Day 1 = Day Off

I don't offically start the course until Tuesday (tomorrow) however I am paid for today. So I am here in Kingston, traveling around, getting familiar with my surondings and spending money.

I had a problem with the internal speakers and ear jack for my lap top... 25min at a weak tea at starbucks was enough time to solve a problem that I my puter has had for several months now... Thanks HP Help site.

My roommate is an Officer from Brazil. His name... well its VERY hard to say.. He says friends just call him "Melo" as it is easier... I like it.. simple!

He had packed 2 bags, he transfered both when he was in Washington... Only one arrived in Canada... He needed a pair of military boots, and I had a spare pair... So i lent him my spare pair..

He has courses today, as do all the foregin students. They take a Canadian driving test and study some Canadian cultural things... (beer, pot, McDonalds? LOL)

The course begins tomorrow and I am excited to dive into the vast amount of information that they will have to shove down our throats in the next 4 weeks.

Im off to drive along the lake and see the sites!

cheers for today...

PSTC UN PSOMO COURSE

I have arrived at CFB Kingston for the Peace Support Training Course. I arrived about 2000hrs... Got my room and setteled in.

Tried to watch a movie (loaded a bunch in Suffield and at home) however my internal speakers do not work :(... will have to find WiFi and fix tomorrow.

I have a 4 person room and there is only 2 of us so far..

My roommate is from Brazil.

Other blogs

I had discovered this other blog by a CF Officer who was keeping it up to date from the Sudan. It helped me understand and be able to see a part of the job from another officer's eyes...

Check it out:

http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Sudan/blog-166785.html


Here is a news article on the same:

http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/Commun/ml-fe/article-eng.asp?id=3432

Cheers

Course confirmation

Today I received confirmation of my UNMO course to be held at the Peace Support Training Centre - CFB Kingston , Ontario. The course is 4 weeks long and includes theory and practical lessons as well as field training exercises lasting up to 3 days. All training is directly related to the UNMO job and it's requirements.

I am still in Suffield waiting for the snow and rain to arrive. Should be here by dinner time. I fly him tomorrow after one final mas cas incident for the hospital staff.

Go Stop Wait go Stop Go Sooner.....

I have been trying to serve with the Canadian Forces overseas for about a year now. I left the cadet movement in 2005 with the hopes of doing more with my military career and possibly being able to assist a foreign nation through the CF.

I had forwarded my name in 2007 for the "Patient Regulatory and Medical Liaison Officer" position in Afghanistan at the Kandahar Air Field with the Role 3 Multinational Hospital. My hopes were to secure a job that fit into my university degree so that I could apply some of my knowledge.

My hopes kept getting shattered. The fact is there is only 1 of that position open every six months. There are well over 300 military personal that could fill it. It was only after talking to another good friend that I had found out that the position was a triple hatted position of the Adjt of the Hospital. Technically a Major's position.

So I left my name floating around looking for other ways I could serve Canada abroad.

A tasking came up that was perfect. Two months in a foreign land, providing medical support to Canadian troops and providing limited humanitarian aid. The country.... JAMAICA!!!

The shitty part was this coincided with Toronto EMS' supervisor testing and evaluation and promotion schedule. I decided that my EMS career was more important and that it was where I needed to focus my attention at that time. I offered the position to the other officers in my unit and Lt Felix Yeung jumped all over it. The job was to be the HCA (Health Care Administrator) and OC (Officer Commanding) for a medical detachment (Physicians Assistant, 3 Medical Techs and a Preventative Med Tech). This was in support of Operation Tropic Hammer.

So as I type this Felix is in Jamaica soaking up the sun.

I received the first indication that something was up when my CO Maj Gillie sent me an email saying "careful what you wish for".