On Guard 90 and the 'Super Master Corporal's' Training Course

[RARinne]

Good Morning,

My name is Rob Rinne and I am wondering if someone here can help me acquire some information. It’s research for a novel I am plotting.

1. “Super Master Corporal’s Course”, or at least, back in and around the 1990s, this is what I remember how people referred to it. Is such a course still in existence? I have no desire to take it, but I am wondering how I can get information regarding the course as it was  back in 1990.

2. “On Guard 90 : Total Force In The Making” is a training exercise back from 1990. I don’t remember if all of Ontario was in on it, but I do remember that LFCATC Meaford was definitely involved. I want to get as much information as I can about that particular exercise. Everything from the planning, the brochures, and some of the specific events. The internet has not been of much help to me. The brochure for On Guard 90 had a soldier in combat uniform on the cover, complete with camouflage makeup. I can almost remember his name of who it was. I am nearly sure it was a master corporal and I am very nearly sure that it was a particular master corporal who did exceedingly well on the ‘super master corporal’s course’.

Anything and everything that anyone can send my way, including contacts who can also point me in the right direction, would be appreciated. Again, the internet has not been my friend and neither has my local library.

Regards,
Robert A. Rinne

 

[Loachman]

I orchestrated all of the helicopter support (five Chinook, Twin Hueys, NY ARNG Hueys, and a bunch of Kiowas). That may not have been quite the most intensive two weeks of my life, but I cannot remember any other period that clearly exceeded them.

I doubt that I could be of any real help, though, as I was in my own little bubble.

 

[Ostrozac]

I wasn't on that exercise -- so can't really comment on that part, but the closest I remember to the course you describe was hearing about the RNTP program, which was an intensive reserve only course that was intended to be a combined QL3 Infantry and Infantry Section Commander Course all rolled into one. The member would enrol in the reserves off the street, go on the course, then graduate as a Master Corporal four months later.

I remember it being explained, and then me thinking that it was the most insane idea for NCO production that I had ever heard. But that's the closest thing that I can think of to a Super Master Corporal course, but I never heard it described as that -- it was always called RNTP. Pronounced "Rin-Tip". I can't remember what the acronym stood for.

 

[mariomike]

-- it was always called RNTP. Pronounced "Rin-Tip". I can't remember what the acronym stood for.

Reserve NCO Trg Plan/Program?

 

[Haggis]

Reserve NCO Training Program was more of an "instant" MCpl Course than a "Super" MCpl Course.  Many grads lacked the maturity and people skills to apply the leadership principles taught on RNTP.

 

[Old EO Tech]

I was a young Pte in 2 Svc Bn in Pet at this time.  I can't speak to the RNTP as I've always been Reg Force.  But I took part in On Guard 90, or as we called it Oh God 90.  Definitely a very limited success of a Total Force Ex.  I don't know how this worked out on the Combat Arms side of things, but on the CSS side we ended up splitting up 2 Svc Bn between Pet and Meaford, and then trying to integrate as many CSS(EME in my case) technicians/officers to make full up Coys/Pl's at each location.

So we ended up with some reserve Wpns Tech's in W&E Pl, Maint Coy in Pet.  And a EME LT reserve Pl Comd that was even younger than me :-/  In order not to alienate the reservists, we went so far as to make Pet Svc Bn and Mfd Svc Bn epaulets, I still have my Pet Svc Bn OD slipons as a keepsake :-/ 

As far as the Ex went it was a fairly standard Svc Bn Ex at the time, occupy and defend a  hide, move at night and repeat.  I'm sure the reservist did get some good training out of this, but for all the resources used for this Ex they probably could have just put the reservists on TD to reg force units for OJT and get more out of that.....

