# Officer Selection Board



## ProPatria05 (12 May 2003)

For those who are being reviewed by the Reg Force Direct Entry Officer Selection Board this month, were you given any information as to what period it covered? Specifically, is the board selecting candidates only for the IAP/BOTP course this September, or will it select for the January 2004 course as well?

Just want to get a sense as to whether or not it is possible that even if I am successful, if I still may not be going anywhere until January (which would suck in the utmost!)


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## Tyrnagog (12 May 2003)

They gave me no indication of what time frame for BOTP.  I was told that they were even selecting candidates for the July BOTP, but I am unsure how true that is.

What occ are you applying for?


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## Ralph (12 May 2003)

I‘m 99% sure that next week‘s board is just for the September course. You either get an offer, be told that Borden wants to keep your file open (that‘s where I‘m at, after the delightful artillery board finished their offers the week before the January ‘03 course started) or politely asked to give up. So if you don‘t get in, you could be on a waiting list until, say, September, if the board meets around 3 mos. before each course starts. Trust me, I know how much the waiting game stinks.
Cheers,
Ralph.


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## ProPatria05 (13 May 2003)

Tyrnagog (if that‘s your real name     )--

Infantry. I recall from an earlier post that you are going CELE, for which the Army is desperately low - that would be why they want to get you in on a summer course (which is normally reserved for ROTP).

Ralph --
Did they tell you why you didn‘t get in? May be a bit of a personal question.

The board sits May 19-23, and the recruiting center says they should know by the end of the following week and will let me know ASAP. Same should be true for you guys, I would think. Good luck - maybe I‘ll see you on the other side.


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## Tyrnagog (13 May 2003)

You got me Murph... Tyrnagog isn‘t my real name...


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## Ralph (13 May 2003)

No, not at all - there was a hiring freeze on everything except Artillery, so I added that to my list of one (Infantry) so I could be looked at for January. No idea how that went in the boardroom, but it didn‘t help (me, at least) that the officer in charge of finalizing everything didn‘t finish until mid-January (it‘s true) so I didn‘t get the phone call to say I didn‘t get in until February - after the course had started. I had leapt to that conclusion already    So this time around, all three combat arms are hiring, and hopefully it‘s as normal a route as the army takes. 
I don‘t think they tell you one way or another why you didn‘t get picked if you don‘t get an offer - it could be just that there was a big backlog of guys from the last go-around. I did twist the re-interviewer‘s arm to give me my odds, and he said the only way I could be in a better position is if I was still in the reserve right now - which is where you‘re at, right? So just figure if you don‘t get in for September, the odds are good for Jan 04 because you‘ll be on the top of last round‘s heap - and by then they‘ll know how much money there is and more positions may open up.
Cheers,
Ralph.


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## ProPatria05 (13 May 2003)

Ralph

You mentioned the possibility of backlogs from previous selection boards. Have you ever been told if the selection board gives any kind of consideration to good candidates who did not make the cut at a previous board?

For instance, lets say you were ranked #21 out of 200 applicants at the last selection board, but there were only 20 spots, so you didnâ€™t get in. Would you be given â€˜specialâ€™ consideration over a new applicant this time, even though they may have scored higher on the CFAT, interview, etc? Or is it a whole new ballgame, where you are simply rated alongside everyone else, including new applicants?


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## Ralph (13 May 2003)

Well, I‘m hoping that‘s the case, (for my own sake), but I honestly don‘t know. My guess would be that the leftovers for earlier boards would be put at the top of the pile when they start, and thus would have first crack. I hope they don‘t want to make extra work for themselves, and so wouldn‘t want to reevaluate from the beginning an older file that they had decided to keep open, and rather give it the thumbs-up at the start. That being said, there‘s no way that there are a lot of leftovers (or that a lot of them get in each board), because plenty of guys get called the first time they are eligible.
Cheers,
Ralph.


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## Tyrnagog (24 May 2003)

Has anyone heard anything from the board that sat in Borden last week?

How long does a person typically wait to hear from a board?

Yes, I know... whine whine whine... having to wait so long... blah blah blah... 

But I wanna know!  :lol:

Cheers!


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## ProPatria05 (25 May 2003)

I talked to the recruiting centre last week. They said they should have the results back next week or the week after. However, I‘m applying the "rule of 3" that was stolen from the CF by ‘American Pie 2‘. They say 1-2 wks for results, I expect 3-6 weeks.

I know what you‘re going through. It‘s all I think about. I‘m starting to drive my wife nuts, I think. Good Luck.


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## Tyrnagog (25 May 2003)

Thanks... and good luck to you too..

I am sure I am driving my wife nuts as well... but not as crazy as other people asking "Have you heard yet?"

It was almost as bad as the week before our baby was born.. ugh.

Ah well... 1-2 weeks ain‘t so bad... 3-6 (while not ideal) is still passable.. I guess...


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## ProPatria05 (29 May 2003)

Aaarrrgggghhh!!!!

