Ok.. I need some guidance!

[nayrc]

So to start a little bit about myself.  I am an ex sailor from the East Coast of Canada.  I enrolled into the reserves as a Port Inspection Diver in 2001 then switched over to the reg force Navy in 2003 and released in early 2008.  In my short time in the Navy I experienced a lot and got to the rank of Leading Seaman. Long story short I am now trying to get back in but I want to go green.

I have been talking with the recruiters on and off and I know I am getting the run around big time.  I'm not stupid.. I was military for long enough to know whats going on.  So I have a few questions.  I have fines that need to be paid at the Motor Vehicle.  My recruiter is now saying that in order for my application to keep going and for me to be enrolled I have to have all my fines paid in full.  Now lets just say Ive got a few fines under my belt... and there is no way in hell I can make a payment like that all at once.


Gees I thought being a former member with a few tours under his belt would have its perks when trying to re-enrole.. but I am being treating like a regular Joe blow and getting the run around for months.

Can someone please help me out?



Ryan

 

[MasterInstructor]

Hi Ryan

I just wanted to share my experience.

I had an issue with a collector, all I had to was settle with the collector and provide a letter to CFRC.

Collection agency reduces my debt and divided to 4 monthly payments. I took a receipt for my first payment, got a letter for the settlement. Have it to CFRC and was granted a waiver.

Hope it helps

cheers

 

[Nauticus]

So to start a little bit about myself.  I am an ex sailor from the East Coast of Canada.  I enrolled into the reserves as a Port Inspection Diver in 2001 then switched over to the reg force Navy in 2003 and released in early 2008.  In my short time in the Navy I experienced a lot and got to the rank of Leading Seaman. Long story short I am now trying to get back in but I want to go green.

I have been talking with the recruiters on and off and I know I am getting the run around big time.  I'm not stupid.. I was military for long enough to know whats going on.  So I have a few questions.  I have fines that need to be paid at the Motor Vehicle.  My recruiter is now saying that in order for my application to keep going and for me to be enrolled I have to have all my fines paid in full.  Now lets just say Ive got a few fines under my belt... and there is no way in hell I can make a payment like that all at once.


Gees I thought being a former member with a few tours under his belt would have its perks when trying to re-enrole.. but I am being treating like a regular Joe blow and getting the run around for months.

Can someone please help me out?



Ryan

I think that you are looking at this wrong.

You aren't being given the run-around, nor are you being treated like a "regular joe blow".  They simply won't let you in until your fines are paid. Period.

I suggest looking into ways (a loan, maybe? How many fines are we talking about) to pay. Then work on monthly payments to work the loan down.

 

[Otis]

I concur ... you have the wrong attitude. You are being treated just as anyone else, your former service does NOT grant you special privileges.

You must pay your fines. The CF cannot rehire you if you have any outstanding legal issues ... that includes fines! Imagine the scenario where you never pay the fines and the court issues a bench warrant for you ... that would instantly make you an administrative burden, unable to deploy, be posted or anything else. All you need to do is show that you have the situation under control and are taking care of your responsibilities and your application can continue.

Further to that ... the Recruiters do not know you, they do not know your background.

We have to check to ensure that you WERE released honourably and that your previous service record was clean. We have to check that your medical record were clean and you don't have any preexisting conditions before being re-enrolled That means pulling all of those records from archives in Ottawa. The archives staff in Ottawa is very small and you are competing against every other applicant with previous service.

If you're really serious about getting back in, you'll drop the attitude and sense of entitlement and be patient. The CF does not owe you a job ... you served, you got out, that was your decision, not our fault.

 

[nayrc]

I concur ... you have the wrong attitude. You are being treated just as anyone else, your former service does NOT grant you special privileges.

You must pay your fines. The CF cannot rehire you if you have any outstanding legal issues ... that includes fines! Imagine the scenario where you never pay the fines and the court issues a bench warrant for you ... that would instantly make you an administrative burden, unable to deploy, be posted or anything else. All you need to do is show that you have the situation under control and are taking care of your responsibilities and your application can continue.

Further to that ... the Recruiters do not know you, they do not know your background.

We have to check to ensure that you WERE released honourably and that your previous service record was clean. We have to check that your medical record were clean and you don't have any preexisting conditions before being re-enrolled That means pulling all of those records from archives in Ottawa. The archives staff in Ottawa is very small and you are competing against every other applicant with previous service.

If you're really serious about getting back in, you'll drop the attitude and sense of entitlement and be patient. The CF does not owe you a job ... you served, you got out, that was your decision, not our fault.

