The Reserves

[jaykay]

I understand that getting into the Regular Force can be quite a lengthy process right now, and that most positions are full until April. But, as of now i'm only wanting to join the reserves for a few years, while i'm still in school and whatnot. Whats the waiting time like the Reserves? I'm looking into joining an Infantry base, are most positions for reservists full as well until April?

Now i know i need to go talk to my local recruiter, to see what the job openings are like in my area, but seeing as how i cant do that this very minute i'm just wondering what the wait-time to get in is in general right now, is it as difficult as the Reg. Forces or is it a much more quick process?

Also, once i go in there and talk to a recruiter, how long after until i'm able to do my Aptitude test, medical test, interview, then ready to join? are we talking weeks, months, more than that?

 

[shiska]

Recently sworn in Ocdt here. My process took ~4 months which, based on the bits i gathered from other new recruits was actually a little on the quicker side. Not entirely surprising since I already had my security, cfat, medical, and interview done and up to date from a prior attempt at ROTP. That being said your mileage will most definitely vary based on location, availability, procedural snags and such.  What I'm really saying here is that there's no way to tell just how long you'll be waiting. My only advice is that if you're serious then get the ball rolling ASAP. The sooner you get started the sooner you'll get through the system.

As for the process itself, I was given a date to complete my tests 2 weeks after handing in my completed application. The real wait came after that was all done.

 

[jaykay]

Recently sworn in Ocdt here. My process took ~4 months which, based on the bits i gathered from other new recruits was actually a little on the quicker side. Not entirely surprising since I already had my security, cfat, medical, and interview done and up to date from a prior attempt at ROTP. That being said your mileage will most definitely vary based on location, availability, procedural snags and such.  What I'm really saying here is that there's no way to tell just how long you'll be waiting. My only advice is that if you're serious then get the ball rolling ASAP. The sooner you get started the sooner you'll get through the system.

As for the process itself, I was given a date to complete my tests 2 weeks after handing in my completed application. The real wait came after that was all done.

4 months?! Oh man, thats a lot longer than i thought, i was expecting weeks  ;D thats a little disappointing, but maybe i'll get lucky and end up not having to wait as long

but yes, knowing this, i really need to get in the asap to get started

 

[Bluebulldog]

4 months?! Oh man, thats a lot longer than i thought, i was expecting weeks  ;D thats a little disappointing, but maybe i'll get lucky and end up not having to wait as long

but yes, knowing this, i really need to get in the asap to get started

4 months is longer than you thought? Have a look at the recruiting threads, that actually is on the speedy side.

Just a friendly piece of advice. Develop some patience, it will serve you well in your future army career, if you get down that path.

There are some folks who have taken over that ( including up to a year) during their application process to the reserves.

Get down to a recruiter, and take it from there. Good luck.

 

[Smirnoff123]

Consider yourself lucky if it only takes 4 months to go through the process. 

As stated above, it can take much longer, it took me about a year just for them to start my application, but the wait has been worth it.

My best advice is to don't give up hope and remain persistent.

 

[jaykay]

I didn't realize it took so long, but i guess theres nothing i can do about that

but i'm supposed to be going in to talk to a recruiter tomorrow, do you usually sign anything or apply right then during your first visit there?

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Some advice for those of you asking questions about joining Reserve units.  There are lots of Reserve members, probably even some Recruiters from the Reserves, etc who are on the board.  You can potentially help these people alot if you can post atleast where you are from and what trade(s) you are interested in.

Reserve recruiting is done differently than it is for Reg Force.  In the Reserve world, there may be openings in an Infantry unit in a reserve unit in 1 city, but not in others.  This holds true for all reserve units and trades, so its helpful if you atleast say what city you are in and what trade you are interested in.

:2c:

 

[Jarnhamar]

If your goal is the regular force I strongly suggest you apply for the regular force.

'Back in the day' it was a common plan for guys like you who are interested in the regular force to start out in the reserves. Get a little taste of army life and just switch over.

It's not like that anymore.

I have friends in the reserves who have multiple tours to Afghanistan who are still waiting to join the regular force.  It's not a fast process.

That's also not taking into consideration reserve regiments that are full and not hiring OR them telling their members not to work for a few months due to budget cuts.

if you're in high school and worried about that, wait until you graduate high school then apply for the regular force.
If you're in college or university and will be there for 3 to 5 years and want to join the reserves then that makes more sense and apply (but be careful because it becomes a crutch) but realize that going over to the regs after is usually not a fast process.

