# Information on RMS Clerks??



## Dixie (25 Feb 2009)

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had any information on becoming an RMS Clerk?  I was looking into this, and I found quite a bit of information online, but I'd like to hear from people with experience in the trade ...  the good and the bad! 
My main questions are about where you would be stationed (can you choose?), salary, working hours/conditions, length of contract, etc. Are there a lot of women working as RMS Clerks? Do you get paid training? I have a lot of questions, I know haha. 

Any information would be greatly appreciated! THANKS!  :-*


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## Biohazardxj (25 Feb 2009)

Most if not all of these questions can be answered if you search the forums.  But, in short, I have been one for 25 yrs so to answer some of your questions.  You can get posted anywhere there is a Canadian Military presents. So, anywhere in Canada, be it Army, Navy, or Air Force.  Also, you can be deployed to a theater of operations, ie Afghanistan.  You can go to numerous countries and work in embassies, depending on your rank.  You may ask for a particular posting just like any other trade, but it is ultimately up to the career manager and where your rank is needed.  

Salary: yes you get one.  depends on your rank what it is.  Pay scales can be found on line.

Working hours:  depends on the unit you are with.  Right now I work Mon to Fri 0730 to 1600 weekends and holidays off.

I believe the starting contract for a clerk is a 5 year one, but dont quote me on it.

Yes there are a lot of female clerks.  I thing last stats put them at 50%

Yes you get paid while you are in training.  You start getting paid the day you start your BMQ

If you have other question, do a search on the forum or you can send me a PM.  

Cheers


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## Angel_eyes (21 Jul 2009)

Im thinking about joining the Navy and the RMS Clerk trade is exactly what i want to do. But i have one really big concern, would i ever have to go to Afghanistan ???? would i ever have to fight as a soilder ??? When a clerk is posted to the field those it mean going somewhere like Afghanistan ??? Pls help


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## Kat Stevens (21 Jul 2009)

Reg force, all trades, go where they're told, when they're told.


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## George Wallace (21 Jul 2009)

Angel_eyes said:
			
		

> Im thinking about joining the Navy and the RMS Clerk trade is exactly what i want to do. But i have one really big concern, would i ever have to go to Afghanistan ???? would i ever have to fight as a soilder ??? When a clerk is posted to the field those it mean going somewhere like Afghanistan ??? Pls help



Maybe.

RMS Clerk is a PURPLE Trade, so you could be sent anywhere, no matter if you are wearing a Navy uniform or not.  

Would you have to fight as a soldier?  Only if Shit hit the fan and you wanted to save your life and/or that of your friends and coworkers.


PS.  RMS Clerks have to do a lot of correspondence, so they must know how to spell and at the very least know how to use Spell Check.   ;D


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## Roy Harding (21 Jul 2009)

Angel_eyes:

I'm a retired RMS Clk.  Your questions - at least the way they are phrased - concern me.

Instead of "would I have to go to Afghanistan", consider "would I GET to go to Afghanistan".  Instead of "would I have to fight as a soldier", consider "would I GET to fight as a soldier".

I'm not sure if such was your intent - but it comes across to me that what you REALLY want is to be a civil servant working in an office in downtown Ottawa somewhere.

Please clarify your intent on joining the CF and the RMS trade - and then I'll post some links to threads which discuss these matters.


Roy


Edited to add:  Give me a couple of minutes, and I'll post those links up - I realize that the search function can be somewhat cumbersome at first.


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## Roy Harding (21 Jul 2009)

Try these links (for your info - I went to the search page, entered "RMS Clk" in the search box, and checked "Search All Boards":

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/35054.0.html
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/40959.0.html
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/87723.0.html
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/49337.0.html
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/33366.0.html
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/40846.0.html

There are many, many, many more threads which are applicable - but those should provide a good start for you.


Roy


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## FastEddy (21 Jul 2009)

Angel_eyes said:
			
		

> Im thinking about joining the Navy and the RMS Clerk trade is exactly what i want to do. But i have one really big concern, would i ever have to go to Afghanistan ???? would i ever have to fight as a soilder ??? When a clerk is posted to the field those it mean going somewhere like Afghanistan ??? Pls help




Your kidding right !, has the phrase/term SOLDIER FIRST ever crossed your mind ?.

IMO it sounds like Wal Mart would be a better Career choice for you.


