# Total amount that Reservists make in a year



## Kamikaze1655 (1 Dec 2014)

Hello guys. I was wondering how much money a reservist makes in one year ( 4 training weeknights and weekend training for a month)? Would this add up to 10,000?


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## RedcapCrusader (1 Dec 2014)

You're not salaried as a Reservist. You're paid for only the days you work. You get a full day pay of $90.30 for 6 hours or more of work. Wednesday nights, and Fridays on weekend training or exercises are considered half days and so you will earn $45.15 for the night.

Attending only 4 Wednesday parade nights a month for a year is roughly $2200. Reserve units on average have 1 exercise a month Fri-Sun, which is 1 half day and 2 full days pay, for a rough total of $2700. Even as a Class A reservist you're only making $4900 a year.

Class A reservists and units have a limit as to how many Cl A days they can sign off on, majority of units never have an issue with going over but it's still something to consider; they do have to spread it out evenly as much as they can. However, this does not account for training courses, which you are paid by the hosting unit/battle school/training company which you will make slightly more than someone just on a year of Class A without courses (more full days of pay).

You definitely don't do it for the money.


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## Badner (2 Dec 2014)

Don't forget that you can receive up to an additional $2,000 per year for education if you have passed training and parade regularly, and attend an approved educational institution in a related field of study


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## RedcapCrusader (2 Dec 2014)

Badner said:
			
		

> Don't forget that you can receive up to an additional $2,000 per year for education if you have passed training and parade regularly, and attend an approved educational institution in a related field of study



That's not part of salary/pay which the OP asked. The $2000 educational reimbursement is just that, reimbursement. You go to school, apply for it, if the CAF approves it, they send you the money after you complete the courses (usually a year after you submitted the receipts). 

I have only received a portion of my reimbursement for classes I took almost 2 years ago


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## toughenough (2 Dec 2014)

Keep in mind that the above numbers are estimates for you conducting the minimum training. If you throw in a course with roughly 30 days training (BMQ, DP1/QL3, etc) you'll see a significant spike. Most units also expect you to take part in a ten day excercise at the end of each summer. Some years a ten day excercise may take place during the training year as well (going north to the Arctic or south to the US).

There is almost always opportunities to pick up extra days here and there as advance party for an excercise or enemy force for another unit's excercise, etc. As stated above, this isn't a part of that minimum "base" amount you'd make, but ten grand a year isn't totally unrealistic either. I can't think of a year since I've been in (2005) that I haven't made at least ten grand (I have also taken a lot of courses, mind you).

Here are the exact amounts you can expect to make throughout your career.
http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/caf-community-pay/ncm-class-a-b-service-rates.page


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## Kamikaze1655 (15 Mar 2015)

So I have been looking around, but I cannot find sold information on what the total amount of money a reservist makes in a year. So if your just starting out, how much would you make if you parade 4 times a month for 10 months then you get a full month of BMQ?


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## Robert0288 (15 Mar 2015)

Well you would get paid 90.30/day and $45.15 for every 1/2 day worked.  Multiply that number by the amount of time you think you'll work.

http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/caf-community-pay/ncm-class-a-b-service-rates.page


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## mariomike (15 Mar 2015)

Kamikaze1655 said:
			
		

> So I have been looking around, but I cannot find sold information on what the total amount of money a reservist makes in a year. So if your just starting out, how much would you make if you parade 4 times a month for 10 months then you get a full month of BMQ?



Kamikaze1655 
November 30, 2014

Starting Salary for a Reservist  
http://army.ca/forums/threads/117121.0

"I was wondering how much money a reservist makes in one year ( 4 training weeknights and weekend training for a month)? Would this add up to 10,000?"


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## Shamrock (15 Mar 2015)

The reserve model is based on (I believe) 37.5 training days per soldier per fiscal year. That would put a private around the $4,000 mark.


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## GreenWood (15 Mar 2015)

But it varies so much, you go on courses, exercises, class B, random work days. It just varies so much from person to person, unit to unit.


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## Harris (15 Mar 2015)

Agreed with everything above.  For example in my Unit I've got soldiers who have worked 12 days or so, and a couple who are available for everything who just broke 100 class A days.  Depending on what courses you take in the summer or what staff position you get, you could easily tack on another 30-90 class B days.

Seeing as how you appear to be brand new, and assuming you are available for everything going at you rank level, I'd say as a minimum, you can probably get 60 total days your first year (also depending on how many other in your Unit are available for work too).  Once you get your military drivers license, you can usually get a lot more days if you are available.

That's probably as good as you are going to get.  Short answer is it depends on a lot of factors.  Note: If you are joining only for the money, you'll be sorely disappointed until you are at least trades trained and able to either drive or teach.


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## runormal (15 Mar 2015)

Kamikaze1655 said:
			
		

> So I have been looking around, but I cannot find sold information on what the total amount of money a reservist makes in a year. So if your just starting out, how much would you make if you parade 4 times a month for 10 months then you get a full month of BMQ?



Bear in mind that you might not get to parade with your unit when you first start. At my unit I find that the pat guys are seldom in. Hell even when I did basic I was parading with another unit as there wasn't dedicated training for us. Like everyone says it heavily varies unit to unit.

Some months we have training every weekend if you are available. There is always the chances of going on random taskings, but the frequency and duration of said taskings is heavily influenced on your geographic location. Like others have said, there is very little work as an untrained pte. The more quals you get the better it will be for you. Personally I feel that once you are a CPL and with your 404's there is a lot of work available (If you are available).  That would take roughly 2-3 years (maybe longer for 404's depending on availability of courses and your trade. 

http://armyapp.forces.gc.ca/reo-oer/index.aspx

There are also REO's which can be up to 3 year contracts, but again not guaranteed and there isn't really much available until you become a Cpl. 

As long as you have something to occupy the bulk of your time (I.E other job or school) its an excellent opportunity. There is also the opportunity of transferring to reg force once in the reserves, however it is not a guarantee and it will take some time.


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## Haggis (15 Mar 2015)

NEVER count on the Class A Army Reserve as a steady sole source of income.

That being said, in a good year, a Cpl/Pte can earn close to $8K through unit training, Reserve Summer Training (RST) and Summer Concentration, particularly if that Cpl/Pte is driver qualified and has a permissive work/school schedule.

The Army Reserve Funding Model is based on 37.5 days/year per soldier. Most units have a number of soldiers who parade just enough to stay off the NES list.  That allows their 37.5 days to be reallocated to others who parade more frequently.  Note that this 37.5 days is "unit training" and does not_ normally _include brigade or higher level exercises, RST and winter Individual Training (IT) courses (e.g. Brigade Battle Schools).

However, and I said it at the outset of this post, a prudent Reservist should NEVER count on the Class A Army Reserve as a steady sole source of income.


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## Kamikaze1655 (18 Mar 2015)

Thanks for the info all. On a side note, my enrollment ceremony is next Wednesday    ;D


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## mariomike (18 Mar 2015)

Kamikaze1655 said:
			
		

> Thanks for the info all. On a side note, my enrollment ceremony is next Wednesday    ;D



Congratulations!


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