I agree with everything you have said.. However my entire application is done background check and all and they know I voluntary released.  My file from Ottawa is at the recruiting center my medical and PT test is also done as well I still hold a security clearence.  I know none of this matters.  The only tihng in my way is about $4000 worth of motorvehicle fines (I know stupid right). I just want to make sure that my recruiter is right when he says I have to pay the entire set of fines off before I can even consider getting in. Because other then the fines I have nothing stopping me from proceeding

I am hearing through the grapevine and old bosses than have been recruiters previously that all I have to do is make a payment and get in writing from the crown that I am paying on my fines.  You seem to know what you are talking about.  Can you put any clarification to this?

For the record I dont have an attitude.. I made a mistake in the past by getting out and I want to get back in and serve my country.  its just shocking to me that a simple motor vehicle fine can hold a person back from so much. The military is all Ive known since I have been 17 years old.... civie side is killing me and each day life is getting harder to support myself.

 

[Otis]

OK, I'll believe you. In the future however, be careful how you present yourself because we don't know you and 'tone' is very subjective in text form.

The amount you must pay before your application can continue is discretionary. Your MCC (the guy that interviewed you) will look at your file and make a determination based upon everything he sees as to your reliability and potential to become a problem. He makes a recommendation to the CO who makes the final call.

I have seen people with a lot of debt make a payment or two and get in ... I've seen people have to pay off the entire debt before reapplying. Some of this may depend on to whom the debt is owed. I am NOT a MCC, so I don't have all the details WRT the decision process and what determines what recommendation is made.

I suspect that if your MCC told you that the debt needed to be cleared prior to getting in, then your debt is significant enough that it could affect your employment in the CF. Not that I am judging, but I also suspect that $4000 in vehicle fines also speaks to his recommendation on your reliability and responsibility ... but gain, I am just guessing ... obviously I don't have all of the details (and I don't want them ... it's none of my business and not my place to second guess decisions based on a small amount of info)

 

[Michael OLeary]

OK, I'll bite, what

simple motor vehicle fine

results in

$4000 worth of motor vehicle fines

?

 

[nayrc]

OK, I'll bite, what

results in

?

Well I am not going to get into my life story over a message board.  That being said for my motor vehicle charges I do not face jail time or probation or anything that will effect my employment with the CF.  They are "simple" driving infractions (ie, speeding tickets).  The ironic thing is that the charges I have against me all happened when I was still in the Navy.. Now that I have gotten out and want to get back in.  That is the only thing stopping me.  I will figure it out.


Otis -- Thanks for your input.  I am taking a trip in tomorrow to see if I can straighten things out.

 

[gcclarke]

Just my two cents. I think in a case like this, it very much so depends upon who the money is owed to. If you owed several thousand dollars to a credit card company, they would be just fine with you making the minimum monthly payment indefinitely. When the money is owed to the provincial or municipal government as the result of a court judgement against you, well, I certainly think it would be in your best interest to approach them to try and hash a suitable payment schedule that is both doable on your part, and acceptable to them. But the government isn't really in the business of stringing along people forever and making money on the interest. They generally seem to want their money, and they want it now.

I'm not sure how much this issue has affected your credit rating, but it might be a decent idea to try and approach your bank and look into getting a line of credit. That would allow you to pay the balance of your fines, while still typically having a reasonable interest rate and minimum monthly payment.

Good luck with clearing this up.

 

[ajp]

I know of one case where a young qualified Pte had an imense fine owed in Ontario.  He had actually slipped passed recruiting with it and it was discovered in a minor traffic issue on base, speeding.  When all was said and done his 404's were revoked until his civ liscence was reinstated and thats where, as a supervisor I got involved.  Long story short, he made arrangements with the courts, the Province reinstated his liscence and he was allowed to get his 404's back.  If you read policy, he had to go through retraining as well. 

I recommend that you arrange a payment plan with the courts.  If you have arrangements made you should be ok.  Also, when you do get in, have a pay allotment set up to continue payments.

 

[FDO]

Currently our policy is if you are paying down your debt depending on the amout then we will look at your application. If however, you have ANY commitment to the courts then it's a no. The reason is, if you owe for fines and do not pay them they courts will issue a warrent for your arrest. This means that you will be pulled out of training or like Otis said undeployable. What happens when your in is up to your CO. Our job is to try to ease the burden on the system.

As long as you have a commitment to the courts your going to have to wait unless you can work something out.

 

[CallOfDuty]

.....damn....4000 bucks is just a simple motor vehicle fine!!??  I was miserable because I owed 140 bucks  on an expired MVI sticker.
  Anyhoo....I agree the line of credit is the best way to go.