# Reserves in the summer?



## AznVengence (17 Mar 2006)

Mmm I live in Toronto, and the other day sometime during december I went to Fort York and the recruiter said to me, if you can't do the reserves during regular days, you can do it in the summer and you'd get paid $5k. So I said I'll think about it.  I think the recruiter was Master Corporal John Sideris.  I have a few questions about this, do we really get paid $5,000 for this? and how long is the duration of the training? will we need to buy equipment? do we have to train like a few times a month after PT or Basic Training or whatever its called? after doing the reserves in the summer, are we FOREVER in the army? That's all I can think of.. Thanks in advance for helping me  ;D


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## MikeL (17 Mar 2006)

Search?

You can do your BMQ an SQ, etc full time in the summer, sometimes theres weekend courses aswell. 

You do not sign a contract in the Reserve like the Reg Force, you can quit at anytime. 

No you do not buy your own kit.

Reserves train one night a week, 1 weekend every 1-2 months, a Brigade ex during spring break an a Brigade ex in the summer. You must make it to a certain amount of training nights a month or you will be NES.


BMQ an SQ are 22 or 23 training days.  

Anyways, start searching for more info an for other questions you may have.


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## geo (17 Mar 2006)

1)  If you are planing to join for summer training... you might be too late for this year's summer

2) reservists taking their 1st courses will typicaly have 2 x 20 day courses in their 1st summer (though it is always possible that they squeeze in a 3rd one of 20 days)
Basic qual 20 + weekends = 30 days 
Soldier qual 20 + weekends = 30 days
Infantryman qual 20 + weekends = 30 days

you'd need to have to train June thru August without interruption but it would make a nice hunk of change.... if you can get it - but you might be too late for this summer.

do you have to buy anything?.... no  - not really. 
do you do PT a few time s amonth?.... try "daily"

you are a member of the army for an indeterminate period of time, you can ask to be released at any time.


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## AznVengence (17 Mar 2006)

I see... So I will train even after  the summer. 


> Basic qual 20 + weekends = 30 days
> Soldier qual 20 + weekends = 30 days
> Infantryman qual 20 + weekends = 30 days


So basiclly, I have to do 90 days of training, then I can qualify as a "Infantryman"? What will be the jobs of the Infantryman?
I'm only 15 at the moment, but next year I will be 16 and that's when I'm signing up, but can I sign up before I am 16 because my birthday is in March, and I'm sure it's best to sign up during January or so? any recommendations? And what does NES mean?




> Reserves train one night a week, 1 weekend every 1-2 months, a Brigade ex during spring break an a Brigade ex in the summer. You must make it to a certain amount of training nights a month or you will be NES.


I don't get what your trying to say here. Sorry for being so confused, it's the march break and I'm not using my brain.. haha sorry.


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## infamous_p (17 Mar 2006)

AznVengence said:
			
		

> I see... So I will train even after  the summer. So basiclly, I have to do 90 days of training, then I can qualify as a "Infantryman"?



As long as you're in the army, you'll be training as a soldier. Just because you have finished your 90 days of training does not mean you will stop training. You do courses in order to earn your qualifications, for example, BMQ (Basic Military Qualification - commonly referred to as 'boot camp') will be a course you will take for the duration of approximately 20-22 days over the summer. Following your BMQ course, you will move on to your SQ (Soldier Qualification), which will qualify you as a soldier in the army - whether it be reserve force or regular force. That course will be another 20-22 days long in the summer, if you do in fact choose to do the summer course. Following your SQ course, you will move on to your more advanced training more specific to your trade (your job), in your case (pursuing a career in the infantry) being your BIQ (basic infantry qualification), which will be more in depth infanteer skills. Following THAT course, you will move on to your DP1 (again, more in depth infanteer skills), but lets not worry about those courses for now - those are long into the future if you are only 15 years old. Let's say you DO in fact decide to pursue the summer course option (as opposed to the fall/winter course option where you'll be doing your training for the respective course over approximately 10 weekends throughout the course of the year), you will return to your respective regiment in the fall and 'parade' with them one night during the week. A parade night consists of unit-level training with your fellow soldiers within your unit. You will work from approximately 7 to 10 pm on these parade nights, one night a week. You will also be required to participate in weekend exercises (a minimum amount of exercises attended quarterly is required), in which you will meet with your regiment at your armoury and participate in a weekend-long training exercise which will most likely be held in Borden, Meaford, Petawawa, or wherever the regiment decides to take you. As im sure you're next question will be - yes, you will be spending the weekend with your regiment on base, wherever you are based for the weekend. You will be sleeping and eating all meals there. you're in the army, its a commitment you are expected to make. Think of it as a part-time job.. because that's what it is, just quite different from what most teenagers are doing (working at McDonalds, Starbucks, Pizza Pizza, etc.).



			
				AznVengence said:
			
		

> What will be the jobs of the Infantryman?



It is your responsibility to research your trade and to know what it entails. Search around this site, there are countless threads discussing the infantry and infanteers. There are MANY trades in the army appealing to all types of people and their interests... do some research. 



