What's the Canadian Navy realy like?

[ItsJustOscar]

Hello everyone!

I am currently very interested in joining the canadian navy. I am 17, extreamly fit and active, interested in physics and math, and am considering going to university under substdised education. I want to be a marine electritan.

I do not plan on being on the navy for my whole life, just long enough to do something great for my country, and to get some great experence, then get a civilian job, and begin a family.

And I was wondering what the navy is realy like. none of the puffed up, lies to make it seem better. I would like to know real, what its like, living conditions, equipment, food, any aspect of the navy.

P.S. Any comments from anyone with Canadian navy experence would be greatly apreciated!

 

[Occam]

Have you searched or browsed the Navy part of the forum?

http://forums.army.ca/forums/index.php#c10

 

[Pat in Halifax]

Have you searched or browsed the Navy part of the forum?

http://forums.army.ca/forums/index.php#c10

Obviously he can't read...
...We'll take him!!!

 

[navymich]

Welcome to army.ca.  This is a great site to find out all kinds of information about whatever may interest you in the military.

However, a couple of small details to point out to you.  First, there is a spell checker with this site.  Kindly use it, it makes reading a post that much easier.  Second, as was suggested earlier, read through the site first.  Many of your questions have already been answered, in detail, and with recent information.  IF after reading those other posts, you still have specific questions, ask them within an applicable thread.

airmich
army.ca mentor

 

[navymich]

... none of the puffed up, lies to make it seem better. ..

On another note, this portion of your post is unfair.  You are not yet in the military.  Many posts that you read that you believe to be "puffed up" are in fact from people who genuinely enjoy their job, their trade, their element.  You will not get the same story twice from two different people.  There are going to be aspects that some live for, and then those crappy postings or taskings.  But there are still many of us out here that would still do the same thing again and again because we love what we do and what we are a part of.  Read and learn, and then make your own decisions.  But go into your reading of posts, and into your career with open eyes, and make of it what you can.  Good luck.

 

[Pusser]

Obviously he can't read...
...We'll take him!!!

"The Navy is looking for half-wits.  We'll give you the other half in our own good time!"

My apologies to John Winton, who wrote We Joined the Navy.

 

[Pat in Halifax]

You know, I had a really good reply for you here and then the phone rang....stupid siblings....
I suppose what I am saying is that though not necessarily desperate, the Navy is really screaming for people. Give me a 18 yr old (with a 14 yr old mind) and 2 weeks and I PROMISE, he/she will be able to do Cleaning Stns. But he/she will also be able to assist in a RAS, 'toss a rope', scan a loookout and do rounds on a deisel.
We aren't looking for half-wits, We are looking for no-wits...We will tell you what you need to know!

I was that age once too!

 

[dev_tech]

What I read is this: "I want a free, paid education if it's a free ride."

If you want a free ride, get a CAW job.

(No offence, I was raised on CAW money)

 

[ItsJustOscar]

Have you searched or browsed the Navy part of the forum?

http://forums.army.ca/forums/index.php#c10

Yes, I had searched the forum, and I had not found anything specific to what I was looking for. That is why I posted in the general navy section...

 

[ItsJustOscar]

Welcome to army.ca.  This is a great site to find out all kinds of information about whatever may interest you in the military.


airmich
army.ca mentor

Ya, I can see that this is a great sie to find out all kind of information, as I have been serching the site for a couple of days, and have nothing. I attempted to use your spell check, but it did not work, and i was trying to post quickly between class... thanks for your and all others "help"

 

[navymich]

Yes, I had searched the forum, and I had not found anything specific to what I was looking for. That is why I posted in the general navy section...

The thing is, you haven't asked anything specific in your original post for anyone to be able to help you.  The only thing I can pick out of your post is that you want to know what navy life is like.  On just the first page of the Navy General board, there is a thread on Halifax vs. Victoria and another on sleeping.  And that is just the first page.  Seriously, read through the posts.  All of them.  And do a search for the trade(s) you are interested in.  And THEN ask SPECIFIC questions IF you do not find answers.

 

[ItsJustOscar]

On another note, this portion of your post is unfair. 

I know they are everyones real thoughts. That is why i came here and asked. I was directing that towards the people that say things are Hunky Dorey, when in reality they are not.

I am sorry you misread.

 

[ItsJustOscar]

What I read is this: "I want a free, paid education if it's a free ride."

If you want a free ride, get a CAW job.

Free ride? are you kidding? I'm saying I want a quality education, and to serve my country... Did I say that I want a job where I can sit on my ass for the whole day, then pack up and head home? NO. I said I want to do a job that probably isn't that glorious, and what I hear is a hard working career, where im away from my loved ones, and I meet great people. If that is a "free ride", then yes, I guess I do...

 

[ItsJustOscar]

My error everyone... I though this was a forum where I would be able to ask a question, and learn about a career that I know nothing about. I made the incorrect assumption that there were some mature people on here that would be able to inform me of the Navy.

