# My recruitment story and problems



## MrCanada (17 Jan 2011)

Hi everyone, I'm a 17 year old boy living in Vancouver, BC. It's been a dream of mine to be a member of the CF since I was 10, and today I went down with my father to the nearest recruitment center to ask a couple of questions and just get to know what I was getting into. I talked to the recruiter and he warned me that the application process could be lengthy and that it could take well over a year before I get accepted let alone start BMQ. The main issue was my hair ;( Now I do not keep my hair for religious reasons, nor is it a tradition for me to do so. Actually, my hair isn't even super long; it's only about down to my shoulders, much shorter than that of some of my friends. I was told that if I got in, I'd have to cut it. To be honest, I wouldn't mind doing that. A little trim here and there wouldn't be so bad, but then I found out that I can't have any hair on my forehead, nothing covering my ears etc.. and my heart just sunk. Now, before you start calling me a hippie or sissy or anything of the sort, I want to mention that as a child up until the age of 12-13 my mother and father would make me go in for a haircut every couple of weeks, and each time I did, I would come back with the smallest amount of hair you could imagine. Not bald, just a very short buzz cut. I have big ears, and my face is weirdly shaped, and because of this, I was bullied throughout elementary school, mainly grade 6 and 7. People would call me elephant ears, tell me I have dinner-plates on my head, just anything to make me feel bad. Now, since starting high school, my parents haven't been forcing me to cut my hair and my self-esteem has gone up I can talk to people and I'm not scared anymore. My long hair covers my ears and evens out my face. Again, I have no problem with cutting my hair, but when it has to be cut THAT short, and I've seen pics online too, it scares me and all those memories come back. I understand it is just hair, and it will grow back. But I want a career in the CF. I go to high school, and I'm starting university in the fall. I also have acne, so I know it will look worse than last time. Joining the reserves is the only thing I want right now, but I'm afraid of the verbal abuse I'll take at not only school, but possibly from other people in the army, though I'm not sure about that last one. Can anyone relate to this or understand where I'm coming from?


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## Steve1987 (17 Jan 2011)

Hi MrCanada,

I'm no regular here - but I'll give you some advice.  Get over it. There are lots of really strange looking dudes in the military, and a lot of guys who probably look a lot worse than you with short hair, but they don't care, because there is more to life than hair and looks.  Acne is normal, most people have it at your age, who cares, also you can treat that usually. Your attitude and performance will be assessed normally, not your looks, ever. There are logical reasons why soldiers require short hair.

It seems you have some low self esteem issues, hopefully the army will give you some confidence to get over little things like hair, and know there are bigger things in life and your career.   You got a long way to go, so you better suck it up, grow up, stop whining, cut that hair before you swear in, and just get over it. A recruit in my regiment showed up one time with long hair like your described, he got the permanent nickname "helmet" because his hair made it look like he was wearing his helmet around everyone else, don't be like that guy, he didn't appreciate it 

-Steve


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## Angel52 (17 Jan 2011)

Yea bro, the canadian forces are not looking for kids that look like zac efron.


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## Nauticus (17 Jan 2011)

MrCanada said:
			
		

> Hi everyone, I'm a 17 year old boy living in Vancouver, BC. It's been a dream of mine to be a member of the CF since I was 10, and today I went down with my father to the nearest recruitment center to ask a couple of questions and just get to know what I was getting into. I talked to the recruiter and he warned me that the application process could be lengthy and that it could take well over a year before I get accepted let alone start BMQ. The main issue was my hair ;( Now I do not keep my hair for religious reasons, nor is it a tradition for me to do so. Actually, my hair isn't even super long; it's only about down to my shoulders, much shorter than that of some of my friends. I was told that if I got in, I'd have to cut it. To be honest, I wouldn't mind doing that. A little trim here and there wouldn't be so bad, but then I found out that I can't have any hair on my forehead, nothing covering my ears etc.. and my heart just sunk. Now, before you start calling me a hippie or sissy or anything of the sort, I want to mention that as a child up until the age of 12-13 my mother and father would make me go in for a haircut every couple of weeks, and each time I did, I would come back with the smallest amount of hair you could imagine. Not bald, just a very short buzz cut. I have big ears, and my face is weirdly shaped, and because of this, I was bullied throughout elementary school, mainly grade 6 and 7. People would call me elephant ears, tell me I have dinner-plates on my head, just anything to make me feel bad. Now, since starting high school, my parents haven't been forcing me to cut my hair and my self-esteem has gone up I can talk to people and I'm not scared anymore. My long hair covers my ears and evens out my face. Again, I have no problem with cutting my hair, but when it has to be cut THAT short, and I've seen pics online too, it scares me and all those memories come back. I understand it is just hair, and it will grow back. But I want a career in the CF. I go to high school, and I'm starting university in the fall. I also have acne, so I know it will look worse than last time. Joining the reserves is the only thing I want right now, but I'm afraid of the verbal abuse I'll take at not only school, but possibly from other people in the army, though I'm not sure about that last one. Can anyone relate to this or understand where I'm coming from?


