# Pay at Basic for Medical or Legal Officer DEO



## lawchick16 (21 Jan 2013)

Morning,

I have reviewed the various topics on the site in detail (and performed various searches) but I can't quite find a definitive answer to my question -  which I am hoping someone here can help me with.

I am looking to join as a Legal Officer/DEO, but am trying to figure out what pay during basic is so that I can determine whether I'll be able to cover student loans, etc. 

I've seen the pay scale form on the forces.ca website, which says that a legal officer's basic pay is $5524 a month.  Is this what I would make, or would I be making the $4137 a month that a DEO lieutenant is listed at?

Any help (even just direction to the relevant regs) would be greatly appreciated.  

Thanks!


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## FJAG (21 Jan 2013)

Legal Officers are enrolled at the rank of Captain upon meeting selection criteria (i.e. the usual CF requirements as well as having completed law school, any bar admission courses and being called to the bar of any of the provincial law societies)

Pay is therefore commensurate with the rank.

Do note that there is a requirement to complete the basic officer's training course and language training that all CF officers must take. After that there are a number of basic and intermediate legal officer courses (LOBT and LOIT - the vast majority of LOBT are online study courses while LOIT are mostly class room based) all of which must be completed prior to promotion to the rank of major.

I've lost track of how long it takes to make Major. It used to be four years but prior to my leaving the branch it was reduced to three but at the time I left there was much dissatisfaction with three years as insufficient time to properly get individuals up to speed for progression to major. It could be either three or four years now and you will have to check with someone currently serving with the branch or your local recruiters. After major all promotion is competitive.


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