I‘m going f***ing crazy! I put my transfer memo in last October and have waited this long, you‘d think another week or two to find out would be easy. Instead, it feels like Monday was 2 years ago instead of 2 days ago. I don‘t suppose anyone else has heard anything yet? Tyrnagog or Ralph?


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## Tyrnagog (29 May 2003)

I hear ya Murph... I‘ve been doing my ****dest not to think of it... but that still doesn‘t stop me from check my answering machine at home from work 2 or 3 times per day...

This has got to be the slowest week ever...


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## Ralph (29 May 2003)

HA HA HA!!! I saw that there were two more messages to this thread and I had to compose myself before I opened it up. Nothing from my end, either. At least my wife was somewhat prepared for it, me having gone through this for the last board as well. I checked my emails back then - the board was finished Dec. 6 and the first guy to mention he got a call posted Dec. 17th. So if the board takes a full week, and they didn‘t work Victoria Day, we‘re talking mid-next week. I hope I‘m wrong, but obviously as you say these things don‘t always run fast/smoothly. 
Every time an outside line flashes, I cross my fingers the receptionist patches it up to me...
Cheers,
Ralph.


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## Tyrnagog (29 May 2003)

Sorry to get your hopes up Ralph...     

So mid-next week, you think?  hmmm... 

You say you went through this before?  So what was the first time like? Going through the board process etc... I mean..


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## Ralph (29 May 2003)

As bad as you can imagine. They were only hiring artillery, so I added my name to that list just to get looked at, and the officer at Borden, for whatever reason, didn‘t send the final list out to the recruiting offices until AFTER the course had started. So I had to wait from Dec. 6 until Jan. 16 (when the course started) to know for sure. I finally got called by CFRC in Feb. Obviously(?) the guys who got on were notified beforehand, but I was still waiting in early January and the CFRC couldn‘t say for sure one way or another that I wasn‘t on. I mean, I was guessing I wasn‘t, but it was not a pleasant experience. 
Cheers,
Ralph.


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## ProPatria05 (29 May 2003)

An update...

I talked to the Recruiting Centre today. The lady I have been dealing with there called Borden for me, and found out that the Board just finished today   ! The comment from Borden was that they hadn‘t realized that last week was a short week. No further elaboration. I‘m speculating that they postponed it until this week, and ended up getting it done in 4 days anyway (which they could have done last week). Typical - I often wonder what I‘m getting myself into     .

At any rate, they CFRC said they hope to at least have the "selected/declined" information by next week, with specific information on offers after that.


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## Ralph (29 May 2003)

Thanks for the update. My Leading Seaman file manager is sick of the sound of me...
Until next week,
Ralph.


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## Tyrnagog (29 May 2003)

Thanks Murph...

At least another week.... lovely...    

ah well...


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## Tyrnagog (2 Jun 2003)

Ya know what.... I think that each and every recruiting office has different info.

It‘s getting frustrating.

Called my recruiting office, and the told me that the date they had to have apps. in was by May 20, and a decision would be made next week...

At the earliest.

Oi!

Just thought I would pass the word to all the other people waiting for the officer board..


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## ProPatria05 (3 Jun 2003)

Nothing new in what they told you - it is consistent with what we‘ve all discussed already.

The board was initially scheduled to meet May 19-23. Given that May 19 was a stat holiday, the board would have commenced on May 20 at the earliest (although it may have started later, since my CFRC said they finished on the 29th). Applications/files would have to be at Borden no later than the 20th - exactly what they told you.

They evaluate the files and rank them at some point between May 20 and May 29. At some point after this, they decide who gets offers, and notify candidates of their success or failure - likely within a few weeks of the board‘s conclusion (i.e. after the 29th). Again, consistent with what you were told.

The bottom line is that we‘ll all get a call, good or bad, over the next few weeks.


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## Tyrnagog (3 Jun 2003)

That makes sense..

I guess I am just the one who cried wolf...

I will be quiet now...


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## ProPatria05 (4 Jun 2003)

For those who are interested (or waiting).

My contact at the Recruiting Centre called me today, to tell me she had spoke with Borden staff. They told her that the results of the scheduled May 19-23 selection board should (stress  _should_) be out next week.

Apparently there is another board meeting this week, she was unsure what it‘s purpose was. Probably for a totally different entry plan. At any rate, it is likely many of the same individuals who were on the earlier board, which is probably why the results are delayed.

I figure we should know sometime in early September     .


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## Ralph (5 Jun 2003)

Thanks for the update. 
Cheers,
Ralph.


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## Ralph (11 Jun 2003)

Called yesterday - they haven‘t gotten any offers for any officer trades yet here in Calgary.
Cheers,
Ralph.


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## ProPatria05 (11 Jun 2003)

I AM IN!!!!

Gentlemen - the results have been released. I just got a call from the recruiting centre today at about 3pm. The actual offers have not yet been processed, but the list of selected individuals was sent to the CFRCs today.

So no dates yet, but confirmation that I was selected for 023-Infantry Officer.

Good luck to everyone else. Call your recruiting centre.


