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Cooks ( merged )

  • Thread starter RebornXmetalhead
  • Start date
HansonSherren said:
Hi there - I have a quick question.  Long story short, I'm flip flopping between either joining as a cook (I'm a chef already) or a steward (N).  My papers are in already and I did my medical and interview today and currently I'm signed up as steward but can switch to cook (but I have to let them know in the next few days) .. basically my husband and I are outweighing the pros and cons - the only cons to joining as a steward is being away from my family for so long.  Am I correct to assume that if I go as a cook (Army), that I'm only sent away for 6 months during my 3 yr contract?  If yes... then my next question is, where could I be stationed?    When I did a search this is what came up: 

    * CFB Edmonton, Alberta
    * CFB Gagetown, New Brunswick
    * CFB Kingston, Ontario
    * CFB Montreal, Quebec
    * CFB Petawawa, Ontario
    * CFB Shilo, Manitoba
    * CFB Suffield, Alberta
    * CFB Valcartier, Quebec
    * CFB Wainwright, Alberta
    * Connaught National Army Cadet Training Centre (CRPTC Connaught), Ontario
    * LFCATC Meaford, Ontario
    * LFAATC Aldershot, Nova Scotia

Is it safe to assume I would be posted to one of these 12 places?

I did a search and couldn't find the information I was looking for so I hope you don't mind my question.
Thanks in advance for any help you can give!!

Have you looked at your trade specific site on Forces.Ca? It has a lot of helpful information.

http://www.forces.ca/v3/engraph/jobs/jobs.aspx?id=861&bhcp=1
 
Hi everyone, I was wondering how many cooks the army is needing this year, and if it will be a long wait to get a job offer for this trade?

Also assuming I get a job offer for cook, will I be able to take my own tools, or will all that be provided?

Thanks.
 
You do realise that being a cook is the toughest trade in the CF, don't you?


Nobody has ever passed the basic cook course!

Apologies to all my cook friends but I couldn't resist.
 
I started my application in April, did my medical and interview on May 11, and am just waiting for the call now. I am going in as cook as well. I haven't seen many posts about cooks on here...nice to know there are a few of us interested in serving.
I cant wait for the call...its been three weeks now, and feels like 3 months.
I already have my red seal, as well as 20 years of experience in the industry, so apart from basic, the transition should be relatively smooth for me. My former apprentice joined last year and is posted back here at Gagetown, and I hope to get back here as well.
From talking to many CF cooks recently, you'll love it...I cant wait.
Good luck.
 
Hello,

I ve been searching for the cook trade, but there isnt much related topics. If I hold a civi college certificate of cooking, Will I be able to shorten my training and live outside the barrack with my family after the BMQ?
 
No.

Your initial trades training will be the same as anyone entering without cook skills. This is intended in part to introduce new cooks to how the CF conducts their galley's operations. I have seen red seal chefs, ect... join and start off the same way.

Later, after your QL3 when you are in an operational galley, you will have more than enough opportunity to demonstrate your true skills and based on them, you will be merited for advancement.
 
kratz said:
No.

Your initial trades training will be the same as anyone entering without cook skills. This is intended in part to introduce new cooks to how the CF conducts their galley's operations. I have seen red seal chefs, ect... join and start off the same way.

Later, after your QL3 when you are in an operational galley, you will have more than enough opportunity to demonstrate your true skills and based on them, you will be merited for advancement.


Do you know how long is the training in cook?
 
According to the recruiting webpage, training is 18 weeks at CFB Borden, then 18 months of one the job training.
 
I like to know how's life in the period of trade training. Is it mandatory to stay inside the barrack 7 days/ 24 hours? Can you go out on weekend and stay overnight?  And what time wake up and take off from work?
 
matwxx said:
I like to know how's life in the period of trade training. Is it mandatory to stay inside the barrack 7 days/ 24 hours? Can you go out on weekend and stay overnight?  And what time wake up and take off from work?

You are not a prisoner in the barracks.  Depending on your course and instructors, you will have free time and should be able to take leave on your days off.  As far as what time you get up and when you get off work, that depends on the school.  Most cooks work some kind of shift but I don't know if they do that at the school or not.

Do you actually have a college certificate?  I only wonder as according to this thread, you have an AME diploma and were looking at another trade/entry plan in August, and here, you spoke of entering as an NCM and then going Officer.

Are you sure about what you want to do??
 
Here is some help for you.  I've just joined and I'm off the St.Jean on Nov. 1st.  I joined air force cook and I do have my red seal.  They gave me cpl. after doing BMQ and also QL5 qualified.  I just have to do a one week crash course in Borden and then I get posted.
 
Herb,  do you have all that on a message or is that only what you were told verbally?
 
