| Here we are again at the end of another week. Wow, this was a week full of ups and downs. Let's start with Tuesday. We challenged for our blues. It was just before lunch and we had been studying hard all night. Drilling the history of the RCMP into our overcrowded brains. Well it worked because we got them. We didn�t look like losers any more. We had the big yellow stripe, our uniform was complete. Then on Wednesday we had our high-brown lecture. This is where our drill Cpl tells us about the proper way to prepare and polish the famous high brown boots of the RCMP. After he had finished telling us all there is to know about polishing our boots he asked us what we have this week as far as classes. Did we have any important tests coming up? The answer to that was no. So he said �Ok you have noon parade on Tuesday of next week. I expect all of you to be in breaches and high browns.� The gasps of horror could be heard through out the class. Less than a week to polish and polish, and well... polish! 20+ coats. Somehow we have to work that in with all our files, homework and workouts. We had our Sgt Mgr inspection on Thursday so no one would be starting the polishing Wednesday night. Wednesday night was laundry, dusting, vacuuming, and basically getting everything clean. We had firearms on Wednesday so that meant an hour spent cleaning our guns. They have to be displayed on our bed for the inspection. Thursday morning came, 5:30 am, and we jumped out of bed. Quickly everyone showered shaved and made sure the sinks and mirrors in the bathroom were spotless. Then we attacked our room. We made our beds and then laid out our sam brown belt all disassembled for inspection. This was the first time since we had spent 20+hours polishing this stuff that any one had seen them. Would they be up to the RCMP standards? All our clothes had to be hung up and evenly spaced in the correct order. Our drawers had to be staggered and our squirrel (which normally is locked) had to be open for inspection as well. Finally the time came and we all stood outside our dorm rooms in the hallway. They brought the girls in and lined them up as well. The APS Cpls came in and then our Drill Cpl. After telling us where and how to stand the Sargent Major came in. We were brought to attention and then told to stand at ease. (which is basically standing at attention with your feet apart and your hands behind your back) You can�t turn your head or scratch your nose. The Sgt Mgr then started one by one to talk to us. Our APS Cpl called the first two cadets to attention and then the Sgt Mgr came and talked to them. As this was going on Cpl Furland (our drill Cpl) started going through our rooms. Checking our guns, our leather, our beds, our whole pit area. We could only wonder as we heard the crashing and banging of drawers being opened and shut. Finally, it was my turn to talk to the Sgt Mgr. He came up to me and asked where I was from and we talked for a few seconds. Then he started on the questions. �Seeing you are from BC, what region is BC in and what divisions make up that region?� I answered, �That is the Pacific region and it is made up of BC and the Yukon". �What are the division letters assigned to those divisions?� "That�s �E� and �G�. The feeling of horror came over me as I realized that �G� is the NWT. CRAP what is the Yukon?!? ... think think. My mind had drawn a blank. Ok.. I�m dead, just shoot me now..... I apologized and said that I couldn�t think of the right answer at that moment. �Well then you have some work to do for me.� said the Sgt Mgr, "I would like you to find out the right answer and then e-mail it to me by Monday morning as well as I would like to know who the commanding officer of the Yukon is." �Yes sir. Thank you sir�. I�m alive!!!!! Then he moved on to the next cadet. That was over but now I was still standing in the hall. 20min... 30 min... 40 min... Ok just try to stand at ease for a long time. Things just start to hurt. Muscles start to tense up. I don�t recommend standing still for that long. And to top it off the Cpls and the Sgt Mgr were cracking jokes and making funny comments about some of the troop. It was hard not to crack a smile. Wow that was Thursday. Then Friday, the end of the week. We had some scenarios to do so the troop was not marching over to our class after lunch as a troop. Some of us were in regular clothes and some were in uniform. The commissioner arrived at Depot Friday at lunch as well and to make life here at Depot even more interesting there has been a coUrse on all week for officers. You can't walk down the main street of Depot without saluting. But that is what happened after lunch on Friday. One of our troop mates didn�t recognize an officer in his serge. All he said was hi instead of saluting. OOPS. Wrong thing to do. The officer sent him to the drill hall right away and the whole troop lost their blues. As of Monday we will be wearing the regular blue pants and our RUNNING SHOES. Well it was fun while it lasted. We get to wear our blues again when we come back from Easter. But for this week we are back to basics like we were in week 2. That means that on parade on Tuesday where we were going to be in high browns and breaches. We will be at the back in running shoes and blue pants. We still have to have our boots polished though. This is a short week because of Easter. I leave on Thursday right after last class(tear gassing) to fly home. I can�t wait. I just have to make sure that I wash the tear gas out of my hair before I get on the plane or I will not be so popular. Running into week 15 in the proper foot wear. GO!! |
| April 13, 2003 |
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