Need Your Opinion and Input!

[chy52696]

Hi everybody,
Im a 19 year old from Alberta currently taking a gap year before entering post secondary at SAIT ( SOUTHERN ALBERTA INSTITUTE  OF TECH. )
I have ALWAYS had genuine interest in the military and have always considered giving my service to the country. Despite my interest and passion I have come across several roadblocks in making the right decision..
I was raised in a Korean household and unfortunately my parents seem to fall under the stereotypical "asian parents"..they have lectured me all my life on what career path I should take etc.. you get the idea.
If i go into SAIT in the fall I will be going into hopefully Mechanical Engineering Tech. which is a 2 year degree program. But lately with all this free time on my hand I can't help but to think weather or not this would be the right career for me.. I hear all the time about how people do not like their job but a lot of them are unfortunately stuck with it for life.. I don't look forward to sitting in an office for 8-9 hours everyday for the rest of my life and die like that..
CF seems to give you a more exciting job environment and team oriented environment which I can definitely enjoy from playing football for years.. However I do want to have some sort of an education.. I know that being in the reserve is what a lot of you guys would suggest me to do but if i were to join the regular forces.. is there anyway that I can still serve and somehow receive the education that i desire? In a perfect world I would have gotten my 4 year Uni. Degree and entered as a direct officer entry plan but my grades are not good enough.. hence why I am going into SAIT engineering rather than a 4 year program at a University. Ive gone to the recruiter here in Calgary but he wasn't really much of a help to be honest.. he was really general with his answers and I was pretty much reading what the CF website was siting... I came here to get some more personal and hopefully more insightful answers..
The other reason why I and considering the CF is money... My parents pay for half of my sister's tuition who is studying in the states and paying for all her tuition and living cost is already a burden in their pocket I do not want to have to give them more of that...I figure since I have such interest in the army maybe the forces would be a solution to all this..
To sum all of this up for you and I apologize for going on for too long.. If i join the reserve or regular force can i still receive the education that i desire? what is it like being a soldier in the CF? is it worthwhile? Do you get a lot of opportunity to give your hand out to others in need? and most of all is it fun? I keep hearing people say online that when they joined the military it was NOTHING like what they had expected and usually was in a negative way...I pray that this isn't true for everyone.. Thank  you for your time !

J

 

[mrjasonc]

Chy52696,

To start let me introduce myself. My name is Jason and I am currently awaiting my call for an AVS Tech. I am married and have 3 Young's boys (aged 8,6 and 5). So my 2 cents worth is going to be from a fathers perspective and that of the "choosing" of the occupation.

Now that said as a father we all want what is "best" for our kids. Sometimes our biased opinion of what that is can cloud what our child wants. At the end of the day you have to know yourself. Get yourself to a quiet place and figure out what YOU want for you.

Is there education if the CAF? yes there is.

Do you help other people and nations? Yes you do.

What occupation are YOU interested in? By the sounds of your post it would seem you are interested in Infantry. Would I be correct?

Military specific questions (like reg force or reserves) I will leave to the more experienced to answer. But I would think that if you were to show to your parents the benefits in which you would receive as being a member of the CAF's I would think they could eventually learn to like it or at least support it.

Hope this helped.

Hi everybody,
Im a 19 year old from Alberta currently taking a gap year before entering post secondary at SAIT ( SOUTHERN ALBERTA INSTITUTE  OF TECH. )
I have ALWAYS had genuine interest in the military and have always considered giving my service to the country. Despite my interest and passion I have come across several roadblocks in making the right decision..
I was raised in a Korean household and unfortunately my parents seem to fall under the stereotypical "asian parents"..they have lectured me all my life on what career path I should take etc.. you get the idea.
If i go into SAIT in the fall I will be going into hopefully Mechanical Engineering Tech. which is a 2 year degree program. But lately with all this free time on my hand I can't help but to think weather or not this would be the right career for me.. I hear all the time about how people do not like their job but a lot of them are unfortunately stuck with it for life.. I don't look forward to sitting in an office for 8-9 hours everyday for the rest of my life and die like that..
CF seems to give you a more exciting job environment and team oriented environment which I can definitely enjoy from playing football for years.. However I do want to have some sort of an education.. I know that being in the reserve is what a lot of you guys would suggest me to do but if i were to join the regular forces.. is there anyway that I can still serve and somehow receive the education that i desire? In a perfect world I would have gotten my 4 year Uni. Degree and entered as a direct officer entry plan but my grades are not good enough.. hence why I am going into SAIT engineering rather than a 4 year program at a University. Ive gone to the recruiter here in Calgary but he wasn't really much of a help to be honest.. he was really general with his answers and I was pretty much reading what the CF website was siting... I came here to get some more personal and hopefully more insightful answers..
The other reason why I and considering the CF is money... My parents pay for half of my sister's tuition who is studying in the states and paying for all her tuition and living cost is already a burden in their pocket I do not want to have to give them more of that...I figure since I have such interest in the army maybe the forces would be a solution to all this..
To sum all of this up for you and I apologize for going on for too long.. If i join the reserve or regular force can i still receive the education that i desire? what is it like being a soldier in the CF? is it worthwhile? Do you get a lot of opportunity to give your hand out to others in need? and most of all is it fun? I keep hearing people say online that when they joined the military it was NOTHING like what they had expected and usually was in a negative way...I pray that this isn't true for everyone.. Thank  you for your time !

