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Originally Posted by peter12
I just joined up with the Seaforth Highlanders as a commissioned member. I passed my FORCE certification last Thursday. So far, it has been an incredible experience, and I feel privileged to be initiated into such an incredible group of men and women who have given so much to our country's historical, and present circumstances.
I wanted to start this thread as a place for advice or stories about serving in the Canadian military.
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I currently serve as an officer and work in the G3 (operations) Branch. In two years, I will have been in for 25 years. So, if you have any questions, fire away. Hopefully your recruiting process doesn't take too long and you can start your training this summer.
Your BMQ will be a breeze. Do what you're told, work hard, and help others. I can't emphasize the latter enough. Offer assistance and seek assistance.
Know that the Common Army Phase (CAP) will challenge you like never before. There is nothing difficult, but the aim is to introduce stress in order to see how you react. Speak to your Reg F Officer and Warrant Officer as they can help you prepare for that course.
Track down the following books:
- Small Unit Leadership by Col (Retd) Malone, US Army
- Leadership Secrets of the Rogue Warrior by Dick Marcinko, retd SEAL commander.
- Maneuver Warfare Handbook by William S Lind
The former two will help you immensely with leading your platoon. Marcinko's book hits home the idea that just do your job and forget the politics. As others, above, have mentioned that means looking after your soldiers.
The latter is an excellent resource for platoon and company-level attacks.
Do you think you might transfer to Reg Force? In my opinion, the opportunity to lead troops in the Reserves diminishes once you are a Company Commander (Captain/Major) for the sole reason that there aren't that many soldiers to command. You go from leading soldiers to managing budgets and planning mess dinners.
Good luck!
Arte et Marte!