# Need advice for this confusion



## Swiss_helmet (19 Nov 2009)

Hello  yesterday I submitted my application and when doing so I was told that my job choices where full so I went with being a signal operator.

But today I look on the armed forces web site and they show they still have openings in armored soldier and that's what i wanted to join is there a misunderstanding or is there i can do to change the choice back to the original one ? 

Thanks


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## firejohn (19 Nov 2009)

Swiss_helmet
  It is probably true that it is closed right now, I think that all combat arms trades are currently closed (until april). Unfortunately the website is often slow to reflect that.


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## dangerboy (19 Nov 2009)

I would go talk to the recruiting centre about your job choices if you have any concerns.  One thing to keep in mind they have the most up to date information about the status of vacancies in various trades, the web site while very usefull is not as current as what information the recruiter has.


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## FDO (19 Nov 2009)

All Comblat Arms trades are full until possibly April. Sig Op is one of our trades that is very short. We will place you ahead of Combat Arms for processing. The Website is not run by the Recriuting Centres so it tends to be a tad slow in updates.


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## thompsonAA (23 Nov 2009)

When would the best time to apply for armoured? Before or in april?


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## FDO (23 Nov 2009)

thompsonAA said:
			
		

> When would the best time to apply for armoured? Before or in april?



Come in towards the end of February or start of March. That's when we'll start serious processing for April and beyond. Of course if you want to come in now we will take your application and start the process but it will be slow and if someone comes in that wants a trade that's open we will bump you.


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## northern girl (30 Nov 2009)

I applied for armour officer this fall even though the positions wont open up til April - they processed my file and merit listed me within 30 days of my interview...I go by the recruiting center once every two weeks or so and check in with the Captain to say hey, ask a few questions, and remind him how anxious I am to get going...not sure where you are in Canada - I'm in North Bay Ont., which is a small city, so maybe that's partly why things happened so quick...probably your recruitment center could best advise you about when the best time to apply is. Maybe I'll see ya in Gagetown sometime soon! Either way, good luck with everything.


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## elementqka (30 Nov 2009)

I gave my papers 2 weeks ago for reserve combat engineer, reserve is closed too for combat trades ?


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## Dean22 (1 Dec 2009)

elementqka said:
			
		

> I gave my papers 2 weeks ago for reserve combat engineer, reserve is closed too for combat trades ?



Right not only the regular forces has guaranteed closure of all trades until April 2010. Reserve unit openings are on a unit to unit basis and a liaison officer will go to your unit to check on job openings for that unit much much later in your application process (probably after the merit list because that's when the L.O. report was done for me).


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## Nfld Sapper (1 Dec 2009)

elementqka said:
			
		

> I gave my papers 2 weeks ago for reserve combat engineer, reserve is closed too for combat trades ?



The unit you maybe applying to might have already reached their recruitment goal for the year, so yes it is possible.


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## CallOfDuty (12 Dec 2009)

..seems to me that everyone wants to be in the combat arms these days.  FDO, is this usually the way it goes at the recruiting centre?


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## FDO (13 Dec 2009)

Combat Arms usually first because most people don't think they have the smarts for the Tech trades. If you have the basic education and you are successful on CFAT you can do a Tech job. Something else to keep in mind is that most of our Tech trades get paid more. Spec 1 gets about $500 a month more than a Combat Arms trade. I think the biggest reason is fear of failure. In a lot of cases if you fail your Tech course they may give you a chance to do an occupation transfer. Look at Sig OP. From what I've been told they still get to do a lot of the field stuff the Infantry gets to do. They just get to do a bit more and get more money.


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## Brasidas (13 Dec 2009)

FDO said:
			
		

> Look at Sig OP. From what I've been told they still get to do a lot of the field stuff the Infantry gets to do. They just get to do a bit more and get more money.



Sig ops get more money? News to me. I've heard rumours about spec pay from MES, but there's yet to be a difference in my bank account.


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## CallOfDuty (13 Dec 2009)

I always think it's funny when I talk to random people on the street or in stores, or when people hear I'm in the military the comment I usually get is " oh cool.....I'm thinking of joining the army too".  Often times its women...or people in their 30's, and I cant help but say to them , hey, ever think of the navy?...or the airforce?? ( if it's a young guy, I usually say cool, go for army!) 
  Usually I get a surprise reaction.  Airforce huh?...what do they do?   People just don't know what we do in the CF or really what options they have.


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## FDO (15 Dec 2009)

Sorry, I meant to say SOME of our Tech trades get Spec pay. Sig OP is NOT one of them. (Don't you make enough with all that fresh air and sunshine  ;D) Sorry guys didn't mean to get your hopes up. 

In my experience here in the Recruiting Center we have two occupations in the CF; Infantry and Pilot. So many time I've heard I want to be in the Army/Air Force. When I ask what you want to do they say "you know Army." They mean Infantry. Same with Air Force. Everytime TOP GUN is on TV we get a run of people who want to fly jets and wear the "cool white uniform." I tell them I can get them in a cool white uniform but flying is out. 

When they find out that we have so many other things in the CF it messes them up. I love the confused look of disbelief I get when I show them the list of occupations.


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## CallOfDuty (15 Dec 2009)

...and of course you show them the long list of occupations and add " I also know how you can have 3 Hots and a Cot".   " Or you could live in the dirt and dig trenches is thats more what you're into"...lol


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## FDO (15 Dec 2009)

Don't forget soup!!


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## CallOfDuty (15 Dec 2009)

I'll never forget the looks on all the hard army types faces during  BMQ, when they realized that after training they would be heading to real army units to play in the woods and get jacked up for the next 3 years.  While the rest of us were headed to the navy or airforce to get away from that stuff!  
   I aint knockin' it......but it's definately not for everyone, thats for sure


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## robbiewho? (16 Dec 2009)

Sounds like the look on my grandfathers face when I told him that I was not enjoying university and going into the forces. He had this proud smile (he came over from the Royal Navy in '54 and traveled the world, told me lots of stories) but my grandmothers face was the opposite end of the spectrum.


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## FDO (16 Dec 2009)

robbiewho? said:
			
		

> but my grandmothers face was the opposite end of the spectrum.



Funny how mothers and grandmothers just don't seem to understand. Mine had the same reaction. I think it was due to fact that my grandparents went through WWII in the UK.


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## robbiewho? (17 Dec 2009)

My grandfather was evacuated to the country side during the Blitz and enlisted in the Royal Navy at 15. He had a lot of stories to tell, most that my grandmother didn't want to hear lol.


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