Aerospace Control Officers-AEC [merged]

[WonderGirl]

Wow!  Thank you sooo much!  I will put Aerospace Control as my first choice then and Nav Comm as my second.  I can't thank you enough for clearing that up for me!

I'm so happy to hear that we can switch careers too, with some time in.  I'm worried I will utterly hate/suck at being a sailor (no privacy sleeping qtr part)  but I love the ocean and would be a good Nav Comm.

 

[Nauticus]

I have been reading this site for many hours and before I send my application in on monday. I am having a hard time choosing  a trade.

I read that if i choose the navy (Nav Comm)  I would only get 7 hours of sleep in a row and have to work 12 hours shifts (split up) (is this true?) Do you get weekends off in the navy? (don't laugh LOL) or do you work 5 days/6 days a week?

If I choose Aerospace Control, do they work 8 hours days and go home?  or what are the shifts/hours like? Also are there any postings in Western Canada or are all the postings in eastern canada?

I want to be able to do my job and go home at night, have a life. 40 hour work weeks? same pay?

It sounds like the navy is a whole other level of commitment and that I would not have any life outside of the boat LOL 60 hour workweeks same pay?

Thanks for some advice.

I would reconsider if you want to be in the Canadian Forces, then.

You are paid a salary. You work and train as they need you. This is true for any trade that you join.

Yes, you can have a life, but the CF takes precedent over everything and anything else you do. If this sounds okay to you, then by all means, apply. If not, you might want to consider a civilian job.

The choice is yours, but I suggest you read more. The military is far from a "regular" job.

 

[WonderGirl]

I understand that and look forward to serving my country however they need me.

I am single with no kids so I can work  when they want me too, nights, days, weekend,.  The year at sea is what didn't sound so good to me, working 12 hours a day for an entire year, in a bunk bed with zero privacy, ever.  So I switched to Aerspace.  I just want to be able to come home to my own bed more than not.  I don't mind working long,  hard or working weird hours whenever they need me too and I fully understand the sacrifice I am making.

I was made for this, as they say LOL

Ps.  I am leaving a high paying job to come do this. I have no debt and I am obviously not doing this for the money lol  Just as long as I can pay my rent and bills I will be happy.  It will be nice to do something that matters.

 

[Occam]

I understand that and look forward to serving my country however they need me.

I am single with no kids so I can work  when they want me too, nights, days, weekend,.  The year at sea is what didn't sound so good to me, working 12 hours a day for an entire year, in a bunk bed with zero privacy, ever.  So I switched to Aerspace.  I just want to be able to come home to my own bed more than not.  I don't mind working long,  hard or working weird hours whenever they need me too and I fully understand the sacrifice I am making.

I was made for this, as they say LOL

Whoa, who said anything about being at sea for a year?  The longest trip you'll see will be 6 months, and those are few and far between.  Even then, you'll see lots of foreign ports during a trip that long, so it's not all work and no play.

That said, if you're looking to spend time a little closer to home, you're more likely to encounter that as an AC Op than as a Nav Comm.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Whoa, who said anything about being at sea for a year?  The longest trip you'll see will be 6 months, and those are few and far between.  Even then, you'll see lots of foreign ports during a trip that long, so it's not all work and no play.

That said, if you're looking to spend time a little closer to home, you're more likely to encounter that as an AC Op than as a Nav Comm.

Also depends on if the OP is assigned to a sea going unit right away.

 

[WonderGirl]

The recruiter told me I could be a sea six months up to a year or two depending on the world situations and where and how they would need us    The MARS sections says plan on your first 4 years at sea.  (they must mean living on the boat? not actually away at sea?)

 

[WonderGirl]

Whoa, who said anything about being at sea for a year?  The longest trip you'll see will be 6 months, and those are few and far between.  Even then, you'll see lots of foreign ports during a trip that long, so it's not all work and no play.

That said, if you're looking to spend time a little closer to home, you're more likely to encounter that as an AC Op than as a Nav Comm.

phew!I'm really glad to hear that! I had visions of never seeing my pets or friends again LOL I feel better about accepting Nav Comm as my second now.  I can do six months . (I was thinking I would be gone from my pets/family/friends every year for six months for the rest of my life)

 

[Occam]

The recruiter told me I could be a sea six months up to a year or two depending on the world situations and where and how they would need us    The MARS sections says plan on your first 4 years at sea.  (they must mean living on the boat? not actually away at sea?)

I think you might've misunderstood what they were telling you.  The longest trip you'll see is six months, but you'd be posted to a ship for 2-4 years.  You'd likely be doing more frequent, shorter trips than the six month deployments, but still likely spend more time alongside in Halifax/Esquimalt than you'd actually spend at sea.

When they say plan on your first 4 years at sea, they mean posted to a ship, not posted to a desk in Ottawa or somewhere like that.

 

[WonderGirl]

I think you might've misunderstood what they were telling you.  The longest trip you'll see is six months, but you'd be posted to a ship for 2-4 years.  You'd likely be doing more frequent, shorter trips than the six month deployments, but still likely spend more time alongside in Halifax/Esquimalt than you'd actually spend at sea.

