,

You must know that your son has Ma Yappy focus on his wellbeing while serving over there too. It sounds like he'll be in good hands with everyone looking out for each other. (I think Darrell is full of hot air ... he's not scarey at all but then again he's not the boss of me and I've never seen him in Uniform with a big old gun and worse, loud voice, to boss me around )

Seriously though, I second what Geoff said ... you must feel great pride and worry or your son

Happy (belated) Fathers Day to you and all Dad's whose son's and daughters are serving.

Karmen

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi John

I was having supper tonite in one of the DFACs here (Dining Facility and Canteen) tonite and ran into a couple of Reservists that I know from the 8th Canadian Hussars. They're deployed with Force Protection D&S Pl as part of the Quebec Area Rotation. I mentioned your son's name and they said "Yeah, that's him there." So I went over, said hello and took his pic.

That boy likes to eat, don't he??

regards
Darrell

[servicepub (RIP)]

Wait till his mom sees that the only vegetable on the table is the packet of Ketchup.

[Darrell Zinck]

Wait a sec; relish is a veg!!

And although they're hard to miss, there are some pale white powdered mashed potatoes there too. They're probably not veg!!

I hope, John, you're not bothered by my posts here. I'm not sure what sort of contact you've had with the lad and merely thought you'd like to see him "in country".

regards
Darrell

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

MLU really is a Family. Thanks again Jif.

Bob

[John McGillivray]

I just received this photo of my son.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

...what the hell have you been feeding him, John?

Wow ... look at those arms. GREAT MUSCLES! He looks totally healthy and I'll bet he's a girl magnet (well, with photos like that )

Awesome photo and thanks for giving us a look at your son ... what a proud dad you are

PS: That photo of your son would make a GREAT painting!!!!!

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi

Feeding him?? Why, Chicken legs, Ravioli, Hamburgers and mashed potatoes, of course!!!

Looks like I'll have to re-post dress regs at the Entry Control Point, as well!!

Just kidding.

regards
Darrell

[John McGillivray]

Now,…… if only he could get that monkey off of his back!