# Ranking Up To Officer Instead Of Direct Entry As An Officer?



## Halohockey36 (30 Jun 2015)

Hey there,

Something I was wondering, as I plan on joining the army after High School, was if you are able to rank up to and become an officer over the years.  So I know you can directly enter as an officer and go to RMC but that's not something I am really interested in doing right off the bat.  So I was curious if it is possible to rank up to say Chief Warrant Officer (The Highest NCM rank) and then further rank up to Officer Cadet or Second Lieutenant without having a college degree or going through RMC?  Or once you reach CWO would you then have to be sent to RMC to get a degree and then become an officer or is it just not possible at all?

Thanks, Erik  

P.S. what about say ranking up to Corporal and then going to RMC to get a degree and become an officer since its not something I want to do right away?


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## Tibbson (30 Jun 2015)

"Once you rank up to CWO"?  By that time you would be ready for retirement most likely.  Once you are in as an NCM then that is your career path unless you display the required skills and traits to be selected for a Commission.  Even if you apply for one of the programs you must still be selected and there are no guarantees.  I know of plenty of NCMs with degrees, myself included, who are not commissioned officers so in my opinion you need to decide right from the get go which path you wish to pursue.  If you want to be an officer then shoot for that.  If you don't make it, join as an private.  If you don't make that...try Walmart.


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## jaysfan17 (30 Jun 2015)

Storteboom said:
			
		

> Hey there,
> 
> *So I was curious if it is possible to rank up to say Chief Warrant Officer (The Highest NCM rank) and then further rank up to Officer Cadet or Second Lieutenant without having a college degree or going through RMC?
> 
> ...



CWO and Officer Cadet's are two different components, you can't just "rank up". You'd need to be Commissioned.

As for the "PS": You can be a Corporal and apply to RMC, but that's a harder program to get into than ROTP/RETP. 





			
				Schindler's Lift said:
			
		

> If you want to be an officer then shoot for that.  If you don't make it, join as an private.  If you don't make that...try Walmart.



 :goodpost:


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## Eye In The Sky (30 Jun 2015)

luttrellfan said:
			
		

> CWO and Officer Cadet's are two different components, you can't just "rank up". You'd need to be Commissioned.



Components are Regular Force, Reserve Force, etc.  RANKS are CWO, OCdt, Sgt, etc.  



> As for the "PS": You can be a Corporal and apply to RMC, but that's a harder program to get into than ROTP/RETP.



I think you need to stop because...you are not really in a position to advise anyone on anything having to do with the CF.  In fact, you don't even know enough to be dangerous at this point, just mildly entertaining.  If you don't know the answer (and you don't...), don't chuck shit for the sake of it.

Interview/ Medical: Sept, 29. 2014  Waiting to Re-Write CFAT as of March, 24. 2015


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## Halohockey36 (30 Jun 2015)

Eye In The Sky said:
			
		

> I think you need to stop because...you are not really in a position to advise anyone on anything having to do with the CF.  In fact, you don't even know enough to be dangerous at this point, just mildly entertaining.  If you don't know the answer (and you don't...), don't chuck crap for the sake of it.
> 
> Interview/ Medical: Sept, 29. 2014  Waiting to Re-Write CFAT as of March, 24. 2015



haha, thank you for clearing that up.  I read his post and kind of went "what?"


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## Halohockey36 (30 Jun 2015)

Schindler's Lift said:
			
		

> "Once you rank up to CWO"?  By that time you would be ready for retirement most likely.


Very true, but who knows, could happen (probably not though)



			
				Schindler's Lift said:
			
		

> I know of plenty of NCMs with degrees, myself included, who are not commissioned officers so in my opinion you need to decide right from the get go which path you wish to pursue.  If you want to be an officer then shoot for that.  If you don't make it, join as an private.  If you don't make that...try Walmart.



ok, so I could join as a private with a degree and then later become an officer?  Or have to choose officer right away?  If that is the case I've still got a few years to think about it so maybe I will change my mind and decide I actually want to be an officer right away.


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## Loachman (30 Jun 2015)

Our previous Wing CWO was commissioned and promoted to Captain last summer. It happens.

Read through some older threads. Do a search for UTPNCM, Commissioning from the Ranks, CFR, and Special Commissioning Plan.


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## Halohockey36 (30 Jun 2015)

Loachman said:
			
		

> Read through some older threads. Do a search for UTPNCM, Commissioning from the Ranks, CFR, and Special Commissioning Plan.



Ok cool, thanks.  Will do that now.


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## dangles (30 Jun 2015)

If you know you want to someday join as an officer, make it easy on yourself and go get a degree first. 

You can even do what I did, which is join the Reserves while doing an undergraduate degree. It gives you an insight into the military life, and the ability to better assess if this is the right career (or trade) for you. Not to mention it's a good part-time job and they subsidize up to $2K of your tuition and books each year you're in.


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## jaysfan17 (30 Jun 2015)

Eye In The Sky said:
			
		

> Components are Regular Force, Reserve Force, etc.  RANKS are CWO, OCdt, Sgt, etc.



Yeah, I made a mistake with calling the two ranks "components",  I meant to use a different word. My apologies.

 I know that the Regular force and the Reserves are two different components.


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## jaysfan17 (30 Jun 2015)

luttrellfan said:
			
		

> As for the "PS": You can be a Corporal and apply to RMC, but that's a harder program to get into than ROTP/RETP.



