# Reserves



## Tom_Swift (13 Apr 2009)

Okay so went to the recruiting center a while back they told me Army and Air reserve were full in the GTA. I've filled my Application out but I am clueless on a couple of things, with the 3 occupations are they from the one are we are applying I guess I will be forced to apply for Naval Reserve as the other two are full.

Is it common for people in Naval Reserve to switch into Infantry Reserve after training? Are there professions that if I volunteered to go to the sandbox would keep me off the front lines?

Tanks for any advice and information ahead of time.


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## Lil_T (13 Apr 2009)

In order to switch from the naval reserve to army reserve the unit you want to work with has to be hiring.  I'm sure there's more to it than just that - but I've never been a reservist so I can't help you there. Have you contacted the actual units yet - to see if they are hiring?  

As for your 3 occupations - if you are applying for naval reserve, then yes, they'd have to be jobs that are available within the unit.  You don't necessarily have to pick 3 however.  If there's one you want to do, and nothing else, put that.  

Are looking to go to the front lines or avoid them?  I'm a little confused.


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## the_girlfirend (13 Apr 2009)

Hi Tom_swift

Please... go visit the units that you are really interested in... if you want to go into infantry you must have a lot of options in GTA. 

1. IF they are full now.... by the time you complete the recruiting process... there might be a couple more spots available, but again go ask the unit, they are the ones hiring you.

2. IF by the time you get through the recruiting proces the units are full for infantry... they might have some spots available for: 
- Ressource management support clerk
- vehicle technician
- supply technician
etc...
and so you will already be in the unit... and it will be easier for you to go into infantry when a spot becomes available.

3. IF all the infantry units are full... have you considered communications... engineer, intelligence etc... there are great jobs in the army reserve....

That said... Go see them, shake hands, ask every question you have, visit, get a feel of every unit and make a wise decision. They are the one hiring you, the CFRC will only be responsible for the recruiting process. IF you don't want to go into the naval reserve please DON'T, you have many options... go see them, they have all the answers.

Here is a link to the units in Toronto... they all have websites with extensive recruiting sections... go see.
http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/land-terre/units-unites/index-eng.asp?action=City&id=38

Good luck!


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## George Wallace (13 Apr 2009)

Tom_Swift said:
			
		

> Okay so went to the recruiting center a while back they told me Army and Air reserve were full in the GTA. I've filled my Application out but I am clueless on a couple of things, with the 3 occupations are they from the one are we are applying I guess I will be forced to apply for Naval Reserve as the other two are full.
> 
> Is it common for people in Naval Reserve to switch into Infantry Reserve after training? Are there professions that if I volunteered to go to the sandbox would keep me off the front lines?
> 
> Tanks for any advice and information ahead of time.




Welcome to Army.ca. I see you have been here for almost a month or so.  Perhaps you missed the prerequisite reading on registration to the site.  Here are some reading references that are core to how Army.ca operates. I strongly recommend you take a moment to read through these to give you a better sense for the environment here. It will help you avoid the common pitfalls which can result in miscommunication and confusion. For those that choose not to read, their actions often lead to warnings being issued or even permanent bans.

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Now to clarify a few things from Your Post:

1.  No one is "forced" to join or apply for any part of the Regular or Reserve Forces.

2.  The Naval Reserve is not at all related in any way to the Air or the Army Reserves, nor any element of the Regular Force, in that you will require to go through a Component Transfer from one to any of the others.  

3.  If one wants to change Trades, they must go through a process to change Trades, and most Trades are not transferable between the different Elements (Air, Land or Sea).

4.  Your wording leads one to believe that your motives to join the Reserves are not the best, but yes there are Trades that will take you to Afghanistan and not necessarily put you in the "Front Lines".  You do, of course, realize that the CF has a policy that "you are a soldier first, and a Tradesman second" which means that you will be expected to function effectively to defend yourself and your comrades should you be put in a possition to do so.  You also realize that there are no defined "Front Lines" in Afghanistan.

5.  I would highly recommend that you do a lot more reading on this site and learn the use of the Search Function, as the questions you are asking have fairly well been covered in detail already.





To summarize. Welcome to Army.ca, start reading.


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## Tom_Swift (13 Apr 2009)

Alright thanks for all the help so far, when I went to the Recruiting Center at Yonge and Sheppard it was very overwhelming and I guess I still have a lot of questions. I am going to go to call the units in my area and I guess go down to shake hands and ask some more questions.


