Questions about joining the Reserves

[mariomike]

Around 2 years ago I was offered a full time position as a resource management support clerk, but I declined at the last second right before the ceremony.

This may help,

Declining an offer (merged)
https://army.ca/forums/threads/104645.0
3 pages.

I heard it's easier to get full time if you go through reserves first, so that's what I'm currently looking into... the reserves.

You can read how easy, or not so easy, it was for others here,

Component Transfers (Reserve to Regular): Q&A
https://army.ca/forums/threads/12797.0
51 pages.

 

[BeyondTheNow]

Hello folks. I applied to the army around 3 years ago, did the testing and qualified for every non officer job. Around 2 years ago I was offered a full time position as a resource management support clerk, but I declined at the last second right before the ceremony. I've regretted it ever since, sometimes even almost to the point of depression. I thought I could enjoy life without the military doing a routine job and earning 60-70k year, and that money could make me happy, I was wrong. I came to find out my life has zero excitement or purpose without the military, and that I don't mind the discipline. I reapplied shortly after rejecting the offer but haven't heard back. I am currently 28 years old and I'm looking to join the military in almost any way. My ultimate goal is full time work in the military, probably something like Resource management clerk... maybe even an officer down the road if I finish my degree. I heard it's easier to get full time if you go through reserves first, so that's what I'm currently looking into... the reserves. Any advice on what I should apply for?

Thanks in advance.

Absolutely take to heart what PC said--PRes is definitely not easier nor faster. I'm quite taken aback at times with the differences between the two and how things are done. As with many issues, certain things may vary from unit to unit, but there are negatives (and positives) to both PRes and RegF.

In terms of straightforward, full time/steady employment, right into RegF is the way to go IMO. You get enrolled, head to BMQ, (if you're going clerk) you'll head to Borden after basic, then you'll get posted. All the while you're earning a steady paycheque (- costs for R&Q when applicable), good benefits, your yearly raises as you progress as Pte are substantial, etc.

If you go PRes, your local Reg't enrolls you, you'll get paid for parading and any exercises that your unit takes part in. Pay is either a session or a full day's pay depending on how long you're working on that particular day. If you go on course you'll get paid for every day of the course, but that ends as soon as your course ends. You only work (taskings) when work is available and there can be competition for available taskings. Moving up in rank can be less straightforward and more lengthy depending on how well your local unit flows. If you eventually (and I use eventually very loosely, because there is competition for them) land a Class 'B'/'BA' contract (so full-time), your position is up for grabs after the contract has ended--you need to reapply--it's not 100% guaranteed that you would get to hold the position again.

That being said, there are many who greatly enjoy Primary Reserve and there are those who don't. There are many who greatly enjoy Regular Force and those who don't. As I said, there are pros and cons to each, but for me personally, RegF is most beneficial.

Out of curiosity, how do you know only the military can bring "excitement and purpose" to your life? There are so many factors that contribute to the type of career you think you might be getting into. Remember that.

 

[da1root]

I reapplied shortly after rejecting the offer but haven't heard back.

From the sounds of your statement you reapplied 3 years ago and haven't heard back, that is not normal.  You should follow up with the CFRC in your area, traditionally files are closed after 1 year of no contact with an applicant.  I am inclined to think that your file is currently closed. 

Resource management clerk... maybe even an officer down the road if I finish my degree.

Just a heads up, that occupation no longer exists.  You would need to decide on Human Resource Administrator (HRA) or Financial Services Administrator (FSA).

My ultimate goal is full time work in the military.....heard it's easier to get full time if you go through reserves first

This has been covered by other posters, but absolutely not!

While it may be easier to join the Reserve than the Regular Force (please the thread from mariomike's post, everyone's experience is different in regards to ease of joining), but if you're looking for full-time employment this is NOT the route to take. 

