Question on Voluntary Demotion

[Glorified Ape]

Alright, I searched and searched but didn't find anything on my question - if I missed something, my apologies.

My question is about officers voluntarily demoting themselves to a non-commissioned status. If, for example, a Lt.wanted to resign his commission and become an NCM, would it require a resignation and reapplication to the CF or is there some procedure whereby the Lt. could make the transition while remaining in the CF?

If so, would the officer likely enter the non-commissioned ranks as a private or at a higher rank?

 

[winchable]

Oi, better not be getting any ideas...

That being said here's a thread, nothing conclusive but something to get you thinking.
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/12769.0.html

 

[Glorified Ape]

Ugh - I didn't think to try "decommission(ing)" - I guess I usually associate the word with ships and not people.

Should I go on in this thread or resurrect the 3 year old one you found? Don't want to step on any toes...

 

[Trinity]

I have seen this happen Twice... but assuredly it was rare.

1st time was a Cpl who went CIC officer for a few years.. was an LT or Capt (can't remember)
but went back to the ranks.

2nd time was when I was teaching a Medic QL3.  We had a Cpl on our course.  He was given the
rank Cpl because he was previously in the army and completed some or all of his officer training
for the arty (was a 2Lt?)....  So he had gotten out and then come back in.


So, 2 instances in 12 years that I've seen.  But I'm sure someone had to give body
parts or first born children away in order to have it happen.

 

[George Wallace]

I have seen this several times in the past twenty years.  In most of these cases it is a Reservist who has voluntarily taken a drop in Rank and Pay Scale to go on Tour.  It is happening a lot less these days, but I know of one or two on this site who have done it; one who worked for me in 1994-95.

 

[Glorified Ape]

I have seen this several times in the past twenty years.   In most of these cases it is a Reservist who has voluntarily taken a drop in Rank and Pay Scale to go on Tour.   It is happening a lot less these days, but I know of one or two on this site who have done it; one who worked for me in 1994-95.

I've thought about trying to decommission if I find that an officerial role isn't giving me the experience that I'm looking for (an experience which has yet to be determined, since my experience is quite limited). When I tell people that I may, once I've had some time in, regret not joining as an NCM they always pull out the "perks" argument but the "perks" of joining the military, to me, were getting to do the hands-on type of work that the non-commissioned ranks do - patrolling, section attacks, etc. The bread-and-butter stuff of the infantry, I guess, not politics-in-uniform. I'm not a fricking ninja and have no realistic hopes of ever being one, so don't get the wrong impression, I just have some desire to do what the infantry are actually supposed to do as opposed to playing paper-pusher.

The more I read, the greater the impression is that officers really do very little in a hands-on capacity - it seems they're usually sitting in the platoon/company HQ leading through the radio and dealing with logistical difficulties rather than at the front. I guess capable NCO's reduce the need for officer presence and it's a compliment to their abilities, it's just not too conducive to officers wanting more field-focus than desk work. I'm probably being premature - for all I know, my preference could turn out to be for desk work. I was just curious as to whether I had the option of demoting myself if it should turn out that I really love & prefer the grittier/grimier stuff.

Thanks fellas.

 

[combat_medic]

I know of one person who was interested in doing that, but he was told that in order to make it happen, he would have to turn in his commissioning scroll, and it would be destroyed. While I'm sure there were other reasons he didn't carry through with it, I know that one thing alone irked him.

Hey, maybe they parade you out in front of the entire regiment, rip off your rank and break your sword in half. That would be an interesting parade to watch.

 

[Glorified Ape]

I know of one person who was interested in doing that, but he was told that in order to make it happen, he would have to turn in his commissioning scroll, and it would be destroyed. While I'm sure there were other reasons he didn't carry through with it, I know that one thing alone irked him.

Hey, maybe they parade you out in front of the entire regiment, rip off your rank and break your sword in half. That would be an interesting parade to watch.

We get a sword? Is the sheath cadpat?