# Accepted to RMC but not quite what I expected



## nizfiz (2 Apr 2008)

I got accepted to the ROTP Senior program and am quite proud but when I was told the terms I was a lil' surprised.  Here's what I was told:

-I was accepted under my 3rd MOC choice, that is MARS. I'm not thrilled since all I want is army and my first 2 choices where armour and infantry, guess I should have picked artillery 3rd but wasn't much interested in that either. The Navy has fewer command positions and I gather that unless you're a boat driver and get a couple other specific assignments under your belt, your career will go nowhere, not to mention all you need is one captain who doesn't like you and your career is finished.  The army has way more opportunity, it's getting all the budget and combat arms is a lot more interesting in my opinion not to mention, the way to the top. 

-I was always under the assumption that I would serve 5 years after finishing at RMC but I was offered a 12 year contract (includes RMC time) and told that was normal.  That's 3 more years (which is quite a bit more than just 5) which NO ONE ever mentioned to me at any time in the process.  I was told this was because after graduating I wouldn't be ops ready and that 3 years was built into it for that purpose (so I'd be ops useful for 5 years I assume?).  I was also told I could possibly bail after 5 years but I'd face pension repercussions. 

-One more point I was surprised by was being told I'd do my 1st year in St.Jean-sur-Richelieu and the remaining 3 in Kingston.  I always though the 1 year in St.Jean was for CEJEP kids.  They said most BA students would go there.  I don't understand why I'd go in the first place, does sending me there for 1 year save that much room at RMC?  It's not the end of the world, but is again something that had never been mentioned to me and therefore has me a bit anxious.  I'm also waiting to hear from civie schools this month in terms of acceptances.

Those are my main concerns. I'd like any input possible. Should I reject, put my file back in the hat for the next selection board saying what I'm looking for? That might buy me more time meaning I could hear back from civilian schools.  I gather I could also accept, do my first year, go through MOC interviews at the end of next year and if they don't give me land ops I can say no thanks and leave w/o penalty.  Anyway, it's a big decision to make in 10 days when you're 18 and it dictates your life 'til you're 30, I'd just like your thoughts, any info on when/why the program has changed and, how I should go about getting what I want before I'm in and it turns into what the military wants.


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## niceasdrhuxtable (3 Apr 2008)

Why did you apply for MARS if you weren't interested in the job?


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## RTaylor (3 Apr 2008)

Maybe he was hungry and everyone knows Snickers is the only one that satisfies, but Mars is the only one available on the form.


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## brendanhm1 (3 Apr 2008)

In grade 12 my ex girlfriend managed to convince me to back out of my Infantry ROTP, BUT i thought ahead and told them to hold onto my file....

A year later I had snapped to reality and found myself on BMQ but as NCM reserve.  

Point is, they held onto my file without consequence.  I didnt even have to do full interview, tests etc over again the next year...just a medical and a quick interview.


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## Lumber (3 Apr 2008)

nizfiz said:
			
		

> -I was always under the assumption that I would serve 5 years after finishing at RMC but I was offered a 12 year contract (includes RMC time) and told that was normal.  That's 3 more years (which is quite a bit more than just 5) which NO ONE ever mentioned to me at any time in the process.  I was told this was because after graduating I wouldn't be ops ready and that 3 years was built into it for that purpose (so I'd be ops useful for 5 years I assume?).  I was also told I could possibly bail after 5 years but I'd face pension repercussions.



http://forums.milnet.ca/forums/threads/72542.0.html


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## Elwood (3 Apr 2008)

Don't go MARS if you're not into it. Face it... how can you work as a Navy officer until you're thirty, when you were set on being in the Army in the first place?

I've also been tempted by my CFRC to accept my 3rd choice. I declined, but even now I don't regret waiting until my CFRC can offer me a job that I will be 100% into. Even if you decline and have to wait until next year to apply as an Army officer, it will totally be worth it. You can even try the CEOTP or DEO route to get in as INT or ARMD Officer.


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## dimsum (3 Apr 2008)

Elwood said:
			
		

> Don't go MARS if you're not into it. Face it... how can you work as a Navy officer until you're thirty, when you were set on being in the Army in the first place?



Agreed.  Also, MARS training and working/living conditions aren't exactly what people would call "easy", so if you already had doubts wearing the uniform, it'll impact how you do your job.  Besides, if you wanted Army in the first place, why did you pick MARS as a 3rd choice?


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## Lumber (3 Apr 2008)

Dimsum said:
			
		

> Agreed.  Also, MARS training and working/living conditions aren't exactly what people would call "easy", so if you already had doubts wearing the uniform, it'll impact how you do your job.  Besides, if you wanted Army in the first place, why did you pick MARS as a 3rd choice?



You know what trade I wanted? MARS. So you know what trade(s) I put down on my application? Here, I'll order them:
1. MARS.
END.