 

[jaykay]

If your goal is the regular force I strongly suggest you apply for the regular force.

'Back in the day' it was a common plan for guys like you who are interested in the regular force to start out in the reserves. Get a little taste of army life and just switch over.

It's not like that anymore.

I have friends in the reserves who have multiple tours to Afghanistan who are still waiting to join the regular force.  It's not a fast process.

That's also not taking into consideration reserve regiments that are full and not hiring OR them telling their members not to work for a few months due to budget cuts.

if you're in high school and worried about that, wait until you graduate high school then apply for the regular force.
If you're in college or university and will be there for 3 to 5 years and want to join the reserves then that makes more sense and apply (but be careful because it becomes a crutch) but realize that going over to the regs after is usually not a fast process.

That makes sense, i'm not 100% sure of what i want to do though yet

I was possibly now thinking of joining the reserves, and just staying in that for a few years, while i finish off my last year of highschool, and possibly go to college, then once thats done just stay in the reserves a bit, voluntarily be deployed at least once, then i was thinking of leaving for the police force instead, that way i still get to be in the military and serve, then also choose the police force as my secondary career after a few years of the military

 

[Jarnhamar]

Deployments as a reservist are very few and far between with Afghanistan ramping down.  Don't count on getting a deployment in a part of your plan, a lot of reservists do and it just keeps them hovering in limbo. I cant do this in case a tour comes up, I cant do that in case a tour comes up. Don't count on a tour man.

In your case the police wouldn't be a second career as the reserves isn't a first career. If you are interested in becoming a cop then join the reserves while you are in school, take applicable policing courses when you can and then apply to be a police officer.
Point to note police officers have some demanding shifts and it sometimes conflicts with the reserves work schedules so you may have to put the reserves on the shelf for a while. Some 12 hour days and working

 

[BDTyre]

4 months is longer than you thought? Have a look at the recruiting threads, that actually is on the speedy side.

Just a friendly piece of advice. Develop some patience, it will serve you well in your future army career, if you get down that path.

It took me nearly two years (just one week short).  Even if you took out the problems I had I believe it would still be over a year.

 

[jaykay]

Deployments as a reservist are very few and far between with Afghanistan ramping down.  Don't count on getting a deployment in a part of your plan, a lot of reservists do and it just keeps them hovering in limbo. I cant do this in case a tour comes up, I cant do that in case a tour comes up. Don't count on a tour man.

In your case the police wouldn't be a second career as the reserves isn't a first career. If you are interested in becoming a cop then join the reserves while you are in school, take applicable policing courses when you can and then apply to be a police officer.
Point to note police officers have some demanding shifts and it sometimes conflicts with the reserves work schedules so you may have to put the reserves on the shelf for a while. Some 12 hour days and working

Even though Afghanistan is nearly done i'm sure there will always be future wars in the years to come, but yess i know what you mean about not getting my hopes up to be deployed

and yes thats true also, i'm kind of just doing the reserves while still in school/possibly college soon, while still having another job, seeing as how the reserves doesn't pay that much, i'm kind of just doing it because it interests me not as a career in itself, plus it looks good on a resume when applying to become a cop i'm sure

anyways, i just finished applying last night, just waiting to get my transcripts that way i can be fully applied

 

[brihard]

Some advice for those of you asking questions about joining Reserve units.  There are lots of Reserve members, probably even some Recruiters from the Reserves, etc who are on the board.  You can potentially help these people alot if you can post atleast where you are from and what trade(s) you are interested in.

Reserve recruiting is done differently than it is for Reg Force.  In the Reserve world, there may be openings in an Infantry unit in a reserve unit in 1 city, but not in others.  This holds true for all reserve units and trades, so its helpful if you atleast say what city you are in and what trade you are interested in.

:2c:

This. What he said.

Some of us on here do work as recruiters within the reserves. Whereas reg force recruiting counts openings on a national level, each reserve unit is rsponsible for its own intake. We process applicants through CFRC, but I as a recruiter act upon my RSM and CO's intent with regards to recruiting new troops to the regiment, up to the intake we're authorized for the year by Canadian Forces Recruiting Group.