# Canadian Army Pathfinder course



## Se7eN (14 Jun 2001)

HI ,
        I was wondering what criteria a soldier has to meet to be able to apply for the Pathfinder course. HOw many are usually in a course? Are Officers and NMC‘s allowed to join? Do we still have pathfinder platoons for each para coy? what is the lowest rank that can apply for the course? How hard is it to enter the PARA COY? can privates enter or are there rarley any spots open? 

Sorry bout all the questions I know I ask lots of questions all the time.   


 Se7eNHI ,
        I was wondering what criteria a soldier has to meet to be able to apply for the Pathfinder course. HOw many are usually in a course? Are Officers and NMC‘s allowed to join? Do we still have pathfinder platoons for each para coy? what is the lowest rank that can apply for the course? How hard is it to enter the PARA COY? can privates enter or are there rarley any spots open? 

Sorry bout all the questions I know I ask lots of questions all the time.   


 Se7eN


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## McG (14 Jun 2001)

Your first step will be to get the CF Basic Parachutist course.


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## Doug VT (15 Jun 2001)

Basic Para, Recce, DZ/LZ controllers course, JLC/JNCO course are the main prerequsites.

All ranks can be course loaded, usually Cpl and above to within reason.  

3 RCR usually has a pathfinder section in recce platoon which usually supports the whole battalion but when it comes down to it, they belong to Para.

To get in a Para coy?  Be in the right place at the right time and get your basic para first.

Airborne


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## Se7eN (15 Jun 2001)

Are there many openings for the basic para course? are there usually openings for the Para coy and after you get your red wings does it take long to get in the para coy or can it take awhile??

thanks


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## spacemarine (15 Jun 2001)

Well I know it is very hard to be accepted on the para course through army cadets.  To be considered  I had to compete with other senior cadets in the province. Minimum prerequisites were 4 miles in 32 min (@ 5:30 on a march morning in a tshirt & shorts...brrr), 40 continuous pushups (good ones), 50 continuous situps in a minute, 10 full arm extension chinups with no leg swinging and a good score on the "beep test" (a recorded running thing that gets progressivly faster) as well as NSCE (last trg level for army cadets) and a 6 wk Cdt ldr inst course.  Fortunately there weren‘t that many other people  who had done pretraining so I‘m off to Trenton this summer for the course.

As for openings in the jump coy, a guy who helps @ our corps is in 3PPCLI  and he said it‘s hard to get in and there are few openings.  Based on your questions Seven I would have to say take things as you come and stop trying to plan out your entire career. If you‘re good enough for all the courses you want eventually you‘ll end up on them, if not I guess you‘ll know why.


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## Soldier of Fortune (17 Jun 2001)

Holy ****, thats allot!


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