Possible to switch posting?

[momtoprincesses]

LOL...  I read through here once in a while and I don't post very often, but I just had to pop into this thread and suggest that you should look up the city and what it offers instead of just listening to your friends.  Check out the facilities on base and what is available in the area... it's not nearly as isolated a boonie-town as some people make it out to be.  Yes, it is miserably cold in the winter, but not as bad as some places, and the summer quite makes up for it.  (And you know what?  The buildings are heated!!)  The cost of living here, aside from real estate, is a whole lot lower than Nova Scotia.  (But don't even look at buying a house here - the market is seriously inflated and property taxes are horrible.)  A posting is what you make of it - there are as many people here who love it as hate it.  You just need to meet more people with a better perspective.

As an aside... Good on you for caring about your mom, but how will she feel if you hurt your career when you're just starting out by using her as an excuse to refuse a posting where you will learn, grow, develop and round out your training?  I'm sure there is a solution - she could take in another boarder, for example.

Good luck, and chin up.  Cold Lake really isn't all that bad.  Especially now that it's starting to feel like Spring out there.

 

[ltmaverick25]

Can people around here try to be just a little more sympathetic?  Yes he is an officer, and yes we all know what the expectations of him are on the job and all that good stuff.  But here is a reality check, commission or not, he is still human, and still 21.  Obviously he is not happy about his situation and is looking for an outlet to talk about it.  And guess what folks, he isn't the first young or not so young officer to not like his situation.  And we all know I'm right about this.  When I am in the officers mess, I hear officers of all ranks gripping about any number of things that make them unhappy.  Its called life, its normal.  Granted this is not an officers mess, but it is an anonymous place where he can talk about what hes thinking without standing in front of his subordinates.  We should all try and remember this and be a bit more supportive.

And another point.  The CF as a whole is overly amazing at conveying the "suck it up buttercup" BS.  Given this, I hardly think that we need to provide even more of it.

As for the original poster.  I feel for your situation.  I have spent some time in Cold Lake.  I am not an outdoors person in my personal life and would have absolutely hated being there as a young single guy.  Now that I am not so young and not single, it would still be bad as my significant other would have a very hard time finding employment there.  But it is an unfortunately reality of our job.

If you do try to get a different posting you will have to come up with better reasons then saying this is a bad place for a young single guy to be.  Truth be told, the career manager probably hears this all the time from everyone so hes not going to care about yet another case of the isolation blues.  You will have to identify a requirement not to be there that goes a bit beyond it being a not so fun place to live.

On another note, there is a bright side to this.  Typically officers aren't in a posting for very long, and even if you have a 5 year posting, its not uncommon for you to end that posting early by applying for a different position elsewhere.  You may have more success identifying positions through EMAA that there is a clear need to have filled that are more suitable to your preferences.

If I were you, I would do a quick 2 years there, get the Cold Lake posting out of the way, and move on to another spot at 23.  You will still be pretty young and have alot left ahead of you.  I would not recommend staying there a full 5 years though.

 

[gyro081]

Can people around here try to be just a little more sympathetic?  Yes he is an officer, and yes we all know what the expectations of him are on the job and all that good stuff.  But here is a reality check, commission or not, he is still human, and still 21.  Obviously he is not happy about his situation and is looking for an outlet to talk about it.  And guess what folks, he isn't the first young or not so young officer to not like his situation.  And we all know I'm right about this.  When I am in the officers mess, I hear officers of all ranks gripping about any number of things that make them unhappy.  Its called life, its normal.  Granted this is not an officers mess, but it is an anonymous place where he can talk about what hes thinking without standing in front of his subordinates.  We should all try and remember this and be a bit more supportive.

And another point.  The CF as a whole is overly amazing at conveying the "suck it up buttercup" BS.  Given this, I hardly think that we need to provide even more of it.

