My first posting after initial occupation training took me to CFB Shilo. My initial posting as a no stripe Private ensured that I got a chance to do all of the menial jobs in the Regiment including painting vehicles, working as general labour on the guns (loader) and fixing things like field telephones. I also got to do a bunch of training required for my future in the Army. Courses like Winter Warfare, general Rad Tech training (driver training, kitting out my truck, 1st line maintenance (supervised by everyone) and other generalized Sigs training.

My first opportunity to feel like a soldier came when I showed up at the Sigs Tp building to find it empty. I walked around until I was stopped by my Tp Warrant Officer. WO Dan Connors asked me what I was doing. Having never met the man before, I replied that I was posted in recently. He informed me that the Regiment had bugged out on a field exercise that morning and we figured out that I was so new that no one knew to knock on my door. He arranged a helicopter ride in a Kiowa out to the HQ location where I took up my tasks. I remember that ride to this day and felt like I was finally part of the Regiment.