Joining Reserves while working up north

[Josh_Robertson]

Hey,

Wanted to start off by giving everyone a little back story, currently I have my application in for ROTP with my sights on an engineering trade. Now I would still like to follow that career path but I have been offered a job through a family friend, working in northern Alberta on the oil rigs. It's pretty rough working conditions and not something I would want to spend the rest of my life doing but starting pay before overtime is $120k+ which I'm having a pretty hard time saying no to. The idea of putting away some money while I'm young (18) really appeals to me.
However a lot of these places slow down in the summer so some guys end up working hard September - May-ish then take the summers off. I would probably end up doing something along those lines and would much rather train with the reserves and prepare for a future military career over the summer, than waste it partying or messing around at home.

So my question is: does anyone know of someone who has done something similar? i.e Worked full time at another job most of the year then full time with the reserves during the spring/summer.
Or would those kind of limitations exclude me from selection criteria? I was talking to a friend who just joined the reserves while attending university, they seem to be fairly flexible with allowing him to work when he doesn't have classes.
Also he was under the impressing you only had to do 14 days a year to stay in the reserves, a number that I could easily exceed over the summer.

I have had a hard time finding much information for this rather unique circumstance so any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Josh 

 

[MikeL]

I'm pretty sure the Reserve unit you wish to join would like it if you showed up to their parade nights and weekends. AFAIK most Reserve units run from Sept - May and have the summer for courses and a LF Area ex(if they still run).  Also, because you wish to be an officer, when are you going to find the time to goto university if you are working in the oil fields?

IMO, seems like common sense would be to discuss this with the unit you want to join.

 

[Chang]

You need to parade at least every three weeks during Sept to May to not go NES (non effective strength, aka getting booted out) so working full time elsewhere during the year is not viable. There is the ED & T option which allows you to get permission to take a longer amount of time off. However, ED & T requires permission from your chain of command and extremely long periods (IE. over 6 months) requires signature from the brigade commander I believe.

 

[Josh_Robertson]

I have called to set up a meeting with a recruiter and am just waiting on a call back maybe he will know more, but theoretically I could use my weekends off to go parade once every three weeks then do training such as BMQ over the summer? Although that may turn into quite the ordeal to commute back and forth that much.

Do you think the advantages of getting in and gaining experience a couple years earlier would outweigh the hassle/expense of making the 500k+ trip?

 

[MikeL]

Unit Parade nights are during the week, like on a Thursday night, so showing up on the weekend when no one is around won't do you any good.  Also, if you are living 500+kms away, and will barely show up during the year if at all,  do you think they will want to take you?

Either you join the Reserves and stay where you are now, or you join the CF later on after you are done with working up North.

 

[Josh_Robertson]

if you are living 500+kms away, and will barely show up during the year if at all,  do you think they will want to take you?

I normally live about an hour away from the regiment I want to join, and my parents are currently in the process of moving even closer so for the summers and weekends when I came home (you usually work 3 weeks on 1 week off) I would be living fairly close it would just be while I was working on the rigs that I would be so far away.

 

[Brasidas]

Unit Parade nights are during the week, like on a Thursday night, so showing up on the weekend when no one is around won't do you any good.  Also, if you are living 500+kms away, and will barely show up during the year if at all,  do you think they will want to take you?

Either you join the Reserves and stay where you are now, or you join the CF later on after you are done with working up North.

My unit parades every Saturday, and we've got a number of oil & gas folks on rotation in camps. He needs to talk to his unit, but it's not unheard of for a junior member to make this work if he can make time for courses. Eg. going on trades training during spring breakup.

 

[MikeL]

Josh, just wondering what you want since your profile and what you post here is kind of all over the place.

I gather that you are in the process of joining the Regular Force under ROTP and wanting to goto RMC,  also in this thread you wish to join the Reserves, do you wish to be NCM or Officer?  Do you still want Reg Force?  Also, just wondering which Reserve unit you wish to join, as the closest units would probably be in Vancouver? 39 CER/6 Field Sqn - they parade on Thursday nights according to the website.

 

[Josh_Robertson]

Josh, just wondering what you want since your profile and what you post here is kind of all over the place.

I gather that you are in the process of joining the Regular Force under ROTP and wanting to goto RMC,  also in this thread you wish to join the Reserves, do you wish to be NCM or Officer?  Do you still want Reg Force?  Also, just wondering which Reserve unit you wish to join, as the closest units would probably be in Vancouver? 39 CER/6 Field Sqn - they parade on Thursday nights according to the website.

I filled out my application for ROTP online a several months back with the hope of attending RMC with my first choice to be trained as an Engineering Officer. So I was waiting to get an interview date, however no one ever contacted me regarding the next steps, even though I have left several clear and concise messages with the CFNRCC still no one has returned my calls.

However when I originally filled out my online application the computer timed out and I got some error messages when trying to submit the application, but after refreshing the page a couple times it appeared to go through. I was under the impression everything had work. Now I have this nagging feeling though that something went wrong with the online app, partly because I haven't heard back from the CFNRCC and partly because when I tried to check the status of my application online the site did not recognize my login.

Due to the delay in processing my application (from what is probably a technical error on my part) I have missed the admissions deadline to attend RMC in the fall, when I mention that to my uncle he suggested going up north and working for him in oil and gas for a year or two. After which I intend to once again apply to RMC with the goal of becoming an Engineering Officer.

In the meantime however I would still like to be involved with the CF in one way or another so if possible spending my summers/time off with the Reserves would be ideal.

I don't have my heart set on joining a specific regiment but I was thinking either the 39 CER/6 Field Sqn as you mentioned or The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada since my family is scottish.

On another note does it matter if I join an infantry reserve such as The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada if I intend to become an engineering officer? Or would I be better off with applying to The 6th Engineer Squadron? It's not like I have my engineering degree yet, would the training be different?

I hope that clarifies my intentions a bit more? Sorry to be all over the place. You're being really helpful Skeletor and I appreciate it.

 

[MikeL]

I don't know how it'll look to who ever will review your file for ROTP/RMC but I do know some guys who started off in one trade in the Reserves, then did another in the Regs.  IE Arty Reserve to Reg Force Infantry, etc  IMO if you want to be a Combat Engineer Officer, then it might be more beneficial to be in the Reserves as a Combat Engineer NCM instead of Infantry.  But it is your call, do what will make you happy and you feel is best for you.

Depending on how long you wish to be in the Reserves, if only for a short period, ie 1 year IMO I would not apply and just continue with the Regular Force application. If you do want to make a commitment and spend some time in the Reserves before going Regular Force then go for it.  Best thing for you to do would be to talk to the CFRC and the Reserve unit you are interested in joining.  Discuss your career goals with them, and what your plan is and they can guide you to the best way to do that and how to start.