cmbt engr vs inf

[PMedMoe]

do you know what the dropout rate is?

being good at what i do is a must, where i come from youre either the best, or you aren't even on the radar....

im really excited to apply once april hits, would you say the day to day life of a combat engineer on tour is more interesting than that of an infantryman? based on your opinion of course.

thanks.

You've been on here since Oct 2010.  I'm pretty sure you've read the Forum Guidelines.  Please attempt to use proper capitalization, punctuation, etc.  You want to be the best?  There's a good place to start.

 

[frodo]

Here's a hint: if you want to be a Combat Engineer you need to be good at 'searching'. Look around, there's lots of info out there like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23SfrmqdL8Y

      This is just one of a few resources I am using to gather information. Thanks for the link I'll check it out when I have time.

    I was under the impression my grammar was acceptable, after all I'm posting at work and I don't usually have enough time to proof read the hell out of what I type.

 

[Towards_the_gap]

Well just take the time to proof read and spell check, and you'll save yourself some hassle.


Drop-out rate for what? Combat Engineer training? Honestly, can't be that bad. I spent less than a week at the school teaching on a QL3 course prior to my section commander course and from what I saw you basically had to not have a heartrate to fail the course. The focus is on quantity, not quality, so it is really a big sausage factory.

That being said, the lads in my section last summer were all outputs of the new system, and how they performed in some really horrible situations was no less than remarkable.

However I'm off on a tangent.

The 'drop-out' rate only becomes relevant on courses such as IEDD, EOD, Cbt Diver, and I guess Para. And then it varies, depending on the canidates on the course.


As to whether my job is more interesting  on tour than an infantryman, well it depends. There were alot of times that the infantry were simply providing a cordon/security while we worked, conducting searches etc. Then other times we supported them, clearing them onto objectives then sitting around while they did what they do.


** Edited to correct first sentence.

 

[infantryian]

    Not to hijack slightly, but I am wondering... As a reservist, would combat engineers have more opportunities to go on tour?  As in the case of a natural disaster such as what happened to New Orleans and the Manitoba Floods. I know engineers were likely to go, but were infantry also dispatched. I ask because engineer was my second choice at the reserve unit I am applying and I was musing about calling them to change my job preference, and I would love to have the opportunity to do some work during my career.

 

[daftandbarmy]

    Not to hijack slightly, but I am wondering... As a reservist, would combat engineers have more opportunities to go on tour?  As in the case of a natural disaster such as what happened to New Orleans and the Manitoba Floods. I know engineers were likely to go, but were infantry also dispatched. I ask because engineer was my second choice at the reserve unit I am applying and I was musing about calling them to change my job preference, and I would love to have the opportunity to do some work during my career.

Goodness me... you have no idea.

If you go Engr, the career managers will flock to you like a starving shark.  :nod:

 

[infantryian]

Please forgive my ignorance in the matter, but what is a career manager?

If I am assuming correctly, which I rarely do, then it is someone who takes a look at you and tries to plan your life out for you...?

In either case I am not sure whether or not this means that I get to have more opportunities to go do some work in my chosen trade.

 

[Eowyn]

If you go Engr, the career managers will flock to you like a starving shark.  :nod:

The Reserve Army doesn't have Career Managers.  By the time the poster gets enrolled and trades trained, who knows what the deployment opportunities will be for Reservists to deploy.

 

[Roofus]

I have a question:

after bmq/sq when you do the trade training in the summer for combat engineering, do you train infantry training as well?

also, in the summer for trade training for CE, is there alot of firing weapons, or is it more learning about building roads and bridges an such?

 

[Nfld Sapper]

I have a question:

after bmq/sq when you do the trade training in the summer for combat engineering, do you train infantry training as well?

also, in the summer for trade training for CE, is there alot of firing weapons, or is it more learning about building roads and bridges an such?

.

For Cbt Eng, you will do hand/power/hydraulic tools, demolitions, urban operations, CMD, search operations, watermanship and, bridging

 

[AimzHigh]

Frodo, I am also a civilian trying to become a Combat Engineer.  Like you, I also have the ambition to be the best that I can be and am confident there are others just like us.  To be a paratrooper, in the action, outside the wire are all things that appeal to me as well.  It's still too early for either of us (as you need 2 years of service to be eligible) but you should look into CSOR.  I'm not sure how many people already suggested it.  I didn't read the entire thread.  From what I understand CSOR (Canadian Special Operations Regiment) are paratroopers.  After the WWII Devil's Brigade was disbanded CSOR was the replacement.  It's elite and very tough to get into but if your anything like me it's the perfect goal to aim for.  Look it up.

Have you already signed up for Combat Engineer and are waiting to hear back?  I only ask because I spoke to a recruiter yesterday and he told me that after April it will probably be too late.  He said that I would probably have to wait until next year.  I'm going to the recruiting office today to get my paperwork in and hopefully start the testing ASAP.  With any luck my application will stand out and I'll be among the few selected for training...  and you of coarse.

Anyways, best of luck you.  Feel free to email me anytime.  Maybe we can help eachother out.

 

[dangerboy]

After the WWII Devil's Brigade was disbanded CSOR was the replacement. 

Just so you know the 1st Special Service Force (The Devils Brigade) was disbanded in December 1944 and CSOR was stood up August 2006.  Can it really be considered a replacement with a gap of 62 years.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Enough people in the CF have difficulty grasping the details of perpetuation and lineage, it's hardly worth challenging a prospective recruit on the subject.

 

[AimzHigh]

Sorry. Thanks for clearing that up.  It was a friend of mine that mentioned something about how CSOR was the new Devil's Brigade. I assumed that meant that it replaced it without considering the timeline.  None the less, the point is that it seems like something Frodo might like based on what he said he was looking for.  By the way, since you seem to know what your talking about, are they paratroopers?

And, yes, it does seem ridiculous to talk about something like CSOR when neither myself or Frodo are even serving in the CF.  However, don't you think it's a good idea to aim high from the start?  I know the chances of actually making it onto CSOR are slim but wouldn't doing everything you can from the very start with the intention of applying to CSOR increase your chances?  I know they check your history.  I've been told they even interview family and friends about you.

It's like preparing someone from childhood for their careers.  Teaching all the necessary skills. Well if you knew you wanted to be a member of CSOR isn't this the time you should start taking the steps? 

It may or may not be a realistic goal right now but it certainly won't hurt to strive to be the best from the start.  Just my opinion.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Theres nothing wrong with "aiming high" with regard to life goals, just make sure your focus is on the step in front of you. We've seen plenty of people coming here telling us they were going to be the best jtf/csor/patatrooper/sniper we ever saw, and then they disappeared after they failed the CFAT or BMQ. Aim as high as you like, in the end it is performance that counts.

And yes, there are parachute qualified people in CSOR.

 

[AimzHigh]

Thanks for the tip.  The idea of being part of Canada's elite is exciting.  I can imagine how many recruits you've come across that have had this goal only to fail early on.  I've thought long and hard about it and don't take the challenge lightly.  I do understand how important it is focus on what's on my doorstep today and really just go from there.  I'm not going to claim to be the best anything.  I can only hope that my best will be enough to take me to the level I aim to reach, one step at a time of coarse.

Thanks again for your insight.  It's nice, and necessary, to hear the voice of reason in a criticism instead of just a criticism.