E
EasyCo
Guest
Hello all,
I decided that it might be interesting for others and myself to keep a log of my progress getting into and through the military.
Forenote
I applied for LCIS Tech(227), NETech(285) & SigOp(215)
I'm 21, I graduated from cegep in Computer Systems & I work for Environment Canada.
I live in Hull, Quebec -- 10 minute bike ride from downtown Ottawa. CFRC Ottawa.
18/10/2004
I went to the recruiting center to get all necessary information and forms to join the CF. I discussed a bit with a recruiter that approached me and she tried pretty hard to sell the Navy on to me
. Stating that my skill set would be ideal for the NETech(285) position. Watched the videos, grabbed the forms and left.
26/10/2004
Back at the recruiting center with all my forms filled out along side supporting documents. Everything is a-ok. The recruiter informs me that applications are processed at the end of each week. "Damnit", I think to myself, it's only Tuesday. I obviously have to get used to hurrying and waiting. I leave.
02/11/2004
I get a call from my recruiter wanting to book me for my interview and aptitude test. She offers to book me two weeks from now, I ask for something sooner so I can get it out of the way (I work f/t at the gov., so I rather just do everything as close together and as soon as possible). She books me for two days later (04/11/2004). I thank her and hang up.
04/11/2004
I once again arrive at the recruiting center, and am promptly directed into a waiting room. Waiting along side me was another guy who's joining the armoured core and has already done his interview and aptitude test; he gloats that the aptitude test is easy... A woman then comes and greets me and directs me into another room where I'll be taking my aptitude test. She explains a few things and lets me get on with the test. The test has 3 parts, verbal, spatial and mathematical. I remember almost every question on the test, but I'm forbidden to discuss it with anybody who hasn't already taken the test. Suffice to say, I found it to be pretty easy as well. The test lasted 1hr. Once I was finished, my interviewer entered the room and handed me a list of illicit substances to go over and check off what I've done in my life. I check off alcohol and marijuana and specify how much I've used each one. He then gives me a small friendly speech on how the Canadian Forces have a 0-tolerance policy for drugs. I nod my head and agree. He exits the room and the lady who first saw me about the test comes back in the room with a piece of paper in her hand and says: "Congratulations, you scored high enough for any trade that you'd like". "Sweet", I think to myself. I'm then escorted to the office of my interviewer (the man who gave me the drug sheet), where we start the interview. We talk for about 45 minutes then he finally says that I'm a perfect candidate for my career choices and that he rarely gets to interview anybody with my skill set (Ok, so that inflated my head a bit >). He also says that I'm semi-qualified and that it shouldn't be long before I get picked up given that I pass my medical AND that I'll probably get a 10 000$ signup bonus... SCORE! I ask him about the selection committee to which he informs me that the next committee would be in January and it shouldn't be too long before assigned (I hope he's right). We book my medical for 08/11/2004. I thank him and leave.
08/11/2004
Medical time! I arrive at the CFRC and the medic there hands me a a container to urinate in and asks me to fill out a medical history form first. As I'm filling it out another guy arrives and starts to fill his out as well. I ask him what he's aiming for, he says: "Armoured core". Again?? Everybody I meet is wanting to join the armoured core! Anyways, I finish the last few parts in the form, fill up the pee cup and give it to the medic. She conducts a test, and stamps NEGATIVE in three seperate areas of my medical chart (I guess I'm drug/steroid free, whatever it is they check for). I'm then lead into a private room where another medic makes me walk on my tippy-toes, my heels, checks my breathing and all that jazz. Then they stuff me in the little sound proof box to test my hearing. Last but not least, they test my eyes... My prescription is -3 in my right and -3.25 in my left, so without my glasses or contacts I couldn't make out the big E clearly. She said it was no problem because my trades only required the lowest level of vision and that I could see 20/20 with correct vision so there was no problem. She did however ask me to get a form filled out by my optometrist to make sure my prescription is indeed -3/-3.25. So, I have an appointement on 11/11/2004 to get my eyes checked by my optometrist so I can then complete my file and get it shipped off to Borden (It shoud be complete by 12/11/2004). Next step: Physical Testing.
09/11/2004
Just got a call at work from the CFRC booking my Physical Test on 16/11/2004. Sweet. Last step then it's waiting :-\
16/11/2004
Alright! Done and passed my physical testing. I made my way there, waited in the lobby for a half hour with another guy who's joining the Military Police(Well, trying that is). So this nice lady comes and greets us and leads us to the gym. She takes my heart rate and blood pressure. I don't remember my blood pressure(Something like D: 154 S:86) but I'm really not sure. My heart rate was a whopping 90!! That's HUGE, it must be because I'm nervous because usually my heart rate is between 68 and 74bpm. She tells me not to worry and that's it's natural to be nervous.
I do lvl1 and lvl2 of the step test and am sporadically laughing because the step test music is hilariously old and cheesy. My VO2 max is 48.3 which is above the required VO2 max of 39 I believe. Then came the grip test, I got 57kg with my right hand and 51kg with my left. I then do 30 pushups and 38 sit-ups. Sweet, everything is good, she tells me I passed everything and that all I have left to do is bring the form to my recruiter and I was all set. I bring my file to my file manager(Cpl Gelinas) but she's sick so I leave it with another staff member(I'll call tomorrow to make sure she got it). All in all everything went pretty smoothly and I can't wait to get an official word telling me I've been selected and that I should get ready to ship
08/12/2004
I was just thinking about the CF when my phone rings. It's my file manager telling me that everything is good, and that I've been merit listed. She also said that she wouldn't be surprised if I get an offer as early as late-December or early January. Cool! On another note, I passed a test and went through and interview for a better job then I have now resulting in a $10K raise... Looks good.
