Where do I even begin? What can I say about those three weeks, which were both the longest and shortest three weeks of my life (so far)? I did so many things, some things I can’t even remember, while small little things stick out in my mind. Wake up at 4:30am every morning, leave for breakfast at the galley between 6-6:30, a morning packed full of activities, lunch, busy afternoons, supper, and then either a busy evening or an evening of cleaning and getting ready for inspections. Some evenings we were even lucky enough to have access to our cell phones… if we were well behaved and met our timings, and didn’t piss any of our instructors off too badly.

I guess I will start off with what I remember, and add things in as I remember them. Ready? Set… Go!

The Saturday before the course began, my boyfriend drove me to Halifax to drop me off. We said our goodbyes, and then I was stuck with 40+ strangers, feeling lost and nervous as hell. I tried to eat lunch alone that first meal, because I was scared and didn’t want to talk to anyone, but I was joined by some of the other candidates and one of our mentors, which was nice. Once I started talking to other people, my nerves started to calm down. After lunch, I was shown to my room, learned how to make a bed, met my fire team partner (AKA, my roommate), and basically sat around and tried to look like I belonged there. The next day was when the real fun began, and that’s where things begin to get real fuzzy. Everything blends together into a haze of push-ups, yelling, running, eating, and learning. Not to mention all the laughs and fun I had throughout everything else.

Some of the activities we did included tours of different bases, learning drill (which I actually love), physical training at 5am, handling weapons, playing with weapons simulators (we never actually got to fire any real weapons, as the firing range was flooded from all the rain we were getting), navigation (which I am awesome at), sports, fire picket, classroom time, rappelling down a HUGE tower (scary!!), writing the Canadian Forces Aptitude test (I aced it, boo-yeah!), interviews, the physical test, touring ships, riding RHIBs (Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boats) around the Halifax Harbour and the Bedford Basin ( so much fun!!!), going through a fire fighting obstacle course in full fire fighting gear, and trying to repair simulated leaks in a giant tank designed to simulate a flooding room on a ship.

I’d say the most memorable part was during the second week, when we were out in the field. We stayed in heated buildings, with nice warm sleeping bags and cots, but that’s about all the comfort we had. The showers had zero hot water, so I learned how to take what the military affectionately calls a “bird bath” (washing with baby wipes). We had to march to the galley for every meal, but that was nice, because the woods were pretty. When we didn’t go to the galley for meals, we ate the IMPs (rations), which everyone seemed to hate, but I liked them, because they were just like TV dinners, which I have always been fond of. I had to do push-ups and planks on gravel, and I f***ed up my knee while I was there. I had to carry a rubber C7 with me, had to do “stand to”, which meant getting up at 2 in the morning, grabbing my helmet and gun, and pretending we were under attack. Yeah, so I slept in all of my clothes, as well as my shoes, while we were out in the field. We also did our navigation exercise and our stalking exercise while we were there. The stalking was fun; I got to wear camo paint, which was not easy to wash off. I was also the first one found while we tried to sneak up on the instructors. I did very well during the navigation exercise though, and my group was the first one finished. I loved being in the field, and I actually miss it. I tell you, it felt good to get back to Halifax and have a hot shower though.

As for the people… well, when you are suddenly shoved into a situation with a shitload of strangers, you make friends pretty quickly. I was one of the oldest candidates there, other than a handful that were older than me, but I got along with everyone there. I would say that the best friendships I made were with some of the mentors that were there for the course. Friendships that have extended into the “real world”, as I call it, and that I believe will continue for the rest of my life. There were times where I did feel my age; the giggling, the talking in ranks, the horseplay in the hallway during kit & quarters time… I could usually ignore it, but there were times where it drove me a little crazy. Nothing compares to the stress that my fire team partner put me through. Every single morning, and before inspections. She was a very sweet girl, but not very good at making her timings or prioritizing her tasks (ie: taking 30 minute showers is just NOT something you can do when time and bathrooms are limited!).

So, in the end, there were about 30 of us left (a few people went home for various reasons). I believe 16 or 17 of us chose to continue on with a career in the Canadian Forces. The times that I was most scared and nervous were the times that related to my potential job offer. Nervous that I wouldn’t do well enough on the CFAT (I did so well that I qualified for officer positions, but I feel that NCM is the right choice for me), I was scared I wouldn’t pass the physical test (I did!), and then I was scared I would screw up my interview. I felt like I kept repeating myself over and over again, but in the end, I got a job offer for the trade I wanted (meteorological technician), on the condition that my references, credit, and criminal record checks all match what I said in my interview.

Our grad parade went well; our reviewing officer was Rear-Admiral Jennifer Bennett, whom I was told is the 7th highest ranking woman in the Canadian Forces. During our parade inspection, she complimented the shine on my boots, so I felt special. I felt even more special when we got to the grad dinner and I was seated at the head table, right beside her, since they wanted a female candidate up there, and I was the only female of the seven that completed the course who decided to continue on to the Reg Force. Not only did I feel special, I felt like a tool, I was scared I would say the wrong thing to her, and I was also kind of sad that I didn’t get to sit with my boyfriend. It was a huge honour though, and she was so nice, and kind of fun and silly too.

After the dinner, and after I helped clean everything up, it was time to go. I was both sad and excited to leave, but I will see a lot of the candidates in January when we go to Quebec (we are all scheduled to start Basic on January 23rd if all goes well), and, of course, I will be seeing the mentors I made friends with a few times before I go, since they only live an hour away. It is absolutely amazing how close of a family you become in just three short weeks, and how much you can care for people whom, under normal circumstances, you never would have met.

That was my PRTC course, in a nutshell. I strongly, strongly urge any First Nation, Inuit, and Métis person out there to give it a try. Although it’s a short experience, it’s an eye opener for sure, and it changes your perspective on what is important in life, and what you can really do without (it did for me, anyway).

It was nice coming home, and being with my boyfriend and seeing my cats again. It felt a little strange at first; trying to pick out what to wear, sleeping in until 6am, returning to work and realizing how boring it is without such a tight, loaded schedule. My first week back, I got a phone call with my official job offer for the Air Force as a Met Tech. I will be sworn in on January 17th, and I will be leaving Halifax on January 21^st for St-Jean to begin my new life with my new family. I am excited for Basic Training. I know it will be a hundred times harder than PRTC was, I know I will be pushed to every limit I have, but where else will I be able to wake up every morning and know exactly what is expected of me? As long as I keep my mouth shut, do as I am told, and pass my tests, I will be fine.

I didn’t get very many pictures, but I do have a few to share…

The group, with our toughest instructor, but also one of the sweetest. Underneath the muscles and the yelling, he was really just a giant teddy bear. I’m glad he’s not going to be my instructor at Basic though, LOL!

My side of the room, after our perfect inspection. I already messed up my desk.