# What does the Canadian Navy exactly do? And more specific questions...



## overwatch (12 Feb 2017)

Hello everyone,

I am researching about the Canadian Navy. In my time researching I have come across general answers. I am interested in joining as a MARS officer but was wondering about the following questions:

1. What does the Canadian Navy do? More specifically are we more about the protection of Canada's coast or do we help countries that need aid in sea combat (if any are in such a conflict today, I am unsure)?

2. Is it common nowadays for our ships to engage in combat situations? I understand that our Navy is trained for combat situations but I'm wondering how often we engage in it.

3. Have there been any Navy staff that have lost their lives in the past two decades? (RIP and thank you for your service )

4. What is the Navy's role if we are called into a war? Does this depend mainly on strategy employed such as prioritizing coast defense or helping allies or sometimes both?

Thanks everyone.

Edit: Additional question

5. Is the service length of all Navy trades the same? I am asking because after my service as a MARS officer (which is 3 years, I believe) can I retire and pursue medical school and apply to become a medical officer? This is the second trade I like but I first need to become accepted to a Canadian medical school, complete residency, etc.

I apologize if my questions sound ignorant or simple minded. It's not my intention. These are big commitments and would like to know everything before moving forward.


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## Stoker (12 Feb 2017)

overwatch said:
			
		

> Hello everyone,
> 
> I am researching about the Canadian Navy. In my time researching I have come across general answers. I am interested in joining as a MARS officer but was wondering about the following questions:
> 
> ...




1. Goggle it
2. It has happened and could happen at anytime when you deploy, that's why we train so hard.
3. Yes
4. Depends on the role the government sets for us.


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## Blake Castelein (12 Feb 2017)

overwatch said:
			
		

> Hello everyone,
> 
> I am researching about the Canadian Navy. In my time researching I have come across general answers. I am interested in joining as a MARS officer but was wondering about the following questions:
> 
> ...


I am currently waiting to do my medical and interview in the next couple weeks here to go in as a boatswain so I am not very qualified to speak forsure, but a good start would be to go on forces.ca and look at the current operations. It should give you a good idea of what's going on for the navy. I am sure some far more qualified people on this forum can help you though.


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## overwatch (12 Feb 2017)

Thanks for the input guys.

Blake C. thanks for the Current Operations List suggestion, this helps a lot. Congratulations btw.


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## Pusser (13 Feb 2017)

The primary responsibility of the Canadian Armed Forces (of which the Navy is a part), is the defence of Canada.  After that, there is a declining order of responsibilities (defence of North America, defence of NATO, etc) all the way down to, whatever the government decides it wants us to do.  Nevertheless, the RCN is a "blue water" navy, meaning we operate internationally as best we can (can be difficult sometimes considering our size). We operate as part of NATO and other international maritime task groups.

Thankfully, we have not lost any personnel in the last few decades to outright combat against an armed enemy, but we have lost a few in training accidents and unfortunate occurrences in foreign ports.  We've even had at least one sailor lost at sea, but we don't know if that was a suicide or not.  Frankly, our most dangerous opponent of late is the sea itself.

Once you're in and have completed your obligatory service, you will be eligible to apply for the Military Medical Training Program (MMTP), which will send you to a Canadian medical school (although you have to get accepted to it on your own) and seek to qualify you as an MD.  This will incur further obligatory service, but you get to go to medical school on the Queen's dime (all tuition, books and equipment are paid for) and at full salary (likely as a Lt(N)).  Should you choose the direct route (i.e. apply to medical school now), the Medical Officer Training Program (MOTP) is available, which is similar to the MMTP, but your salary while in school will likely be considerably less.


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## Oldgateboatdriver (13 Feb 2017)

Basically, as with every other navies in the world in relation to their own country, Canada's Navy responsibilities are the seaward defence of Canada and the defence of Canada's maritime interests on the high seas.



			
				Pusser said:
			
		

> Thankfully, we have not lost any personnel in the last few decades to outright combat against an armed enemy, but we have lost a few in training accidents and unfortunate occurrences in foreign ports.  We've even had at least one sailor lost at sea, but we don't know if that was a suicide or not.  Frankly, our most dangerous opponent of late is the sea itself.



Two quotes come to mind:  

"The great Brotherhood of seafarers of all nations is borne of the fact that the sea does not discriminate: It wants to kill us all"  - Unknown -

and

"This is a story of a ship, of men and of the sea. The men are the heroes, the ship the heroin, and the villain is the sea, the cruel sea, made more cruel by the acts of other men."  from The Cruel Sea by  -Montserrat-


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## Furniture (15 Feb 2017)

overwatch said:
			
		

> Hello everyone,
> 
> I am researching about the Canadian Navy. In my time researching I have come across general answers. I am interested in joining as a MARS officer but was wondering about the following questions:
> 
> ...