As for the original poster.  I feel for your situation.  I have spent some time in Cold Lake.  I am not an outdoors person in my personal life and would have absolutely hated being there as a young single guy.  Now that I am not so young and not single, it would still be bad as my significant other would have a very hard time finding employment there.  But it is an unfortunately reality of our job.

If you do try to get a different posting you will have to come up with better reasons then saying this is a bad place for a young single guy to be.  Truth be told, the career manager probably hears this all the time from everyone so hes not going to care about yet another case of the isolation blues.  You will have to identify a requirement not to be there that goes a bit beyond it being a not so fun place to live.

On another note, there is a bright side to this.  Typically officers aren't in a posting for very long, and even if you have a 5 year posting, its not uncommon for you to end that posting early by applying for a different position elsewhere.  You may have more success identifying positions through EMAA that there is a clear need to have filled that are more suitable to your preferences.

If I were you, I would do a quick 2 years there, get the Cold Lake posting out of the way, and move on to another spot at 23.  You will still be pretty young and have alot left ahead of you.  I would not recommend staying there a full 5 years though.

I would like to begin to thank you on your insight. I'm glad there are people who still realize military people are still people none the less. It seems the people who have actually been to these places understand more then the ones who don't... I can see a trend anyways. I definitely did not know about the possibility of applying for an early posting after 2 years in one location. It was my understanding I would be here for the 4-5 years that I was originally told. You definitely brightened up my day with this information. It's hard to convince the girlfriend the same but we haven't been dating all that long so it is what it is. You're right, 23 is still very young in the work-force regardless of what the job is.

In all honesty, I'm already beginning to see a positive of this. I'll be able to experience a popular "bad" posting and be able to talk to many future candidates for such places in truth of how it really is, and what mindset to go in with. I suppose the only real learning is through experience, not textbooks. (or internet sources like I based my assumptions of Cold Lake off of)

You guys have all been a very good help, even those who told me to suck it up... I accept it all as positive comments. I can say with a clear conscience that my day went from the worst day of my life, to not so bad after all.  :nod:

Have a good night everyone!

 

[ltmaverick25]

I definitely did not know about the possibility of applying for an early posting after 2 years in one location. It was my understanding I would be here for the 4-5 years that I was originally told. You definitely brightened up my day with this information. It's hard to convince the girlfriend the same but we haven't been dating all that long so it is what it is. You're right, 23 is still very young in the work-force regardless of what the job is.

Just remember that is not a guarentee, just a possibility.  But if you do a good job, have a positive attitude at work and make a difference, it will go a long way to justifying the application to a different position.  Then you can be in a position not to complain, but rather to advocate which always goes better.  As you can see by some responces, the military has an unrelenting hatred for complaint, yet, we are ALL  guilty of it!

 

[medicineman]

Can people around here try to be just a little more sympathetic?  Yes he is an officer, and yes we all know what the expectations of him are on the job and all that good stuff.  But here is a reality check, commission or not, he is still human, and still 21. 

Here's the reality check - he's an adult and he signed a contract stating that he was willing to go where ever he was required...that means going to places that might be unpalatable to him.  Most people here that have been in longer than lunch have been to some pretty unsavory places or places that would rather have not gone to...I had my dream posting scooped out from underneath me by someone complaining that he didn't want to leave where he was, despite the fact they'd been there for ever and a day and I'd had a more rounded career.  I empathize, but I will not sympathize...and it's not an officer/NCO thing - it's the army side of me coming out.  I would suggest one of three things - take the posting, put a memo in through the CoC with three very good reasons explaining why you think this would be a bad idea, or put in your voluntary release.

BTW, I have a couple of friends there that love it, despite the isolation.  I've been there, yeah, it's cold in the winter and it's a bit far from civilization, but there is alot to do in the area if you look for it.