To be employed full time as a Reservist you will need to complete Basic Training (BMQ), your applicable environmental course (i.e. BMQ-L for Army, NETP for Navy), plus complete your first trades course.  The trade courses for FSA/HRA are still in their infancy stage and not being run often yet.  For the average Reserve member, they do not reach a point of being occupationally qualified for full-time employment until either their 2nd or 3rd summer in the CAF.  This means that you're waiting 2-3 years before you're eligible to apply for full-time employment.  Which leads to my next point, full-time employment as a Regular Force member is guaranteed. Full-time employment for a Reservist never is, Reserves have to compete for their positions and each contract is a maximum of 3 years in length, which means even if you do get employment after 3 years the position has to go out for competition again.  Yes there is full-time work for Reservists but it is not guaranteed...

 

[Joe321]

Thanks. Okay, I see. Yeah I searched for Resource management support clerk and couldn't find it anymore. I thought that was odd. Human Resource Administrator (HRA) or Financial Services Administrator (FSA) sounds great, I guess I'll try reapplying for that. In the meantime is there anything I could do to improve my chances? I don't care if I get in by the time I'm 30, it's worth it. I'm thinking of finishing my accounting college diploma online.

 

[mariomike]

I searched for Resource management support clerk and couldn't find it anymore.

Human Resource Admin Clerk (HRA Clk)
https://army.ca/forums/threads/123044.0.html

Fin Clerk
http://army.ca/forums/threads/123045.0
3 pages.

RMS Clerk Trade 
https://army.ca/forums/threads/121928.0

Information on RMS Clerks?? 
https://army.ca/forums/threads/84270.0

Clerk
https://www.google.ca/search?q=site%3Aarmy.ca+clerk&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-CA:IE-Address&ie=&oe=&rlz=1I7GGHP_en-GBCA592&gfe_rd=cr&ei=gROfWayhC-OfXpbMi4AC&gws_rd=ssl

In the meantime is there anything I could do to improve my chances?

How can I increase my chances 
http://army.ca/forums/threads/97201.0/nowap.html

Tips on how to become a recruit 
https://army.ca/forums/threads/31044.0
3 pages.

See also,

OP: Joe321
worth joining right now?
http://milnet.ca/forums/threads/120163/post-1388035.html#msg1388035
"I'm eying the rms clerk position"

 

[patrickng9@yahoo.ca]

Hello, I'm in my late 20s, holding a Bachelor degree in Computer Science and no criminal records. Am I still allow to join?

People told me if I'm interested, then it's better to start in the reserve first. I wonder if they are right or not?

If I join, what documents should I provide?
If I join, do I have to apply to a job position or do I just simply apply and someone will assign me to a position?
How does a day of a reservist look like? How the schedule looks like?
Do reservists stay at a military base or they can return to their own home?
Beside the basic training test, do reservists will learn how to fight opponents or how to defend?
Is it bad to join if I wear glasses?
What should I expect when joining?

Thank you for your patience.

 

[Ryan_T]

Hello, I'm in my late 20s, holding a Bachelor degree in Computer Science and no criminal records. Am I still allow to join?

People told me if I'm interested, then it's better to start in the reserve first. I wonder if they are right or not?

If I join, what documents should I provide?
If I join, do I have to apply to a job position or do I just simply apply and someone will assign me to a position?
How does a day of a reservist look like? How the schedule looks like?
Do reservists stay at a military base or they can return to their own home?
Beside the basic training test, do reservists will learn how to fight opponents or how to defend?
Is it bad to join if I wear glasses?
What should I expect when joining?

If my questions offend some of you, I'm sorry. No offense intended.

Thank you for your patience.

If you want p/t work, then sure reserves, but if you want f/t work, go reg force


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[Ayrsayle]

Hello, I'm in my late 20s, holding a Bachelor degree in Computer Science and no criminal records. Am I still allow to join?

People told me if I'm interested, then it's better to start in the reserve first. I wonder if they are right or not?

If I join, what documents should I provide?
If I join, do I have to apply to a job position or do I just simply apply and someone will assign me to a position?
How does a day of a reservist look like? How the schedule looks like?
Do reservists stay at a military base or they can return to their own home?
Beside the basic training test, do reservists will learn how to fight opponents or how to defend?
Is it bad to join if I wear glasses?
What should I expect when joining?

Thank you for your patience.

www.forces.ca should answer a good number of these questions - or taking a look at any number of topics in recruiting on this thread.

