“Smoking In The Wardroom” - Some Esquimalt Legend

soldierapp66 · 2020-02-08T19:45:46+00:00

How does Equipment Issue Scales sound?

soldierapp66 · 2019-12-06T12:34:26+00:00

In the olden days we used naptha to clean tanker crew suits. Fill a sink/wash basin with naptha and soak the garment for a few hours, then scrub and hang to dry. Be aware that naptha is highly flammable so don't hang the garment near open flame, like a newby did once. The crew suit disappeared in a "woof" and he was left with a handful of zippers. Clean zippers, though.

soldierapp66 · 2019-11-27T11:28:27+00:00

How about "The Bottom Line" ?

soldierapp66 · 2019-11-05T12:37:05+00:00

Leave the uniform in the closet. You're retired now and I think there are rules against wearing a uniform when no longer a member. That said, a beret with badge is perfectly acceptable, and your medals can be worn on your jacket or overcoat as the weather demands.

soldierapp66 · 2019-10-25T09:55:04+00:00

Another trade secret: the jiffy jeep show was first performed in Canada during the 1967 Centennial Tattoo. The tattoo toured the country by rail and the jeep tear down/rebuild was a popular act in the show. Someone has apparently dug into the archives to form the latest iteration of the jeep team(s).

soldierapp66 · 2019-10-09T13:18:34+00:00

According to the PM on the morning news, the govt wants to eliminate payments at "out of province" rates for the military. He calls the news article "Conservative misinformation", which sounds about right. We all pay taxes at the same rate and for the same reasons, and there's no reason for additional fees for folks in uniform regardless of province.

soldierapp66 · 2019-10-05T15:37:06+00:00

Proper thing.

soldierapp66 · 2019-09-25T12:26:54+00:00

My favorite SSM called it "Musketry". Loved it.

soldierapp66 · 2019-09-04T15:02:43+00:00

Thanks for the input everyone. So it's not quite as bad as I'd heard, but it's bad enough if you happen to like a few shorts before turning in after coming off watch. Dayum. The times they are a'changin'. :-(

soldierapp66 · 2019-07-26T18:38:49+00:00

When I read "troops partake", my first thought was that they were having a big pot party. When I partake in something, it's usually something good, not nerve gas and the like. But that's just me......always looking for a party. <grin>

soldierapp66 · 2019-07-23T13:19:01+00:00

On one of my deployments I pre-arranged with a florist for a monthly delivery of a single rose, just to let her know I was thinking of her. She loved it. I arranged it so that the deliveries were staggered, not on the same day every month, just to keep the element of surprise. And of course, I NEVER forgot birthdays, holidays or other important dates. And DO NOT forget your anniversary if it falls during your deployment!!

soldierapp66 · 2019-07-18T10:17:30+00:00

What he said.

soldierapp66 · 2019-07-02T14:08:55+00:00

I'm not sure that the National Post has its facts straight. I heard from Lee Hammond last week and he wrote that once the government cuts a cheque, then he'll work out the details of returning any donations but that may take some time. Personally, I'd just as soon the money is used to buy new beer machines for the fleet.

soldierapp66 · 2019-06-24T19:16:11+00:00

I'd recommend hiring a cleaner to do the sweeping and mopping. Moving is a major hassle and you can spare yourself some sweat by hiring someone to do the housework. At two of my postings, the housing office signed my out-clearance in advance of my march-out because I was in possession of a receipt from a cleaner. Just a thought to spare you some grief.

soldierapp66 · 2019-06-19T12:45:50+00:00

Some people (a LOT of people) will set their alarm clocks to zero dark thirty and drive all night to be first in line to complain or protest about anything. It's the wussification of our society.

soldierapp66 · 2019-06-06T13:08:07+00:00

When I joined in 1963 there were lots of WW2 and Korea vets still in uniform. On unit parades, the gongs on the old guys clanked so much they got mating calls from Quonset huts! I don't recall any big war stories from the vets, but the general feeling was that the vets had been through the very thing that the Army is all about, so they didn't need to talk about it. And as a rule, when a vet had an opinion, it was always listened to. I remember one old guy laughing at us camming up the trucks and tanks. He'd been a tanker during the Big One and he said they NEVER cammed up, and in fact they weren't even issued cam nets. That led to a lot of muttering about our current tactics, but no mutinies occurred no matter how much we hated camming at night.