MM

 

[ltmaverick25]

Here's the reality check - he's an adult and he signed a contract stating that he was willing to go where ever he was required...that means going to places that might be unpalatable to him.  Most people here that have been in longer than lunch have been to some pretty unsavory places or places that would rather have not gone to...I had my dream posting scooped out from underneath me by someone complaining that he didn't want to leave where he was, despite the fact they'd been there for ever and a day and I'd had a more rounded career.  I empathize, but I will not sympathize...and it's not an officer/NCO thing - it's the army side of me coming out.  I would suggest one of three things - take the posting, put a memo in through the CoC with three very good reasons explaining why you think this would be a bad idea, or put in your voluntary release.

BTW, I have a couple of friends there that love it, despite the isolation.  I've been there, yeah, it's cold in the winter and it's a bit far from civilization, but there is alot to do in the area if you look for it.

MM

I can see why you might be annoyed given your specific situation.  I dont like it either when guys get a posting and try to hang on to it for their entire career.  I have a real problem with that too.  But, this poster's case is not even close to the same thing.

And another thing..

We need to show our new people some mentorship and guidance.  Sometimes the army side is not the best way to go about doing this be it with a Private or a 2Lt.

Im my opinion the 'suck it up buttercup' is neither mentorship or guidance.  If all he ever sees is 'suck it up buttercup' what do you think his leadership style will look like down the road?

 

[medicineman]

There's mentorship and then there is coddling...here is the problem these days: people seem to think that the CF is here for their convenience.  Again, you sign a contract saying you're willing to go where you're told and when you're told to - if you're not, you're in the wrong line of work.  There comes a time when you have to face up to it.  I gave him some options - nowhere did I tell him to suck it up - I just said I had no sympathy.  I told him that there is an unlimited liability, but if he thinks he has some special circumstances (which granted do show up - I've had them myself), I also told him what he can do about them.  If that doesn't work, he can take the posting and what comes with it or find a job closer to home or more suitable to his circumstances - but not in the military.  That's mentoring - showing them the way, whether it's the way things are done, the way ahead or the way out if that's what is required.  As Nick Lowe said back in the 70's, "...you've got to be cruel to be kind".

MM

 

[captloadie]

Going to Cold Lake as a junior Log O is an excellent start for your career. It will allow you to get the base knowledge you'll need to move on to greater responsibility at higher rank. You'll get experience in areas that you'd never get in Shearwater or Comox. And don't count on getting an earlier posting out for good behaviour like another poster suggested. With the rate that we're promoting and stovepiping people these days, we need to ensure you get all the base experience required early in your career, and that usually takes 3 or 4 years. But after that, if you want to leave, you'll probably get your wish, and then not go back until you are a L Col and take over as the W Log O  ;D

As far as a social life, I'm sure that there are enough young jet jockeys still out looking to have fun. And then there is always the opportunity to improve international relationships during Maple Flag every year.

And I wouldn't buy a house. Either rent out in town, or live in shacks and invest the money. You'll likely lose your shirt if you buy now, as you said it yourself, house prices are silly expensive, and getting out of the average military families ability to buy.

 

[Occam]

Up side - at least it's not Moose Jaw!

One possible reason why you didn't get a location such as Shearwater is that they've already posted some of your other "classmates" to those locations this summer. 

I know of at least one who got Shearwater....and one who got Moose Jaw.

 

[Griffon]

On a side note, Griffon, how long have you been in Cold Lake for? How old are you also if that's not too personal. Do you see the younger guys enjoy themselves? If so what is a common pass-time. I hear the night-life down there is next to non-existent unless your into incest. I guess today was just a real shocker finding out this news, and I didn't take too lightly to it. As the days go on I'll most likely loosen up...
-g

I was sure I hit "Post" last night when I responded to this...oh well, here goes:

I am 29 now, had my 21st birthday here.  I got here on May long weekend in 2002, which turned out to be a pretty good little party.  I met my wife here, so as a single guy it isn't totally hopeless here (And don't forget that the military posts guys AND gals to Cold Lake).  But if you want to have a crazy night out I would recommend getting into a car or two with a half dozen of your closest friends and hit the bar scene in Edmonton.  There are benefits to partying in a place other than your home town too 

As for things to do here, anything outdoors is fair game.  There's tons of fishing and hunting opportunities, boating is pretty awesome, there's an ATV/snowmobile trail that goes halfway to Edmonton, lots of smaller lakes with a dozen or so campgrounds to go spend your weekends at.

