How to pack and move a SEV

We also learned how to pack up and move a SEV (special equipment vehicle.) A dental clinic on a truck, with a trailer and a generator attached. Congrats to Jerome Sylvain for getting the CFDSS record - 55 minutes! It was fun learning all about it, and we had amazing staff to help us out! Thanks to Dave, Sebastien, and Reagan - hope to see you guys around sometime!

A week in the field

Bringing my own Timmy's turned out to be a good thing - it was the only coffee for the whole camp that first morning!! Also a good thing that Woodbeck is THE coffee guy - I swear he can take any coffee, any type of machine, and make it taste good. Thanks, Mike!

Also, we got to meet (and say goodbye to -- ) Norman the Racoon. He visited a few tents, sniffed a few faces, managed to find some goodies. We're not sure if it was because of him or not, but we also got to hear Fernandes scream like a girly girl, and hear about Johnson climbing the tent pole.... Thanks, Norman!

The mystery of the red bicycles....

Here's a nice view of a small number of the many bikes like this at CFB Borden. They are ISSUED to foreign language students. I mean foreign students learning one of our languages! LOL! International language students?

We see them pedaling all over the base, in uniforms from all over the world.

Yep, Canada doing her part....

Field Ready!!

We're heading off to the 'field' tomorrow. I have a feeling it won't be a lot like a) the real world or b) the real world aka St Jean! Apparently, there's a McDonald's not too far away from our Bivouac site. But, we will be roughing it - campstoves, tents, IMPs (those heat-in-a-aluminum bag meals - be sure NOT to drink the water after!). I am prepared - I have lots of socks, a fresh map, some granola bars, and an extra set of boots. And sunscreen! And maybe a little timmy's coffee !

One of the biggest differences between here and Basic Training - our Map and compass exercises are done from a JEEP!! And we have a driver (who's not supposed to tell us if we're lost.....wink wink.)

So far, the bed is comfy, the food is great, we're allowed to bring WINE into our dining hall from the bar (okay, another big BIG difference from basic), and the staff is great with lots of good stories from all their years of experience, postings, and deployments.

More to follow (MTF!) in about 5 days!

Just after 9 pm here, I'm not sure if my body has adjusted to Ontario time yet..... went for a walk around 'Camp Borden'. It is HUGE. I lived here 24 years ago, and while I'm sure it's the same land mass, it is not at ALL the same! The gym must be 8 times larger than I remember it, there are sidewalks everywhere.

The strangest thing is the red bicycles I see everywhere. I've only seen two being ridden (it is a Sunday of a long weekend) but I've seen about 50 locked up on bike racks. A Canadian Tire special, the Supercycle. Single speed, rear brake, Red and White (very Canadian!), with a red parcel carrier and fenders.

I must find out where I can get one. Rent one?

Do you think the military is now issuing red and white single gear bicycles??

Done Basic Training, now What?

Well, after 15 weeks at St Jean (in the winter!), I went back home to lovely Victoria and started working in the main dental clinic at CFB Esquimalt. But, I guess I was having too much fun there, for here I am now in CFB Borden. I am awaiting the start of 'BDOC', or Basic Dental Officer Course. This is where I will learn all the paperwork and standards and procedures of the CF Dental Services. Or, I will learn all the things I've been doing wrong this past year.

I will post some photos from Basic, the ones I didn't have time to do during the training, and keep you posted on the adventures of Borden!!