J

 

[Tape]

If you're planning to go to apply to Regular Force, there is an option called Regular Officer Training Program, which I assume pays for your education, but you will have to talk to the recruiter about that if you plan to pursue that option.

http://forces.ca/en/page/paideducation-96#college-2#university-1#reserveforce-3#specializededucation-5#university-1

Here's a link about more info, and as well you can search on the site more about it

Reserves will pay for SOME of your education: $2000 dollars a year and maximum of $8000 dollars in total.

 

[zulu95]

I'll follow mrjasonc's lead and introduce myself first. My name is Tyler I was accepted into RMC last year before turning down the offer for personal reasons, now I am attending college and have an application in to become a Combat Engineer, I can't speak to your questions about life in the CF but I can help you out with your money questions.

With regards to the reserves, they will grant you a bursary of $2000 a year to help pay for college. You will be required to attend a minimum of one training night a month, but can go to more, there you will be paid a basic salary. During the summer you may get the chance to sign a temporary full time contract which pays the same as being in the reg force and could be put towards college if you so chose.

With the regular force it depends on which trade you are applying for. Infantry for example don't need you to have any sort of post secondary education so anything you want to do comes out of your own pocket. Other trades require you to have certain qualifications such as being red seal qualified so they will sometimes pay for you to go through college in return for two months service for every month of schooling.

As well there is the ROTP or regular officer training program for university but you said that you don't have the grades to go to university so I'll keep my knowledge on that safely tucked away behind the knock knock jokes and hockey facts 

I hope that answered some of your questions and PM me if I can help with anything else

 

[runormal]

Hey there,

I am a reservist and a student and have been for 2 years now, started my 3rd year in sept. I love the reserves and dislike school. I personally can't wait to get done school so I can go reg force. I will be turning 21 in December. Right now I'm just trying to find the best time to put my CT in.


Reserves is a good go, and I would hands down recommend it to anyone. If you go the reserve route you are looking at least 6 months for the application to go through assuming the unit still has spots. If you decided to go the reserve route apply as soon as possible. Once you get in, it will take at least 1 year to get qualified (if everything lines up). But honestly I'd aim for 2 years. At this point you would be done your degree. If you decide that the CAF looks appealing as a career now you come up to the process of doing a component transfer.  Now this process takes anywhere from 3 months to 5 years. The ideal wait time I've heard is 1-2 years but It depends on your trade, whether you are changing your trade, the trades health, (insert more variables here). So it will take longer to get into the reg force if you go the reserve route.  But that being said, the reserves will allow you to get your feet wet and see if the CAF is a good idea or not. You will also get some reimbursement to your education.

I don't know a whole bunch of the reg force, but initial contracts are usually 4-5 years in length. If you want to go officer later in life there is UTPNCM and  I believe CEOTP still exists but don't quote me on that. I've also heard Reg Force can do ILP's and take credits here and there.

What ever route you pick reg/res you will defintely see team work.

Now to answer a few of your direct questions

what is it like being a soldier in the CF? is it worthwhile?
I love it, I lost 35 pounds since I joined and I am in much better shape now. Some nights when it is cold and you get an hour of sleep you joke about how much it sucks... Haha but, I wouldn't change a thing for the world.

Do you get a lot of opportunity to give your hand out to others in need?
I haven't had the opportunity with the reserves you will be limited to your geographical location. They aren't going to fly people from Nova Scotia to help with the floods in Alberta. However I know a guy who was mobilized during the snow storm that closed the 400 series highway down by Windsor, ON a few years ago.

and most of all is it fun?
It is a blast, best part is the friend ships you will make. I love going to work, best part it just hanging out with the guys. The people you work with are all really motivated and it makes for a good environment. Like i said earlier there are times when you will be running around on no sleep in the cold but the good outweigh the bad times imo. On the flip side the bad times are where the best stories come from ha.

I keep hearing people say online that when they joined the military it was NOTHING like what they had expected and usually was in a negative way...I pray that this isn't true for everyone..

I'm not even sure what I expected. I think all I did was keep an open mind, just remember the army isn't like basic. But you won't be doing urban ops 24/7. There is waiting around and there is really exciting times. It is a bit of everything.

 

[NavyHopeful]

And now, from a Reg force perspective...

