Reserves or RF

[Dlew]

Hey, I've been looking to getting into the infantry or med tech for about a year now and no positions have opened up. I'm 22 and have done my world traveling and some university and being in the RF is what I want and what I think is best.

I wanted to know if I joined the reserves would it be quicker for me getting into the RF since there seems to be no openings in infantry. Would a reserve also have a better chance of getting over someone just applying.

There are supposed to be new positions opening up in April so should I wait till April and see if positions are open or could I apply to the reserves and then if there is a spot open apply for it?

Any advice would be a great help thanks.

 

[Neill McKay]

Hey, I've been looking to getting into the infantry or med tech for about a year now and no positions have opened up. I'm 22 and have done my world traveling and some university and being in the RF is what I want and what I think is best.

I wanted to know if I joined the reserves would it be quicker for me getting into the RF since there seems to be no openings in infantry. Would a reserve also have a better chance of getting over someone just applying.

There are supposed to be new positions opening up in April so should I wait till April and see if positions are open or could I apply to the reserves and then if there is a spot open apply for it?

Any advice would be a great help thanks.

This has been discussed pretty recently here so if you search the Recruiting forum you might find some useful information.

Just to help you with your search and when talking to people in the recruiting centre or reserve units, we usually abbreviate the regular force as Reg Force (in speech) or Reg F (in writing).  RF could mean Regular Force or Reserve Force.

I would speculate that you might be able to get into the reserve force faster than the regular force, but that would depend entirely on what unit you want to join.  Reserve units only have certain trades, so for example a reserve infantry regiment would certainly have infantry soldiers but not necessarily medical trades.  Your best bet would be to talk to the recruiters at any reserve units near your home and see what plans they have for recruiting, and in what trades.

I don't know how the time would compare between joining the regular force off the street and transferring from the reserve force.

 

[dapaterson]

Actually, RF means Radio Frequency.

 

[Loachman]

In my early youth it was Rat Fink.

http://www.ratfink.org/ratfinkmuseum/

http://www.search.com/reference/Rat_Fink

 

[Dlew]

Ya im just trying to get my foot in the door. I put down med tech cause they said I could eventually go infantry. It's a pain with everything closed right now.

Thanks for the advice so far appreciate any help.

And ill use Reg Force in stead of RF from now on 

 

[PMedMoe]

I put down med tech cause they said I could eventually go infantry.

Do not pick one trade when you really want another.  Occupational transfers are not as easy as people seem to think, and usually require a certain amount of time in, training level, etc before you can apply.  If you only want one trade, choose that trade only.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Do not pick one trade when you really want another.  Occupational transfers are not as easy as people seem to think, and usually require a certain amount of time in, training level, etc before you can apply.  If you only want one trade, choose that trade only.

I'll second this morion.  Do not pick any trade just to "get in the door" in the hope that a transfer to the trade you actually want will come later.

By the time things open up, you may find yourself in a trade that's hurting for people even more than the infantry, and transfers out of the trade may be restricted.

The question to ask yourself is this:  Are you ready to spend YEARS in a trade you didn't really want, getting increasingly bitter about that Recruiter who said transfers between trades are "possible", while waiting to move on to the trade you wanted in the first place?

 

[PMedMoe]

I'll second this morion.

I'll hope you meant "motion" and weren't attempting to insult me. 

 

[Dlew]

I agree with you guys completely about not putting down something to get in the door, and med tech is something I could do for my 3 years of service. Infantry and combat engineer are closed and the recruiter I spoke to thinks there will be few spots open. I would rather serve my country with my 3rd choice than not serve it at all.

 

[Loachman]

I'll hope you meant "motion" and weren't attempting to insult me. 

No, he definitely called you a morion.

 

[MedCorps]

We just do not see many Regular Force Med Techs going to the Infantry if they pass the QL3 Med Tech course (the first trade course you do to become qualified as a Med Tech).  The time  / cost of training a Reg Force Med Tech complete with Primary Care Paramedic qualification just does not justify a change of vocation because the member want it.

The only movement to Infantry we see these days is when someone fails out of Med Tech training and they used to be from an Infantry unit.  In that case, if a Compulsory Occupational Transfer (COT) is required and the failed candidate is already qualified as an infantryman and the unit that the member belonged to wished to take them back (which funny enough is not always the case) then I have seen them return to their original MOSID.

Since the infantry has been overborne for some time now when a COT comes up normally they are offered whatever the CF needs, combined with what they are qualified to do from a recruiting / CFAT point of view, and whatever the Base Personnel Selection Officer feels they might succeed at.  A short while ago when I was more directly involved with QL3 Med Tech training it was the artillery... it seemed that everyone who we recommended a COT for went to the artillery for whatever reason... not sure that is even open now.  If they did not want to go to the guns they were released. The flavour of the week seemed to change about once every 3-4 months.

In short.  Do not try and become a Med Tech if you want to be an Infantryman it is ubber risky. 

Cheers,

MC

 

[PMedMoe]

No, he definitely called you a morion.

Well, most people can't spell my name.  ;D

 

[Thompson_JM]

Well, most people can't spell my name.  ;D

Moe?      ;D

 

[Final]

Moe?      ;D

Maybe he means his online name...Morion!  See I knew that was it.

 

[PMedMoe]

Maybe he she means his her online name...Morion!  See I knew that was it.

There, fixed that for you. 

 

[Final]

There, fixed that for you. 

I do not like being corrected!  (Although you can see why Id make this mistake..)  So for now on, you're a guy in my eyes!

 

[Loachman]

Let me guess - you have a problem getting and keeping girlfriends, right?

 

[Final]

Let me guess - you have a problem getting and keeping girlfriends, right?

How-w-w did you know??????