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## Biggoals2bdone (13 Apr 2009)

From what I recall you don't need a component transfer to go from Militia to Naval reserves...you do an Occupational transfer...component would be from Reserves to Suppres or Reg Force, or CIC.

Not from one reserve to another, much less if you are doing the same trade.

I could be wrong, but that's not how it was done a couple of years ago if you wanted to go from Naval Reserves to Militia.

As previously stated no one is FORCED to join the military Reg or Res.

Also as previously stated if you want infantry, don't go in the NavRes...don't use one to spring board to the other, although you could do that if you wanted to do the Reg Force BMQ instead of the 4 week Militia course....but thats just asking for trouble, because an OT could take a long time.

As for trades not being transferable....only the purple trades are....obviously you can't get infantry in an Air or Naval reserve Unit, closest thing would be Bosn...where you do all the small arms handling from the ship...but you won't learn to close with and destroy the enemy.

So jobs like RMS clerk, Supply Tech, Log O, Musician, are applicable to all Branches/Elements.

and to answer your original question...NO its not common for people to go from Naval Reserves/Air Reserves to Infantry Reserve...I have seen PLENTY of the other way around though.


I'm lost on what you are looking for though....you say something about jobs NOT on the frontline yet you talk about going infantry reserves....kind of at odds with each other no??


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## Michael OLeary (13 Apr 2009)

Biggoals2bdone said:
			
		

> I'm lost on what you are looking for though....you say something about jobs NOT on the frontline yet you talk about going infantry reserves....kind of at odds with each other no??



Do you think he might have been phrasing the question in the context of finding out which trades, if requested, would eliminate chances at deploying - perhaps so he could eliminate them from consideration?


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## Ex-Dragoon (13 Apr 2009)

If your lost on what he is looking for imagine how he will feel reading your post....


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## Biggoals2bdone (13 Apr 2009)

Ex-D...Always willing to take some friendly ribbing from a fellow sailor.

O'leary...your guess is as good as mine.


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## Michael OLeary (13 Apr 2009)

Biggoals2bdone said:
			
		

> O'leary...your guess is as good as mine.



The difference is that I didn't try to guess an answer.  You could have simply asked for clarification of his post, rather than offering your scatter-shot reply.


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## TDV_Valor (13 Apr 2009)

Tom_Swift said:
			
		

> Okay so went to the recruiting center a while back they told me Army and Air reserve were full in the GTA. I've filled my Application out but I am clueless on a couple of things, with the 3 occupations are they from the one are we are applying I guess I will be forced to apply for Naval Reserve as the other two are full.
> 
> Is it common for people in Naval Reserve to switch into Infantry Reserve after training? Are there professions that if I volunteered to go to the sandbox would keep me off the front lines?
> 
> Tanks for any advice and information ahead of time.



The way I interpret your final statement is that, you want the title of being a veteran without going into harm's way. War is unpredictable. Some trades are more dangerous then others, but in the end, you are in the military, not a fast food employee (however, that may be your other job since you are going for reservist ).


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## Michael OLeary (13 Apr 2009)

TDV_Valor said:
			
		

> The way I interpret your final statement is that, you want the title of being a veteran without going into harm's way. War is unpredictable. Some trades are more dangerous then others, but in the end, you are in the military, not a fast food employee (however, that may be your other job since you are going for reservist ).



Even if your interpretation is correct, your attitude towards the poster is inappropriate. Not everyone is pre-programmed to be a font line combat arms soldier.  That does not mean they can't serve honourably and in essential trades and positions.  

Every soldier who served only in England during the World Wars honorably wears the "title" veteran.  Every peacekeeper who never carried a weapon on his or her tour honourably wears the "title" veteran.  Even if you choose a trade that is typically considered one that "goes in harms' way", it doesn't mean that you will actually get that in your career.  Try to avoid over-simplifying your idea of what it means to be in the military, or in any particular trade.


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## Antoine (13 Apr 2009)

TDV,

I hope that you are not puting down the reservist because many of us that are reading the present forum section are looking forward to join the reserve. 

However, it might be an insight joke that I am not aware of.


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## TDV_Valor (14 Apr 2009)

Seems as though my statement has agitated a few folks, so I will clarify.

By no means was I putting reservists down, many of them join because they want to give back to their community and country, but do not want to live the army life, completely understandable and I respect that. However, there are those who become a reservist to purely reap the benefits and to have the "status" of a canadian soldier, do not argue by saying that is not true, it is. Now I am not saying all reservists are like that, not even the majority, but it is a part-time job that has it's benefits, which some choose to abuse. And that doesn't sit to well with me, nevertheless...

