{"id":25136,"date":"2023-08-18T17:29:34","date_gmt":"2023-08-18T21:29:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=25136"},"modified":"2023-08-18T17:42:42","modified_gmt":"2023-08-18T21:42:42","slug":"episode-868-the-training-of-private-jackson-skeoch-princess-patricia-canadian-light-infantry-august-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=25136","title":{"rendered":"EPISODE 868 THE TRAINING OF PRIVATE JACKSON SKEOCH, PRINCESS PATRICIA CANADIAN LIGHT INFANTRY, AUGUST 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
Note: I have converted our notes into dialogue\u2026.easier to paint a picture of Jack\u2019s experience.   <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
 Jack, send note to correct errors if <\/div>\n
you have time.   I know you are heading to the mountains with your unit and likely willl be very busy.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
EPISODE 868    THE TRAINING OF  PRIVATE JACKSON SKEOCH, PRINCESS PATRICIA CANADIAN LIGHT INFANTRY,  AUGUST 2023<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
alan skeoch<\/div>\n
august 17m 2023<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
This is Private Jackson Skeoch, our grandson of whom we are very pleased.  He is now<\/div>\n
a private in the Canadian Army.     Assigned to the PPCLI. Marjorie and i only know<\/div>\n
part of what that means.  Perhaps you might like to know as well.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Best to start by looking at this picture of Jack.  Look closely.  Note the rather <\/div>\n
nondescript piece of material attached to his cap by velcro.  Nondescript is the right<\/div>\n
word.  When Jack arrived back home for his  two week \u2018leave\u2019 <\/div>\n
in July, he showed me the badge on which are five letters\u2026.RECCE.  Initially 1 was<\/div>\n
unimpressed and I am sure  Jack was disappointed.   Now I know better.<\/div>\n
This little badge means Jack has qualified for Recon training in the Canadian army.<\/div>\n
It means he is now a member of a select subgroup of Canadian soldiers. <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Jack has good reason to be proud of his achievement.  Let me record what I now know.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
1) FIVE ELASTIC BANDS ON HIS WRIST.   Strange to see Jack spring five wide elastic bands on his wrist.   I did not even<\/div>\n
notice them until Marjorie  explained their meaning.  \u201cHis sergeant major told the<\/div>\n
RECCE grads to always wear these five elastic band so you can pack up fast<\/div>\n
and move out even faster.\u201d  Take only essentials. <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
BE READY TO MOVE IN AN INSTANT<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
2)  Jack’s sister Molly organized a camping party for Jack shortly before he headed back<\/div>\n
to CFB Shiloh in Manitoba.   Marjorie and I were invited and were a little surprised<\/div>\n
that jack arrived with an army back pack.  \u201cEverything I need is  in this <\/div>\n
packsack and I am expected to have it with me everywhere I go.\u201d  And he showed me<\/div>\n
how it is slung on his back.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
3)   \u201cGRANDPA, there is a reason I feel good about this RECCE badge.  It means I have graduated from<\/div>\n
a very tough course.”  Some would call this course a TRIAL By ORDEAL.  Here are some of the courses<\/div>\n
he took and passed.  The order is random.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
 “One  of the worst, from my point of view, was the water course.<\/div>\n
All candidates had to spend an 8 hour night floating full clothed in a deep swamp.  The course was broken into two parts.  First<\/div>\n
part was to silently slide into the swamp fully clothed including gear.  Then to cling to a life buoy of some kind for<\/div>\n
four hours.  No talking except a whisper perhaps.\u201d  Then Jack and his fellow Privates got a 40 minute break for sleep and <\/div>\n
dry clothes.   Then they had to put on their wet clothes and spend another 4 hours in the water.  I believe this<\/div>\n
was a night course but could be wrong.   It most certainly was a trial by Ordeal.  Quit and you are out of <\/div>\n
the course\u2026failed.   He had no intention of failing. Pain he could take without whimpering.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
FRONT PORCH OF OR HOUSE:  INTERVIEW WITH JACKSON SKEOCH<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
On Jack\u2019s last day we invited him to open two hours with us on our front porch.  We wanted  to know about the<\/div>\n
course.  He was reticent to say much about it because no one back home had ever been in the<\/div>\n
Canadian Army.   Jack is not a boastfull person.   We knew he had stories to tell and this moment on<\/div>\n
our front porch was reserved solely for Jack.  Marjorie kept notes.  I asked a lot of questions.<\/div>\n
This is our record of those two hours spent on a July afternoon in 2023.  <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
  <\/div>\n
4)  \u201cGrandpa, we had to jump from Griffin helicopters holding on to a rope and then rappel our way to the ground<\/div>\n
as fast as we could.    Helicopters only hovered for a few minutes\u2026maybe seconds.   We had to be fast and careful with about<\/div>\n
100 pounds of gear on our back.  We did this many times in daylight or dusk.  To let go of the rope <\/div>\n
was a sure injury and thereby removal from the course.   Our sergeants explained the difference between<\/div>\n
pain and injury.  Pain was to be expected.  Injury was not expected but did happen.  If one of us was<\/div>\n
injured then he was sent to hospital and removed from the course.  That was why Basic Training was so<\/div>\n
brutally demanding.. I can do 60 or 100 push ups on command now,<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
5) \u201cWe simulated a Night Recon and potential  Assault training by boat.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWho is we?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cMy patrol .  We carried our weapons and gear but it was  a recon test.  To fire<\/div>\n
a weapon is risky\u2026reveals both our presence and our location which could be fatal.\u201d<\/div>\n
Alll  of us we\u2019re in full camouflage gear\u2026.dark clothing for night assault.   The big rubber <\/div>\n
assault boat had an outboard engine and the plan was to nose into the landing point<\/div>\n
and  immediately roll off the black rubber inflatable craft  For me the landing did not go<\/div>\n
well.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWhat went wrong?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cThere was a rope looped along water line of the assault boat.  Loops for men in water to grasp.<\/div>\n
My arm got caught in the loop.  No time for help as landing had to be fast.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cAnd?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cAnd so I reached down my leg for my knife\u2026.quickly sliced the roipe and joined the team.<\/div>\n
