Bosnia

[Disturbance]

I leave this thread as an open topic about Bosnia. A bunch of us here are almost set to go on the CRIC and I thought this place would be good to get/find/post ANY information that would be useful in my future. If you have found links are whatever to good sites post them. Any vets here with advice post it. I think its time to do a lil research to the place I am gonna be staying for 6 months.

Disturbance

[farseer]

yup, we've already started workin with the eddies in MTSC II, doing some funky motorized stuff in the ML-PC's, the only APC we had in wainright froze because it was turned off in the - 25 cold, ouch.
my understanding is the workup is in edmonton, can anybody verify that?

[enderr]

Rumours in toronto are that key personnel [csm, oc, pl cdr, pl wo] are already being looked at. A warning order is supposed to come down in February, and pretraining starts in July. Roto9[3r22r]has a completely reserve section. Roto10[?] will have a pl, and Roto11[1RCR?] Coy will be completely militia.

[farseer]

so who is making up the coy. the eddie's, cal high's and who from BC?
is it limited to LFW or are they going to open up slots to fill vacancy's?

[Enfield]

You guys not get the paperwork yet?
Ok, here's the deal...
LFWA is providing one company that will become D Coy, 1PPCLI, on Roto 11. There are 3 Reserve Brigades in LFWA (38, 39, 41, I think) each will provide one platoon, with each Regiment providing a section. HQ will be made up of mishmash from across the board. Rumours I've heard is that a C Scot R Officer, ex-Airborne (isn't everybody these days?), will be the Coy Commander. But again, that's rumour....

We're supposed to be ready to go to Edmonton no later than 30 April, and will do 4 months of work up training, leave for Bosnia in September, I think, be back in March.

[garett]

You fags from out West piss me off... The only tours we get on are the ones when 2 RCR goes somewhere which isn't too bad since a couple guys from my platoon when to Ethiopia last summer.

The only real info I can pass on, which is second hand of course, is to go to Captain Jack's in Budapest, Hungry on your leave.

Bosnia is turning into a medal vacation for WOGS. A bunch of 4th Air Defence retards are there now. Big lots of porno mags and start a rent out business for your platoon or company. If you go in the winter you're going to need them.

[farseer]

yea, we got the heads up but it was pretty vague. sounds interesting, hey garret don't hate us - the west is the best baby!!

[TonyM]

CScots are doing the coy HQ plus a weapons det and a platoon. No idea where all these swingin dicks are coming from. Last parade they've started reducing the requirements for the cric to "OK, who wants to go? Sign here." Guess some guys are already having a change of heart.

[farseer]

same in calgary, they keep saying "if you are accepted", but really we are barely mustering a couple sections.
at this stage the augmentees are going to need augmentees.
13 onths is a long commitment,

[Enfield]

We've had one or two guys drop out, but we have more than enough still for a large section. We're divided into first and second string right now - new guys, just finished QL3, are second pick. But we've been told that in the end everybody who wants to go will be fitted in somewhere.

[Infanteer]

Whooh, gotta fix this drunken spiel...
Westies got over two sections ready to go.
Gotta look at the plan a few weeks ago, and it is nothing like I hear the situation on the ground is. Who knows, but anyways, I have been earmarked for Battalion, so I'll probably be torquing the lug nuts on a Lav for six months...could be worse.

[This message has been edited by Infanteer (edited 11-30-2001).]

[Cree Warrior]

Sua Sponte

[This message has been edited by Cree Warrior (edited 11-30-2001).]

[farseer]

i heard we get all the new gucci kit when we start workup, is this fact or fiction?

[TonyM]

CW-
Not suprised to hear that. I've watched "THE PLAN" become "The Plan" which is now "the plan", soon to be "one plan is to.." to be eroded into "anyone know the plan?" cumulating into the familiar "..fucked if I know. Last I heard the plan was to..."



[This message has been edited by TonyM (edited 11-29-2001).]

[Disturbance]

Maybe we should make two threads : one for the logistics of how the CRIC will be set up and who is where and what now, and the other set up for research and knowledge of the region. I mean if it really is going to be a 6 month vacation then dont worry about it but I wanna take it somewhat seriously.

I pretty much know shitall about the customs and lifestyles of the peoples that live there, what to do, what not to do - that kind of stuff. I know very little about the conflicts that the region has been struggling through. And the list goes on and on. I am sure there is a few other guys out there in my position and I know there are many more with something to say.

[garett]

When someone offers you a drink you have to take it. So get drunk on duty and say a local made you do it.

[enderr]

Yugo Fact: Slivo is an accquired taste, drink enough of the stuff and you'll begin to like it. Heh, if you don't go blind it's all good.

[towhey]

Originally posted by Disturbance:
I mean if it really is going to be a 6 month vacation then dont worry about it but I wanna take it somewhat seriously

I wouldn't worry about it being a six month vacation. There ain't no such thing in the real world.

Even in Cyprus, near the end of the run, the average unit came back with one dead guy from each six month tour. Rarely were they "combat" casualties... but all were "wouldn't be dead if he wasn't here" casualties.

And dead is dead. It's never glorious.

Is Bosnia the most dangerous place on the planet? I doubt it. But Toronto's for sure one of the safest, and people still turn up dead here all the time.

