Question about Basic Training and other training....

[ottawa_rocks]

Hello all,

I have a quesiton regarding reserves training...

I am currently a university student going into 3rd year of studies this coming fall. Unfortunately I couldn't do anything this summer because I am employed full time for all four months of my summer "vacation". Since basic training takes 10 weeks (?) I didn't bother applying this spring... but... I heard from a friend of mine that I can do basic training on weekends during the school year??? How does that work? Can anyone elighten me as to what the options are for training?

Thanks a lot! Really appreciate it!

 

[P]

i am in the same boat as you are, entering 3rd year and couldn't make it in time this summer and so on.  BMQ during summer does not take 10 weeks, it is 4 weeks (20 training days) i believe and then you move on to SQ which is another 4 weeks, so about 2 months all together.  The one you're refering to, the weekend trainings during the year is about 10 weeks.

my personal opinion is doing bmq during the year on weekends won't help me much, again this is for me.  i rather do it during the summer and have the full soldering/training experience; i just think that you gain much more this way.  since you are entering 3rd year it will get a lot busier, will you be able to handle weekends?  I'm not even sure if its every weekend during the year, hopefully someone can clarify that.

 

[WannaBeFlyer]

If you go to CFRC Ottawa on 66 Slater St. they will hand you a list of all of the Reserve Units with their phone numbers & address. They will probably tell you to call or visit the Units on parade night and ask to the individual recruiters if there are having any weekend BMQ sessions. Don't bother calling on nights that they are not there and leaving a message though.

The recruiters at the individual units can answer all of your questions as the CFRC may not be able to address that question because there are about 12 different Units in Ottawa. (at least that was my experience). Some have Basic only in the Spring, some on the weekends and some may not have the trade you want or you may not qualify for the trade but they will have weekend BMQ. You'll have to check around.

Good Luck with your search.

 

[Lost_52]

Hey boyz, im in the same boat as you slightly. i am still in high school and am planning on joining the reserves this fall the way that the training works is that if you choose to do the weekend one (if ur unit supports these) every second weekend you would be sent to a base near your unit and will spend from friday night until sunday night on base and after each weekens you'l go back (in your case back to school) for the week and go back your next training weekend, at my unit it is every second weekend it may differfrom unit to unit im not sure however that is the way the weekend traing works, and as mentioned before it lasts usually around 5 months.

Good Luck searching
Cheers 

 

[wilby]

During my interview, my very controlled asthma and old history of migraines came up...this appears to be a problem in getting accepted.  Does anyone know that for sure.  My doctor has filled out forms I was given but I'm wondering if this means I'm automatically disqualified from entering.  My recruiter was a little vague on that point.

 

[P-Free]

As long as it doesn't restrict you from doing your job, you should be good to go. Was that way for me, I had asthma when I was young but since I've gotten over it they didn't care.

 

[ottawa_rocks]

Hi all, thanks for the answers.

I'm applying to try to get in the 28th Medical Company. Hopefully they have weekend training, I gotta give them a call next Wed.
But yeah, I want to become a Medical Technician (737). Looking at the occupation pamphlet they have, the training section says 1) 10 week BMQ 2) 10 week SQ 3)16 week MOC and then 4) go to Paramedic Academy of the Justice Institute of British Columbia in Chilliwack... and the pamphlet says that after you complete 4) you'll have "the professional credential of Primary Care Paramedic Level I."
It seems like a hell of a lot of training, is this for regular or reserves? Anyone familiar with or went through the Medical Technician training?

By the way, if I live in Ottawa and if I choose weekend training... do I have to go to CFB Borden to do training or do I stay in Ottawa and go wherever the unit is stationed to train?

Thanks, I'll probably have more questions as time goes by (I find the official website to be extremely useless... I only know one guy in reserves and he was in Governor Generals Foot Guards.)