# The Hard Part



## Winstone (19 Jul 2005)

Well this has to be simultaneously the best and the worst thing i have ever done...

The Best,  I have chosen a great career one that i can be proud of and will enjoy doing which i think, besides family, is the most important thing you can do in life.

The Worst would most defiantly be knowing I'm now on the merit list and waiting for the darn phone to ring hahahaha

sry guys just need to vent this haha, I got merit listed on the 18th (yesterday) and now every time the phone rings i jump all over myself trying to answer it,  I guess what they say is true,  

Waiting is the hardest part

well hope to see you all _*soon*_    :warstory:


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## Dakota (19 Jul 2005)

Hey Newell: Since I have been in your situation for about a month now. You just have to put it out of mind for awhile. I know the waiting part sucks, but as a lot of us have been told just wait and be patient. You can say this is the first test that the CF is giving us. Lets see how they handle the waiting game. Now it doesn't hurt following up every now and then to make sure everything is still in order. It is your future.

I was Merit listed in Mid June and the July 18 selection board is the first one that I am eligible for, so yes the anxiety of the call naturally enters your mind, but you just have hang in there. Just to give you an idea, since you were just merit listed, you won't be eligible until the next selection board, which I believe is Sept. 5th. There maybe one in August, others can confirm this, but even when the next selection  board comes around, there is still no guarantee that you will selected. If you are selected, it may take 2 weeks to a month or more for the phone call.

If you check out this posting and look for numbers for trades, it will give you an idea of how many are being selected for each trade.

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/29132.0.html

Good luck.


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## Winstone (19 Jul 2005)

well I'm going out for 031 INF so i think my selection is in the Fast track category so i could get a call anyday i think.  i might have to wait but my RO said that i have a chance for BMQ in Sept or Oct so i will be optimistic and continue to dive for the phone yelling    I GOT IT     I GOT IT.


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## Dakota (19 Jul 2005)

Yes you never know, that is very possible. The numbers are still high for 031. I hope it happens sooner than later for you. I applied for 043-Combat Eng. and the numbers were good for that trade also. If all goes well there should be no reason that you won't be going to BMQ in Sept or Oct for sure.

Good luck to you.


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## Winstone (20 Jul 2005)

also i think hauling my a$$ to my crummy job while waiting for the call is not alot of fun...

but enough negativity,   I'm on the list, hopefully still fasttracked, and hey that ain't half bad..........

RING DAMN YOU RING HAHAHAHAHAHA


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## Roy Harding (20 Jul 2005)

Newell said:
			
		

> also i think hauling my a$$ to my crummy job while waiting for the call is not alot of fun...
> 
> but enough negativity,   I'm on the list, hopefully still fasttracked, and hey that ain't half bad..........
> 
> RING DAMN YOU RING HAHAHAHAHAHA


Consider it practice for when you and your unit are "Good to go", but the politicians won't make a decision.

It's a state of being known as "raincoats on, raincoats off" - get used to it.


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## Fry (20 Jul 2005)

I'm in the same position as you guys. Mid june merit listed, HOPING I got selected for armoured yesterday. Now it's another 2weeks - 1 month wait time. My work shifts have decreased quite a bit and won't be kicking in until next week sometime, so I have a lot of free time... to hope I got selected and wait for the damn phone to ring!!! The wait is just as bad as waiting for christmas when I was a kid. I applied for armoured, arty air defence, and sig op. Armoured and sig op both have fairly high numbers, arty air defence has a fairly low number... Fingers are crossed, c'mon, ring!


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## P-Free (20 Jul 2005)

I'm with you guys, the wait sucks. Just send me to Afghanistan already, no need for this basic training jazz.  ;D Working minimum wage also sucks, especially when you are just starting a job and they haven't got you on the schedule yet.. :-\ More free time = more training time. 

Going Sig Op here, so maybe will see some of you peeps in St Jean or elsewhere,

Cheers.