It really boils down to this: You have a choice.

You choose to cut your hair and join the Canadian Forces. *Or* you choose not to, and don't.

Everybody goes through the same process. Every single one of us. The reasons of your self esteem and such are essentially irrelevant to the Canadian Forces in that context.


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## PuckChaser (17 Jan 2011)

I had a pretty awful bout of being bullied around the same time you did. Don't worry, you'll get a short hair cut, but the CF will instill a lot of self-confidence in you to be able to not care what others think of your appearance. Kids are jerks, when you're in the CF, you're in a group of (mostly) adults who only care how hard you work.

It gets better, trust me!


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## Pusser (17 Jan 2011)

Who cares what the guys in school think?  If you join the CF, you will make new friends, get to hang out with some really cool people and do some really cool stuff.  While you're long-haired "friends" are bragging about their scores on Call of Duty, you can brag about firing real weapons and throwing real grenades with your short-haired brothers/sisters in arms.

If you think it'll be rough now, think about the guys of my generation who got our hair cut in the 70s when most guys had hair down to their shoulders.  You get over it.  When I was in high school, they called me "Narc."  You don't get invited to too many parties with that moniker.  The parties at my reserve unit were better anyway.


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## George Wallace (17 Jan 2011)

Pusser said:
			
		

> Who cares what the guys in school think?  If you join the CF, you will make new friends, get to hang out with some really cool people and do some really cool stuff.  While you're long-haired "friends" are bragging about their scores on Call of Duty, you can brag about firing real weapons and throwing real grenades with your short-haired brothers/sisters in arms.
> 
> If you think it'll be rough now, think about the guys of my generation who got our hair cut in the 70s when most guys had hair down to their shoulders.  You get over it.  When I was in high school, they called me "Narc."  You don't get invited to too many parties with that moniker.  The parties at my reserve unit were better anyway.



Aye!


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## Samantha0 (5 Feb 2012)

Hi! First of all I would like to thank you for at leased considering joining the army. Your apperence  doesnt matter in the military. Everyone in each gender will look similar(hair, uniform depending on unit ect..).Plus, in training you will be treated like everyone else so there's no need to be stressed about appearanceses. 






-S


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## Brasidas (5 Feb 2012)

Samantha0 said:
			
		

> Hi! First of all I would like to thank you for at leased considering joining the army. Your apperence  doesnt matter in the military. Everyone in each gender will look similar(hair, uniform depending on unit ect..).Plus, in training you will be treated like everyone else so there's no need to be stressed about appearanceses.



Thanks for your good intentions and all, but you know that you're a 14 year old kid making universal declarations about military life, right?


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## Cui (5 Feb 2012)

Most organizations in Canada are meritocracies, so you gain recognition for your performance. If someone criticizes your success based on your looks, you can assume that it is a vain attempt to discredit you out of envy. As long as you do good work, you will be recognized, no matter where you work. You can assume that if anyone gives you grief in the CF based on your looks, their career might not last very long.

Best of luck to you.


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## aesop081 (5 Feb 2012)

Brasidas said:
			
		

> Thanks for your good intentions and all, but you know that you're a 14 year old kid making universal declarations about military life, right?




Add:

Responding to a post made over a year ago, by a member who  was, just today, going on about it yet again........a year later.

http://Forums.Army.ca/forums/threads/104425/post-1111551.html#msg1111551


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## Cui (5 Feb 2012)

If he wants reassurance, give it to him.


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## Samantha0 (8 Feb 2012)

Brasidas said:
			
		

> Thanks for your good intentions and all, but you know that you're a 14 year old kid making universal declarations about military life, right?



Coming from a Military brat of 12 years and still going, I've heard enough stories and  watched enough videos to know generally about the Canadian Forces. 

P.S, I'm sure that most CF personnel will agree with me that while your being targeted by extremists, they won't really care how cute your hairstyle looks. 

~S


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## Samantha0 (8 Feb 2012)

Stacked said:
			
		

> When I'm getting "advice" I prefer it to be first hand experience... Not from some videos you watched or stories you heard. My 2 cents.



Thank you for the advice.


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## SentryMAn (9 Feb 2012)

Do this when your being bullied.

Introduce them to the 20-30 Military Friends you just met and will always have your back.  I will bet the bullying stops pretty abruptly.

That and the people in Highschool that were the coolest kids on the playground, will not matter 5 years outside of that place you will have moved on and made countless life friends in the Forces.


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