Topic: Soldier Qualification Course (Questions & Answers)

[Ender57]

You could end up in Borden or Wainwright. They are the two places that I know that they hold SQ. It can also depend on what trade you're wanting because they'll hold your SQ in different places depending on what trade you are and also what spaces are open in SQ courses.

[Coyote43D]

They also do the SQ here in Gagetown.

[pipstah]

Same thing in Val-Cartier....

[Craig M]

For your SQ training is there any chance a person can request a particular location?

[belkin81]

For your SQ training is there any chance a person can request a particular location?

of course not LOL. Its going to be where you will do your ql3 usually, If your infantry PPCLI, then its wainwright, Vandoos then its val cartier.

[Still In Sarajevo]

I know with us (Sig Ops) here at JSR Kingston, we had a bunch of new privates come in off of their 3's that had to do it. We put almost 100 of them through the trg. We sent them all to Petawawa (with our own staff) and I heard that it went very well.

My understanding of the SQ crse is that you only have to do the trg if you did not have an LTT \ LET portion of your 3's. This is basic soldiering skills, it's not as light as Basic and not as heavy as battle school.

[Greywolf]

I've read the info on SQ in the FAQ section.  But I'd like more details...preferably from somebody who's recently finished the SQ course.  I've heard some people say 70% of the people fail it and that it's 10 times harder than BMQ.  I just want to know if that's true...

[Ender57]

All an SQ course is a course where you are trained in the basic skills needed to be in the army. How to use a variety of weapons, gernades and other things. There is definately a lot of PT and ruck marches, but it can vary on who is in charge of your SQ course. It can be taught by anyone of any trade in the army. There's not much else to it.

[humint]

Don't worry about it -- it's not as if you have a choice NOT to do it! The field portion is the bit you wanna watch out for.

My advice:

1. Get fit
2. Get fit
3. Get good insoles for your boots

and ... oh yeah, 4. Get fit

[combat_medic]

Greywolf: Even advanced courses like Basic Para don't typically have a failure rate of 70%, so whoever told you that is full of $hit. It's harder than BMQ, but it's designed to that people of all trades have a reasonably good chance of passing it. Without counting voluntary or medical RTUs, it wouldn't surprise me to see most SQ courses with a pass rate in the high 90th percentile or even at a hundred percent.

[Yard Ape]

I've heard that the Driver Wheeled Crourse (PO 113) is no longer part of the regular force SQ.  Is this true?

[ATT58]

The driver wheeled course is no longer used.  Each vehicle has it's own course, and it done on a need to have bassis.  If a member already has a driver course for a vehicle, the other vehicle courses can be shortened, it becomes a conversion course.
We just finished a dvr course for the reservists and all they learned was LSVW, now any other vehicle they learn will be a conversion course.

[George Wallace]

I find it hard to believe that any vehicle being taught after taking a LSVW Dvr Crse will be simply a Conversion Crse.  Learning to drive a LSVW, does not in anyway resemble or come close to driving a HLVW, TLAV, LAV III, MLVW, Bison, Coyote, or any other vehicle in the CF inventory.

GW

[TR]

In the reserve world no smp vehicle driving is taught until you take a trade specific course. IE DP1 and only in the armoured trades as far I'm aware.

[ATT58]

George, you're absolutly right about the differences in driving vehicles.  The big reason that I see for this way of thinking is the amount of people on PAT platoons, to at least qualify them on something. The reservists that were taught on this course still had their cornflakes and after they went on their trade course.

[Yard Ape]

It is not a new practive to conduct courses for just one vehicle in the reserves, but I have never seen this done in the regular force (where I still see driver wheel courses being run).  However, I ask again: Has the drive SMP portion been removed from the SQ course?

[ATT58]

The way I understand the new directives is that the actual LFC DVR WHEELED course is no longer a recognized course, it is no more.  New recruits get an introduction to a vehicle, either LSVW or ILTIS (until they're gone) to give them a basic vehicle and then send them off to their units, and it's the unit responsibility to train them on the vehicles that are required.  This is for reg and res.  All other driver instruction can be done in a shorter format because the member has already completed the written tests and should know the rules of the road, the staff can therefore concentrate on teaching the vehicle in question.  I hope that answers a few questions.

[Yard Ape]

So, your saying drive SMP is still part of the SQ?

[ATT58]

Yes but in a cut up fast and furious way.  Go Army.

[Hylander_ca]

Hey all I'm a trucker (MSE Op 935) with 1 SVC BN. I'll go talk to MSE Safety to verify the info on the dvr portion of the SQ crse. Give me a couple of days (Bn's last week before block lve)

Cheers

[Hylander_ca]

Straight from MSE Safety, dvr wheeled crses are NOT part of any SQ crse. Respective units train their own pers with Iltis, LSVW and MLVW. There are exceptions to every rule....I was also info'ed that if some pers are in holding pattern on PAT Pl they may receive certain veh according to job requirement.
Have a good one  

[ArmyRick]

BMQ and the old QL2 are almost identical..
They did not cover C9, C6, M67 (c13), field craft or sh#t like that in the old QL2. Don't be disillusioned.

The old QL3 infantry was SQ/DP 1 Infantry (2IC Skills coy info me a week ago BIQ as a term does not exist) except that the training followed a more logical approach. (you didn't jump from one are of training to another so much)
Prior to SQ, the other combat arms (Art, arm and fd eng) did their own field phases (cool) and EME did some hard core sh@t at CF SMEME (Yup some CSS guys are hard core)..
The Log branch did nothing like that.
So the SQ was good for some areas of the army, others it actually put their training out of sequence.
 

[brin11]

I think the addition of SQ for all army trades is an excellent idea.  Previous to it, there was definitely not enough common army training for support trades.  As for CFSEME doing hardcore training, I did the week long field exercise in 1989 at Regimental (as part of EME common); it definitely was not hardcore.  We did a few section attacks and the rest was basically how EME lives in the field, ex:  cam & concealment, etc.  On the last night there was an attack on our position by the instructors.  Some of us also helped out the instructors with the new advance to contact drills with the C9 as they didn't know them yet and were teaching the old method with the C2's.  Perhaps things improved after that time.

[AndrewWGrieve]

In regards to the comment someone made earlier that BMQ trained pers are not allowed to go on field ex, they are correct.  Technically that is.  Most units still take 'em anyways.  The idea is that the BMQ field portion is now only a sleepover and therefore does not qualify for field work.  Having taught that BMQ field portion, it's basically a camping trip.  I'd still take BMQ trained pers on exercise though, despite the fact that all they have under their belt is a camping trip. 

[Tickles]

im on sq right now
we have completed 3 weeks

learned...
c9 and c6
cold weather stuff
section attack theory
laser safety
recce patrol theory
field burial procedure
snow defences
camoflauge
did a shooting test (got marksman)
battle procedure
radios and field telephones
BFT - 13km ruckmarch

now we are on 30 days leave for christmas when we go back we go in the field and practice section attacks