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## Bradboy (20 Jul 2005)

y0 guys.... I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one playing the waiting game. Although I've only been waiting for not even a month I'm starting to get the jitters. I was merit-listed July 5 and am hoping I made the July 18 selection board. I think someone is trying to tell me something subconsciously that I'm getting my call this week. I was flipping through the channels yesterday and "In The Army Now" and "Basic" were playing. Call me superstitious but I'm taking this as a sign that my call is coming soon!!! Anyways if anyone joining 031 INF gets the call this week or next please let me know. I'm curious as to what BMQ dates will be given to those who were selected for the Infantry.


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## Fry (20 Jul 2005)

Yeah... as much as I am waiting and hoping for a call each and every day, I don't think the phone'll ring until early august(If I got selected on monday).


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## Jer1 (20 Jul 2005)

I agree with you guys,waiting sucks. I am going for 031 infantry and have only been on the merit list for a couple of weeks now. Good luck to everyone and hopefully we all get the call soon.


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## P-Free (21 Jul 2005)

Yup, I think I mentioned it in another thread that my recruiting center is hoping to get results by the end of the month. Do keep in touch and tell us when you get your calls everyone.


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## TheMachine (21 Jul 2005)

I want to join. My interviewer told me it could take 5 months. So ill live every minute of everyday the way i always do. Im trying to get in regular infantry.


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## dk (21 Jul 2005)

I have to agree with you guys. While waiting oing, going to work is very hard, especially for these 0430 shifts.

I Caught myself becoming a little negative and impatient at work, and it wasn't good.
I was starting to act like "I Don't Need This Job",  but that's not good at all - So i adjusted and paying more attention to work stuff.
This way I also have less time to spend thinking about how much waiting i'm doing. Everyone at work now recognizes the green screen of Army.ca 

Good luck to all of you.


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## bonitabelle (21 Jul 2005)

"Everyone at work now recognizes the green screen of Army.ca "

It's the same for me at work, my green screen is always on my computer behind my other work to be able to flip to whenever I get a free second.


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## Springroll (21 Jul 2005)

I took my application in last thursday and am waiting, impatiently. ;D

I guess my question is, if DND are so desperate for more recruits, why are they not speeding through this faster?? Is the current process really the only one or are there faster methods??

My application is a bit more difficult saince I was out of the country for three years due to my husband's NATO posting to the USA, so they have to do things a little different for me, but it really is a pain waiting....


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## Winstone (21 Jul 2005)

the INF and a few other trades are still on the fast track but I imagine it takes at least a week after the actually selection for all the names to trickle down to there individual RC's.  My guess is that if i am to receive a call it could be next week at the earliest more likely it will be early next month.  In regards to the green screen i work outside so there is no passing the time reading posts just work, and work sucks ha ha.  

Hang in there everyone it cant be to long for us,


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## Springroll (21 Jul 2005)

I just got a phone call from my RO...I got all excited until I heard "I needed to make copies, can you come down and intial and sign them??"

Man..I was hoping for interview dates!!!


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## Winstone (21 Jul 2005)

allways and ever fun, the trips back and forth to see the RO because something wasn't signed or it was filed wrong or.......
you didn't have something with you ha ha the joy continues


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## DEVES (21 Jul 2005)

Waiting does really suck, I have handed all of my paperwork and they said I would get a call back in at least 7 days. Its been two weeks. All of my paperwork is in order and is done correctly. 

I have called to see whats going on and all they tell me is that its being processed. Well I guess all I can do is wait. I really want to get going. I just hate taking days off to go to the RO. I hope they can try to make the Appointments for CFAT, Interview, Physical and medical maybe within a couple of days. Don't go to work ,Don't get paid. Don't get paid, cant pay rent. Cant pay rent be a bum. 

I would love to get into the Sept BMQ or whatever is this year but All is looking pretty bad as of now.
I will have to really try to push them into trying to getting everything done ASAP.

But I guess this is all of our wish so ....CHEERS.


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## Zombie (22 Jul 2005)

Derek Eves said:
			
		

> I hope they can try to make the Appointments for CFAT, Interview, Physical and medical maybe within a couple of days.