When they say plan on your first 4 years at sea, they mean posted to a ship, not posted to a desk in Ottawa or somewhere like that.

Yes I totally did! LOL thanks for the patience with this newbie.  Hmmm Nav Comm is sounding more attractive by the minute ;D

 

[aesop081]

The longest trip you'll see is six months,

Did one of the CPFs not spend 9 months out in 2001/02 ??

 

[Occam]

Did one of the CPFs not spend 9 months out in 2001/02 ??

If I remember correctly, one of them did...but I'm not certain it was that time frame.  Whatever ship it was, they were near the end of their 6 month NATO, and they were diverted to the Gulf...either for Gulf War II, or to start up Op Apollo.  Pretty sure it was one of those.  Very, very rare circumstance, though.

 

[aesop081]

  Very, very rare circumstance, though.

Yes but it does illustrate why using absolutes such as "The longest trip you'll see is six months" is not a good idea. Applicants will take that as gospel and then complain about it. Remember that the Op in this case misunderstood most of what she was told.

 

[Occam]

Yes but it does illustrate why using absolutes such as "The longest trip you'll see is six months" is not a good idea. Applicants will take that as gospel and then complain about it. Remember that the Op in this case misunderstood most of what she was told.

Oh give me a break.  The longest scheduled trip is 6 months, same as it was when I joined.  We were once scheduled for a 5 month NATO, which got extended by a month mid-way through.  Guess what?  We complained.  Its a normal state for sailors to be in, complaining.  The old man only worries when the crew stops complaining.

Here, is this better?

The longest scheduled trip is six months.  However, once in a while, a war will come along and cause all rules to be tossed out the window.    :

 

[WonderGirl]

LOL thanks guys!  I sent my application in today with Aerospace Control as my first choice and Nav Comm as my second. I will be happy to do either for the rest of my career.  thanks again for the help!

 

[jemcgrg]

Hey, I am just wondering around how long Phase 3 (occupational) training for AEC generally is? And how hard is it to maintain a relationship/family while becoming an AEC in the canadian forces? Especially given that my boyfriend is in the army.

Thanks! I appreciate any responses.

 

[Zoomie]

Especially given that my boyfriend is in the army.

Have you researched the AEC trade and what possible postings you could be assigned?  There are no AEC in Edmonton, Wainwright, Shilo, Meaford, Petawawa, Quebec and Gagetown.  So unless your BF gets an OT to a blue trade or gets a job working at the WRTF - I see long distance in your future.

 

[navymich]

Hey, I am just wondering around how long Phase 3 (occupational) training for AEC generally is? And how hard is it to maintain a relationship/family while becoming an AEC in the canadian forces? Especially given that my boyfriend is in the army.

Thanks! I appreciate any responses.

(all of these are approx. times)

On the ATC side:  VFR - 6 weeks, IFR - 4 1/2 months.  On the AD side:  Weapons - 3 1/2 months

Not sure about ATC.  But when you finish Weapons, you will then go to North Bay where you have another 3 1/2 months of training before you are given your posting message (most stay in North Bay).

All of the AEC streams are difficult and there is alot of weekend studying and practical times.  Do not count on any free time to be able to travel somewhere else.  You will most likely get a weekend here and there that you feel you are able to go places.  But the best way to look at it is that you are busy from start to finish, and make no other plans.

As for maintaining a relationship, it can be done for sure.  Just realize that you might not see each other for that whole training time.  But you have full access to phone and internet.  (I had more written re: relationship in different elements, but I see Zoomie has covered that.)

 

[formerguard]

Zoomie - Sorry to threadjack slightly, but we do have a few (very few) AEC positions in Edmonton, Pet, Valcatrazz, and Gagetown.  Some are SATCOs, others as G3 Air, FAC, etc.  However, none of these are first ops tours...

 

[jemcgrg]

Thanks everyone! Yes I have done a lot of research on it, but there didn't seem to be anything that even mildly indicated how long Phase lll would be so I definitely appreciate the information.

I know it will be long distance for some time, I'm anticipating about 2 years of being away with all the training I'll have to do, assuming I make it through of course, I know AEC training is difficult to get through and a lot of hard work, not to mention being stressful.

Thanks for the information and any additional details anyone has let me know.

I was also wondering though, I've heard from some unreliable sources that as an AEC i'll basically only be doing the work from the trade for a few years and then I will be more of a paper pusher. This sounds completely inaccurate to me but I would like to have the confirmation that I'll actually get to work in the trade I am being trained in! This is coming from an NCO who I am certain doesn't have much respect for officers so as far as I am concerned this makes them quite unreliable.

 

[formerguard]

Well, there's always admin and paperwork... That being said, I'm guessing what they meant is that in order to be 'well-rounded', we generally have to have both Ops and Staff experience.  Your ops postings are basically your primary (operational) duty, whereas staff (to include formal instructional postings now) might be what they're referring to as 'paper pushing'.  Of course, you don't necessarily have to follow such a career model - I've met plenty of people who have only had operational postings.