People who hate each other are always dangerous. And it doesn't take world war three to get you dead or badly injured. All it takes is two guys and a slivovitz bottle after a bad day and *poof* your 2 square meters of Earth is a 10-second war zone. That's all it takes. While your universe is turning to red dust, the rest of the world is watching Survivor 8, or wiping their ass after a bad burrito.

So, I say you're right to want to take it seriously.

For those who are going: good luck and God Speed.

And, remember Towhey's law of crisis: "Unlike in the movies, in real life there's never any scary music before bad things happen..."

Cheers,

2e

[farseer]

amen ...

[TonyM]

Some good words of advice (and perspective) given to me once upon a time:

"Well, it's not dangerous. But be careful."

I think I can understand your apprehensions. I take it this is probably your first foray into the not-so-safe world (OK, Toronto counts Mr Towhey!). Good for you, hope it's one of many. Here's some things that have worked for me or have learned:
-Don't try to absorb all the printed information of the region or it's past conflicts. A lot of it won't specifcally apply to you being there. And most of it is just someone's interpretation.
-Try to find some real people from the region. I know Vancouver, Calgary and other cities have Croation communities, usually have some sort of goings on you can attend. Best bets are those big communal dinners in celebration of some cultural thing. Good food, drink and most immigrants really do like to make friends and talk about the home country. This will be your best no-shit source of info. Again you'll find a lot of the printed "cultural info" does not really apply.
-This is the most important so I'll emphasize it; LEARN SOME OF THE LANGUAGE. You don't need to be an expert, but simple shit can get you pretty far. Again be careful about this. If you buy some fancy Let's-Learn-Serbo Croat in 10 days cd/book, there's a good chance you'll be speaking something no one will understand. Something like learning French in France then going to a cafe in rural Quebec and trying converse with the locals.

If you've noticed that the constant thread here is that most of your preparations will in fact not prepare you, then you're correct. Life's like that. Pay attention, use your common sense and when in doubt-play it safe. Can't think of much over there worth dying for.
-

[zeroalpha]

These may give a little insight...
http://army.mil.nz/nzarmy/grids/b_grid_operation.asp?id=104&area=13

http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/bk.html


http://www.nato.int/sfor/docu/d981116a.htm

http://www.nato.int/sfor/factsheet/opharv/t001116f.htm

http://www.nato.int/sfor/misc/phalbum.htm


[This message has been edited by zeroalpha (edited 11-30-2001).]

[towhey]

Originally posted by TonyM:
-Try to find some real people from the region. I know Vancouver, Calgary and other cities have Croation communities, usually have some sort of goings on you can attend. Best bets are those big communal dinners in celebration of some cultural thing. Good food, drink and most immigrants really do like to make friends and talk about the home country. This will be your best no-shit source of info.

Good advice... but a word of caution.

There is no "great truth" to be found anywhere about anything... least of all in the Balkans. By all means, talk to some Croats and get their impressions, opinions, etc. Excellent idea. But, also talk to some Serbs and Muslims as well.

You may find there is little agreement. You may also find that all those who disagree are equally right. That's the quantum challenge of lasting conflict: if there was a "wrong" side, it would be easy to resolve. In many cases, there isn't.

Do not walk into the situation with a one-sided perspective.

Good luck!

2e

[towhey]

Originally posted by TonyM:
-Try to find some real people from the region. I know Vancouver, Calgary and other cities have Croation communities, usually have some sort of goings on you can attend. Best bets are those big communal dinners in celebration of some cultural thing. Good food, drink and most immigrants really do like to make friends and talk about the home country. This will be your best no-shit source of info.

Good advice... but a word of caution.

There is no "great truth" to be found anywhere about anything... least of all in the Balkans. By all means, talk to some Croats and get their impressions, opinions, etc. Excellent idea. But, also talk to some Serbs and Muslims as well.

You may find there is little agreement. You may also find that all those who disagree are equally right. That's the quantum challenge of lasting conflict: if there was a "wrong" side, it would be easy to resolve. In many cases, there isn't.

Do not walk into the situation with a one-sided perspective.

Good luck!

2e

[Disturbance]

I have no one sided opinion to begin with so its ok

[TonyM]

Did anyone else get the word about 70 more non-cric slots for ROTO 11? Now all my guys who put memos in for cric are trying to get on that. Pretty soon we'll be sending guys on rotos for their QL2.

[farseer]

i've heard (rumour mill) that ROTO 11 will soon be open to all reservists across canada to fill slots.

[TonyM]

Chatting with our RSS staff, he's telling me that the Afghan thing has "raped" 1PPCLI to make up the numbers. Result=approx 150 augumentees needed for ROTO11 above the CRIC. If this is true, anyone who wants to go, just let your OR know.

[Cbt Engr]

Originally posted by towhey


Good advice... but a word of caution.

There is no "great truth" to be found anywhere about anything... least of all in the Balkans. By all means, talk to some Croats and get their impressions, opinions, etc. Excellent idea. But, also talk to some Serbs and Muslims as well.

You may find there is little agreement. You may also find that all those who disagree are equally right. That's the quantum challenge of lasting conflict: if there was a "wrong" side, it would be easy to resolve. In many cases, there isn't.

Do not walk into the situation with a one-sided perspective.

Good luck!

2e


And for God's sake, if you talk to a Croat, don't tell him you just had coffee with the Serb living six blocks over...