			
				Derek Eves said:
			
		

> I would love to get into the Sept BMQ



I've done my CFAT and Medical, and they were a week apart. My Interview is on Aug 4, and the Physical is booked after the Interview. I'm hoping to get on an October BMQ. At this point, I think that is the absolute soonest I would get on. If I do get on an Oct BMQ, I will consider myself lucky that it only took 4 months from when I submitted my application.


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## DEVES (22 Jul 2005)

Thats awsome for you Zombie.
Im probably too late but Im going to try my hardest to get it done. I'll just have to get a hold of someone at the RO and see whats going on. My file manager seems to always be away. OH well. Well October is what Im trying for also. But I think now Ill be stuck With Winter BMQ. Alberta Winters nothing!!! ;D Ive pulled engines and trannys on a daily basis at -40. Sometimes it sucks though!!!

Cheers.


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## Springroll (22 Jul 2005)

Alberta winters are pretty easy to handle...but wait until the moisture hits you though.....-40 towards the east is freakin COLD!! You freeze your knickers off in just a few minutes...


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## Winstone (22 Jul 2005)

BMQ in the winter will just make the time spent in your unit in the summer at the end of your training feel like heaven on earth....
I hope ha ha
Oh well Summer, Winter its all the same your either to hot or to cold, I think, Sept Oct Nov and Dec in Canada are the best months to be working outside, late fall in the east is the absolute best time of year by far.
I can't wait


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## fleeingjam (22 Jul 2005)

Not too add to frustration but... last time i was told i was on the merit list i felt exactly the same way. And then day after day i would do the same answering every call until finally one day i checked my mail and there it was my rejection letter. Hopefully it works out for you all.


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## FITSUMO (22 Jul 2005)

Usman_Syed 
did the rejection letter give reasons?


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## fleeingjam (22 Jul 2005)

Yup, asthma that i dont have and surgery that they DO not have to pay for as it is full covered by OHIP. Its funny because i called them up and asked them what does the surgery have to do with anything... there response "either you have it done and then apply or dont have it done at all and re-apply now" so yeah i think that just may have given it away. Im sure though even after the surgery and all the tests ive done they'll find something else to nail me on and ill have to wait another 2 years. But im still taking this all posotive, because i truly care for the army and they can't change that.

- Good Luck guys.
- Usman


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## Dakota (22 Jul 2005)

I found the best thing at this point is to just go on with the everyday routine. It's tough but it's the only way not to go insane. I feel the same way about work. Just give me the cal,l so I can prepare to give my notice. Believe me though, once 2 weeks has past, I will be making a friendly call to my Recruiter.

Hang in there all.


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## Winstone (23 Jul 2005)

It will be so great the day i can walk into my bosses AIR CONDITOINED office and tell him to take his job and........
ahhh maybe not, I did get paid on time, but it would be really nice to just pull a Homer Simpson on his a$$ and play his head like a bongo on my last day.

RING RING who is it.....
not who you want it to be.......

ah well keep your collective chins held high the day draws near


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## TheMachine (23 Jul 2005)

Waiting for medical clearance and ERC.


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## P-Free (30 Jul 2005)

Gave the local recruiting center a ring the other day and they made a major fuck up. Forgot to inform me I needed a drivers license to apply for Sig Op. Oops.. that could be important. Took 'em 8 months to pull their shit together and inform me AFTER I'd supposedly been merit listed for more than a month. Hey thanks, you're really on the ball down there!


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## nick_s02 (30 Jul 2005)

To all who are waiting,

        The wait doesn't bother me at all and my advice for those that it does bother is to surround yourself with the worst possible situations. Take me for example, I applied, moved out of my apartment and into the in-laws place. I also gave up my day job for a night one as to not hold people back from a position they want and I didn't. Anyway, it's always good to laugh about all the craziness during the waiting time, just don't go doing anything stupid. Take that advice from a pro!!


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## Winstone (31 Jul 2005)

I am over the waiting for the phone to ring right now but I would really like to know if i have been selected,  if i could find that out it would make waiting for the phone call alot easier.
P-Free: man that sucks hole i sure hop it all works out for you Good Luck man


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