Teenager seriously considering RMC, have a few questions

[CadienCadian]

Hello! I’m a Teenager seriously considering the RMC and Military as a career option. I had a few questions about both the RMC and service as a whole if anybody would be able to answer.
1. Is it true that they actually pay you to go to the RMC?
2. If I wanted to be an officer in the Armoured Corps is strategic studies the course to take?
3. Is it possible to go straight into the armoured corps from the RMC? Or would I start in infantry? Doesn’t really change my decision I just want to know.
4. How is life at the RMC? I’ve heard it’s really hard but is it as bad as people say?
5. How do promotions actually work in the CAF? everything I seem to find about them is from from the US Military.

 

[brihard]

1: Yes. You get a modest salary for the time you’re an Officer Cadet (that’s a rank) at RMC. But you also don’t have to pay tuition, so that modest salary is a decent bit of spending money with no student debt adding up. Also, as soon as you join CAF, which is even before you start at RMC, you start contributing to a pension. You probably don’t grasp how awesome that is now but you would down the road.

2: If you want to be an armoured officer you can take basically anything. Some officer occupations require specific degrees, like engineering. Armoured is not one of them. You just need a degree to hang on the wall.

3: When you join CAF you accept an offer to a specific occupation. If you accept an offer for Armoured Officer, then that’s your career path unless you flunk out or decide to change trades later. You don’t have to be infantry first.

4: Can’t say; didn’t go.

5: Promotions require time and qualifications, and after the first couple, merit. While at RMC you would be an Officer Cadet. After you get your degree you would be promoted to Second Lieutenant. Lieutenant and Captain are mostly based on having a few more years in. Past that it has to do with job performance and certain qualification courses that CAF will send you on. CAF will manage your career quite actively. You’ll have some say in what your job preferences are, but promotions to Major and above will have more to do with how good a job you do and what jobs you fill.

 

[AKa]

I'll say up front that my experience is dated but I can weigh in on #4.

Military college is hard. In addition to your standard academics, there's required fitness classes, language training (if you are not bilingual in the official languages), and military training. None of this is optional.

For the academics, there isn't (unless that has changed) a lot of optional courses and you don't have the option of dropping courses when you're overwhelmed or failing. You are expected to arrive at the end of four years (five if you do prep year in St Jean) with all the degree requirements completed. Failing courses generally has consequences, up to and including release.

As to whether it's as hard as they say? Experiences differ wildly based on personal suitability, resiliency, and a certain amount of luck. At my stage of life, the children of my military college classmates are now cadets. Now, like then, some fit very well, some struggle, and some discover it is not for them at all

 

[CMRMom]

Hey, I’m the Mom of a current student.
I cant stress enough how valuable a visit to your local CAF Recruiting Center is. You can ask lots of questions and get some good advice
1. Yes your child will get paid—part of their salary covers education/room/food and they receive the remainder. You buy their computer but books etc are covered. If your child is still in highschool they might consider joining the Reserves as their reserve service counts toward pay level. It ends up increasing their salary while in school and gives them a taste of military service
2. As above Armoured officer can take any course of study however your child will be asked to choose 3 potential occupations so the other choices may have degree requirements
3. Answered above
4. Is it hard? Yes. It should be. But for the right recruit it is so worthwhile they don’t really notice. My kid had pretty good marks in school, strong athletic involvement and a job, as well as lots of responsibilities at home. He was used to busy. There is a big athletic demand at school and in military training so if your kid is fit, it won’t be that bad. Sports, teams, band can all make things easier too. BMOQ and FYOP will test their resilience & stress response but it tests everyone. What they get from their time is a group of classmates that become family. Its a small school that becomes so tight knit. At alumni weekend once I met a man that had graduated in the ‘60’s He had tears in his eyes talking about his time there and said “I just miss it here”. Sixty years later
I am amazed and proud of my kid. And I love my new military mom group. If it’s right for your kid as a parent you’ll have this feeling of anxiety but immense peace that they are on the path where they belong.