 

[noneck]

I was On Guard 90, It wasn't just an Ontario MO Ex. I was on the Western one in Wx, it was a standard MilCon style Ex with about 4 days of stand Trg and a 2 or 3 day FTX. I still have a US style shoulder patch we were issued as members of the 12 Militia Strike Bn......I don't know who made this sh~t up! They only issued us one patch and we had to take it off one shirt and sew it on the other when changing uniforms. It was a good Ex, but no better or worse than any of the other MilCon's.

As far as the "Super MCpl" course, we called it JNCODP, Junior NCO Development Program out West and there was both a Reg and Res course in Wainwright. We had at least one guy from my unit, go on it. They did GMT, BTT Inf and ISCC in 4 months, I remember that it was an abject failure and it was never run again.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

ON GUARD '90 also took place in the Atlantic Area as well in Gagetown.  We had fast air, helo inserts (against our O.P. screen).  I was in the Recce Sqn.  We did mtd OPs on HLZs, there were insertions on those LZs and they came looking for us.  Interesting times.

Ref the 'super Master Corporal' course, the irony is that 99.9% of the Jacks it produced were anything but super IMO. 

 

[Tow Tripod]

I was on On Guard 1990 as a member of 1PPCLI, C-Coy. They still haven't paid me enough for that Ex! I now have 26 years in and that particular Ex stands out as a horrible experience...

 

[daftandbarmy]

I was on On Guard 1990 as a member of 1PPCLI, C-Coy. They still haven't paid me enough for that Ex! I now have 26 years in and that particular Ex stands out as a horrible experience...

I was OC of a reserve rifle coy. My favourite part was when the Regs were told that they had to fill in the (extensive) trenches so the reservists could 'get back to work', then we were ordered to leave the positions.

Needless to say, we disobeyed (yet another ridiculous) order and stayed there and helped.

 

[AmmoTech90]

I remember the Recruit to MCpl course running in Wainwright sometime between 92 and 94.  It only ran once and consisted of GMT, Battleschool, one or two OSQ (MG and Comms I believe) followed by a CLC.  I seem to remember it running for 9 months and graduating one or two.

 

[medicineman]

I was on On Guard 1990 as a member of 1PPCLI, C-Coy. They still haven't paid me enough for that Ex! I now have 26 years in and that particular Ex stands out as a horrible experience...

I was OC of a reserve rifle coy. My favourite part was when the Regs were told that they had to fill in the (extensive) trenches so the reservists could 'get back to work', then we were ordered to leave the positions.

Needless to say, we disobeyed (yet another ridiculous) order and stayed there and helped.

I was in 1 Fd Amb for that exercise...when we did our Brigade ex, we dug in a fair amount (if was a defensive ex) and when time came to pull pole, we were told to leave the positions in situ.  Our reserve equivalent unit occupied said positions (some troops, incidentally only with the clothes on their back and whatever was in their fighting order during the wettest, coldest week of the summer) and at end ex, vacated them.  If it wasn't for the fact I was on an ambulance run to UofA Hospital and had my ambulance blow up in Edmonton, I'd have been stuck helping fill in those trenches. 

The dude I had to take to the hospital had been shot in the face at point blank range by a rifle with no BFA on it while he was assaulting a trench  :.

MM

 

[daftandbarmy]

The dude I had to take to the hospital had been shot in the face at point blank range by a rifle with no BFA on it while he was assaulting a trench  :.

MM

And I know the guy who shot him.

Awkward...

Having said that, there was loads of stupidshit going on. Like my CP was attacked by a section of enfor mounted in a CF ambulance  :

Really?

After that, I gave orders to shoot and/or stab to death anything that moved, including the grass.

It was pretty much a complete waste of time and convinced me that I shouldn't go on too many more of those jamborees.

 

[noneck]

Hmmmm, D&B was my OC on that EX....This is awkward I think we may have been responsible for some of those incidents!

D&B wasn't that the EX where you threw yourself on the wire obstacle?

 

[daftandbarmy]

Hmmmm, D&B was my OC on that EX....This is awkward I think we may have been responsible for some of those incidents!