I have a few certificates and diplomas on hand. I am worried that I wont pass the CFAT retest again in End of October because my English is poor. So if I cant reach the requirement in Aviation Tech then I will go on to Cook as my second choice. It just that the recruiter told me is mandatory to stay in barracks everyday for the whole training, so I thought the policies must be very strict. And also, for BMQ, do you wake up at 5am and take off at 11pm? Just want to clarify.
 
matwxx said:
I have a few certificates and diplomas on hand. I am worried that I wont pass the CFAT again in October because my English is poor. So if I cant reach the requirement in Aviation Tech then I will go on to Cook as my second choice. It just that the recruiter told me is mandatory to stay in barracks everyday for the whole training, so I thought the policies must be very strict.

"Pass the CFAT again"?  To the best of my knowledge, you'll only ever do the CFAT once (unless you remustered years down the road), and if you qualified for cook the first time around, then you won't be retested.

Have you given copies of the certificates and diplomas to the recruiters, and requested a prior learning assessment for advanced standing in the cook trade?  That's how Herb would have gained his advanced standing of Corporal/QL5 on completion of BMQ.  That's a minimum four year jump on untrained people.

Your recruiter may have been referring to BMQ, during which you would be initially confined to barracks, but gradually be granted additional privileges like weekend leave away from the base, etc.  Once BMQ is done, you're a big boy and as long as you attend training and assigned duties on time, your off time is yours to do with as you please.
 
when I went to Ottawa recruiting center, they gave me my offer and told me when my course would start.  The offer said cpl once completing basic and QL5 qualified.  I saw the paper and then the master corporal wrote excepted on the sheet and gave me a swear in date
 
Everything you get will be laid out in the ETP message. That's the one that will start your career. If you have graduated from a college that the CF recognizes then you will go in as Semi-Skilled and that will advance you in your trade right out of BMQ. The prior learning assesment will take care of that.

As for CFAT. There are several differnt levels of "pass" you can only qualify for cook but unless you have grade 12 academic math in Ontario you won't get it. I have seen people qualify for the Tech trades but not Combat Arms. They are based on different aspects of the CFAT. You can re-write the CFAT but you need a waiver from the UPSO to do it a second time and a waiver from CFRG to do it a third. You may only write 3 times and the score that is used is the last one you wrote.
 
FDO said:
Everything you get will be laid out in the ETP message. That's the one that will start your career. If you have graduated from a college that the CF recognizes then you will go in as Semi-Skilled and that will advance you in your trade right out of BMQ. The prior learning assesment will take care of that.

As for CFAT. There are several differnt levels of "pass" you can only qualify for cook but unless you have grade 12 academic math in Ontario you won't get it. I have seen people qualify for the Tech trades but not Combat Arms. They are based on different aspects of the CFAT. You can re-write the CFAT but you need a waiver from the UPSO to do it a second time and a waiver from CFRG to do it a third. You may only write 3 times and the score that is used is the last one you wrote.

I wrote the first CFAT in August, the recruiter told me I am 1 mark away from passing for Aviation Tech. (guess that's what the recruiter said to all the CFAT failers) Then he told me I can do a retest in the end of October, and also mentioned that my CFAT mark would qualified various trades such as cook, medical tech, military police, etc. So thinking if I failed again, I will join cook. I think I will do better this time but concerning about my english. I had studied many GED and bought a few books from CHAPTER such as the ASVAB, but only a few sections of the book is useful to CFAT. I also download complex diagram exam on internet. I am okay in math.

I sort of looked the semi skill up but confused. I hold an AME dip and cook cert, am I qualified for the 2 trade in semi skill plan too? Guessing that would shortened the training. What is prior learning asessment?
 
Occam said:
"Pass the CFAT again"?  To the best of my knowledge, you'll only ever do the CFAT once (unless you remustered years down the road), and if you qualified for cook the first time around, then you won't be retested.

Have you given copies of the certificates and diplomas to the recruiters, and requested a prior learning assessment for advanced standing in the cook trade?  That's how Herb would have gained his advanced standing of Corporal/QL5 on completion of BMQ.  That's a minimum four year jump on untrained people.

Your recruiter may have been referring to BMQ, during which you would be initially confined to barracks, but gradually be granted additional privileges like weekend leave away from the base, etc.  Once BMQ is done, you're a big boy and as long as you attend training and assigned duties on time, your off time is yours to do with as you please.

I gave my copies of papers to the front desk when I first hand in my application form. Then I got call for CFAT 2 weeks later. Hoping there are leaves everyweek so I could spend some days with my wife and family.
 
Herb said:
Here is some help for you.  I've just joined and I'm off the St.Jean on Nov. 1st.  I joined air force cook and I do have my red seal.  They gave me cpl. after doing BMQ and also QL5 qualified.  I just have to do a one week crash course in Borden and then I get posted.

So there choices that you can join navy, army or airforce cook? Whats red seal? Wow one week of course...thats really good.
 
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