To answer some that might be harder to find:
- Your vision will be evaluated during your application process. This may prevent you from a specific (or any) trade you wish to be employed in.
- Reservists and Regular Force members typically have the same training standard, one does the job part time and the other full time.  Both receive basic training in how to use a service rifle.  You will learn how to "fight", but that looks slightly different depending on the job and the courses you might take after becoming qualified.

All the other questions are very easily answered at www.forces.ca and on this website - you will need to take a look at the wealth of knowledge already here.

Good luck!

 

[Loachman]

Welcome to Army.ca, Patrick N.

There is a ton of information about almost any topic relating to the Canadian Armed Forces (and loads more about other topics) on this Site.

Your questions have all been asked and answered here before, sometimes many, many times.

Please explore the relevant older threads prior to asking more questions. We expect people to do their homework. This keeps (some of) the clutter down, which makes life easier for those who do search for information and the Directing Staff who do our best to keep things tidy, saves other people from spending their valuable time repeating answers, and improves the question-asker's learning experience. By searching, you will likely stumble upon answers to questions before those questions even occur to you.

Should you not fully understand something, or, even after the most rigorous search, not find an answer, then, by all means, ask. We are a helpful bunch, but we also have busy lives of our own to lead.

 

[mariomike]

Do reservists stay at a military base or they can return to their own home?

See Reply #69,

Is it possible to live off base if I apply and get accepted into the reserves?

As always,  Recruiting is your most trusted source of up to date information.

 

[OutgoingCanasian96]

Good day just got a question for everyone in the forum.  I am a 20-year-old male university student who is trying to join the Canadian reserves sometime within the next few years but I have some conflicting interests as I am also currently vying to get Dual citizenship with the United States and Canada. I am currently a Canadian citizen with US permanent residence status and I am scheduled to receive citizenship with the US in 2 years. I plan on living primary in Canada and wish to serve our great nation through military service and thus had submitted an application about two months ago but I would also like to keep my opinions open in selecting a post-graduate opportunity in the United States if such an opportunity arises. After talking to an SSG affiliated with the 33 Brigade located in Ottawa, I found out that if my application to the Canadain forces is accepted, I practically forfeit all chance of getting US citizenship and may even be barred from renewing my permanent residency. Thus I am at an impasse, should I temporarily withdraw my application and reapply after gaining my dual citizenship status or is there a method in which I can appeal to the US ICE department to work something out? If you don't know the answer but know of someone in the forces or federal government to whom I can receive information, please post on the name or department I should reach out to. Cheers!

 

[Loachman]

Welcome to Army.ca, OutgoingCanasian96

What's an "SSG"? If you are using the US Army abbreviation for Staff Sergeant, please be aware that we do not have Staff Sergeants in the Canadian Forces, and we do not use US abbreviations.

I would be rather leery of taking advice about US citizenship matters from such a person, anyway. That is best had from a competent US authority.

 

[OutgoingCanasian96]

Thank you Loachman for the quick reply, and I am indeed referring in an American Staff Sargeant as I was connected to him via a friend of mine from my university who is a Pte. (T) in the 30th Field Artillery. I had asked several questions to the SSG regarding how the security check process of my application to the Canadian Forces might go about and how long the process may take. It was during this informal information session that the SSG stated that I may lose my opportunity to receive an American citizenship as the application to Canada's Armed Forces would complicate the American naturalization process ie. invalidate perquisites to receive citizenship like the Selective Service Act obligation. I also do agree that this information is most likely not complete accurately and that I should seek the proper authorities for more definitive answers, as such I had gotten in contact with the US Embassy on Sussex Dr. and they had given me some contacts in the US ICE Department and DOD but American being America, I have been practically congested with the mechanisms of bureaucracy as each person or administrative dept. I contact just gives me more contacts and two weeks later I am just more confused. Thus, I am hoping to get some possible leads on the Canadian side as I am too irritated to continue this goose chase.

 

[da1root]

No one in the CAF (unless a lawyer) or Recruiting should be giving you advice on citizenship issues.
The only advice we're allowed to give is that you must be a Canadian Citizen to join the CAF.

