Personal Characteristics
Service in the Infantry calls for the highest dedication to the chain of command, to peers and, especially, to subordinates, as Infantry Officers must be able to lead troops in close combat under the most challenging of circumstances. You will often be called upon to perform many difficult physical and mental tasks at the same time, and to go without sleep and with little food for extended periods. To complete an operational mission successfully, you will need to be not only highly motivated, but also prepared to put your soldiers’ safety and well-being ahead of your own. To succeed in this career, therefore, you must be physically robust, mentally resilient, resourceful, methodical, efficient, and able to perform steadily under great stress. You will also need initiative, imagination, courage and common sense.
Formal Qualifications
You must meet Canadian Forces medical standards, and successfully complete a selection process that includes interviews and a wide range of examinations. If you are not qualified for Direct Entry, you must be qualified for either the Regular Officer Training Plan or (if it is available) the Continuing Education Officer Training Plan.
Direct Entry applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited Canadian university.
The Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP) comprises a full undergraduate education (to the Bachelor’s degree level) at the Royal Military College of Canada or another accredited Canadian university, followed by four years of obligatory service in the Regular component of the Canadian Forces. To qualify for ROTP, you must have completed high school with the appropriate university-oriented credits, or be in Grade 12 in an appropriate program with full expectation of successful completion. You must also be willing to complete four years of obligatory service after graduation from university.
The Continuing Education Officer Training Plan (CEOTP) is open only when recruiting objectives are not met through other officer entry plans. To qualify for CEOTP, you must be prepared not only to complete a Bachelor’s degree in your own time, but also to make satisfactory progress in your university program before the end of your initial engagement.
