Author Topic: Life as an Infantry Soldier? (Read 81138 times)

Dacier · « **on:** December 03, 2002, 06:20:00 »

I‘m leaving for BT in March and after MOC joining the PPCLI. What unit, I don‘t know, I asked but was told to wait.

I‘m wondering, on an average day, what does an infantryman do? When your not training or on a mission, what is the day like?

Dacier · « **Reply #1 on:** December 04, 2002, 15:46:00 »

Am I being told indirectly that infantry don‘t post during their average day?

I know there are a few infantry guys on that can answer.

Johnson · « **Reply #2 on:** December 04, 2002, 16:11:00 »

I would like to know as well since I am going in as Infantry also

pls answer....

Jungle · « **Reply #3 on:** December 04, 2002, 18:42:00 »

Tough question... let me explain; first, every Battalion is different, and CO‘s have different priorities. When you talk about "an average day" I suppose you are talking about time in garrison. In most units, the day begins with roll-call, then PT. The rest of the day may be spent doing maintenance, administration, refresher training (first-aid, weapons handling, etc...) or sports. Or you may be sent on a QL-4 or career progression course, or on a task outside the unit. The Infantry is a trade where the tempo changes constantly, from "can‘t keep up" to nothing to do for a few days. Those who can‘t adapt or don‘t like it usually leave the CF or remuster, but it is probably one of the big reasons why people leave the Infantry.

Dacier · « **Reply #4 on:** December 04, 2002, 19:38:00 »

By sports you mean a pick up type game, or a regulated league based system? I never thought of that one.

For weapons handling, is their a limit on the amount of target practice a day?

Do uneventful days have a basic time shift? 6am to 5am, or work till your done?

Also, do the new recruits take awhile to be accepted by the veterans?

Jungle · « **Reply #5 on:** December 05, 2002, 20:04:00 »

You can do sports 2 ways: as a member of a unit or formation team, where there is a league and regular games. Or in inter-platoon (sect / coy) games organised locally, and usually during working hours, for fun.
By weapons handling, I do not only mean going to the range. You go to the range a number of times a year, not necessarily when you feel like it... I also mean Immediate actions and stoppages, target registration with MG‘s, dry firing etc...
The working day begins according to the unit schedule, and ends when you get dissmissed... as I mentionned earlier, every unit is different.
You will be accepted by the group if you remain yourself.

Ray · « **Reply #6 on:** December 14, 2002, 19:42:00 »

Hi there
i just past my basic training in st jean and i m now in meaford doing my sq course. It is about 10 times harder then basic but you get to play with the big guns c7 c6 c9 84mm rl ect. and 3 weeks of field work then you do BIQ of 9 weeks. get ready for some real work and alot of cleaning (alot)and get ready to run like **** if your coming to meaford after basic. run budy run and get ready to run again. run in hills as much as you can, it will help you alot and push ups and sit ups will be your new best friend. well, just get ready for it because i have guy‘s in my course that are out of shape and well I don t know if there going to make it . I hope you know what the infantry is all about. not to scare you but get ready for it. I was running 5 km a day for 4 months before I got to basic and I‘m having some trouble .

WB · « **Reply #7 on:** December 14, 2002, 21:28:00 »

is there a martial arts club at Petawawa?

Doug · « **Reply #8 on:** December 14, 2002, 22:33:00 »

Yeah there‘s a couple of different one‘s. There‘s a club for just about anything here!!

Marauder · « **Reply #9 on:** December 20, 2002, 14:18:00 »

Don‘t know about the PPCLI, but I was talking to some PTEs from 1RCR this summer and they said you‘ll learn to love doing routine LAV maintnance (sub-EME stuff) if you end up in a mech unit. They said that‘s how they killed most mornings after PT was doing veh parades on the carriers. Of course, they all had LAV drivers and gunners courses, so they may have been chosen for that. LOL

marcuslebler · « **Reply #10 on:** May 06, 2003, 12:44:00 »

Hi, im new here and am goin in the canadian army in about 3 months. Im thinkin about infantry beacause i think i would like to travel and have an exiting life style. I was just wondering what is it like as an infantry man, from day to day living. Is it exiting, to you travel alot, and is it enjoyable? Also could you tell me how I would be able to to speciality training, like parachutist, or sniper.....thanks alot:)

combat_medic · « **Reply #11 on:** May 06, 2003, 13:19:00 »

Reg force? Reserve? What part of the country? What kind of physical shape are you in? Officer or NCM?

Jungle · « **Reply #12 on:** May 06, 2003, 19:28:00 »

I suggest you do a little research on this board. There‘s plenty of info about what you are asking on here.

ObedientiaZelum · « **Reply #13 on:** May 11, 2003, 00:46:00 »

In a sense, anything anyone tells you will be a lie. It‘s up to you to find out for yourself. Whats fun to me is a waste of time to you.
Oh im such a great philosopher, even though I can‘t spell.

In the infantry when your on excersise or doing your job you‘ll always be busing doing one thing or the other. Theres many many things that you‘ll be doing that you‘ve seen in the movies growing up. It‘s pretty cool. When your at work BUT not on an excersise or playing wargames etc.. it‘s very very boring because your going to be sitting around on your but listening to the radio, telling lies to your buddies about girls and complaining.