One thing I want to reiterate that Loachman already stated, you've said you were talking to a Canadian Sergeant <b>"After talking to an SSG affiliated with the 33 Brigade located in Ottawa"</b>.  The abbreviation is not SSG, we do not have SSG's in the CAF.  We do have "Sgt".

Unofficially I have served alongside at least 3 Reservists that I know of that had dual citizenship (US/Canada).

 

[Ricky Sunnyvale]

I'm 16 and a full time student and want to join the army but I don't know if I should join the reserves now or wait till I graduate high school and join full time. Will the 2 years in the reserve be beneficial. Will graduating high school help me.

 

[OutgoingCanasian96]

Buck_HRA, would there be an individual in the Recruitment Center at 66 Slater St. (Ottawa branch) be able to answer my line of inquiry or would I have to seek a more specialized legal professional that has knowledge pertaining to the military?

And to those who read my statements, sorry for the confusion! I should have specifically stated in the first inquiry box that the statement "After talking to an SSG affiliated with the 33 Brigade located in Ottawa" should have stated a US SSG that is personally affiliated (friends) with several members of the 33rd. I apologize for any misunderstanding that may have occurred due to bad communication on my part.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Buck_HRA, would there be an individual in the Recruitment Center at 66 Slater St. (Ottawa branch) be able to answer my line of inquiry or would I have to seek a more specialized legal professional that has knowledge pertaining to the military?

And to those who read my statements, sorry for the confusion! I should have specifically stated in the first inquiry box that the statement "After talking to an SSG affiliated with the 33 Brigade located in Ottawa" should have stated a US SSG that is personally affiliated (friends) with several members of the 33rd. I apologize for any misunderstanding that may have occurred due to bad communication on my part.

A little more information could be helpful for those on these means who may be able to advise you.

Do you currently reside in the United States and, if so, do you intend continuing to live there, at least in the short term such as for university?
Is your plan to join the CF Reserves and "commute" to fulfill  any attendance obligations?

 

[OutgoingCanasian96]

I currently have my primary, albeit temporary, residence in Canada as I am enrolled as a full-time student at Carleton University. Officially, however, my residence is stated as my parent's house in the United States, and I visit here every six months at minimum to fulfill the requirements of citizenship, as a resident must stay in the US for five years with periods of foreign residence no longer than six months.

For the foreseeable future, I am going to be spending at least 9 out of the 12 months of the year in Canada, and ideally, I would like to be accepted to an Ontario Graduate school and primarily reside in Canada. In regards to my military aspirations, I intend to take my courses at a military base while temporary being barracked there during academic breaks.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Good morning OutgoingCanasian:

I can see from the convoluted way you are asking questions that you are in University, and destined for post graduate studies.  :nod:

I re-read all your posts, and basically, you only have one question:

"I am a Canadian citizen with American permanent residency (green card) for the next two years until I can get my American citizenship. I am currently studying in Canada and wish to join the Canadian Armed Forces reserves. What effect will that have on my capacity to get my American citizenship?"

See how easy it would have been!

Here's the answer you need to hear and heed:

Your question is - not repeat not - a recruiting question. The only recruiting aspect of import is that to join the CAF reserves, you have to be a Canadian citizen, and you already are. As such, there's nobody in the CAF, and I suspect in the US Armed Forces, to provide you advice on your question, and definitely no one at the sergeant / staff sergeant level.

Your question is a US immigration question.  So here is the only person that can give you an answer: A US immigration lawyer. Go and consult one. If you don't know where to look, consult with your closest US embassy or consulate. I am sure they can point you to such lawyers.

Good luck.

 

[JMei001]

Hey guys,

I'm currently a PRes/Class A Reserve applicant. I've  completed all the major steps in the application process (CFAT, BG and Reference check, Medical, Interview, FORCE test). I checked on my file last Friday and was told that I've passed all of them, and it's just going to go to the CO's desk for final approval before I start up my BMQ! Great news of course. However, someone told me, although I'm not sure reliable, told me not to get my hopes up and that the CO may chose to reject my file? I don't see why, as there's no competition list, in the reserves its first come first serve and pass all your tests.

Can anyone enlighten me on this?

Thank you!


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