# Thinking of joining up part-time but have a lot of questions.



## Foxtrot Spakowski (10 Mar 2012)

Alright so I'm 17 and I'm grade 11. I'm seriously considering joining the military but I don't necessarily want to be deployed right in the middle of a war zone.
How does working on a res work? Originally I wanted to do kin through the military but physio will probably be my closest trade. I'm generally well interested in health and fitness and don't want a job that will be boring or that I will get out of shape doing. 

That being said I am still a bit over weight though I am in the best shape I have been in for a long long time with a resting heart rate of 64 bpm average (female). I really like the idea of doing my trade in the military because of all the opportunities that come with the military as well as benefits and the guaranteed job, but considering I'm still in high school I am only looking for a summer job and am wondering if I will have to take officer training first or start physiotherapy in university or exactly how a summer job would work. Also I am wondering if I'm obligated to work every summer after I join part time and if I will have to pay to work in a different province. I don't exactly have a job as is and in this dead end down there is no opportunity to do anything about it so if I have to pay to get out there I won't be able to apply.

Any advice or insight for a young lady curious/interested in joining the forces would be really appreciated.


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## MikeL (10 Mar 2012)

If all you are looking for is a summer job, don't join the CF, find yourself a normal summer job.

Also, Reservists are not ordered to deploy, they must volunteer to go.  Assuming you actually do join, do all your training/courses, etc the Afghan mission(unless extended) will be over or close to it.  I'm guessing that's(Reserves) what you meant when you said "working on a res work?"

How would a job make you get out of shape?  If you get out of shape, that is your fault, not the CF's.

Provided you truely do want to join the Military, browse through the recruiting website and find trade(s) that interest you, search around this forum for info and/or contact your local CFRC and Reserve units(if you want Reserves)

http://www.forces.ca/en/jobexplorer/browsejobs-70


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## MedCorps (10 Mar 2012)

If you are interested in being a Physiotherapy Officer in the Canadian Forces then the first step is to gain acceptance to an accredited physiotherapy program at a Canadian University. Then to get acceptance to the Regular Officer Training Plan.  Physiotherapy Officer positions are competitive and you will want to have the best application possible. Check out elsewhere here on army.ca for advice on being an attractive officer applicant.

Basic training is often done during the summers between academic years, or ideally occurs (depending on enrollment date) prior to the start of your first academic year.  Once you join all summers will be filled with things to do and you will be on the full time (Regular Force) payroll. 

There is no sponsorship for physiotherapy education in Reserve Force (part time). 

Good luck. 

MC


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## Foxtrot Spakowski (10 Mar 2012)

I'm not just looking for a summer job, I'm considering actually joining the military but I'm so unsure if I can do it...you know the whole fear of failure when people depend on you?
in my situation the army seems perfect for me and I really want to grab the bull by the horns but as i just said i still want to know what im getting into so i can prepare for it. I've read everything on forces.ca and it hasnt answered these questions for me. That is why I'm here asking. 

And by a job I won't get out of shape doing I mean a 9-5 desk job doing paper work somewhere doing these same thing every fricken day. I want a job that will keep me on my feet.


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## AgentSmith (10 Mar 2012)

Foxtrot Spakowski said:
			
		

> And by a job I won't get out of shape doing I mean a 9-5 desk job doing paper work somewhere doing these same thing every fricken day. I want a job that will keep me on my feet.



I know plenty of people who have "desk jobs" who are very fit. It all depends on your personal motivation and it's your responsibility to keep fit.


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## Foxtrot Spakowski (10 Mar 2012)

they do those things out side of work. I want my work to be physically active as well as my everyday life.
and not to seem rude but can we please worry about the point of the post and not trying to make me look like im lazy and unmotivated?


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## aesop081 (10 Mar 2012)

Foxtrot Spakowski said:
			
		

> and not to seem rude but can we please worry about the point of the post and not trying to make me look like im lazy and unmotivated?



You do seem rude because no one who posted has said or implied that.


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## MedCorps (10 Mar 2012)

Foxtrot Spakowski said:
			
		

> they do those things out side of work. I want my work to be physically active as well as my everyday life.
> and not to seem rude but can we please worry about the point of the post and not trying to make me look like im lazy and unmotivated?



