NOAB for MARS wannabes

[Torlyn]

Heya, all.

  I've been sitting by my mailbox and phone daily, waiting to hear something from the Navy (say, an invite) for the May 2-6 board.  Has anyone already been invited out?  From what I understand, for reg force MARS, if you get past this and they like you, the actual selection board in June is a mere formality.  55 positions this year, it looks pretty good.

  I'm also wondering what to expect.  I have a vague idea (panel interviews, time on an MCDV, more math-ish questions, etc) but I'm not sure if that covers the scope of things we're to experience out there.  CFRC - Calgary doesn't have a pile of information (Hmm...  Calgary & Navy?  Go figure) but I'd still like to know more.  Anyone have anything to add?  Cheers all.

T

 

[Torlyn]

Well, so much for a plethora of responses...  Er, so much for A response.    Anyway, if there are other potentla MARS wannabes out there, I just go the call from the recruiting centre, I'm going to the NOAB!  If there's any MARS officers herethat wouldn't mind me picking their brains over a pint on either the 30th of April or the 1st of May, PM me.  Halifax here I come...

T

Edited to change Esquimalt to Halifax...  Whoops.  Missed by a few thousand miles...  :-[

 

[NavyGunner]

Someone actually WANTS to be a MARS Officer  : ?? Heheh  ;D  ;D

 

[30 for 30]

From talking to recent attendees at NOABs, my understanding is that aside from tours and a large number of classes there is one panel interview and one extremely challenging exam covering all sorts of subjects. Apparently most seem to think they failed it but that doesn't seem to stop a job offer at the end of the week. Actual MARS training seems to be the phase where large numbers of young officers are axed.

 

[Torlyn]

Wow...  You're sure selling the MARS MOC.    I'm looking forward to the challenge, to be honest.  I know it has one of (if not the) highest failure rate in the CF, but I'm willing to take that challange.  The rewards would be worth it, IMO.

T

 

[x-grunt]

Okay, I've got to ask. What is a NOAB?
I am in the middle of my MARS application process at CFRC Toronto ( loooong wait for my VFS) and I've never heard the term. Seems like something I should know about.  ???

 

[30 for 30]

NOAB = Naval Officer Acceptance Board, if I'm not mistaken. Held twice each year, normally in May and November I believe. You go to Esquimalt for about five days and at the end of it you find out if they are going to offer you the job. Not sure if one each year is in Halifax or if they are all in Esquimalt. If you are successful at CFRC you get the offer to go to NOAB. VFS shouldn't take too much longer. It's the security clearance that has delayed me (lived out of country for a year). I'm told it should come together for November NOAB, though.

With respect to "the challenge", that indeed is what it's all about - that and the job itself of course. My degree is as science and math-free as you can get but that's not going to stop me.  

 

[x-grunt]

Thanks RNW.

 

[kincanucks]

Naval Officer Assessment Board.

 

[FredDaHead]

I applied for MARS but haven't heard about it since I handed in the last things I needed to hand in. (They said I'd hear about it in April or May) But anyways, if the NOAB is May 2-6, I can't exactly go, I have two orals worth each 20% of a course (two different courses) and it's a week before finals start.

Does applying for ROTP change anything? Would I go to the Nov NOAB instead, or something like that?

 

[Torlyn]

I haven't the foggiest, to tell you the truth...  kincanucks?

T

 

[kincanucks]

I applied for MARS but haven't heard about it since I handed in the last things I needed to hand in. (They said I'd hear about it in April or May) But anyways, if the NOAB is May 2-6, I can't exactly go, I have two orals worth each 20% of a course (two different courses) and it's a week before finals start.

Does applying for ROTP change anything? Would I go to the Nov NOAB instead, or something like that?

The ROTP selection board is 20/21 Apr and the results should be available after 30 Apr.  ROTPs will attend a future NOAB.

 

[Torlyn]

Well, off to the NOAB tomorrow morning.  I'll have all of Sunday to putter around, are there any "must visits" in Halifax?  Not the Brass Rail type a la Toronto, but I'm looking more for architectural excellence, churches, etc. 

T

 

[winchable]

Architecture, architecture..hmmm...

All Saints Cathedral, it's an anglican one off of spring garden, very big and quite impressive.
St. Georges round church now that it's been reconstructed after the fire it's kind of interesting on the inside.
Theres the citadel (if it's open?) that's one of the big attractions.
York Redoubt, that's a bit outside of the city though.

To be honest you're coming at a bad time, in the summer the waterfront is active and fun, right now it's just foggy and wet.
Point pleasant park is interesting to walk around and look at some of the older forts, it's also neat because of all the trees we lost in the storm and looks eery at times.

There's a very, very pointy church at the barrington end of Spring Garden road that's quite impressive it's also across from a graveyard which is the oldest (i believe) in Halifax and has quite a few notables in there (A general who fought in the war of 1812, a large monument to two brothers(?) who fought in the Boer war...and Alexander Keith's wife..Alexander is buried near the hospital)

Nightlife would depend on what night I suppose.
I've lived here a long time so I'm used to many of the things that people from out of town find interesting and somewhat spoiled on them as a result.

 

[Torlyn]

Thanks, Che.  I found that church, it was impressive.  I couldn't believe the graveyards, they were pretty fantastic as well.

And holy shit, those frigates kick ass...  The day sail sure improved my knowledge of our (my?) Navy's capability. 

T