# What are my chances of joining the military? Especially with my bad past.



## Andreww (24 Apr 2011)

Ok, so I am going to be completely honest here.

I always wanted to join the military, but when I was young my parents laughed at me when I mentioned it....They forced me to take Business Administration in which I did @ Humber College my first years average was 80% which I believe is decent. After my first year my average dropped to 65% I failed a number of courses. Currently I have 6 failed courses on my transcript which is bad....All of my marks dropped because I realized business is not for me, but i still wanted to satisfy my parents....all of these life events got involved with some bad people, there were a lot of drugs involved, drugs such as: Shrooms(2Times), weed(lost count), MDMA(~8 Times) and Cocaine (which I tried only once). I also have bad credit and a DUI under my belt...

Talking about a horrible past.....Anyways...I picked myself up and realized I was in a depressive state all of those years. I have been drug free for half a year now (made a promise to myself never to touch drugs again) I have been volunteering at a number of places. I also have 5 courses left in my program, im going to pick myself up and finish with good marks.

I am currently working for a small Business company as a sales team leader, Im planning to have my debt paid off by the end of summer and I want to start making a positive impact on my credit rating.

I consider myself to be perfectly in shape, I have been working out for around 3 years now. I am 5'10 and weigh 160. I run every second day 6km...I can do 100 push-ups/situps at ease. I also have been taking Muay Thai fighting classes.

I've done some research and I know it will take another good 2 years to get the drugs out of my system...So I wont be joining till then. 

How are my chances of joining the military with my past in about 2 years? I am committed to leave my past behind and work towards a better future for myself. I am going to finish my program with good marks, I will keep volunteering, working-out and working on getting a positive credit score. 

Frankly I dont care what my parents think anymore, I want to do what makes *ME* happy.

I want to have my lifetime career in the military, I just hope my past wont haunt me.


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## Michael OLeary (24 Apr 2011)

Andreww,

If you start searching the forums for each of your concerns (DUI, drugs both generally and by name, debt, etc.) you will find specific threads on each of them. From those you can estimate your chances in the current recruiting environment, which your browsing of the Recruiting forums will also show is very competitive for all trades.


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## WonderGirl (24 Apr 2011)

You are being so hard on yourself! It really sounds like you are on the right path and that counts for a lot!  *see Pm*  If you are free of your legal obligation(dui), have a repayment plan in place and are on track to paying your debts off and drug free, I would apply now.  You may be surprised.  

Its better to  be in the CF holding pattern than to not even be in the airport lol


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## hamr37 (24 Apr 2011)

I am in the application process now so this is just my opinion...
Best bet would be to talk to a recruiter. I believe you may have to be drug free for _x_ amount of years before they will consider you. By the sound of it, you do seem to be on the right path, and the recruiters may acknowledge this. Keep on volunteering and doing your studies. Be persistent - talk to the recruiter and if he says you have to come back in _x_ amount of years, then that's what you have to do...
Good luck


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## Nauticus (25 Apr 2011)

While I'm not going to say "You'll get in!!", I will say that the recruiters will take notice of the commitment you took changing all the negative aspects of your life and coming out of it a better person. Your best bet is to contact a recruiter and get official information, but I don't think all hope is lost.


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## Spring_bok (25 Apr 2011)

All great responses but one thing to keep in mind is that the recruiting climate and targets changes significantly from year to year and so does policy.  Recruiting is very competetive this year and may be different next year.  You should talk to a recruiter for accurate and current information.


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## Timbers81 (26 Apr 2011)

well ive always wanted to join the canadian forces sence i was a kid,it was and still is a dream i would like to see come true.when i was growing up i chose the wrong path to a bad future.i quit school when i was in grade 9, i was 15-16(i think) at the time and was in a wrong school to start with and of course drugs and alcohol was a factor. i am 30yrs old now and still no grade 10 and pretty much running out of places to call home.so far i quit drinking and smoking and just this year going on 4 months i thought i would die from lung cancer before i quit smoking cigarettes,but now i can say i was wrong about that  
i was wondering what are the main courses the CF wants you to have to sighn up for infantry full time?
like i said im running out of places to stay and would rather polish up on courses i need insted of going back to school full time,i dont have the time for that
do they have special training or schooling for a person like me?
i did try to get my adult basic education 2 yrs ago but work messed that up


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## zander1976 (26 Apr 2011)

Hey, 

Grats on quitting drinking and smoking. I found both to be challenging. I can't give you advice on the army but I can try to help. 

EI will pay you to attend school to get your GEDs. If you have a bad track record with EI then beg if you have to. Providing you can remain sober they will help you get your 14 weeks to get EI to get into school if they really believe in you. That will give you some time on EI to complete school and some extra time being sober that will help you get into the army. 

Your letter sounds kind of desperate but its not the end of the world. Every journey begins with a single step and you can certainly get there:
1. Stay sober  
2. Convince EI that you want to change and need help.
3. Complete GEDs. 
4. Join the army or even obtain a college diploma. 
5. Profit  

Ben


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## Timbers81 (26 Apr 2011)

thanks for your reply Ben
but when i was getting the adult basic education EI was paying for it and about half was through i droped out because i was just barly hangin on,they dont pay much and expect a guy to live off next to nothing.
but i still have the books and am wondering if i should study the 770 pages of math,pretty much have a month left then i go on a prospecting trip,but havnt a clue where im going to end up.
it was always the alcohol that kept me from fulfilling my dreams and made me postpone and put it off to get the proper education.
im glad i seen the light to quit  :nod: 
is it mostly math they are after?


