Canadian Forces Reserves

[STeeLy]

I wonder if anyone here is either in or was in the reserves.

I'm currently thinking about joining the reserves.

If anybody has any information or experience they want to share, it would be great

Thanks!

[Jayems]

I was about 1 mm away from joining when I lived in Medicine Hat. Did all the testing etc, and just had to sign the papers. I really couldn't give you much details other than you get a hearing test... a visual test...

I'm so boring.

I can get you in contact with some folks, if you so desire. (IE: email)

[BOSSY]

Good on you man... With all that is going on in the world I am totally humbled by those who would willingly sign up for the forces/reserves etc.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

I am currently in the reserves and am planning on going overseas to Afghanistan on the next rotation, so if you have any questions give me a PM and I will get some numbers for you for people who could give you more answers than I ever possibly could.

[CaptainCrunch]

Thats where I got my start, signed up for the Reserves and then transistioned to the regular forces. I'm probably out of date on a lot of my info, but PM me if you have any questions.

Overall it was a fab experience except for the budgetary issues.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

I am currently in the reserves and am planning on going overseas to Afghanistan on the next rotation, so if you have any questions give me a PM and I will get some numbers for you for people who could give you more answers than I ever possibly could.

Good luck to you Mustard.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Overall it was a fab experience except for the budgetary issues.

Militia rounds downrange!

They are getting better though with the budget as is the rest of the Canadian Forces just due to the necessity for more reserve troops, even if it is just in a support role. There is supposed to be something like 850 reservists needed from LFWA in their next rotation.

[Ironhorse]

I spent a good decade in the reserves, but my info will be a little stale dated. Still have some contacts though. What kind of information are you looking for?

[STeeLy]

Well, I'm way out in Ottawa... they have different regiments, battalions... etc...

What exactly is a combat engineer?

(The rest of the job titles are pretty self explanatory like Infantry and Artillery)

[csnarpy]

I used to be in the regs (served in the PG War and all) and in the last few years have had the urge to get back into it, via the reserves. Unfortunately the wife will not go for it (even though I'm a medic)... so I'm left with a little emptiness.

But good on ya mano.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by STeeLy

Well, I'm way out in Ottawa... they have different regiments, battalions... etc...

What exactly is a combat engineer?

(The rest of the job titles are pretty self explanatory like Infantry and Artillery)

The Engineers to the best of my knowledge are the guys who build bridges and the like, clear minefields, demolitions, etc, etc. If you have any questions you should go in and talk to a recruiter.

[MarchHare]

I spent my university years serving in the Reserves, although this was during peace time and I was never deployed overseas.

I certainly got great value from the experience -- I received excellent training, some extra money from my "one night a week, one weekend a month" work, and unlike many of my fellow students, I had a guaranteed summer job. Most importantly, after I graduated, it made a great bullet point on my resumé to say that I served in the Forces and gained lots of valuable skills that are highly applicable in the business world (leadership, teamwork, time management, etc.).

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

The Engineers to the best of my knowledge are the guys who build bridges and the like, clear minefields, demolitions, etc, etc. If you have any questions you should go in and talk to a recruiter.

I actually went down there and asked them a couple questions but nothing about specific positions. I have to call each reserve unit to ask what positions they have open and then they have to give me a letter before I am able to actually apply.

[worth]

I spent 2003-2006 in the reserves.

Excellent experience, and I would do it again. Getting out was one of the hardest decisions of my life, and the desire to go back again is still there.

What are you looking to join? Infantry, Armour? Or something in non combat arms?

I spent my time in the reserves in the Infantry.

Mean Mr. Mustard, what unit are you with?

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

I spent my university years serving in the Reserves, although this was during peace time and I was never deployed overseas.

I certainly got great value from the experience -- I received excellent training, some extra money from my "one night a week, one weekend a month" work, and unlike many of my fellow students, I had a guaranteed summer job. Most importantly, after I graduated, it made a great bullet point on my resumé to say that I served in the Forces and gained lots of valuable skills that are highly applicable in the business world (leadership, teamwork, time management, etc.).

I'm in University now and hopefully, I don't get deployed.

I'm in it for the training... as well as the physical fitness portion of it (I'll use it as my way of getting/keeping fit). I also do value the leadership and teamwork parts of the military, which is another reason I considered this.

That and this sounds like something a starving student could use as a "side job"

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by STeeLy

I'm in University now and hopefully, I don't get deployed.

I'm in it for the training... as well as the physical fitness portion of it (I'll use it as my way of getting/keeping fit). I also do value the leadership and teamwork parts of the military, which is another reason I considered this.

That and this sounds like something a starving student could use as a "side job"

1. You have the option to sign up to go overseas, so unless there is a military catastrophe there is little chance of you being forced to go overseas.

2. You do the vast majority of PT on your own time and if you don't you are screwed for PT when you do it with your unit.

3. Great teamwork skills are built and you meet some great people.... that being said you also meet some ######bags as well.

4.I personally wouldn't think of it as a side job, because you won't earn much money relative to any other job you could get, but rather look at it as personal development with a paycheque.

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

2. You do the vast majority of PT on your own time and if you don't you are screwed for PT when you do it with your unit.

3. Great teamwork skills are built and you meet some great people.... that being said you also meet some ######bags as well.

4.I personally wouldn't think of it as a side job, because you won't earn much money relative to any other job you could get, but rather look at it as personal development with a paycheque.

Thanks for the tips MMM. Really appreciate it.

And notice, "side job" is in quotations... since it's not really a job per se... it's just gathering skills and learning things you won't normally learn with other employment opportunities.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by STeeLy

Thanks for the tips MMM. Really appreciate it.

And notice, "side job" is in quotations... since it's not really a job per se... it's just gathering skills and learning things you won't normally learn with other employment opportunities.

Just as a note if you are a university student you will qualify for the bursary as well which is something like 2,000 dollars per year if you stay active within the regiment. It isn't a huge amount but it helps students who otherwise might have money issues stay in the reserves rather than being forced to go into a better paying job which doesn't really help build skills but rather merely pays more.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

1. You have the option to sign up to go overseas, so unless there is a military catastrophe there is little chance of you being forced to go overseas.

2. You do the vast majority of PT on your own time and if you don't you are screwed for PT when you do it with your unit.

3. Great teamwork skills are built and you meet some great people.... that being said you also meet some ######bags as well.

4.I personally wouldn't think of it as a side job, because you won't earn much money relative to any other job you could get, but rather look at it as personal development with a paycheque.

Great summary, overseas deployment and regional deployment and training were all optional, but I made sure that I did as much of that as possible in the summer time. If you go Navy, I believe you can get ship board deployments as well.

On number 2, the only time that you focus on PT is during your basic training, when your the lowest of the low and a disgusting sub human fat body, when I was in, the mornings focuses around some form of PT or another where they would run you into the ground, then the afternoons were spent in class room or field training except for the last two weeks where it was out in the field with little to no sleep and a lot of scenario training (best part of basic for me). Once you get through basic if you stay in then you go to the one day a week and some weekend stuff, then yeah your on your own for physical training.

On number 3, a lot of my closest friends to this day were people that I either trained with, or trained, most of the ######s usually found a way to filter out or they lost interest. you'll find a way to get along, and god help your liver by the way.

I always found a way to make pretty decent money because I pretty well volunteered for anything and everything. One of the best reserve experiences of my life was working as a trainer for basic training. There's nothing better then killing some disgusting sub human fat body (which I probably am now)

[STeeLy]

I was looking up at their site and they had an estimate pay, for the time you're there, it isn't actually bad, it's just that you're not there that often.