# Student thinking of joining



## Andrew Grey (26 Sep 2012)

Hello

I am a high school student seriously thinking of joining the army. Basically my questions are what would you guys do to get ready if your were in high school? I am in grade 10 btw. Is there any special courses I should take? I know I can start building physical endurance now which I have figured out thanks to a infantry officer i know. Any advice is greatly appreciated.


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## Jarnhamar (26 Sep 2012)

Physical fitness on your own time. Don't waste time with physed or whatever it's called.

You'll want to learn french, if you can get another language too that's even better.

You'll want to be strong in english (reading writing grammar).

You'll want solid math skills.

Some kind of geography class will help.

If you want to join some kind of computer related field take computer courses in school.
If you want some kind of hands on mechanical trade then take shop or woodworking or whatever they have.


Stay away from bird courses like foods or parenting or that kind of shit.

Try to handle advanced courses if you can manage it.


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## Andrew Grey (26 Sep 2012)

Ok so I have to learn french because you get trained in quebec right? Or is there other reasons?


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## dimsum (26 Sep 2012)

Andrew Grey said:
			
		

> Ok so I have to learn french because you get trained in quebec right? Or is there other reasons?



More like "because Canada is an officially bilingual country".  And, if you want to join the Reg F Army, there's probably a 1/3 chance you'll be posted to a unit in Quebec.  Also, if you're an officer, your French profile comes into play later on down the road.

Plus, having other languages is just a good thing in general.


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## GAP (26 Sep 2012)

Andrew Grey said:
			
		

> Ok so I have to learn french because you get trained in quebec right? Or is there other reasons?



Lordy, lordy....someone please tell me this is not our future senior NCM/Officer material..... :


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## Pat in Halifax (26 Sep 2012)

GAP said:
			
		

> Lordy, lordy....someone please tell me this is not our future senior NCM/Officer material..... :


Give him a break-He is in Grade 10 and asking valid questions considering his 'experience'.
Andrew, I am in my 30th year in the Navy and I would do it all again...but, I would have also earlier in my career learned french-It has closed many doors to me the last few years. That was a solid piece of advice I wouldn't have thought of.


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## Jon_John (26 Sep 2012)

My apologies for breaking the current convo here but I felt this was the most appropriate place to pose these questions:

1) Does any know of any PRes units in the GTA that are accepting RETP officers now? I've called literally every unit in Toronto, Oshawa, etc. and none are accepting officers at the moment (at least the ones I got a hold of). I'm looking to enroll as an officer in a trade other than infantry, artillery, etc. i.e. I'm looking for a primarily non combat trade.

2) My ultimate goal is to enroll in the regs as an officer but CFRC has informed me that because I only have 7 months left before getting my bacherlors degree, that enrolling in ROTP is not an option. Other current CF members have informed me there are ways around this; is this true? I'd rather use these 7 months to complete some courses rather than wait to enroll in the regs. 

3) Is it difficult to transfer out of a PRes unit into a RegF unit while changing trades and elements. Ultimately I want to enroll in an aircrew position but I guess this is not an option for any pres units in Toronto. 

Any assistance is appreciated. Thanks for your patience! 

J


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## dimsum (26 Sep 2012)

Jon_John said:
			
		

> 2) My ultimate goal is to enroll in the regs as an officer but CFRC has informed me that because I only have 7 months left before getting my bacherlors degree, that enrolling in ROTP is not an option. Other current CF members have informed me there are ways around this; is this true? I'd rather use these 7 months to complete some courses rather than wait to enroll in the regs.



If you're less than a year away from getting your Bachelors and your goal is to go for an aircrew officer trade (Pilot or ACSO), I would suggest finishing your degree and applying Direct Entry (DEO).  In your case, going through the PRes doesn't make a lot of sense since:

a) You're not planning on staying in the trade you're applying to in the PRes
b) You want to transfer soon (I'm assuming) after getting your Bachelor's Degree.  

Also, I'm a little confused as to what you mean by a "non-combat" trade.  Did you mean a "non-Combat Arms" trade, or something that you won't have to fight in?  Because if it's the latter, I have some very bad news for you...