I should have elaborated a bit more on this. I met a recruiter awhile back, who is a Captain, and he used to be a Corporal. He said he was only a handful of NCM's who successfully got into RMC through one of the programs that the CF offers for NCM soldiers wanting to be commissioned (I can't remember which program it was).


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## Halohockey36 (30 Jun 2015)

dangles said:
			
		

> If you know you want to someday join as an officer, make it easy on yourself and go get a degree first.



You know that's not a bad idea, I had thought of joining the reserves while I finished high school but never while in college.  Plus it would make my mom and other family happy (read my other post about that) because they want me to have a degree so I have something to fall back on.  Now another question I would have then, is how easy (or hard) is it to transfer from reserves to regular force and what advantages/disadvantages are there?


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## Halohockey36 (30 Jun 2015)

luttrellfan said:
			
		

> I should have elaborated a bit more on this. I met a recruiter awhile back, who is a Captain, and he used to be a Corporal. He said he was only a handful of NCM's who successfully got into RMC through one of the programs that the CF offers for NCM soldiers waning to be commissioned (I can't remember which program it was).



Ok, I understand now.  Thanks for explaining.


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## jaysfan17 (30 Jun 2015)

Hey, thanks for understanding and sorry for the confusion.


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## Halohockey36 (30 Jun 2015)

luttrellfan said:
			
		

> Hey, thanks for understanding and sorry for the confusion.



Not a problem, everyone screws up at one time or another.


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## PMedMoe (30 Jun 2015)

luttrellfan said:
			
		

> I should have elaborated a bit more on this. I met a recruiter awhile back, who is a Captain, and he used to be a Corporal. He said he was only a handful of NCM's who successfully got into RMC through one of the programs that the CF offers for NCM soldiers waning to be commissioned (I can't remember which program it was).



UTPNCM.  And there's more than a "handful" who've done it.


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## Tibbson (30 Jun 2015)

Storteboom said:
			
		

> ok, so I could join as a private with a degree and then later become an officer?  Or have to choose officer right away?  If that is the case I've still got a few years to think about it so maybe I will change my mind and decide I actually want to be an officer right away.



Yes, you could join as a Private, degree or not, and eventually you could apply to be commissioned.  Keep in mind however that a degree is a very small part of the process.  I know a number of NCMs in my trade (MP) with degrees who were turned down for commissioning and we recently had one selected for commissioning and he did not have a degree but was being sent to get one.  When it comes to being commissioned, you will essentially need to have displayed the qualities of leadership that the CF looks for in an officer.  You could have all the degrees you want but if you are not displaying the right personal and professional traits you won't be recommended/accepted.


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## Halohockey36 (30 Jun 2015)

Schindler's Lift said:
			
		

> Yes, you could join as a Private, degree or not, and eventually you could apply to be commissioned.  Keep in mind however that a degree is a very small part of the process.  I know a number of NCMs in my trade (MP) with degrees who were turned down for commissioning and we recently had one selected for commissioning and he did not have a degree but was being sent to get one.  When it comes to being commissioned, you will essentially need to have displayed the qualities of leadership that the CF looks for in an officer.  You could have all the degrees you want but if you are not displaying the right personal and professional traits you won't be recommended/accepted.



Right, thank you.  I'm not even sure that being an officer is something I would ever really wanna be anyway.  I've never really been huge on leadership so I'm not sure if it would really be right for me but just having the option is nice.  Also aren't officers not as involved in the field work as a normal soldier since they are more busy planning things and commanding people?  One of the reasons I want to join is because of the Field work.


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## mariomike (30 Jun 2015)

Storteboom said:
			
		

> Also aren't officers not as involved in the field work as a normal soldier since they are more busy planning things and commanding people?



Some discussion of that here,

Officers…only desk jobs?
http://army.ca/forums/threads/113834.0



			
				Storteboom said:
			
		

> Now another question I would have then, is how easy (or hard) is it to transfer from reserves to regular force and what advantages/disadvantages are there?



This discussion will give you an idea,

Component Transfers (Reserve to Regular): Q&A
http://milnet.ca/forums/threads/12797.0.html
41 pages.


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## Halohockey36 (30 Jun 2015)

mariomike said:
			
		

> Officers…only desk jobs?
> http://army.ca/forums/threads/113834.0



Ok so from the little I have read officers do a lot more desk work then stuff in the field.  I think that officer wouldn't really be for me, not right away at least, maybe not ever because its more desk then field work and field work is what I am interested in.

Thanks, Erik


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## mariomike (30 Jun 2015)

Storteboom said:
			
		

> Thanks, Erik



You're welcome, and good luck.  



			
				Storteboom said:
			
		

> maybe not ever because its more desk then field work and field work is what I am interested in.



I never had an office job, but there's something to be said for clean, inside work with a thermostat on the wall and no heavy lifting.  ;D


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## Halohockey36 (30 Jun 2015)

mariomike said:
			
		

> I never had an office job, but there's something to be said for clean, inside work with a thermostat on the wall and no heavy lifting.  ;D



Haha, I hear you.  ;D


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## slayer/raptor (30 Jun 2015)

I've been a trained officer for 7 years now, it is not all desk jobs. If you join the army and combat arms, regardless of officer or NCM, you will not just ride a desk. Of course in garrison, officers are more likely to work behind a desk, but the NCMs are not in the field at that time, they are likely on an "unfortunate" crappy task somewhere because brigades tell us we must fill. I've been posted 3 times and whenever there were exercises the NCMs and the Officers were in the field. So just don't believe everything you hear about officers only working behind a desk.


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