We did this simulation several times where all went well.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
6) \u201cGrandma, have you ever stayed wide awake for 72 hours?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNo.  That\u2019s three whole days.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWe did it but staying awake was not easy. Here , smell this\u2026take a good whiff.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cThat is awful..\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cI bought a can of these smelling salts just to ensure I was awake all the time. <\/div>\n
To fall asleep is to risk the life of others.    Must be awake all the time.  Not easy<\/div>\n
even with the stink bomb.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
7)  \u201cEver been in a fist fight grandpa?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cI avoided fighting whenever I could.  Anybody wanting to fight me was likely <\/div>\n
going to win so I kept clear of conflict.   Most violent thing I did was knock<\/div>\n
ball carriers down playing football.   I was good at that.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWell, we had to fight.  Had to know how to fight which meant getting in some good<\/div>\n
punches right away.  We had 60 second fights with each other.  Timed fist fights.<\/div>\n
For real.  Drew blood. \u201c<\/div>\n
\u201cI neer heard of that, Jack\u2026news to me.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cwho would want to talk about it?<\/div>\n
\u201cRight\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cYou have that punching bag hanging the garage.  Was that the reason?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNo, I did not know about the fist fight training until we got to Camp Shiloh.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cHow did you do?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cI ws OK but did not like hitting my friends\u2026.even for the 60 second time limit.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWas that necessary?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cRecon stealth could go wrong\u2026.better a  fist fight than firing a un.  If the option was available.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cViolence expected?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
8) \u201cGrandpa, I did not say much about our weapons training .  I know you do not like guns.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cYou remember how Marjorie and I turned my grandfathers rifle in to the OPP for destruction.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why I have not said much about our weapons training.   Lots of time spent<\/div>\n
on a firing range with different weapons.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cAny live firing situations?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cBig part of the training, Grandpa.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u201cAlso  obstacle course\u2026stealth…on our stomachs with live firing over head.   At least the<\/div>\n
sergeants said it was live firing.   Truthful or not we kept our heads dow.  No one died.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
9)  \u201cI would like to say something about the word \u2018truth\u2019\u2026something that is very <\/div>\n
important.  Sergents stressed truth.  Even iif the truth does not reflect well on<\/div>\n
a soldier.  Such as cheating by falling asleep on the 72 hour test\u2026or doing only<\/div>\n
 of 60 assigned push ups \u2026or just plain lying about anything.   LIers are booted<\/div>\n
out of Canadian  army training.  No second chance.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cSurely tate is a little overdone?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNope.  The sergeant major says that any person who will tell lies is a person not<\/div>\n
to be trusted in a combat situation.   The lives of the whole team could be<\/div>\n
put in jeopardy by someone who lies.  Lyers are sent back\u2026no room for them in the army\u201d<\/div>\n
That\u2019s how I learned the smelling salt truck.  My eyes got dosy\u2026sleepy.   Hence the<\/div>\n
tin of smelling salts.   Nobody could trust a lier on sentry duty.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cEverybody tells lies now and then.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNot me.\u201d  (Probably overstated but point is clear.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
10)  \u201cdid you ever see wild animals during stealth training?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cyes, lots of deer, some moose and a few bears.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cHow close?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cVery close.<\/div>\n
\u201cHow close\u2026how many meters away,?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cOne time a deer came right over to almost touchi  me with its nose.<\/div>\n
I lay perfidy still\u2026camouflage clothes, green face paint, helmet with shrubbery\u2026deer detected me<\/div>\n
with its nose and came over to check.   Same thing happened with kangaroos in Australia although<\/div>\n
they never got closer than a few meters.\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
11) \u201cHow did the stealth training work?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWe were given a compas reading then expected to report <\/div>\n
what we found.  We must not be detected.\u2019\u2019\u2019which is easier said than done.<\/div>\n
Also easier to do at night than in broad daylight.\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cWere you ever detected?\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201cNot often.  Funny thing happened on my first stealth assignment.  As soon as I got the <\/div>\n
compass coordinates I took off\u2026 found the object which  was a truck licence\u2026.then<\/div>\n
reported back the licence number to our sergeant who did not believe me at first.  \u201cBut you<\/div>\n
were not supposed to start the stealth test until I told you to do that,\u201d<\/div>\n
\u201csorry\u201d<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Now Jack is back in Camp Shiloh for a few days.   He expects to be sent to the Rockies for<\/div>\n
Recon training in a day or so.<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
alan skeoch<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
august 18, 2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Note: I have converted our notes into dialogue\u2026.easier to paint a picture of Jack\u2019s experience.     Jack, send note to correct errors if  you have time.   I know you are heading to the mountains with your unit and likely willl be very busy. EPISODE 868    THE TRAINING OF  PRIVATE JACKSON SKEOCH, PRINCESS PATRICIA […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25136"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25136\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}