Now getting onto my point regarding going into harm's way.. I agree every trade has a specific duty that is essential to the military. However, from what *I* interpreted, it seemed as though he was looking for a trade that involved very to no danger (if he could not get infantry) just so he could go to afghanistan to avoid the risks of the combat arms. And it bothered me that he wanted to join a trade just for that specific reason (the least dangerous in a combat zone) instead of a trade that he was passionate about. Now this is the only way I interpreted it, I could be completely off about what he implied and I meant absolutely no offence to the original poster or any other support trades out there.


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## Michael OLeary (14 Apr 2009)

TDV_Valor said:
			
		

> By no means was I putting reservists down, many of them join because they want to give back to their community and country, but do not want to live the army life, completely understandable and I respect that. However, there are those who become a reservist to purely reap the benefits and to have the "status" of a canadian soldier, do not argue by saying that is not true, it is. Now I am not saying all reservists are like that, not even the majority, but it is a part-time job that has it's benefits, which some choose to abuse. And that doesn't sit to well with me, nevertheless...



Let's be very clear that abuse of the system is NOT just in the Reserves, it happens in the Reg Force too, just like in any occupation.  And I see from your posting history that you don't have much experience with either Reg or Res service.


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## Antoine (14 Apr 2009)

OK, thanks TDV, I understand now.

Unfortunately those people are also found in many civilian jobs.

To the original poster, without answering directly to your question: Don't go for something that is half way your goal, you might loose your motivation and commitment at some point but worst, you might piss off people that work full force to achieve the goal that is not yours.

Think about the time and money that people will invest in you but at the end of the day you are secretly looking elsewhere. In addition, you might take the position of someone else that would like to be where you are.

I feel like an old timer giving advice to a young fellow, so, that was my  :2c: advice.

I hope you will find something that suit you best.


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## Tom_Swift (30 Apr 2009)

Ok so I'm ready to commit I'm looking at the application and my Regiment I'm applying to is Infantry, is this the trade? How do I know what regiment has what trades? And on the application form do I fill out the Trades by name or I have seen people use codes? Looking at construction as a trade.


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## Larkvall (30 Apr 2009)

Have you visited the regiment to see what trades are available?


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## Tom_Swift (30 Apr 2009)

Yes it may have came in one ear and went out the other I was taking in a lot of info at the time really fast. All I got was they were and Infantry Regiment and were always hiring.


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## ltmaverick25 (30 Apr 2009)

Tom_Swift said:
			
		

> Yes it may have came in one ear and went out the other I was taking in a lot of info at the time really fast. All I got was they were and Infantry Regiment and were always hiring.



If you are applying to an infantry regiment it is very possible that infantry is the trade they were talking to you about, though they often have other support trades working with them too.

Do you know what an infantryman does?  Is this what you want to be?  I am having a difficult time assessing what you are looking for by your posts so far.


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## the_girlfirend (30 Apr 2009)

You can fill in your application as much as you can on your own and once you are ready to give it back... ask your questions to the recruiter on these details to fill it in properly, they are there to help you.

Good luck


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## George Wallace (30 Apr 2009)

the_girlfirend said:
			
		

> You can fill in your application as much as you can on your own and once you are ready to give it back... ask your questions to the recruiter on these details to fill it in properly, they are there to help you.
> 
> Good luck



Good advice.  Now for him to follow it.



			
				Tom_Swift said:
			
		

> Yes it may have came in one ear and went out the other I was taking in a lot of info at the time really fast. All I got was they were and Infantry Regiment and were always hiring.



I think that if you (Swift) go back to the very beginning of this topic and read the advice so many have given you, check out some of the links, use the SEARCH function, and then print it all out so that you don't forget, you will have what you need to know.


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## Tom_Swift (3 May 2009)

I searched but couldn't find anything on this, the application asks for every time in which i have left the country in the past 5 years. Does this include trips to America? Someone told me it's not as they don't record anything when you cross the border but someone else said it is, so I'm pretty confused.


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## Michael OLeary (3 May 2009)

Tom_Swift said:
			
		

> I searched but couldn't find anything on this, the application asks for every time in which i have left the country in the past 5 years. Does this include trips to America? Someone told me it's not as they don't record anything when you cross the border but someone else said it is, so I'm pretty confused.



Ask the Recruiting Centre to ensure you are complying with their most current policies.


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