If you know that you will not accept (or seriously do not WANT to accept) any other trade, don't put it down. The recruiters at CFRC Hamilton had no problem with that. I don't know if that helped me get the trade I wanted, but that's kind of irrelevant now. I got MARS and if I hadn't I wouldn't be here today (although in truth, I would have accepted Infantry or Armoured, but shh, don't tell them ).

Anyways, nizfiz I think you have DEFINITELY done a poor analysis of the navy. There are a plethora of command positions on a ship, bot just the Captain. The ship is an individual unit, kind of like a battalion, only instead of platoons it has departments. That being said, if MARS is not what you want, then don't settle for it! The last thing I want is to be working next to someone who doesn't give a damn about his job; it'll bring down performance and put people's lives at risk, mine included!


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## nizfiz (4 Apr 2008)

To be honest I put MARS because I'm a scuba diver, I work in a dive shop and thought it would be cool.  I didn't really think about making a lifetime career out of it.  In retrospect I shouldn't have put MARS down, I said that in my original message, but I assumed (dumb assumption obviously) that they'd never give me my 3rd choice.  Usually when you ask someone for 3 choices and to rank em, giving them the 3rd choice with a 12 year duration, isn't gonna have them falling head over heels to accept.  Anyway, I'm just ticked because I really don't want to turn this down, it's a dream and if I do, I'll go to civie university like everyone else and the army will be one of those stories I'll tell my grandkids "back in the day, I almost joined".  It's a big chapter in life, one I don't want to skip.  I'm not sure if I'd do it again next year, who knows what life will be like then so I'd rather bite the bullet now.  Not to mention who knows if I'd get accepted next year, my university marks might not be the greatest and I'm a white middle class kid from Ottawa, not exactly the kind quotas give an advantage to.

What do you guys think of the possibility of changing MOC before the interview at the end of next year?  Can you really have too many infantry officers these days or is it that there's a shortage of navy officers?


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## nizfiz (4 Apr 2008)

Dimsum said:
			
		

> Besides, if you wanted Army in the first place, why did you pick MARS as a 3rd choice?



I thought exactly that, it was my "3rd" choice. I assumed the first 2 choices being land ops showed that that's what I wanted.  I obviously didn't grasp the concept (nor was I warned) that it was 3 choices ranked by military need as opposed 3 choices ranked by me.  If they don't want people who are not exactly where they want to be, as that would make them unhappy and therefore worst at their jobs, why would they offer them those positions?  Again, I do realize the fault in the end lies with me and my choice but I don't see the logic in it.


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## VM (4 Apr 2008)

If you don't want to do it don't accept the offer, then discuss you options of going in another Land MOC with the recruiter. Do not accept the offer, simple as that, no point doing something you don't want to do. Aside from that, you just keep throwing out excuses. The bottom line is the three choices are three choices which you would accept an offer for. Thats the choices you put down. If you only had 2 choices you would accept an offer for, thats the only 2 you should have put down. This is no ones fault but your own. Sounds ridiculous when you say you put down MARS but didn't really think they would offer it nor would you accept it.


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## niceasdrhuxtable (4 Apr 2008)

> In retrospect I shouldn't have put MARS down, I said that in my original message, but I assumed (dumb assumption obviously) that they'd never give me my 3rd choice.  Usually when you ask someone for 3 choices and to rank em, giving them the 3rd choice with a 12 year duration, isn't gonna have them falling head over heels to accept.



Sorry, I'm not trying to attack you or anything but why do you think they would ask for three choices if they never had any intention of offering it to you?

Anyway, if it's really not something you can imagine devoting yourself to then I'd really recommend not accepting it. Call the CFRC and tell them that you are no longer interested in that position and amend your choices so that you've only picked trades you could commit yourself to. If there's only two trades that interest you then only pick to; it's not necessary to fill out all three choices.

Being stuck in a trade you hate isn't doing yourself or the CF a favour. What for the opportunity you actually want before signing your life away.


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## nizfiz (4 Apr 2008)

VM said:
			
		

> This is no ones fault but your own.





			
				nizfiz said:
			
		

> Again, I do realize the fault in the end lies with me [...]



thanks guys, i've got a meeting with the recruiter monday.


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## Elwood (4 Apr 2008)

Hey nizfiz,

I have a friend who's in RMC right now, and he knows people who've changed their MOC's during first and second year of RMC. 

Remember to speak with a career councellor at your CFRC... maybe accepting MARS and then switching to ARMD in RMC might be an option?


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## Kamaro (4 Apr 2008)

Being offered mars officer over infantry and artillery.. now there's the real mystery in this thread! Aren't we desperate for combat arms?

And no matter what, I would not recommend taking one trade with a bad deal and thinking you can switch afterwards. I don't want to knock elwood's experience, but I've never met anyone who pulled that off successfully. Most of the guys I knew who got out had similar "deals."


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## Lumber (4 Apr 2008)

Kamaro said:
			
		

> I don't want to knock elwood's experience, but I've never met anyone who pulled that off successfully.



About 90 people applied here at RMC in December 2007 to have their trades changed. 
60-70 of those successfully had their trades changed just this past month.


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