D&B wasn't that the EX where you threw yourself on the wire obstacle?

Yup. At the Marguerita-Ville Massacre.

At the time I was hoping that if I was 'killed' I wouldn't have to put up with anymore of the BS being dished out by the DS  ;D

 

[medicineman]

Having said that, there was loads of stupidshit going on. Like my CP was attacked by a section of enfor mounted in a CF ambulance  :

Really?

I seem remember getting yelled at in Kabul for something like that...took a section of our engineers on an EOD task in a Bison amb that was being used for coverage.  But yes, that was bad form there.

It was pretty much a complete waste of time and convinced me that I shouldn't go on too many more of those jamborees.

I agree...I'd have to say that it was one of the top 5 worst exercises I've ever been involved with...behind the Gagetown COP Cobra  fiasco I was on in '95  and Western Defender '13 but marginally ahead of a 5 and 15 Fd Regt gun camp in '88 in Ft Lewis.  The 3 MilCon's I did when I first joined 11 Med Coy were actually quite good - my last one went off with a literal bang, as I was with the guns for it, got to see some cool shoots, borrowed an RAAC Gazelle for an air recce and promptly had to call the dude back later that day for a no duff casevac  ;D.  Oh God '90 struck me more as a hasty relief in place followed by a repeat of what was done to us earlier - without the Green Jackets and the SAS wreaking havoc all over.

MM

 

[Franko]

I seem remember getting yelled at in Kabul for something like that...took a section of our engineers on an EOD task in a Bison amb that was being used for coverage.  But yes, that was bad form there.

I agree...I'd have to say that it was one of the top 5 worst exercises I've ever been involved with...behind the Gagetown COP Cobra  fiasco I was on in '95  and Western Defender '13 but marginally ahead of a 5 and 15 Fd Regt gun camp in '88 in Ft Lewis.  The 3 MilCon's I did when I first joined 11 Med Coy were actually quite good - my last one went off with a literal bang, as I was with the guns for it, got to see some cool shoots, borrowed an RAAC Gazelle for an air recce and promptly had to call the dude back later that day for a no duff casevac  ;D.  Oh God '90 struck me more as a hasty relief in place followed by a repeat of what was done to us earlier - without the Green Jackets and the SAS wreaking havoc all over.

MM

COP Cobra....what a waste of time. I was in the tank Sqn at the time and we found it to be an utter jug fuck. On Guard 90 - someone's idea of a massive joke.

I remember the "super MCpl" course. The products of said course had to be, for the most part, retaught or relinquish the rank due to incompetence.

 

[Rifleman62]

On Guard 90: Was that the FTX when a dude got off the Herc in WX from BC, all camouflaged up with a camouflaged M-16? Turned out he was a civilian. I blieve he also had Ball ammo on his person. I was at the AH. Man Mil Dist did the Arty Conc.

Rained all week, and the RCR Bde Comd (you know who) had all tarps taken off all vehs. Or was that a different year?

Our RSS G3 had ball caps made up: TFB - Total Force Buddy.

 

[daftandbarmy]

On Guard 90: Was that the FTX when a dude got off the Herc in WX from BC, all camouflaged up with a camouflaged M-16? Turned out he was a civilian. I blieve he also had Ball ammo on his person. I was at the AH. Man Mil Dist did the Arty Conc.

There were a few older cadets integrated into the companies, and I used one as a runner. The aim was to give them some experience with the reserves in the likelihood that they would join. They gave them deactivated M16s (no idea where they got them) to carry around. I doubt that any of them touched any ammo.

After about Day 2 though there was a massive collective flinch, and they were all extracted immediately.

 

[Rifleman62]

Yes, forgot that he was a Cadet and who his father was.  Remember now.

They gave them deactivated M16s

That's why we started asking questions as we of course had the FNC1!

At that time, it seemed LCol's did not retire from the military in BC. They just went to Pacific Area HQ. An old boys club.