Officer Combat Arms Infantry

[Wolf]

Hi.  I am interested in becoming a member of the Canadian Forces.

I am currently 26 years old, I possess a university degree BA, a college diploma 2 year, and I am currently working a full time job for the Government.  I have above average physical fitness and train all the time.

My question is this: I was recruited back in 2005 as a private for the infantry and decided it was not my time for the military, due to outside pressures ( my parents ) encouraging me to try other career options because of the situation developing in Afghanistan.  I have regretted leaving to this very day.  I could not re-join until I was self sufficient and not under my parents roof and dependant on them for the necesssities of life.  Long and short, I want to rejoin as an Infantry Officer in training.  I was wondering how long the intake process takes for the Officer Training program for Infantry officers and how often they do intakes for that discipline.  I am not interested in any other area of the army other than Infantry.

Thank you for any help or personal stories you can give me.

All the best.

 

[Greymatters]

Have you tried talking to your local recruiter yet? He/she will likely have the most current information regarding waiting time and how often they recruit.

 

[Canadian.Trucker]

I'm not at a recruiting centre, but I can tell you there is a huge need for Infantry Officers right now.  It's a red flag trade (last I heard anyway a couple months ago) and the CF is short 200 Captains in the Infantry right now.  As for training you have a total of 14 weeks for IAP/BOTP in St Jean Quebec, in ROTP it's 7 weeks for second language training so I'm not sure how long if you're a Direct Entry Officer which you would be since you have a degree.  Then 11 weeks in CFB Gagetown New Brunswick for CAP (Common Army Phase) which give you all your section level tasks recce patrols, section attacks, C9 Light Machine Gun, Grenades, Pistol and gives you a Range Safety Officer qualification.  Then 11 weeks for DP 1.1 Phase 3 Infantry Officer all your platoon level operations, hasty attacks, fighting patrols, raids, ambushes, urban operations, defensive operations etc.  Then 16 weeks for DP 1.2 Phase 4 Infantry Officer which focuses on mechanized operations for the LAV III as well as other ops.  All in all you're looking at a little over a year to get qualified.  When you get these courses will depend on availability (there's a backlog for Phase 4 right now) and dates, so you'll be sent different places for OJT while you wait.

Best of luck, make sure you're fit and have an appetite to learn and an ability to think quickly on your feet.

 

[Command-Sense-Act 105]

Seems like it's "Recruiting Question Groundhog Day" this week.

Here's a short answer:

1.  Call up your nearest CFRC, walk in to see them or go on line at the CF Recruiting web portal and research.

2.  Search on this site through the Recruiting and Infantry fora.  Read what you find.

3.  Make your decision.

Mods, can we lock up now?