As an infantry soldier you won‘t travel outside the country that much except when you go overseas to bosnia (or the new tours comming out to afghanastan). The odd individual might get a posting here and there or your platoon might do some adventure training somewhere but for the most part you as an infantryman are not required at bases like a supply technician, cook or clerk would be. (As one of those trades i think you‘d actually travel more)

Once your trained you‘ll have the chance to take speciality courses catered to your trade. Theres not many sniper clerks nore are there many infantry soldiers with courses on how to load an aircraft.

Apparently one of the best trades to take if you want to travel is Traffic Tech (airforce)

Wilson601 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 24, 2003, 19:04:00 »

From what i‘ve seen; the infantry is hard when its hard, but when its slack-its F*CKING slack.

Theres a lot of cards played in the infantry..in garrison anyway.

Tyler · « **Reply #15 on:** May 25, 2003, 21:39:00 »

For the most part it kinda‘ sucks, except for the weapons

Even range days can get boring after a while and firing weapons can get repetitive. But no matter how bad, boring, or hard something might be, something always compells me to do it all over again. Don‘t ask me what.

Well Marcus, we need more info from you (as medic was saying) as to what exactly you are applying for before any more detailed questions can be answered by some of the more experienced members on the board.

Tyler

tjmackey99 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 25, 2003, 21:57:00 »

Perhaps you guys can throw some of that more detailed information my way, as I am going to be a Reg Force Officer in the Infantry. Just trying to glean as much info as possible before I get to find it all out first hand...lol!

Slade · « **Reply #17 on:** May 26, 2003, 13:09:00 »

well, in my expirience, in the beginning its really tough. but the longer your in for, the more you get the hang of things. the first day of course, my instructor said, "this is like every other job, some people are good at it, and some people arent. this job isnt for everyone."

Soldier of Fortune · « **Reply #18 on:** May 29, 2003, 17:45:00 »

Whats does the average day (not doing wargames etc.) for an officer in the infantry include? Is it as boring as an NCM‘s day? What is the more rewearding/fun job, Officer or NCM?

newfoundlander · « **Reply #19 on:** May 29, 2003, 18:45:00 »

Im am joing the forces soon......infantry all the way....i was woundering what the lifestyle is like day to day. is it awesome,exciting,hard ...........thanks please write back.

WINDWOLF · « **Reply #20 on:** May 29, 2003, 18:56:00 »

newfoundlander:

If you are serious about 031, then scoll back a couple of postings to one under the heading " Has anyone seen combat".This may give you a general understanding of grunt life. At last count,there was approx 54 postings. The other soldiers have a very interesting take & comments on this moc.If you have any questions, post & i or someone else will get back to you.

Danjanou · « **Reply #21 on:** May 29, 2003, 21:48:00 »

You said you‘re 16, and therefore you‘ve probably got a couple of more years before you finish highschool. Next year when you hit 17 you might want to consider joining the Reserves to give your self a taste of military life and see if its what you want.

Not sure of where you are on the Rock, but if I remember correctly the Royal Newfoundland Regiment has companies in St. Johns, Grand Falls, Cornerbrook and Stephenville. One of them may be close enough to you to take a look.

newfoundlander · « **Reply #22 on:** May 29, 2003, 20:34:00 »

Hi im from newfoundland as you can tell by my screen name. Im 16 years old and im thinking about joing the infantry as soon as I graduate from High school. I am physically fit seeing that I have been working on fishing boats for the last 5 years. Anyways I was woundering what is the day to day life like in the infantry? what kinds of training do you do? how early do you get up in the morning? I would like to find all this out and more as soon as I can. O yeah one more thing my father thinks crawling through mud and getting shot at is not an ideal job. But hey I dont think fishing is either. :cool:

Yard Ape · « **Reply #23 on:** June 02, 2004, 21:06:00 »

If you have a question on infantry, before you start a new thread to ask, visit the Army.ca Wiki. If your answer is not there check the links below. Only after determining that the answer does not exist should you start a new thread.

Typical Unit Rank/Org Structure & Size(Reserve Infantry)

Michael O'Leary · « **Reply #24 on:** June 18, 2004, 20:50:48 »

The links below are the result of searching the Infantry (and occasionally other) boards for relavant threads. Suggestions for additions can be made to the moderator.

General search subjects include:

Soldier and the Infantry
Soldier Qualification
Infantry Officer
BIQ
Platoon Support Weapons Training
JTF-2
Snipers
Pathfinders
Para
Infantry Tactical Training
The Canadian Commando Course (article)
US Army Ranger Course
Unarmed combat
Infantry weapons (C7, etc.)
LAV III
Riot Control
Combat Boots

News:

Author Topic: Life as an Infantry Soldier? (Read 81138 times)

Dacier

Dacier

Johnson

Dacier

Ray

marcuslebler

Wilson601

tjmackey99

Slade

newfoundlander

WINDWOLF

newfoundlander

Yard Ape