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## Lil_T (21 Jul 2009)

Quote from: Angel_eyes on Today at 19:33:19





> Im thinking about joining the Navy and the RMS Clerk trade is exactly what i want to do. But i have one really big concern, would i ever have to go to Afghanistan ? would i ever have to fight as a soldier  When a clerk is posted to the field those it mean going somewhere like Afghanistan  Pls help




Hiya, my husband is Navy, and an RMS Clerk.  He's done 4 tours so far.  Bosnia (as an MSE Op), Op Apollo on HMCS Fredericton (that means he was at sea), SouthWest Asia and he just returned from Afghanistan in April.  Yes, if you are picked to go or your unit is, you WILL go to Afghanistan.  Or on any other deployment our military is part of.  You WILL train with the rest of the soldiers regardless of your element, and IF NEED BE you WILL fight along side your fellow service members.   Just like I will as a Navy RMS Clerk (once I finish my training).  Sounds to me like you need to put more thought into your reasons for joining. There is a point in your interview where the Officer conducting the interview will state that there may be times when you would have to use your weapon to engage the enemy.  If you truthfully can't fathom pulling the trigger you may want to rethink the CF.  It is the military after all.  


Also, WRT your other post and the mention of your young child, you are expected to have a family care plan in place - that is to say, a plan in place in case you are deployed, sent out of the area on course, or other situation where you will not be permitted to take your child with you.  All CF members with children are expected to have this.  You cannot use your child as an excuse to get out of a deployment.


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## Roy Harding (21 Jul 2009)

Lil_T:

Thank you for a well thought out and informative post.  It is answers like yours that make Milnet.ca such a great place.

As far as Angel_eyes intentions go - I'm not sure that what we read is what she meant.  I know she's been given some reading to do - and I hope she comes back here and clarifies her intent.

In the meantime - a sterling answer, and thank you for it.


Roy Harding
Milnet.ca Staff


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## Otis (21 Jul 2009)

FastEddy said:
			
		

> Your kidding right !, has the phrase/term SOLDIER FIRST ever crossed your mind ?.
> 
> IMO it sounds like Wal Mart would be a better Career choice for you.



Harsh Dude ... some people want to do their duty for Queen and Country, but aren't gung-ho Army ... 

IMO, it was an honest question from an uninformed person asking about the possibility of someone in a Navy uniform serving in Afghanistan. For someone who doesn't know, it was a legit question (admittedly answerable with a little research, but undeserving of a sarcastic, dismissive response)

I agree with Roy ... Lil_T's response was most excellent!


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## MikeL (21 Jul 2009)

Lil_T said:
			
		

> you WILL go to Afghanistan.



You can't say 100% without a doubt someone will be going there..



Also yes if someone is going to Afghanistan depending on there job position an what organization they are going over with they will receive whatever training is required for that position.  And as a clerk the chances of you going outside the wire an into a position that you may have to fire your weapon is low, ie your a Clerk in a KAF job. Unless you really want to get out for a bit an go through your chain of command an try to go out on a CLP or something you won't be going out.. even if you volunteer to go its not a guarenteed thing.  I've met a few people in the forces who don't want to go outside the fire, etc an they didn't an there job didn't require them too.   But yes as a member of the CF you may be in a position if sh*t really gets bad in the place you are you may have to fire your weapon. An like others stated clerk is a purple trade an regardless of the color of your DEUs you can go to a Army, Air Force or Navy unit/base.


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## Loachman (22 Jul 2009)

-Skeletor- said:
			
		

> You can't say 100% without a doubt someone will be going there..



Read her whole sentence: "Yes, _*if you are picked to go or your unit is*_, you WILL go to Afghanistan" (emphasis mine).


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## MikeL (22 Jul 2009)

Loachman said:
			
		

> Read her whole sentence: "Yes, _*if you are picked to go or your unit is*_, you WILL go to Afghanistan" (emphasis mine).




seen

misread it thought it was two seperate sentences


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## Roy Harding (22 Jul 2009)

-Skeletor- said:
			
		

> ... And as a clerk the chances of you going outside the wire an into a position that you may have to fire your weapon is low, ie your a Clerk in a KAF job. Unless you really want to get out for a bit an go through your chain of command an try to go out on a CLP or something you won't be going out.. ...



Skeletor - consider this:

As an Adm Clk in Zagreb in 1993 (or '94 - exact dates escape me at the moment) - part of my job was a regular, scheduled, visit to Sarajevo to support the UNMOs located there - give them cash, take care of their claims, like that.

During one of those visits (which necessitated a trip down the then infamous "Sniper Alley"), I engaged in the only firefight of my life.  I have no idea what effect my fire had - I only know that incoming fire stopped - and that was good enough for me - suffice to say that I skedaddled as soon as things quieted down.

