I need insight on deciding first posting

[Cdnrednk]

Hey all, thanks for any help you may dish out for me.
I'm on my 3s at the moment, and we are in the process of giving our 3 choices for where to go.
Myself, my 3 choices are down to Kingston, Trenton and possibly Ottawa. Of course, personal reasons influence my decisions, but I would like to stay relatively close to home wich is southern Ontario.
Emergency Medicine is more of what I'm interested in, and that is what I would be stronger at due to my personality, however after a talk from our Sgt one day, I realized a field unit isn't the best place for a fresh med tech. I've already served my time pushing mops and brooms in other jobs and I actually want to learn and progress in my career to be what I can be, so Petawawa is now out of my choices.
I've searched the internet, and I can't find much information about these 3 different units and their pros and cons. Eventually, I would like to be involved in Aerial Evac so Trenton is appealing to me. What kind of opportunities could I come by in Ottawa and Kingston? And what type of work should I expect out of the 3 choices?
thanks for any advice!

 

[PMedMoe]

Believe me, you aren't pushing brooms and such at a field unit anymore.  At 2 Fd Amb, if you are fit and motivated, you will probably be tasked out with the units quite a bit.  Don't really know about Trenton but I'm pretty sure you have to be QL5 qualified for the Med Evac course.  In Ottawa, you'll be nothing but a glorified receptionist, getting people's med docs for their appointments.  Kingston, not so different.
I've been posted out of Pet for over a year now and I'd go back in a second.  The grass isn't always greener.....

 

[Bigmac]

I am assuming your Sgt has never been to Petawawa recently as he is way off track. Ask him to come down to the PA training cell so that those of us who just left Petawawa can enlighten him. If you want emergency medicine as a QL3 then Petawawa is the place for you. You will get plenty of medical training and I guarantee that you will be on a tour applying your trade skills before long.

 

[ModlrMike]

I am assuming your Sgt has never been to Petawawa recently as he is way off track. Ask him to come down to the PA training cell so that those of us who just left Petawawa can enlighten him. If you want emergency medicine as a QL3 then Petawawa is the place for you. You will get plenty of medical training and I guarantee that you will be on a tour applying your trade skills before long.

The same can be said for Edmonton. More training now then at any time in the past. As an added bonus... it's not Pet!!!  ;D

 

[Armymedic]

Private Medics pushing brooms...

Oh yeah, 1 Cdn Fd Hosp. Its in Petawawa...you do not want to go there.

If you are looking to do cool stuff, 1 (Edmonton) or 2 (Petawawa) Fd Ambs is where you want to go....

Unless you want to work on civy side, then Ottawa is ok for you. If you never wan to go outside ever at all...then go with your posting preferences, just don't be surprised when you course mates are getting tours and promoted faster than you are.

 

[MedTechStudent]

I know its a long way off, but pushing papers in a room somewhere is my biggest fear after being certified.

 

[PMedMoe]

I know its a long way off, but pushing papers in a room somewhere is my biggest fear after being certified.

Well guess what?  Admin is part of every job.  After all, what good is it to treat a person, write all the info in their 2016 and then misfile it (or not file it) so no one can find it?  It used to drive me up the wall that there are so many medics who don't want (or care) to do the paperwork.

 

[MedTechStudent]

Yes I know that, all I was saying is that I don't want to do that every day and have it be the majority of my work.

 

[Northern Ranger]

The only thing I can offer is that seeing as your young, get the Hard Army stuff under your belt early.  I've seen to many support trades get sent to Air units or NDHQ they get stuck there for years and then when its time to do some hard army training they are all stressed out as they only know the simpler side of life. Yes there are pers in support trades that manage to dodge the Army for thier whole time in but they are few and far between, so go to Pet , ply your trade and do some good Army training. Petawawa is only a 4 hour drive to TO (or it was in 86).

 

[ModlrMike]

The only thing I can offer is that seeing as your young, get the Hard Army stuff under your belt early.  I've seen to many support trades get sent to Air units or NDHQ they get stuck there for years and then when its time to do some hard army training they are all stressed out as they only know the simpler side of life. Yes there are pers in support trades that manage to dodge the Army for thier whole time in but they are few and far between, so go to Pet , ply your trade and do some good Army training. Petawawa is only a 4 hour drive to TO (or it was in 86).