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## Jon_John (26 Sep 2012)

Dimsum said:
			
		

> If you're less than a year away from getting your Bachelors and your goal is to go for an aircrew officer trade (Pilot or ACSO), I would suggest finishing your degree and applying Direct Entry (DEO).  In your case, going through the PRes doesn't make a lot of sense since:
> 
> a) You're not planning on staying in the trade you're applying to in the PRes
> b) You want to transfer soon (I'm assuming) after getting your Bachelor's Degree.
> ...



That's what a lot of people are telling me as well. However; I'd really like to get my feet wet first in the reserves first rather than signing a contract with the regs right away. This is definitely something I want to do however getting some experience in the reserves prior to joining the regs may help. 

I understand that every officer in the CF regardless of trade is trained to fight which is not a problem for me whatsoever. However, what I'm looking for is a non-combat arms trade, like health amdin o, pilot, acso, pers selection o, etc. I don't mind the infantry trade, I would just prefer something other than that. Although I guess it all depends on my results in the CFAT. 

J.


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## dimsum (26 Sep 2012)

Jon_John said:
			
		

> That's what a lot of people are telling me as well. However; I'd really like to get my feet wet first in the reserves first rather than signing a contract with the regs right away. This is definitely something I want to do however getting some experience in the reserves prior to joining the regs may help.
> 
> I understand that every officer in the CF regardless of trade is trained to fight which is not a problem for me whatsoever. However, what I'm looking for is a non-combat arms trade, like health amdin o, pilot, acso, pers selection o, etc. I don't mind the infantry trade, I would just prefer something other than that. Although I guess it all depends on my results in the CFAT.
> 
> J.



Fair enough, just making doubly sure that you (and others) weren't looking for a non-fighting job in the military, if that even makes sense.  If you're willing to wait (years if necessary) for the switch to the Reg F, then definitely try the Res F and see if you like it or not.  However, what the Res does and what the Reg F does may be very different, since they're based upon two different concepts (part-time v. full-time service).

Just understand that if you go part-time Res F, it will be very different than going Reg F in terms of operational tempo, training (aside from fundamentals), etc.  If you were to transfer to the same trade in the Reg F, a lot of your Res training will be counted, but I'm not sure if Army Res BMOQ is still equivalent to Reg F BMOQ (anyone care to help out?)  

As a side note:  HMCS YORK in downtown Toronto is a huge unit that probably has a lot of spots for MARS, Logistics and Naval Int officers.


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## aesop081 (26 Sep 2012)

Jon_John said:
			
		

> I'd rather use these 7 months to complete some courses rather than wait to enroll in the regs.



You're not going to accomplish very much in the reserves in 7 months and it is only going to make going to the RegF that much more difficult.


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## Jon_John (26 Sep 2012)

Dimsum said:
			
		

> Fair enough, just making doubly sure that you (and others) weren't looking for a non-fighting job in the military, if that even makes sense.  If you're willing to wait (years if necessary) for the switch to the Reg F, then definitely try the Res F and see if you like it or not.  However, what the Res does and what the Reg F does may be very different, since they're based upon two different concepts (part-time v. full-time service).
> 
> Just understand that if you go part-time Res F, it will be very different than going Reg F in terms of operational tempo, training (aside from fundamentals), etc.  If you were to transfer to the same trade in the Reg F, a lot of your Res training will be counted, but I'm not sure if Army Res BMOQ is still equivalent to Reg F BMOQ (anyone care to help out?)
> 
> As a side note:  HMCS YORK in downtown Toronto is a huge unit that probably has a lot of spots for MARS, Logistics and Naval Int officers.



Thanks for the helpful comment, definitely wasnt aware of that. 

Does HMCS York only accept navy officers? Or could one be an army log o with them?

Thanks!

J.


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## dimsum (26 Sep 2012)

Jon_John said:
			
		

> Thanks for the helpful comment, definitely wasnt aware of that.
> 
> Does HMCS York only accept navy officers? Or could one be an army log o with them?



HMCS YORK will only accept Naval Logistics officers.


