Should I, or Shouldn't I

[The_Falcon]

Lately I have been wondering if I should transfer to the regs (if I did it would probably be Med Tech, or maybe Armour).  But with our state of funding for the forces, and the general lack of respect we get from the Government and a large percentage of the population, I think to myself "why bother?".  Which leads me to wanting to join the US Military.  Problem was I did not have anyway of getting a green card (No special skills, American parents etc.). But as US immigration has totally revamped thier site, I learned that while naturally born Canadians can not participate in the greencard lottery, unless they have a parent who was born in a country that is allowed to participate in the lottery (such as Ireland, were my mother was born.)  Now that I have found my loophole I am not sure what to do. Should I A. transfer to the regs, to serve queen and country.  B. Apply to the lottery, and if I got a Green Card, apply to the USMC.  or C. remain in the Mo and continue with my civy persutes  (which is to become a police officer with Toronto Police.).  Currently I already applied to the police and I am waiting for the interviews.  I have also put my name in for Op Athena Roto 3 and I am waiting to here about that. If I get the tour, I will tell the police I will reapply next year.  If I get the police and no tour then I will go for it.  If I get neither well, thats were I get stuck on what should I do.  I already know what my family and friends are going to tell me (same thing they have been telling me since I told them I put my name in for the tour "are you nuts!").

Any thoughts/suggestions would be appriciated, specifically with regards to the USMC.

Cheers

 

[NavyGrunt]

Good luck with the green card lottery. You and about 50million others will be applying this year. Take a shot if your intrested. Try all 3. The military will take 10 mos to transfer from the reserves. From your stage in TPS process you are looking at 8 mos and the green card lottery will also take forever. Try them all and not leave your eggs in one basket.

 

[alexk]

join the british army they accept commonwealth citizens

 

[PuckChaser]

How long will it take for those police interviews? If you're fairly far into that process, keep going. You also have to think at what you really want to do. Do you like the idea of being a cop? If so, keep up with that, and stick with the PRes. If it doesn't pan out, put in your paperwork for transfer to RegF.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Hatchet man, good question.

You should transfer to the regular force and ensure Canada has fresh prefessional soldiers to fill in for the guys who've served their time and did their part.

Work on improving the Canadian Forces and make sure it's traditions don't die out.
Take a position away from someone whos just joining the army for the paycheque and doesn't give a shit about other soldiers or the state of the forces.

 

[FlightSergeantRose]

You don't need a green card to join the marines. You need a INS-551 form. I believe that it is basically a work permit that lasts for 8 years. After the 8 years is up you have to get US citizenship. I have already called about 10 different US Army recruiters throughout the US midwest and asked them all the same questions. Look into it. . .

 

[The_Falcon]

I was told that the earliest I would here about interviews for the police would by Sept-Oct, (So right about now would be the earliest I would hear.  Next recruit intake is Dec).  I went to the US immigration site, the Form I-551 you mentioned badbird, is a Green Card.

 

[bbupd]

Ironically, hatchetman, we seem to be living parallel lives... I've in the same boat, only I am including RCMP, bth Calgary and Edmonton PD's, and Niagara Regional in addition to the ones you mentioned... My only question is how old are you?

I'm getting damn close to the end of the age bracket for the USMC ... i have a year and a half left before I am 29. From what I understand from the recruiters and the US Immigratin peope, if you want into the Marines you can get in as long as you are in the process of getting your green card - have the processing number, which you can only get if you are either: A) in the lottery process or B) apply for residency along with your work visa, which you need a US-based employer to sponsor you for.

Long story made short, get a job in the US, start the paperwork, and eventually you can get in... But be prepared to put in 2-3 yrs befre that happens.

Alternatively, the average age of police recruits in canada is apparently 28-32 (i dont know that this is accurate, I am going on hearsay) so if you're in your early 20s dont bank on a career in Policing just yet.

Considering all of the aforementined, the CF seems to be the most viable.. but as a wise man once told me when I asked him the same questin - do what you want to do, don't just go the easy route. You're not doing anyone else any favours by doing it half-assed.