More to come [...]
I decided that it might be interesting for others and myself to keep a log of my progress getting into and through the military.
Forenote
I applied for LCIS Tech(227), NETech(285) & SigOp(215)
I'm 21, I graduated from cegep in Computer Systems & I work for Environment Canada.
I live in Hull, Quebec -- 10 minute bike ride from downtown Ottawa. CFRC Ottawa.
18/10/2004
I went to the recruiting center to get all necessary information and forms to join the CF. I discussed a bit with a recruiter that approached me and she tried pretty hard to sell the Navy on to me
. Stating that my skill set would be ideal for the NETech(285) position. Watched the videos, grabbed the forms and left.26/10/2004
Back at the recruiting center with all my forms filled out along side supporting documents. Everything is a-ok. The recruiter informs me that applications are processed at the end of each week. "Damnit", I think to myself, it's only Tuesday. I obviously have to get used to hurrying and waiting. I leave.
02/11/2004
I get a call from my recruiter wanting to book me for my interview and aptitude test. She offers to book me two weeks from now, I ask for something sooner so I can get it out of the way (I work f/t at the gov., so I rather just do everything as close together and as soon as possible). She books me for two days later (04/11/2004). I thank her and hang up.
04/11/2004
I once again arrive at the recruiting center, and am promptly directed into a waiting room. Waiting along side me was another guy who's joining the armoured core and has already done his interview and aptitude test; he gloats that the aptitude test is easy... A woman then comes and greets me and directs me into another room where I'll be taking my aptitude test. She explains a few things and lets me get on with the test. The test has 3 parts, verbal, spatial and mathematical. I remember almost every question on the test, but I'm forbidden to discuss it with anybody who hasn't already taken the test. Suffice to say, I found it to be pretty easy as well. The test lasted 1hr. Once I was finished, my interviewer entered the room and handed me a list of illicit substances to go over and check off what I've done in my life. I check off alcohol and marijuana and specify how much I've used each one. He then gives me a small friendly speech on how the Canadian Forces have a 0-tolerance policy for drugs. I nod my head and agree. He exits the room and the lady who first saw me about the test comes back in the room with a piece of paper in her hand and says: "Congratulations, you scored high enough for any trade that you'd like". "Sweet", I think to myself. I'm then escorted to the office of my interviewer (the man who gave me the drug sheet), where we start the interview. We talk for about 45 minutes then he finally says that I'm a perfect candidate for my career choices and that he rarely gets to interview anybody with my skill set (Ok, so that inflated my head a bit >
). He also says that I'm semi-qualified and that it shouldn't be long before I get picked up given that I pass my medical AND that I'll probably get a 10 000$ signup bonus... SCORE! I ask him about the selection committee to which he informs me that the next committee would be in January and it shouldn't be too long before assigned (I hope he's right). We book my medical for 08/11/2004. I thank him and leave.08/11/2004
Medical time! I arrive at the CFRC and the medic there hands me a a container to urinate in and asks me to fill out a medical history form first. As I'm filling it out another guy arrives and starts to fill his out as well. I ask him what he's aiming for, he says: "Armoured core". Again?? Everybody I meet is wanting to join the armoured core! Anyways, I finish the last few parts in the form, fill up the pee cup and give it to the medic. She conducts a test, and stamps NEGATIVE in three seperate areas of my medical chart (I guess I'm drug/steroid free, whatever it is they check for). I'm then lead into a private room where another medic makes me walk on my tippy-toes, my heels, checks my breathing and all that jazz. Then they stuff me in the little sound proof box to test my hearing. Last but not least, they test my eyes... My prescription is -3 in my right and -3.25 in my left, so without my glasses or contacts I couldn't make out the big E clearly. She said it was no problem because my trades only required the lowest level of vision and that I could see 20/20 with correct vision so there was no problem. She did however ask me to get a form filled out by my optometrist to make sure my prescription is indeed -3/-3.25. So, I have an appointement on 11/11/2004 to get my eyes checked by my optometrist so I can then complete my file and get it shipped off to Borden (It shoud be complete by 12/11/2004). Next step: Physical Testing.
09/11/2004
Just got a call at work from the CFRC booking my Physical Test on 16/11/2004. Sweet. Last step then it's waiting :-\
16/11/2004
Alright! Done and passed my physical testing. I made my way there, waited in the lobby for a half hour with another guy who's joining the Military Police(Well, trying that is). So this nice lady comes and greets us and leads us to the gym. She takes my heart rate and blood pressure. I don't remember my blood pressure(Something like D: 154 S:86) but I'm really not sure. My heart rate was a whopping 90!! That's HUGE, it must be because I'm nervous because usually my heart rate is between 68 and 74bpm. She tells me not to worry and that's it's natural to be nervous.
I do lvl1 and lvl2 of the step test and am sporadically laughing because the step test music is hilariously old and cheesy. My VO2 max is 48.3 which is above the required VO2 max of 39 I believe. Then came the grip test, I got 57kg with my right hand and 51kg with my left. I then do 30 pushups and 38 sit-ups. Sweet, everything is good, she tells me I passed everything and that all I have left to do is bring the form to my recruiter and I was all set. I bring my file to my file manager(Cpl Gelinas) but she's sick so I leave it with another staff member(I'll call tomorrow to make sure she got it). All in all everything went pretty smoothly and I can't wait to get an official word telling me I've been selected and that I should get ready to ship
08/12/2004
I was just thinking about the CF when my phone rings. It's my file manager telling me that everything is good, and that I've been merit listed. She also said that she wouldn't be surprised if I get an offer as early as late-December or early January. Cool! On another note, I passed a test and went through and interview for a better job then I have now resulting in a $10K raise... Looks good.
More to come [...]