Consider this also - in '02 I was Chief Clerk for 3 PPCLI.  During one Op, ALL my Coy Clks moved forward with their Coys (I didn't - my job demanded that I remain a REMF - much to my chagrin).  One of my clks ended up in a mortar crew for a short period of time - putting bombs downrange.

You are falling into a common trap - that trap being that you believe YOUR experience in the "sandbox" is all encompassing regarding ALL experiences there.  It ain't so.

An RMS Clk (and any other trade) needs to be ready to fight when required.  Being "in the rear with the gear" may be the NORM - no argument from me on that - but it isn't the ONLY thing that may happen.

Regards,


Roy


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## MikeL (22 Jul 2009)

Yes theres always the chance of things happening like you've experianced on your rotos. An thats why everyone does IBTS an does at minimum a live pairs range(other jobs go on to group, sect, etc). I'm not saying it's impossible for a clerk to be outside the wire an in a TIC, just from what I've seen on my tour it's not the norm.


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## Larkvall (22 Jul 2009)

According to the video on www.dnd.ca RMS clerks can also be part of a boarding party. So you can go take on pirates and such. :clubinhand:

You should checkout the videos on that website for some more information.


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## Roy Harding (22 Jul 2009)

-Skeletor- said:
			
		

> Yes theres always the chance of things happening like you've experianced on your rotos. An thats why everyone does IBTS an does at minimum a live pairs range(other jobs go on to group, sect, etc). I'm not saying it's impossible for a clerk to be outside the wire an in a TIC, just from what I've seen on my tour it's not the norm.



It would seem that we're in agreement, then.

Why, then, would you choose to advise a prospective RMS Clk that 





> I've met a few people in the forces who don't want to go outside the fire, etc an they didn't an there job didn't require them too.


??

This is an old argument (CSS vs CS vs Cbt Arms) - and I don't think it's worth dragging into this thread (although - looking at the posting history, I seem to be as guilty of it as anyone else).

Can we agree on this?:  ALL trades (RMS or otherwise) MAY need to fight.  The EMPHASIS of some trades (CSS) is NOT fighting - but support.  

So - to the original question.  YES, you MAY be heading off to Afghanistan.  YES, you may be involved in fighting.  But - those are not the NORM for RMS.

Are you in agreement Skeletor?  If so - then let's hand this thread back over to those who have an abiding interest in it.

Regards,


Roy


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## MikeL (22 Jul 2009)

Yes I'm in agreement


An in ref to the "people who didn't want to go outside the wire"  I saw this happen... we had a Signaller in my Pl who didn't want to leave KAF an made it known to the chain of command. Everytime a tasking, etc and one of the other Sigs who wanted/willing to leave KAF was choosen to go an sent off.


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## Roy Harding (22 Jul 2009)

-Skeletor- said:
			
		

> Yes I'm in agreement
> 
> 
> An in ref to the "people who didn't want to go outside the wire"  I saw this happen... we had a Signaller in my Pl who didn't want to leave KAF an made it known to the chain of command. Everytime a tasking, etc and one of the other Sigs who wanted/willing to leave KAF was choosen to go an sent off.



I saw similar things during various ops.  In the most blatant cases, the chain of command took action and the slackers were released (as they should have been).  

In some other instances, it was simply a case of nerves (let's face it - it's bloody scary out there) the individual was "cajoled", "ordered",  "kicked in the ass", whatever you want to call it - and subsequently did his duty.

Shooting from the hip, I see the case you cite above as an example of leadership failure - however, I was not there, do not have all the facts,  and therefore reserve my opinion (not that my opinion matters).

For the individual(s) curious about the RMS trade - Bottom line - YES, _sometimes_ RMS Clks need to fight.

Roy


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## Lil_T (22 Jul 2009)

Roy Harding said:
			
		

> Lil_T:
> 
> Thank you for a well thought out and informative post.  It is answers like yours that make Milnet.ca such a great place.
> 
> ...



You're quite welcome.  

I wasn't sure what her intentions were with that other post either Roy, I just felt that it merited saying.


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## rdubbed (27 Aug 2009)

Can someone request to be sent to Afghanistan for a tour? Or anywhere for that fact?
Just curious...


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## PMedMoe (27 Aug 2009)

rdubbed said:
			
		

> Can someone request to be sent to Afghanistan for a tour? Or anywhere for that fact?
> Just curious...



You can let your C of C know you are willing to go on tours/taskings of any type.  Also, keep up to date all requirements (at least what _you_ can control e.g. personal life is in order, paperwork changes, etc).


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## CountDC (27 Aug 2009)

Along with the career manager and for OUTCAN postings indicate them as your posting preferences in peoplesoft.


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