Summers in the Reserves

[Marconi]

Hello

I am in my second semester of Grade 11 and i am considering joining the reserves but i am unsure about a few details of service in the reserves. I know that you do your parade nights one night a week and train one weekend a month but i have heard differing reports on what is required of a reservist in regards to summer training. One reservist i talked to said that you are shipped of too Basic ASAP (albeit he served a number of years ago) and another said that only 2 weeks of service is required of a reservist in the summer months. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Cheers Marconi

P.S. Also does anyone know where i should go to apply to the Aldergrove Artillery reserve? They don't have a listed address on the CF website but my recruiter said they share the base in New West with an infantry reserve so should i go there?

 

[brihard]

To be of any use you must be qualified to the basic level in your trade. That usually means training about two weekends a month for five months during the school year, and then a couple months full time the first subsequent summer. If you can't commit to that, we don't need you. If, however, you can do it, then after you're trained in your trade there's no further hard and fast summer commitment. Work will usually be available for a couple months a summer if you want it- courses for career progression, for instance - but it's not mandatory. You'll quickly find that summers with the reserves while going to college or university pay a hell of a lot better than most other summer jobs. The tradeoff is you'll usually be away from home for that time too.

You won't be 'shipped off ASAP'. If you were to start joining now or soon, you might start that first part time course in the fall or winter, then do a couple full time months to finish basic next summer.

 

[Marconi]

Thanks for the help Brihard 

 

[AJSangster]

You won't be 'shipped off ASAP'. If you were to start joining now or soon, you might start that first part time course in the fall or winter, then do a couple full time months to finish basic next summer.

So if I enrolled now (lets say) and I got in, would I start some basic training in my hometown through the year then go to basic training in the summer? I thought that it was either you do the summer BMQ/BMQ-L and then you go onto trades training (wherever that may take place), or do the basic training/soldier qualifications during weekends throughout the winter and fall and then do the job training in the summer.

 

[mysteriousmind]

well if you get in now...like you say might take a few month...dont think it will solve over a week...sometime the process can be long and frustrating. Depending on when you will be enrolled, your home unit will tell you do do your basic...either this summer full time (about a month) and also encourage you to do you soldier qualification. if you process brings your enrolement at the end of summer, you will be offered to do your basic part time (1 every 2 week end) this autumn/winter. then...the summer after...you will have to do your soldier qualification...(depending of unit/region) could also be done part time during autumn/winter but that would bring you a summer later to do your trade course. This one will have to be done on summer...reaching form 1 month to 2-3 months depending your trade (ex. Infantry will be shorter then lets say a mechanic or weapon tech course)

Once this is done...depending on how much time you are willing to give to your unit. you could work as you decide (with in the fact that some exercice are greatly encourage) and some activities troughout the year are mandatory. you will have to show up at unit at least once per month minimum.

Hopes it gives you enough info.

 

[Marconi]

Is there any date after which i have to wait until the following year to apply?