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## Andrew Grey (27 Sep 2012)

K thanks guys. Yes I know the questions are newbish but I need to figure this stuff out. I know Hebrew would that help in anyway?


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## Jarnhamar (27 Sep 2012)

Andrew Grey said:
			
		

> K thanks guys. Yes I know the questions are newbish but I need to figure this stuff out. I know Hebrew would that help in anyway?



Yup. If you meet someone who speaks Hebrew you will be able to have a conversation.

Speaking French will still benefit you considerbly more in the Canadian Forces.


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## Rcmpwarrior (27 Sep 2012)

ObedientiaZelum said:
			
		

> Physical fitness on your own time. Don't waste time with physed or whatever it's called.
> 
> You'll want to learn french, if you can get another language too that's even better.
> 
> ...



Trust me take this man's advice, i took basically bird courses all through out high school ( basic math, health classes, etc) and it F**ked me royally. I'm trying to become a Vehicle Tech in  the forces, but my math isn't strong, i was like many people "When am i ever going to need this type of math" well this is where i needed that type of math. Now I'm working double time to try and teach my self math all over again to get high enough on the aptitude test. I wish you luck brother, and take GOOD math and English courses you'll thank your self later.


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## dimsum (27 Sep 2012)

I'd go one step further and say that in high school, take as many academically-challenging courses as you can get (sciences, maths, etc.) at least into "ready for university" level, even if your entire mindset is getting into the CF early and making a career of it.  Why, you may ask?

1.  Higher education will likely require some of those courses (my degree program, Business Admin, required 2 OAC/Gr. 13 Maths and 2 Sciences for some reason, along with the rest of the normal reqs)
2.  You may stand out from the rest of the pack in ROTP (or NCM) applications since you're not taking Basket Weaving 101
3.  Back to point 1, the CF can offer all sorts of possibilities for higher education, mostly for free (financially at least).  Unless you're dead set on never, ever going to school again (and good luck with that, since I've taken more courses in the CF than in university), keeping your post-secondary options open is a good thing.  Depending on your rank/job, Bachelors and Masters programs are definitely available.
4.  As Tyler H and others have mentioned before, you don't want to be that person that realizes later in life that a few years of studying when you're younger will save you a ton more grief later.


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## Journeyman (28 Sep 2012)

Damn, I'm posting in the Recruiting threads again.....    :not-again:  




			
				Dimsum said:
			
		

> 4.  As Tyler H and others have mentioned before, you don't want to be that person that realizes later in life that a few years of studying when you're younger will save you a ton more grief later.


From experience, the years of the Grade 10 soldier are long gone. Even the most simple military tasks -- Corporal or Captain -- require more intellect and education than in the past. 

I'll try to phrase this suitably for current potential applicants:
You can do the school work now.....or, if you even get in, you can do night school and correspondence courses later -- when your friends are all out drinking, partying, and getting laid -- yes, by that smoking hot Gagetown/Wainwright waitress with _all_ her teeth!

Trust me; the army will still be here if you take one more year to do the more difficult courses. What Dimsum said; now is _much_ easier than later. Honest.


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## Blackadder1916 (28 Sep 2012)

Journeyman said:
			
		

> . . . . . and getting laid -- yes, by that smoking hot Gagetown/Wainwright waitress *with all her teeth*!



Gawd . . . how times have changed!  Not that I'm surprised by the overall increase in dental health in rural Canada, but 25 30 35+ years ago, there were some . . . ahem . . . "benefits" when enjoying the company of a toothless princess.


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## Pat in Halifax (29 Sep 2012)

Reminds me of a joke I once heard. How do you know the toothbrush was invented in Wainwright (or Gagetown...or Petawawa)?
If it were anywhere else, it would have been called a teethbrush.


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## KingofKeys (29 Sep 2012)

Pat in Halifax said:
			
		

> Reminds me of a joke I once heard. How do you know the toothbrush was invented in Wainwright (or Gagetown...or Petawawa)?
> If it were anywhere else, it owuld have been called a teethbrush.



HAHAHAHA  ;D I had a good laugh. Thanks


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