And if you're not really into the whole outdoorsy sportsman scene there's always the intersection sports teams on base including everything from softball to volleyball to hockey and more. We also have a pretty complete fitness center (JJ Parr) with a pool, gymnasium, squash and racquetball courts, soccer pitch, one outdoor and two indoor rinks, and a decently equipped weight/cardio room.  It's really just missing a running track, but if you really need a great gym there's also the Energy Center owned by the city, and it has pretty much anything JJ Parr doesn't.

For amenities, it's true that Cold Lake can be found to be a little lacking, but it works for the most part.  There's only a couple restaurants to eat at that (besides fast food joints, we have tons of those).  There's a Walmart and a Canadian Tire for your day-to-day needs, a Home Hardware and a Rona if you're a DIY guy that likes to build/renovate.

If you're into maintaining your own vehicle, or want to fix up a project car, there's an auto club on base that's pretty nicely set up and members get a discount at the local NAPA.

As you can see, I could write on this board for an hour or more telling you what there is to do here.  There are more things to do here than most people realize, but many of them choose to keep their eyes closed and complain about how horrible it is to be here.  It really is what you make of it; if you come here kicking and screaming you're probably going to hate it, but if you come here with an open mind and seek out the opportunities to have a good time you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.

Hope this helps!

 

[momtoprincesses]

There are more things to do here than most people realize, but many of them choose to keep their eyes closed and complain about how horrible it is to be here.


Very true!!!  And we know plenty of those, as well as plenty of people who love it here.    Griffon, do you think you could volunteer to re-write the info sheet they send out to people being posted in?  It really makes Cold Lake sound terrible, but just your little post here was ten times better!

 

[Container]

Cold Lake is great little town in summer. Its not that fantastic in Winter. I lived there for years- if I had the opportunity to be posted back I would jump on it.

So its not that bad.

To be honest it kinda seems like the old "I willing to serve anywhere......inside this small circle of area on this side of the country".

I think you'll be surprised by Cold Lake going in with such low expectations. But then again its all about your mindset- if you go there to hate it. You'll hate it.

I recently had an office party where I had to bite my lip as an office wife told me they were surprised when they weren't posted back to Toronto. She said "Sure you sign a paper saying you'll go anywhere in Canada but I didn't think they would actually make us move". Being on my fourth posting in four years in three provinces I had to hold my jaw shut.

Look at it like an adventure and it'll be great. And it might make it even sweeter when you get to go "home" in a few years.

Also.....at 21....you might be surprised at how welcoming the locals are..... ;D

 

[gyro081]

If you're into maintaining your own vehicle, or want to fix up a project car, there's an auto club on base that's pretty nicely set up and members get a discount at the local NAPA.

As you can see, I could write on this board for an hour or more telling you what there is to do here.  There are more things to do here than most people realize, but many of them choose to keep their eyes closed and complain about how horrible it is to be here.  It really is what you make of it; if you come here kicking and screaming you're probably going to hate it, but if you come here with an open mind and seek out the opportunities to have a good time you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.

Hope this helps!

Wow, this does help a lot! I am actually looking forward to my posting now! Who  woulda thunk it?  ;D

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Wow, this does help a lot! I am actually looking forward to my posting now! Who  woulda thunk it?  ;D

Tell us you're happy so we can close this mess up.

Milnet.ca Staff

 

[gyro081]

Tell us you're happy so we can close this mess up.

Milnet.ca Staff

Oh I am, giv'r. Thanks everyone!

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Post in this thread in a year and let everyone know either way.
Bruce