Bad news.  As a Physiotherapy Officer you will spend the majority of your time treating patients, which is not unto itself very physical activity and will not keep you fit. Things like diagnosing muscle/skeletal problems, teaching exercises, supervising physio exercise session, documenting & referring care, maintaining the infrastructure of the physiotherapy clinic, managing civilians, leading subordinates, and other junior officer non-clinical duties are not very physically taxing.  

You will need (like everyone else in the Officer Corps) to be self-motivated and stay fit.  The day-to-day grind of officership will not make or keep you fit by design. Sometimes you will be able to schedule time inside of regular working hours to do this... other times it is after regular working hours.  The good thing about being a Physiotherapy Officer who is working in a clinic (most of them) is that you have ready access to workout equipment when it is not being used by the patients. 

Reference the failure issue.  Do not worry about it.  The CF will train you.  If during training / employment you are prone to failure they will remediate you or toss you out. You will have ample chance to prove that you can lead / practice physiotherapy / administrate in a controlled environment before you find yourself in a situation where you will do much harm to other people / the organization.  

Get into a university program / into the CF and if these two boxes are checked you have made the first leap.  There are still 100's of more boxes during your career but the CF is set up to help you approach these hurtles and succeed.  

MC


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## fake penguin (10 Mar 2012)

To be honest, i get the feeling you think some trades are what you see in movies,where the troops are always on the going doing physical activities, i can tell you in the reserves you may get out once a month to the training area,it's usually just cleaning weapons or classroom lectures on a tuesday night.If you join the reserves you will NEED to do outside activies to stay in shape.


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## Foxtrot Spakowski (11 Mar 2012)

we were told by recruiters (i assume is what they call themselves) that they make you train 3 days a week during basic training

and yes guys i am physically active on my own i kick box and wrestle, do circuits at home, as well run 3-4 times a week when everything dries up a bit from the melt snow since i usually run the gavel mile roads

i know physio is mostly treating your patients but as one of the above posters said there is possibility for accessing equipment when it's not in use and also i mean job as in everything about being in the military having to maintain i high level of fitness.

i like that instead of getting fired for going and working out on the job, you get paid to work out and stay fit it just happens to be something that works for me in the job description (at least from what i am understanding)


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## fake penguin (11 Mar 2012)

It's good you talk to recruiter,but i think you are miss understanding a few things. A reservist on basic training does not train a full three days.You get 2 and a half days.What happens is friday night you go to your local armouries and get on a bus and are taken to a base or you stay at said armouries.You train/learn on saturday and sunday until the bus comes to take you back home.During basic you cannot just get up and go to the gym.You may get morning pt on saturday or sunday but nothing to crazy.Also when you go away for summer training you be on course, again you cannot just get up and go to the gym.Your weekend basic may last a few months,but after that unless your on another course again you may get out in the training area once a month.It's alot of just tuesday activities.You may get a weekend course during the year.None of these times will you be able to just get up and go to the gym.I don't want to discourage you, because you said you want a non-boring job, and you will do exciting things.


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## Foxtrot Spakowski (11 Mar 2012)

this makes it a little more clear, thank you


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## Rheostatic (11 Mar 2012)

MedCorps said:
			
		

> There is no sponsorship for physiotherapy education in Reserve Force (part time).


A Reserve member enrolled in a physiotherapy program (or any other degree program) at a Canadian university would be eligible for Education Reimbursement.


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## MedCorps (11 Mar 2012)

I guess I should have been more clear.  

There is no sponsorship for physiotherapy education in order to become a Physiotherapy Officer in the Res F.  You can join and do something else and go to school as a physiotherapy student and claim whatever it is the Res F allows you, as part of your education entitlement. It will not lead to you becoming a Res F Physiotherapist Officer.

Furthermore, unless you are already a Physiotherapist Officer in the Reg F you cannot become a Res F Physiotherapist Officer as part of the Primary Reserve List (or more correctly now the Res Fd Hosp Det).  These spots are also quite limited (I think we have four of them).  There are no Physiotherapy Officer positions in the Res F Field Ambulances.  

MC


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