1. The Navy spends an inordinate amount of time doing jobs out of order so that they must be done again at the last minute with the maximum amount of effort and crew time wasted. Ie. store many boxes of dry goods so that they can be moved a few days later to do work in a fuel tank, move garbage(gash) from one point to another on ship so that it looks like people are busy, fuel the ship to max amounts so that two weeks later you can defuel the ship, etc...

2. Ships tend to sail about here and there in a "combat is imminent" (1 in 2) state of readiness mostly so that the crew gets reasonable rest and there is less time that the heads are out of bounds for cleaning/inspection. A missile being fired at the ocean miles away is sufficient to generate stories of valour and daring to last generations.

3. Sailors have lost their lives in service to the nation in combat, though that combat was in Afghanistan... A land-locked country.

4. The role of the RCN in an potential war depends of many factors, but rest assured if you are a MARS officer and the navy needs to fight you'll be in the thick of it.

5. Your Terms Of Service(TOS) are dependant on your trade and the conditions at the time of signing. Most occupations without mandatory schooling are between 3 and 5 years.


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## Humphrey Bogart (15 Feb 2017)

Pusser said:
			
		

> The primary responsibility of the Canadian Armed Forces (of which the Navy is a part), is the defence of Canada.  After that, there is a declining order of responsibilities (defence of North America, defence of NATO, etc) all the way down to, whatever the government decides it wants us to do.  Nevertheless, the RCN is a "blue water" navy, meaning we operate internationally as best we can (can be difficult sometimes considering our size). We operate as part of NATO and other international maritime task groups.
> 
> Thankfully, we have not lost any personnel in the last few decades to outright combat against an armed enemy, but we have lost a few in training accidents and unfortunate occurrences in foreign ports.  We've even had at least one sailor lost at sea, but we don't know if that was a suicide or not.  Frankly, our most dangerous opponent of late is the sea itself.
> 
> Once you're in and have completed your obligatory service, you will be eligible to apply for the Military Medical Training Program (MMTP), which will send you to a Canadian medical school (although you have to get accepted to it on your own) and seek to qualify you as an MD.  This will incur further obligatory service, but you get to go to medical school on the Queen's dime (all tuition, books and equipment are paid for) and at full salary (likely as a Lt(N)).  Should you choose the direct route (i.e. apply to medical school now), the Medical Officer Training Program (MOTP) is available, which is similar to the MMTP, but your salary while in school will likely be considerably less.



Calling the RCN a blue water Navy at this moment in time is a pretty bold statement.  We're blue water if someone else brings the gear!  Kind of like saying I'm a fisherman, as long as someone else provides me all the gear.


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## Halifax Tar (15 Feb 2017)

overwatch said:
			
		

> Hello everyone,
> 
> I am researching about the Canadian Navy. In my time researching I have come across general answers. I am interested in joining as a MARS officer but was wondering about the following questions:
> 
> ...


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## dimsum (15 Feb 2017)

5. Is the service length of all Navy trades the same? I am asking because after my service as a MARS officer (which is 3 years, I believe) can I retire and pursue medical school and apply to become a medical officer? This is the second trade I like but I first need to become accepted to a Canadian medical school, complete residency, etc.

When you're in, there are programs such as the Military Medical Training Plan (MMTP) that specifically take serving members and put them through medical school.  There's more to it than simply that, but the program requirements should be online.


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## Underway (15 Feb 2017)

MARS service is closer to 9 years for the first contract depending on your entry program.


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## Pusser (16 Feb 2017)

Underway said:
			
		

> MARS service is closer to 9 years for the first contract depending on your entry program.



Don't confuse terms of service with obligatory service.  The terms of service for a MARS officer may be for nine years (depending on entry plan), but that does not mean that he/she will have to serve nine years in order to be released or apply for other subsidized education plans (e.g. MMTP for someone wanting to become a medical officer).


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## Mike5 (17 Feb 2017)

Oldgateboatdriver said:
			
		

> Basically, as with every other navies in the world in relation to their own country, Canada's Navy responsibilities are the seaward defence of Canada and the defence of Canada's maritime interests on the high seas.
> 
> Two quotes come to mind:
> 
> ...



That is a true sailor's Freudian slip if I ever saw one...


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