			
				AznVengence said:
			
		

> I'm only 15 at the moment, but next year I will be 16 and that's when I'm signing up, but can I sign up before I am 16 because my birthday is in March, and I'm sure it's best to sign up during January or so? any recommendations?



I BELIEVE you can begin your paperwork at age 15 (prior to joining), but do not hold me to that. And, it's ALWAYS a good time to join up. There's no "better" or "worse" times to join. A good tip that I'm sure many others will attest to... it's to your advantage to parade with your unit as much as possible before beginning your basic courses. 




			
				AznVengence said:
			
		

> And what does NES mean?



NES means Non-Effective Strength. If you have not attended the required amount of parade nights per month with your unit, you will be placed on NES. NES is basically the beginning of the disciplinary system, for example.. you will not be paid until you see your chain of command and explain why you have become NES. I believe if you do not attend AT LEAST one parade night per month, you are placed on NES.


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## geo (17 Mar 2006)

you can't do any of the paperwork before the age of 16
at the age of 16 you need parental consent
90 days as the crow flies to complete all three courses BUT, it'd be hard to squeeze all 3 in the same summer. Most people would do the Basic part time between Jan and May and then do the remaining 2 courses in the summer.
If all the courses are offered in the summer
if they have enough candidates AND
if they have enough instructors.


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## infamous_p (17 Mar 2006)

Thanks for your clarification geo.


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## geo (17 Mar 2006)

NP


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## AznVengence (18 Mar 2006)

THANK YOU GUYS. I searched up a thread and it answered the rest of my questions. 
Thank you.  ;D


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## chrisf (18 Mar 2006)

geo said:
			
		

> you can't do any of the paperwork before the age of 16



No reason you can't get the paperwork and have it filled out before age 16. Just can't submit it.


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## Zee (18 Mar 2006)

On the same topic of reserves in the summer...I've applied for an ROTP position. I'm planning on joining the reserves if I'm not selected. I've heard that reserve summer BMQ is filling up fast, if not already filled up. My question is: Is it possible for my local unit to save me a BMQ spot even though I haven't heard any ROTP news? All of my processing was completed in December and since then have been merit listed. I'd just really like to get on a course this summer regardless of my entry plan.

Thanks.


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## xander (18 Mar 2006)

Zee said:
			
		

> I've heard that reserve summer BMQ is filling up fast, if not already filled up.


I pray that you are wrong, I finished the recruitment trial about 5 weeks ago and I was hoping to get on summer BMQ in LFCA. If i dont get loaded up for BMQ this summer it's going suck for me, plain and simple. Who did you hear this from?


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## Zee (18 Mar 2006)

Believe me I know how you feel. A friend of mine who recently joined my local unit here in Brampton told me that they've started slotting people for September weekend BMQ already. As well a friend in London informed me that summer courses don't have many spots at all. I'm hoping I'm wrong. Somebody with a little more insight on the situation could really help out dispelling or confirming this.


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## xander (18 Mar 2006)

Zee said:
			
		

> Believe me I know how you feel. A friend of mine who recently joined my local unit here in Brampton told me that they've started slotting people for September weekend BMQ already. As well a friend in London informed me that summer courses don't have many spots at all. I'm hoping I'm wrong. Somebody with a little more insight on the situation could really help out dispelling or confirming this.



From what I understand, the amount of BMQ spaces each unit has is dependant on certain variables, one of them being if the unit is under or at strength. The unit i applied to at Moss Park is not sending people to BMQ this summer because they are at strength and the other units at the armoury are under and need the extra BMQ spaces. My plan is to get the unit I applied to to transfer my file to another unit that is loading people on summer BMQ. Have faith!


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## AznVengence (18 Mar 2006)

Bad thing about Summer Reserves is.... It's gonna be HOTTTT and your gonna be running in the sun!!!!!!!!! that's the only thing I worried about, but I'm willing to go still haha  


OH what about housing? do we go to the base and stay there? mmm it's bunk style right? just wondering...


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## Zee (18 Mar 2006)

I'd much rather suffer from heat stroke several times over than not get a course this summer. In any case I think it's out of my hands.


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## geo (18 Mar 2006)

don't worry about the weather.

Come on in... the water's fine


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## AznVengence (19 Mar 2006)

Hahaha, oh when swimming in the training, will we be swimming in the deep end? O_O I'm just freaked to get into the deep end, I can swim.. almost about to meet the requirements.. I think... haha ah well, highschool is giving my nice swimming lessons lol


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## MikeL (20 Mar 2006)

If you gotta swim on your course, yea parts of it will be in the deep end.


Also, yea there are limits to how long your hair can be an styles, etc. For a Reserve BMQ it is up to the staff if they want you guys to have shaved heads, high an tights or whatever you want just aslong as it is within the guidelines.


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## George Wallace (20 Mar 2006)

MikeL said:
			
		

> aslong as it is within the guidelines.



Haircuts will be as per the guidelines.


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## AznVengence (20 Mar 2006)

Wooohoo, how come my post was deleted? I guess I made an extra one or something?


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## George Wallace (20 Mar 2006)

Because you're being an idiot and not posting sensibly.


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## AznVengence (20 Mar 2006)

Oh I'm sorry, I'll remember that next time I post. I guess I have no more questions. Thanks for helping.


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