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Canadian / Australian Personnel Exchange Program??

who980

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Hello,

Does anyone on this board have any information pertaining to a Canadian / Australian personnel exchange program or an exchange program with any other nation for that matter?  I am interested in participating in something like this, but I dont know where to look.  Is it something thats usually only offered at certain times or is it an on-going sort of thing?  I know this sort of thing does happen as there was a Australian Naval officer serving on board a ship I was serving on at one point.  As well, there was RNZN NCMS serving on some ships here in Esquimalt a couple years ago.  (A couple killicks and a PO, I can only assume they were on some sort of exchange program)  Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Ryan.


 
Hey Ryan, be careful what you ask for. I cross-polled to HMAS Darwin for RIMPAC, took me over three months to get off the thing as the ship skipped out of the Ex without returning to Pearl. I wanted to jackstay over to Provider as the ship was RAS'ing from her, but the CO of Provider wouldn't allow it!!!

Vegemite - bleh!!

Castle XXX - double bleh!!

Canned spaghetti for breakfast - triple bleh!!

Cheers. 
 
"Vegemite - bleh!!

Castle XXX - double bleh!!

Canned spaghetti for breakfast - triple bleh!!"

Sure, OK, but other than that, how were they? :)

Tom
 
I can't see why you guys shouldn't do this, we Brits do.  We call it Ex Long Look, it's done every year for about 4 months.  We send a planeful of people (tri service) to Aus and NZ and they send theirs on the return trip.  I went on it in 92 and was attached to 3RAR, their Parachute Bn, and what an absolutely brilliant experience it was, they were very, very similar to us, it was like moving from one Bn in our Army to another but with different uniforms and guns (and they give the halt on the wrong foot!). 

I'm surprised we don't do it with you guys it's a very good experience and for a young up and coming Cpl it gave me a new outlook on things and whole heap of new ideas for when I got back to my Bn.  I can't imagine we are that different, lets face it less than 50 years ago we were wearing the same uniform and firing the same guns!
 
I'm not sure about reg force exchange posting, but I can relate my experience from the reserve POV.  Two years ago, I did a university exchange from Saskabush to outside of Melbourne, and given full permission from Unit CO to parade if accepted with an Aussie unit.  The fact that I was an engineer and tried to work with an infantry battalion had nothing to do with the problem as I had been att. posted for a year already.  At that time, there was no...insurance policy out to cover members from Canadian reserve forces.  At that time, the issue was being raised at their NDHQ level, as it was a request that was/is beginning to become more common. 

If you are looking for more info on exchanging here, check out the Aus. DOD website.  There are numbers in the recruiting link that can lead you to a Light Colonel, who is well worth talking to, as he would be aware of similar requests and where Australia is at in their negotiations.  Good luck.

Chimo
 
whiskey601 said:
Hey Ryan, be careful what you ask for. I cross-polled to HMAS Darwin for RIMPAC, took me over three months to get off the thing as the ship skipped out of the Ex without returning to Pearl.

Vegemite - bleh!!

Castle XXX - double bleh!!

Canned spaghetti for breakfast - triple bleh!!
 

Vegemite = death in a jar - never try it, and if ya do, do it outside so you can spit it out. Its shyte! Those who have dabbled can relate to this remark :p

Castlemain XXXX Gold aint that bad, its a Queensland beer made in Brisbane, and they love it here, hence I have evolved, swilling it like I was born here. :blotto:

Spag for b'fast, eew, but it can get worse, some of the stuff concocted for b'fast by Australians ( I have dual nationality so I am allowed to say that   ;) ) would make a maggot wretch. I prefer a bacon sanger or a snag sanger any day to get me by.

About Longlooks, we have them ongoing all the time, usually 3-6 months and when I was posted to 5 CSSB, we had an English REME LT, who loved it here. He did not want to go back to the UK. We also have had Aussies att posted to Gagetown (School of Arty), Suffield and Wainright (maybe along with UK units), plus the USA. Plus we have one officer, usually a MAJ (CF) posted into Canungra (the last one I saw was in 2002 from the RCR) who rotates on a 2 yr basis, so this includes the wife and kids etc.

At the 1 Div SGTs' Mess at Enoggera, there is even a plaque from a CF Signals MWO who exchanged in the 90's, and its still there on the wall, with numerous others from the UK.

Cheers,

Wes

 
I seem to recall when I was in Kingston that there was an Australian Sgt on exchange all the time there with 2 Electronic Warfare Sqn.  RMC also had an exhange one year with the Aussie equivalent.

MM
 
I've only ever seen Ossifers and (rarely) the occasional Snr NCO do this sort of thing. We used to do small unit exchanges with other Commonwealth nations, but the last one I've heard of was when 3 RCR did one with the Royal Scots. That was in '97. Spent 3 weeks in Colchester and Edinbourgh. I've not heard of any since.
 
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