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## Nauticus (26 Apr 2011)

Timbers81 said:
			
		

> thanks for your reply Ben
> but when i was getting the adult basic education EI was paying for it and about half was through i droped out because i was just barly hangin on,they dont pay much and expect a guy to live off next to nothing.
> but i still have the books and am wondering if i should study the 770 pages of math,pretty much have a month left then i go on a prospecting trip,but havnt a clue where im going to end up.
> it was always the alcohol that kept me from fulfilling my dreams and made me postpone and put it off to get the proper education.
> ...


They're after a minimum grade 10 education, but to be competitive it's best to have a high school diploma/GED. If you don't have the minimum requirements to join, they won't even look at your application.

My advice, if you want to join the CF, is to get your GED and work toward making yourself a strong applicant doing whatever you can to strengthen your file. Remember, joining the CF isn't just a matter of enrolling anymore - it's a very competitive process in which they are afforded the ability to select only the very best applicants for each trade (job).


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## Ex-Dragoon (26 Apr 2011)

You may also look into programs like AA as you keep coming back to alcohol preventing you from your dreams.


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## Waters81 (27 Apr 2011)

This thread is the closest I could find that relates to my question.
As I have stated in previous threads, I had originally applied in 2008 only to be told that I needed to rectify some financial and licencing issues. I have since taken care of all of my financial obligations and have all of the release letters from the involved parties, and am nearly clear of my licence issues (my licence is NOT suspended).
I had contacted my CFRC to ask about the status of my file as I am quite anxious to proceed with the process in hope that I will at least be merit listed this year. However, when I spoke with the recruiting centre, they had told me that there was an issue with my CRC, which I am assuming is my credit check. The person I spoke to told me that they would get back to me by the end of the day (last Thursday) but didn't (understandable), and being Easter weekend, the CFRC was closed Monday...and Tuesday for some reason, and the gentlemen was absent today when I went in, so I am still unaware what the issue is.
Which brings me to my question. Would the issue that has come to light now be the issue that prohibited me from joining in '08 and just not have been updated? or could it be my licence situation? Being a credit check, I wouldn't imagine my licence being the issue.
 As I mentioned, I have all of my supporting documents stating that I am free from any financial obligations, I do have a credit card that is currently showing a balance owing, but still in good standing and a car loan that is also in good standing.
Would anyone be able to provide any insight as to what the issue may be? 
Sorry for the long winded question, but the only reason I ask is because it been a week since the question was asked and I am trying to be proactive and get a headstart on rectifying any issues.
Again, any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## Occam (27 Apr 2011)

Waters81 said:
			
		

> However, when I spoke with the recruiting centre, they had told me that there was an issue with my CRC, which I am assuming is my credit check.



You would assume incorrectly.

CRC = Criminal Records Check


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## Waters81 (27 Apr 2011)

Occam said:
			
		

> You would assume incorrectly.
> 
> CRC = Criminal Records Check


Oh! They didn't correct me at the CFRC when I mentioned that, I had mentioned the CRC and how I thought that it would be my credit check. With that cleared up, could that be something to do with my licence? I don't have any major convictions (DUIs or anything), just an outstanding fine.


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## Occam (27 Apr 2011)

Waters81 said:
			
		

> Oh! They didn't correct me at the CFRC when I mentioned that, I had mentioned the CRC and how I thought that it would be my credit check. With that cleared up, could that be something to do with my licence? I don't have any major convictions (DUIs or anything), just an outstanding fine.



I wouldn't think so....moving violations would be a summary offence ticket and a fine, and wouldn't result in a criminal charge, unless it were a serious one.  Definitely something to hound them about, though...especially if you're fairly certain you don't have anything in your past, youth record included...


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## Waters81 (27 Apr 2011)

Ah, that may be the issue. I know that when I first applied I had indicated that I had been charged when I was a minor for possession, when I spoke to a recruiter back then ('08), he said that because it was so long ago, I was a minor and had completed the required public service and thus being cleared, that it wasn't even an issue and not worth mentioning, so I didn't bother mentioning it when I reapplied as at asks "Charged with anything and NOT pardoned" That's probably what it is, make sense?


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## Occam (27 Apr 2011)

Well, we can speculate, or you can keep hounding them.  I know what I'd be doing.


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## Waters81 (27 Apr 2011)

Occam said:
			
		

> Well, we can speculate, or you can keep hounding them.  I know what I'd be doing.


I'm guessing it's not speculating.
I'll keep on 'em.
I appreciate the help, thanks.


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## runormal (28 Apr 2011)

Now i never got accepted into the ROTP program, but me smoking weed in the past and experimenting (3 times) with mushrooms, never really held me back in the application process, I got declined @ the end because my grade 9-10 marks were brutal.


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## Waters81 (28 Apr 2011)

So I heard back from the recruiting centre today, it was what I had thought, some of the info in my credit report was not correct. I told them that I had all of my letters of release and everything was in order, he told me to expect a call. 

'whew'


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