My name is Chris, and I have been in the Reg Force since June 2011.  I am currently posted on a ship in Halifax as a W Eng Tech, or Weapons Engineering Technician.

Firstly, I want to tell you that, no matter what advice you recieve from this site, or any other sources, the choice is ultimately YOURS!!  Not your parents, and not your friends.  You make this choice for YOU, because it is what YOU want to do.  And that is all.

OK...  Now the fun stuff...

From the sounds of your educational choice, it sounds like you are interested in mechanics and the like.  I have a few options for you, and you can talk to your recruiter about them, if you'd like.  Firstly, you could try the ROTP or Regular Officer Training Program through RMC (Royal Military College of Canada) and sign up for MSEO or Marine Systems Engineering Officer.  These guys are the Engineering officer onboard all of our ships.  They are responsible for the engines, the structural integrety of the hull, the electricians, and the lot.  If you'd like a more "weaponized" approach, you couldask about CSEO, or Combat Systems Engineering Officer.  The CSEO is basically my boss.  He would be responsible for the sensors, weapons, and countermeasures onboard.  I'm not sure of any "officer" mechanical/engineering trade in either Army or Air Force, but I'm sure they'd exist.  If you are interested in more officer trades, I'd check the recruiting site at www.forces.ca.  Anyways, that is the "university" option, and we will call this option 1.

I noticed that you said that you needed to go to a community college to pre-qualify for university because your marks weren't the greatest.  For option 1, you can take your marks to the recruiter and see if you will qualify for RMC.  If not, then don't worry, we have more options.

Option 2 would be an ideal if you'd like to stay at home for a couple of years while studying your school.  You will need to check the recruiting site, but I think that you could apply for W Eng Tech, Marine Engineer, Hull Technician, Vehicle Technician, and the list continues on the recuiting site.  I only mention these because I'm pretty sure they are in demand.  Anyways, you would research these trades, and find out which few are to your liking.  Then, go and talk to your recruiter about the NCM SEP, or Non-Commissioned member Subsidized Education Programme.  Basically, the military signs you up, sends you to school, and you do your BMQ and other qualifications during semesters off.  I know of one guy who was NCM SEP who started basic with me, went back to school for his last semester (I got injured and spent 9 mos at BMQ before I graduated), and we met up in Halifax after his course was done.  When he got to Halifax, he had been promoted to LS because he was finished most of his schooling.  He did 2 months in a course, and went to a ship.  So option 2 is the NCM SEP trail.

Option 3 is what I did (minus the injury)...  I enlisted, went to BMQ, came out of basic, went to a specialized military trade school, and came to my job in the fleet.  The bonus to option 3 is that you are only in school for as long as your trade qualifications need you to be there.  Some trades are quick to train.  My trade was almost a year (holidays included).  It really depends on the trade as to how much training you will get.  And brace yourself for courses and the like, because the military is ALWAYS sending people on courses.  Traingin for their trade, for their element, for a deployment, for a promotion, whatever.  Basically, you are always training, and you will always be learning something.

So these are the options I have for you, should you decide that you DO wish to pursue this line of work.  I will tell you that, as a father and being in the Navy, I miss my kids whenever we sail.  But the time I spend at home with them is more quality time with them anyways.  As for people being generally unimpressed with the military in general, well you have to ask yourself if anyone who works the same job for a length of time won't become jaded to it...  I find myself wondering what I signed up for during every little 7 or 10 day sail we end up doing. But then I look at what my alternative could have been, and I wouldn't change anything.

As for helping people out, this summer I was able to deploy to South America for a Joint exercise with some of the South American Navies.  In one of our ports, we challenged the Dutch Antilles Coast Guard to a friendly Softball game.  After they thoroughly destroyed us, they took us out for supper, and we regaled them with a rousing rendition of "Barrett's Privateers" on the bus ride back to our ship, where we invited them onboard to have a drink with us.  In another port, we went to work at a school that looked like it came out of a commercial.  This school had some of the most deplorable conditions I have ever seen.  They had no running water, outhouses for the kids to do their business, and it just broke my heart that kids had to come to this dilapitated, run-down place to learn.  In our efforts to fix it up a little bit, some of the kids asked us to play soccer with them at lunch.  So our OIC (Officer in charge) organized for 2 of each of us to be on opposite teams.  The kids ended up all ganging up on us 4, so it was us four against like 25 kids...  During that time, I got to see that these kids didn't look at the school as a crap pile, but a place where they could be with their friends and play and learn.  It didn't bother them that they couldn't drink the water, because they were used to it.  It really took me back.

Is the military life like what I expected?  Not really, no.  It is both better and worse, depending on the day.  But in the end, I love what I do, and it is a job I can be proud of, and a job that my kids can be proud of me for doing.  And that really is all that matters to me.

So, good luck on your decisions, and I hope that this has been informative for you.  If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to PM me, and I'll give you any help I can.

Good luck, bud.

Chris