Camp Aldershot hosted a graduation ceremony on April 2 for 16 candidates who have successfully completed the Basic Military Qualification (BMQ) course.
Private Andrew Heptinstall of Waterville, a member of the West Nova Scotia Regiment, was recognized as the top candidate. He said he was surprised by the recognition. However, he realizes that BMQ training is just the beginning.
“The reality is that what we are doing is hard work,” Heptinstall said.
He said the level of difficulty involved differs from person to person but he would respect anybody who is interested in basic training and gives it a try. There’s no disgrace if it turns out it isn’t for you. Heptinstall said he looks forward to completing his trades training and working within the unit.
Private Alex Bigwood of Bridgewater, a member of the West Nova Scotia Regiment, won the “Top Shot” award for marksmanship at the graduation.
Bigwood said he didn’t expect the award. It was a cold, windy day when they were at the firing range. He said he quickly fired off his rounds and wasn’t trying as hard as he could have. He said he fully expected one of the younger candidates to win.
“You put a lot of practice into how to do it and then when you have to do it in front of people, you clam up and you tend to get it wrong,” Bigwood said.
He said he has a lot of infantry training ahead of him. Bigwood looks forward to exploring the various opportunities and plans to consider his options later on.
Officer Cadet Paul Swanburg of New Minas, one of the graduates, said that he feels relieved to have successfully completed basic training.
“It also feels like the first step, sort of the first rung on a ladder of the career that I hope to make within the Canadian Armed Forces,” Swanburg said.
The West Nova Scotia Regiment member hopes to eventually progress to an intelligence related role. For the time being, he’s working toward being an infantry officer.
Swanburg said the BMQ training can be “pretty challenging at times” but it feels great to be finished and to know that he put everything he had into it.
He said there is some military service in his family’s history but he wanted to do basic training for the experience. He got a taste in cadets and wanted to expand on that and see what life is like within the Canadian forces. With a degree in Political Science, he wanted to go the route of an officer.
Col. Shawn Hale, 36 Canadian Brigade Group Commander, said the graduates have proven that they have the necessary skills to continue on with their military careers. The BMQ course provides the knowledge that is common to all trades within the Canadian Armed Forces. He said the skills learned would serve them well in both their civilian and military lives.
“The training is physically, mentally and morally demanding and founded on the core values of the Canadian Forces, which are duty, loyalty, integrity and courage,” Hale said.
He said the graduates have faced many challenges throughout the course and have learned to work as a team, which is essential.
Second Lieut. Jonathan Barkhouse of Upper Burlington said the graduates represent the West Nova Scotia Regiment, the 84th Independent Field Battery and the 36th Service Battalion. Graduates have been training at Camp Aldershot on weekends since late November to complete the 25 days.
Did you know?
BMQ candidates receive training in…
- General military knowledge
- Physical training
- First Aid
- Weapons handling and safety, including general marksmanship principles involving the C7 service rifle
- Navigation
- Field craft
- Survival in a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear environment