Good advice. I highly recommend going to a field unit first. Later in your career, you'll thank yourself for having made the choice earlier. I've seen too many troops come to the field in the ranks of MCpl and above, and while some have the tools to make a proper go of things from the outset, most find the challenges considerable. It's even worse the higher in rank or older in years you get.

 

[medaid]

My advice for what it's worth is this. If I were you, I'd bust my behind to get into 1 or 2 Fd Amb, 1 being my first choice. After I get there I would soubtly hint that I would gladly go to a field unit, i.e PPCLI then once I get there I would express as loudly as I can that I am insane and would LOVE to jump out of a perfectly operational air craft! Once I've done some time with the Bn of course. If I was lucky during the mean time, I'd buy everyone that's got an input with regards to trg a drink or two... or three, and ask whisper things like, I love the mountains, and I think taking long silent walks in the tees taking my own urine and feeces with me is totally my thing. If you ge my drift? Once I've done all those cool stuff, and a tou, it should be time to do my 5s eh? Then 6a and b then PAs coursem

Fun Army posting? Check.

Jump course? Check

Jump tasking? Check

Mountain warfare course? Check.

Recce course? Check.

Knowing that you did some. Of the modt kick ass courses the army offers? Priceless.

 

[Armymedic]

Sorry to bust your bubble, but there are no more UMS or "doing time at the bn" in the RegF. All supporting medical in a brigade belong to the Fd Ambs. As far as I know, the only place you can work at an Unit Medical Station is in CANSOFCOM.

I know in Pet, there are no maroon beret medics anymore, no medics doing recce courses. And if you are fit enough to do para....good for you, and good luck getting on a jump course. The Fd Ambs are just too busy sending people over on deployments.

But if you really want to do all that (para, recce, Mtn ops), there is a little spot in Pet that would take you if you can do Level 9 on 20MSR, 40 pushups, 40 situps, and 5 pullups, and swim well with cbts boots on....

Apparently they have a need for Cpl-Sgt Med Techs.

 

[medaid]

Ah man, I'm just dreaming... not getting anywhere closer to doing those things with my new job

Cheers though!

 

[Cdnrednk]

Thanks for the help guys.
I take it St. Micheals is talking about JTF2 medic positions. I would need a couple more pushups but the rest is not that hard for me physically. We have a JTF2 "seminar" here this month a few of my classmates and I will be attending.
Looks like 2nd Field amb will be on my list even tho the GF won't appreciate it but hey, girls come and go, unless she's the special kind then she'll stand by my decision, career at this point needs to take priority!

 

[PMedMoe]

Looks like 2nd Field amb will be on my list even tho the GF won't appreciate it but hey, girls come and go, unless she's the special kind then she'll stand by my decision, career at this point needs to take priority!

Ain't that the truth!!    Well said!

 

[The_Falcon]

Thanks for the help guys.
I take it St. Micheals is talking about JTF2 medic positions. I would need a couple more pushups but the rest is not that hard for me physically. We have a JTF2 "seminar" here this month a few of my classmates and I will be attending.
Looks like 2nd Field amb will be on my list even tho the GF won't appreciate it but hey, girls come and go, unless she's the special kind then she'll stand by my decision, career at this point needs to take priority!

SMMT was referring to CSOR.

 

[Cdnrednk]

What is Petawawa like for entertainment? I'm the outdoorsy type I love fishing and hunting and I would love some trails to ride my dirt bike around on. I haven't had the chance to do much fishing or hunting since joining but I hope to change that, Pet seems to be the place...

 

[George Wallace]

What is Petawawa like for entertainment? I'm the outdoorsy type I love fishing and hunting and I would love some trails to ride my dirt bike around on. I haven't had the chance to do much fishing or hunting since joining but I hope to change that, Pet seems to be the place...

Depends on the entertainment you were looking for.  During rutting season, you may want to visit the Elk Club out on Acry Road.  Then there is the submarine races down at Petawawawa Point.  Watch what you step in at Blackbear Beach.  The shore rises just a bit on the Baron River. 

I am sure you won't have any problems.  Not like Edmonton, Victoria, Halifax or Trenton.  ;D

 

[Staff Weenie]

George - how could you forget the wonderful and unequalled opportunity that Pet gives to study its millions upon millions of members of the family Simuliidae - our favourite little bugger - I mean biter.

 

[George Wallace]

There are too many families for them.  There are the Black, Deer, House, Sand, Horse and many more, their names just fly by.  Or were you talking about the other 'Chopper' Sqn out in Area 6,  7, 8................oh heck all the areas?