Long term job satisfaction in the Canadian Forces?

[mswirski]

As a hopeful applicant to the RCN, I'm seriously considering the military as a life long profession.

While I realize this is a highly personal subject,  I'm curious how members of the CF enjoy their jobs in the long term.

In particular, given the CF is such a large organization, how often has a  lack of freedom or other troubles stemming from CF policies caused someone to leave the forces or become disenchanted with their job?

Do most members of the CF find the rules and regulations agreeable?

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[dangerboy]

I have been in the reserves then regular force since 1988 and the majority of the time I like my job.

 

[DAA]

Somedays I hate it and somedays I love it and somedays it's inbetween.  Never had an instance where my duties or responsibilities restricted my freedom to such an extent that I would want to quit.  Heck, there were days when I asked myself "What the heck am I doing here?"  Rules and regulations are never meant to be "agreeable", they are meant to maintain discipline, good order and a structured way of life.

There's probably even the odd time, where I told myself "I could have done something better" or even "I could have made something better of myself."

If I could reset the clock and go back to the day I joined to CF.........I'd still sign that piece of paper.  I think it all turned out pretty damn good and I wouldn't change a thing!!!

 

[Eye In The Sky]

1989 for me, can't imagjne doing anything else .  As for rules and regs, they are a fact of life in any job, so like any other job, you getused to them and they become normal life. 

 

[pbi]

I started as a Reserve soldier in 1974, transferred to the Regular Army in 1982, and ended it all with a couple of years back in the Reserve, finally hanging it up in 2012.

I think I loved about  80-90% of it. The times I was really unhappy I could probably count on one hand. I only seriously thought once in all that time about getting out.

But, I think you should realize before getting in, that it isn't really a "job" you can switch on and off. The military will expect you to do (or not do...) a whole bunch of things that unless you understand what the military is for, won't make any sense. It isn't perfect, by any means, and people do get PO'd and quit.

But it's pretty good. Good luck.

 

[mswirski]

But, I think you should realize before getting in, that it isn't really a "job" you can switch on and off. The military will expect you to do (or not do...) a whole bunch of things that unless you understand what the military is for, won't make any sense.

Could you provide an expand on this? What do you mean exactly by "what the military is for",  any examples?

 

[stealthylizard]

You won't know if you like it until you do it.  Most people probably enlist with the intent of making it a career, but change their minds once they have a few years in.  Daily garrison life killed my desire to make it a career.

 

[Biggoals2bdone]

People are probably going to think i'm an a$$ but I have to.

Having been in the CF close to a decade now, and having been in fitness for even longer, I can push-ups is probably one of the most BUTCHERED exercises ever, especially by military.

At PT probably 80% do them wrong and do head bobs, hip thrusts, or 1/2 reps, so honestly without seeing a vid I couldn't believe 60+ PROPER push-ups, even if you were scored by the PSP, they are HORRIBLY inconsistent. I also think this is the reason why so many people are bad at pullups, because people tend to be more picky about if your chin clears the bar and if your arms go straight at the bottom.

To get better at pullups, googl Grease the Groove by Pavel Tsatsouline

I also agree with whoever said bodyweight isnt the only factor, for the last almost 10yrs i've been 200-230, and other then times when i've been recovering from surgeries/injuries, i've always been able to do 15-20.  Hell guys like Jay Nera do 400-600 pullups a week, he's on record saying sets of 25 are easy and he weighs 228-240.

If you want to get good at something you've got to practice that thing, flawlessly and often.

 

[TangoTwoBravo]

People are probably going to think i'm an a$$ but I have to.

Having been in the CF close to a decade now, and having been in fitness for even longer, I can push-ups is probably one of the most BUTCHERED exercises ever, especially by military.

At PT probably 80% do them wrong and do head bobs, hip thrusts, or 1/2 reps, so honestly without seeing a vid I couldn't believe 60+ PROPER push-ups, even if you were scored by the PSP, they are HORRIBLY inconsistent. I also think this is the reason why so many people are bad at pullups, because people tend to be more picky about if your chin clears the bar and if your arms go straight at the bottom.

To get better at pullups, googl Grease the Groove by Pavel Tsatsouline

I also agree with whoever said bodyweight isnt the only factor, for the last almost 10yrs i've been 200-230, and other then times when i've been recovering from surgeries/injuries, i've always been able to do 15-20.  Hell guys like Jay Nera do 400-600 pullups a week, he's on record saying sets of 25 are easy and he weighs 228-240.

If you want to get good at something you've got to practice that thing, flawlessly and often.

Are you sure that you posted your thoughts in the right thread?

 

[pbi]

Could you provide an expand on this? What do you mean exactly by "what the military is for",  any examples?

What, you're going to give me an excuse to pontificate?

I'll let somebody who still wears the uniform chime in first....

 

[pbi]

....If you want to get good at something you've got to practice that thing, flawlessly and often...

Yes, like making posts that are relevant to the thread they're in..... ???

 

[TangoTwoBravo]

As a hopeful applicant to the RCN, I'm seriously considering the military as a life long profession.

While I realize this is a highly personal subject,  I'm curious how members of the CF enjoy their jobs in the long term.

In particular, given the CF is such a large organization, how often has a  lack of freedom or other troubles stemming from CF policies caused someone to leave the forces or become disenchanted with their job?

Do most members of the CF find the rules and regulations agreeable?

Thanks for your thoughts.

mswriski,

I've been in the military for twenty-four years, and I view myself as a life-long member of the profession of arms. I have a hard time imagining myself doing anything else right now, and that was as true for me now as it was when I was a teenager. Service does have some inconveniences. I move alot, uprooting my family each time. I miss plenty of family occasions. Sometimes I have to bite my tongue and get on with it. I've done some unpleasant things overseas because it was my duty. I also did some boring things because it was my duty...

From your profile and posting history I see that you are an applicant.  If you find that you cannot assimilate the military way of life during your training then you will be able to leave. If you find that after a term of service you are not happy then you can leave. Its not like you are signing up for life right now. Clearly you were motivated enough to apply. See what happens and don't worry too much about the far future.

 

[mswirski]

Thanks for your thoughts Tango,  I know once I join I'll have the opportunity to see for myself, though I still think the thread is useful.