THANK YOU EVERY ONE... YOU MADE MY CHOICE SO MUCH EASIER, AS NOW I KNOW HOW MANY IMMATURE ADULTS THERE ARE THAT ARE NOT WILLING TO HELP A YOUNG MAN TRYING TO BE INFORMED!

 

[navymich]

I know they are everyones real thoughts. That is why i came here and asked. I was directing that towards the people that say things are Hunky Dorey, when in reality they are not.

I am sorry you misread.

My point on this one is how do you know that it isn't "Hunky Dorey"?  How do YOU know what their reality is or not?  You need to accept what is said on the boards as the truth.  You look at a member's profile, see what their rank/trade/experience is, you read through their other posts, and you choose to believe in what they are telling you.  As I previously mentioned, take all of the information in, filter out what you don't want and make a decision.  But in the end, it is YOUR decision.

Go to the main page of army.ca.  Choose "search" from the menu bar and type in "marine electrician".  Start reading through the posts that that search brings up for you.  If you finish reading them and still have questions regarding the trade, ask a specific question on a relevant thread.

Some trades in the navy are similar.  Some trades have the same or similar work schedules.  But if you have questions regarding one trade, you will need to ask about that trade and training/work/living questions.

When you are finished researching the trade(s) you are interested in, and you are still interested in it, THEN ask questions about life in general.

 

[Pat in Halifax]

Let's all settle down a little on this. I PM'd the individual with the promise of putting a little package together for him (Ya, I'm a softy!). He is correct you know; He did come here to ask questions-questions we encourage the uninformed to ask, and a few of us unfairly jumped all over him.

 

[jollyjacktar]

That seems to happen fairly regularly.  We should encourage his curiosity and hopefully get him to sign on the dotted line. 

Oscar, feel free to PM me with any questions you might have and I will try to give you some straight answers.  Cheers.

 

[aesop081]

What I read is this: "I want a free, paid education if it's a free ride."

If you want a free ride, get a CAW job.

(No offence, I was raised on CAW money)

What i get from it is someone who wants to join, do his service and move on. That is perfectly fine, not everyone joins to do 20. If the military wanted everyone to, the initial engagements would all be 20 years.

Maybe you should make use of your right to remain silent. It is free to do so.

 

[Halifax Tar]

That seems to happen fairly regularly.  We should encourage his curiosity and hopefully get him to sign on the dotted line.

JJT You just took the words right out of my mouth!

Young man I too am open to your questions about Naval Supply and general Naval questions you have, please feel free to PM me.

 

[Pusser]

I think where most people got their backs up was in the broad sweeping generality of the question.  Indeed, there is much to be found on naval life, by searching this website, but in all honesty, the search engines on this site are not the best and it can be difficult to find things sometimes.  I also think folks are a bit too quick to send people off to searches sometimes.  Some of the information on here is very old and folks often want the most current information.  Considering the amount of change we've witnessed in the CF in the last few decades, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask the same question a few times as the answers do indeed change!

Having said this, I do have one word of advice for the OP (Oscar?), a thick skin is an absolute requirement in the Navy.  We eat our own, often with relish.  We often say that you can tell who your friends are in the Navy - they're the ones who don't twist the knife when they stick in in your back. ;D

See below for some specific comments (in red) on your original post:

Hello everyone!

I am currently very interested in joining the canadian navy. I am 17, extreamly fit and active, interested in physics and math, and am considering going to university under substdised education. I want to be a marine electritan.  Do you want to be a Marine Electrician, a Marine Electrical Technician or a Marine Electronics Technician?  All of these are non-commissioned members and we don't send them to university.  However, there are some college programs that apply.  If you want to go to university, you may be looking at becoming a Naval Technical Officer (engineer)


I do not plan on being on the navy for my whole life, just long enough to do something great for my country, and to get some great experence, then get a civilian job, and begin a family.  This is fine.  If everyone who joined the CF wanted a full career, we would have huge problems in terms of upward mobility.  Our system expects people to get out at various points in their lives.  However, don't feel you have to leave the Navy in order to start a family.  Many sailors have full and active family lives with multiple children (and sometimes multiple wives  ;D).

And I was wondering what the navy is realy like. none of the puffed up, lies to make it seem better. I would like to know real, what its like, living conditions, equipment, food, any aspect of the navy.  Living conditions can be cramped and living and working in an environment that is constantly moving involves its own special set of challenges, but it can also be a lot of fun.  The equipment is modern and up to date (unlike the decade of darkness, not that long ago) and the Fleet is about to embark on a huge modernization project.  The food is good and in many cases, outstanding!  Just don't expect to be able to follow a strict vegan diet.

P.S. Any comments from anyone with Canadian navy experence would be greatly apreciated!

I was your age when I started in the Navy and I'm still here 28 years later.  I have enjoyed some of the best times, but also endured some of the worst times of my life in the "mob."  All in all though, both me and my family have profited from the experience and I would do it again if I had to do it over.  Good luck.