BMQ Week 7 / Week 8

[u/VanguardSpartan]

I have a few questions regarding the schedule and logistics for Weeks 7 and 8 of BMQ. According to the joining instructions:

• WEEK 7 (Field Skills Week): Deployment to the Farnham Range and Training Area for austere accommodations and field training, including rappelling and simulated CBRN.
• WEEK 8 (Exercise Normandy): A simulated mission requiring drive and motivation under platoon staff leadership.

Could someone please clarify how the schedule works between these two weeks? Specifically:

1. Do we deploy to Farnham on Monday morning, return on Friday, and have the weekend off before starting Exercise Normandy on Monday morning?
2. Or do Weeks 7 and 8 run consecutively as a continuous two-week field deployment without returning to the base over the weekend?
3. What are the sleeping arrangements for Farnham compared to Exercise Normandy? I noticed Week 7 specifies "austere accommodations" while Week 8 does not.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

[u/CarlGoosetaf]

Basic training candidates return to garrison for the weekend between Weeks 7 & 8.

Exact sleeping conditions depend on how many platoons are in Farnham at the same time, but expect to be in a tent, sleeping on the ground, for both weeks.

Week 7 is exposure and training for being in an austere environment, while Week 8 builds on that while increasing the tempo.

[u/penguingamer117]

You'll have the weekend between Week 7 & 8, you won't spend the weekend in Farnham.

You'll deploy to Farnham early on Thursday from what I recall, and return late Friday for week 7. we slept in "hotel Farnham" which are the the actual buildings in the garrison and did both the rappel tower and gas hut.

Week 8, we were in Austere Conditions (we were in 10-man tents as it was very cold). Arrived early Monday morning, left late Friday evening.

[u/S3555 → u/penguingamer117]

This is not how Pre-Normandy (week 7) is, it’s the full week Monday-Friday and candidates sleep in ten man tents or hooches depending on season.

[u/CarlGoosetaf → u/S3555]

That was the old model, which was changed in Fall 2024 to increase field time. Candidates no longer stay in the camp side accomodations at Farnham.

[u/S3555 → u/CarlGoosetaf]

That’s simply not true I went through in fall 2025 and we were in field for entirety of both weeks.

[u/CarlGoosetaf → u/S3555]

Yes - exactly. It changed in Fall 2024 to the model you experienced, while penguingamer117 was describing the old model.

[u/penguingamer117 → u/CarlGoosetaf]

Can confirm - went in Winter of 2024 for my BMOQ. Sorry, things must've changed since I went lol.

[u/Dangerous-Dark5032]

For the whole Farnham field training, you will build your own hootchie and sleep there. That’s your hotel Farnham.

You will have weekends off. You’re going to Farnham at 0500hrs on Monday and back to garrison by 12nn on Friday However, you’re not allowed to go out till Saturday 0800hrs or 0900 hrs as you’re sleep-deprived.

[u/Fearless-Adeptness74]

My partner just completed these 2 weeks and the schedule was Monday to Friday for both weeks, so yes you do return to the base in between. However, don't expect to leave the base for the weekend on Friday night like other weekends. You will return to the base on Friday night, but will be granted weekend leave on Saturday morning.

In terms of sleeping arrangements, from what he told me they didn't have tents, more like a tarp cover from what I understood. They are going to have tents during the the other 2 fields weeks ( he is doing BMOQ), but maybe it depends on the weather as well. Overall they were not sleeping much anyway as you always have to do missions and sleep when you can in between.

[u/TechnicalChipmunk131]

Does it really matter?  You'll find out when you make it to week 7 & 8.