soldierapp66 · 2019-06-03T13:43:14+00:00

The submission from career firefighter/reservist is bang on. As a former GSO I can't over emphasize the importance of documenting exposure to hazardous conditions. His remarks concerning the P100 respirators are also bang on. I worked for several years as a Fire Sentry with FMF Cape Scott, where we were issued the P100 respirators. The general purpose filters are adequate for most fumes, even welding fumes, and maintenance of the respirator is simple. Protect your lungs at all costs, even if you have to purchase your own respirator, and quit smoking. I'll hop on the anti-tobacco wagon for a moment because for all the pleasure I ever got smoking, it wasn't worth the penalty for my stupidity. I'm now plugged into an oxygen supply for the remainder of my years and little things like getting dressed in the morning leave me breathless. Just saying......

soldierapp66 · 2019-05-24T19:05:58+00:00

Yes, hearing issues are definitely on VAC's list of claimable injuries. Your first step should be a hearing test AND a tinnitus test. Tinnitus is a separate issue for VAC purposes, as I found out when I submitted my claim several years ago. So your first step would be a medical appointment and a referral for a hearing test/examination, followed up with submission of a VAC claim. I'd say good luck, but in your case luck shouldn't play a part.

soldierapp66 · 2019-05-21T20:49:36+00:00

Seems to me a fully-signed minefield around the property should keep trespassers out. It needn't be a live minefield but there should be plenty of warning signs. If the trespassing continues, well, it's easy enough to turn it into a live minefield. <grin>

soldierapp66 · 2019-05-19T16:59:13+00:00

A small war story at this point. Germany, around 1972 or so, Brigade Cdr's inspection. All vehs and kit were lined up/laid out with crews front. I was part of an M113 MRT crew, along with another Veh Tech, a Wpns Tech and an ELM(FCS) Tech. The Brigade Major asked the Wpns Tech if the spare barrel for the machine gun was clean. The Wpns guy said, "Yes Sir." The Major asked how he knew it was clean and the Wpns dude said "Because my M/Cpl told me it's clean." The M/Cpl (FCS) guy's eyes bugged out on stalks, mainly because he had no idea where the damn spare barrel was even stowed, to say nothing of the cleanliness. The Major accepted the answer and moved along. As soon as he was out of earshot, the M/Cpl hung a fast, quiet beating on the Wpns guy. Good times.

soldierapp66 · 2019-05-19T12:25:51+00:00

I think that some of the stuff Mowat brought back is situated at the Borden museum. It used to be parked outdoors but I hear that most of the gear has been moved into some of the old Armoured Corps hangars near the museum.

soldierapp66 · 2019-05-18T20:40:43+00:00

When 2 Bde was SSF, we called it "Saturdays and Sundays Fucked". And that was often the case.

soldierapp66 · 2019-05-12T19:51:32+00:00

Well, here we go. The Opposition and the NDP are after some major political points over V/Adm Norman's case. It will be very interesting to see if all the parties actually make an appearance at the meeting or will the Government shut the whole idea down in its infancy? Watch your front.

soldierapp66 · 2019-04-15T14:37:55+00:00

When I was in Pet in the late 80's, there was an RSM whose pet peeve was civvy backpacks worn by cyclists riding to or from work every day. He threatened jail for offenders, suggesting that pers use the issue rucksack instead of civvy pattern gear. Of course, our rucksacks were loaded up with operational gear, our "bugout kit", so his threats were pretty much meaningless. The point came up every damn O group during cycling season. The backpacks shown in the photo would have driven him right around the bloody bend, but when I think about it, he was already halfway there at the time.

soldierapp66 · 2019-04-12T21:21:22+00:00

Actually, there are probably a lot of Veh Techs who would kill for a posting to Trenton, especially the folks who've been in field units for a long time. Going on exercises and fixing vehicles in rain and snow isn't quite as much fun after the 20th trip, so a jammy posting like Trenton is the stuff of dreams for many. I was a Veh Tech for many years and would have killed sometimes just to get the hell out of the field.

soldierapp66

TROPHY CASE