 

[JBP]

Just an FYI for the folks thinking of joining the any of the USA's armed forces. 1 condition is this, from the words of a recruiter over the phone to be a couple years ago:

"You can never have worn the uniform of another nation". In other words, if you've been in any part of the Canadian Armed Forces, whether it's reserves or whatever, no, you cannot join them. I'm not sure if that still applies but I'd check into it folks before blowing your other good chances/options.

I'm in the same boat as others above here: A) Police service with Niagara+Hamilton+TO or Military career. Whichever I get to first/takes me!

Good luck to you all,
Joe

 

[Infanteer]

"You can never have worn the uniform of another nation". In other words, if you've been in any part of the Canadian Armed Forces, whether it's reserves or whatever, no, you cannot join them. I'm not sure if that still applies but I'd check into it folks before blowing your other good chances/options.

What the fuck.   Whoever told you that is obviously lying.

One of my good buddies (who is also a member of this forum), who did three years in the Reserves including an SFOR tour, is now on his Jump Course in the US Army and is moving on to better things.   Obviously, you interpreted the recruiters remarks incorrectly or he is a friggen idiot.

 

[FlightSergeantRose]

Well, when I talked to the recruiter, he told me he had some Canadians joining every now and then. I told him about the greencard card thing and he said you don't need a green card so. . . .

 

[The_Falcon]

bpud I am 21, and yes while police services (particularly ones in the GTA) are looking for people with more "life experince" age is not always a factor to the recruiters.  I have spoken with the recruiters for Toronto, and been to info sessions, and read the stats for there new recruits.  And from what I can tell their average new recruit age is 23-27.  Thats for Toronto I don't know much about any other services as I am not interested in them.  Right now I have a short-term solution as I  just found out I am slated to start Pre-training for Op Athena Roto 3.  If all goes well and I go on tour, I can put off my final decision until next Sept.  Badbird Military Recruiters don't always know much about immigration.  You need a greed card to apply to US military.  If you are Canadian and do not have the skills required to just walk across the border under NAFTA (ie your are not a professional), getting the green card is the difficult part.

 

[Argyll_2347]

My current plan is to go either Regs or British Army..... The latter is winning in the plans.  I also plan to apply for the Hamilton Police once I do my 4 years with the Brits... provided I'm in one piece.  Just went to their Recruiting Night tonight and I figure I need some more 'life experience,' so maybe the British Army will give that to me.

I would never join the US Military...

 

[nULL]

One of my neighbours is RCMP who recommended not joining the force until later on in life, reason being that there is apparently a forced retirement after 25 years; afterwards many former members end up being the old guys you see patrolling malls. I got into a chat with one of the security guards, and he was a cop in Nova Scotia who joined the force young - only when he had to go, there were no desk jobs available.

It seems almost kind of cruel.

 

[NavyGrunt]

Theres no forced retirement after 25yrs : Here-say alert. Im not trying to be rude nULL. If you can physically do the job you can go on until you are 65. Theres tonnes of guys with over 30 years of service. Later in life makes sense as far as life experience. Nobody wants to be the 19 year old guy at the domestic disturbance. Thats when you realize you should have waited longer and you are in over your head.

 

[nULL]

I met a guy at my store who was working at BC Ferries who said the same thing though; I wasn't paying too much attention to his story, mostly because I was trying to sell him some steel-toe boots, but he said almost the same thing - that he had been forced to leave the RCMP because of his age.

http://canada.justice.gc.ca/chra/en/retire1.html

...Only certain selected occupational groups such as uniformed personnel in the RCMP and the Canadian Armed Forces are still subject to mandatory retirement....

OK, upon further research, it seems that at different ranks you are forced out later or earlier, the average age being 60. The guy above sure didn't look it! But who's able to retire at 60 anyway?

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[SHELLDRAKE!!]

I would suggest to simplify your decision making process that you consider a few factors.Firstly, why do you want to join a foreign military.Is it to be closer to familly?Change of scenery?Possible trigger time?Consider the size of allied armies and decide for yourself if you will be considered one of millions (expendible).I will not specify countries however consider in Canada when a soldier dies its newsworthy for weeks.In other countries it is a daily occurance.You only have one life to live so consider what job you want to spend your life doing and pursue that goal, whatever it may be.