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## Tyrnagog (11 Jun 2003)

Congrats Murph!

I will let you all know as soon as I hear (or don‘t hear...)


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## Ralph (11 Jun 2003)

Congrats as well.
Cheers,
Ralph.


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## Ralph (12 Jun 2003)

Whew. One year and one day from when I dropped off my application, I‘m in. Now, artillery - that‘s the one with the guns that go boom, right?   
Thank god arty got the mortars so I can at least see what the front line looks like without binoculars.
Good luck to everyone still waiting. See you at St-Jean - I‘ll be the guy with the short hair...
Cheers,
Ralph.


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## Tyrnagog (12 Jun 2003)

Awesome news Ralph!!

Now if only my recruiting center will get there act together... called them an hour ago and the corporal sounded pissed... said that they hadn‘t heard anything...


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## Ralph (12 Jun 2003)

I think combat arms and engineering are two different lists (the recruiter said they had gotten the first one in, as opposed to everything) so I‘m sure it‘s still on the way...I know how you feel, though...
Cheers,
Ralph.


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## Veteran`s son (12 Jun 2003)

Congratulations Murph and Ralph on being accepted as Reg Force Officers!


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## Noid (12 Jun 2003)

Congratulations, guys... now drop and give me 20!    

If I may ask --- how old are you guys who‘ve been accepted as combat arms officers? I‘m trying to figure out if I have a chance of getting my thirty-cough year old butt in.


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## ProPatria05 (13 Jun 2003)

I am 30 (will turn 31 this November). From what I see, as long as you‘re able to do reasonably well on the fitness, aptitude, and medical tests, you should be good to go.


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## shaunlin41 (14 Jun 2003)

Does anyone know anything about commissioning from the ranks?    :mg:   can a reserve MCPL or SGT be commissioned to reg force officer?   
How often does CFR occur?  Is this something that you request or do you have to be nominated by existing officers?


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## ProPatria05 (15 Jun 2003)

Here is the link to the CFAO on the CFR program. It explains the process in detail.

CFAO 11-9 -- COMMISSIONING FROM THE RANKS PLAN


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## Ralph (16 Jun 2003)

Re: Noid‘s question - 32. The recruiter seemed fairly disinterested (I brought it up) and remarked that the main thing is that you don‘t join so late you can‘t get your 20 years in. I can‘t imagine they‘d ever hire a 45-year-old to be an infantry officer, but who knows?
Cheers,
Ralph.


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## Noid (18 Jun 2003)

Thanks, Murph and Ralph, for your forthright replies. I feel much better knowing that not everybody joining is a sharp-as-nails 22 year old who can run 4-minute miles all day.


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## shaunlin41 (19 Jun 2003)

Quick question for you guys, If you join as reg officer and you want to, or are taking degree program not offered at military college it says that you will be permited to continue at your univ. Who do you train with after class, weekends ect. Also at this point it says they group you into moc catagories, do you not get to choose your own moc ie. armoured officer.  I am taking criminology but don‘t want to pursue military police.  Who chooses the moc?


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## ProPatria05 (19 Jun 2003)

I‘m not sure how it works if you are already in university. However, if you are graduating high school and want to take a degree at a civilian university through the military, you apply through the ROTP program, as if you were going to RMC. If accepted, and the decision is made that you go to a civilian university, your only formal training seems to be in the summer, when you do your officer courses.

The only person I know in this situation was an officer cadet attending university where I live. He showed up at my Reserve unit for our parade nights and some training weekends, but was under no obligation to do so, nor was he paid any extra (ROTP guys already get a monthly allowance).

As for the MOC, I would think it is the same as any other CF applicant i.e. an individual applies for the trade he/she wants, at some point in the process. I can‘t say this is a fact, but it would seem logical.


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## devrik (26 Jun 2003)

We finally heard that the board selected him for CELE. However......he‘s on a waiting list!! Talk about your mixed feelings! I don‘t know whether to be happy or not. Anyone else hear anything?

I guess the cruel winds of a shi++y economy are making the CELE jobs more attractive to more people. Makes me wonder if the bonuses are still going to be offered. They didn‘t say anything about that. Look forward to anyone else‘s news or lack thereof. Fingers crossed!


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## Jug (27 Jun 2003)

Hi CELEwife,

I was accepted to CELE last January...only to have a medical restriction (due to meds I was taking at the time) stamp out all of my hopes at the last minute.

I‘m an Electrical Engineer with 5 years in the Telecom industry....and it sucks being highly educated but with no job. I hear your pain.

Right now, Borden is sitting on my meidcal file and have been doing so since January of 2002. I‘m off the medication they had an issue with, and should be clear and good to go as of Sept.

The frustrating thing right now, is that niether the MO in Ottawa nor the one in Borden will give me any indication of what information they need to lift the restriction from thier end. Is it a letter, is it a form, when do they need it. Each office is passing the buck on who keeps what file and where I should send updated information.....jesus.

Now I hear about your waiting list issue and I‘m starting to wonder on how much longer I should persue this.

Anyway...good luck.

Jug


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