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Author Topic: Regarding sleep time
Mud Crawler
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posted 18 January 2021 15:03      Profile for Mud Crawler   Email Mud Crawler   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I believe you guys gotta go to bed at 11pm and wake at 5, right?Well when u first joined the forces, did u guys have difficulty adjusting ?

Posts: 145 | From: St-Hilaire, Qc, Ca | Registered: Sep 2000
Honi soit qui mal y pense
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posted 18 January 2021 15:48      Profile for Honi soit qui mal y pense   Email Honi soit qui mal y pense   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Mud Crawler,

The late nights and early mornings are usually only for course and on ex. I don't think that anyone in battalion (although I stand to be corrected) follows this routine in garrison.

Nevertheless, on course, it can be very demanding to stay alert, perform the physical tasks required of you, and practice good coursemanship when you are dog tired. Most people get used to it quickly, and it becomes a fact of life.

Don't underestimate the value of coursemates. When everybody is in the same boat and pulling together, it doesn't matter if you haven't slept in days; you'll get the job done. One more thing; everything looks better in hindsight. If you are lucky enough to have a good course, you will look back on it and your coursemates with fond memories and might catch yourself wishing you were back there (usually only the really insane think this way).

Good luck

Civitas et Princeps Cura Nostra


Posts: 5 | Registered: Jan 2001
fusilier
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posted 18 January 2021 16:05      Profile for fusilier   Email fusilier   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Yes you adapt to getting six hours sleep. You usually don't even get that, because you have to shine your boots and get ready for next morning's inspection.
When you're in the field you'll get little or no sleep, you're supposed to get four hours forced rest per day, but sometimes you don't. Weekends off will definitely mess you up, because all you'll want to do when you get home is sleep. So come Sunday night when you get back to base, you can't sleep. Before I joined up, I had to have atleast 8 hours sleep at night to function properly, now I have no problems working with only six hours sleep. Even five will do. There's a point where you get tired enough that you don't care about pain and stuff like that. Hey, sleep deprivation can kill you after six days. It's funny after two days without sleep, you start seeing things at night. One time a sergeant of mine rented a pink bunny suit during an Infantry QL3 final ex. He walked right in front of the recruits in plain sight, through fields and such. The instructors all had a good laugh when they saw the amount of people who reported seeing a pink bunny and those who clearly thought they were hallucinating from sleep deprivation, and refused to report it.

Posts: 61 | From: Kingston, Ont | Registered: Dec 2000
Michael OLeary
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posted 18 January 2021 21:39      Profile for Michael OLeary   Author's Homepage   Email Michael OLeary   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
You might laugh, but it is a striking example of how quickly and fundamentally sleep deprivation and exhaustion can affect soldiers (or their commanders).

On courses you have to keep in mind that some exercises are for teaching, and troops need to be well-rested even on the fourth or fifth day to be absorbing the new material you are delivering. Test exercises and unit training may have other objectives, but the bottom line is that rest routines are a basic and necessary part of field training.

Also remember that exhausted leaders cannot make swift and rational decisions with consistency, nor can they effectively motivate tired troops.


Posts: 30 | From: Halifax | Registered: Jun 2000
Brad Sallows
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posted 19 January 2021 16:31      Profile for Brad Sallows   Email Brad Sallows   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Adding to that, I am amused by the impression held by leaders and followers alike that the people at the top end of the chain should necessarily deprive themselves of requirements (mainly sleep) until those lower down are satisfied. This is generally a sound leadership philosophy, of which my interpretation is that it prevents neglect. However, it is also in the interests of the soldiers to ensure the leaders make sound decisions. Fortunately most NCOs recognize when to encourage the junior officers to get some rest (something all 2I/Cs should add to their list of responsibilities - remind the I/C to get some sleep). I would be very reassured if the unit CO or brigade commander received 8 hours rest each day even if I only had time for 4.
Posts: 81 | From: Burnaby BC | Registered: Jun 2000
Mud Crawler
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posted 22 January 2021 00:39      Profile for Mud Crawler   Email Mud Crawler   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Thanks for your wise answers

Posts: 145 | From: St-Hilaire, Qc, Ca | Registered: Sep 2000

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