The CF and Me

[petite]

Allo I promised to update people and here's the latest development.

Got off shift this morning and was putting around the house for a little while. Just crawled into a warm bed when a knock came at my door and the phone was for me. It was CFRC Ottawa with a job offer...for my second choice.
Standing Offer is Five year contract in Air Force. Enter as an unskilled recruit and train as an AVN Tech. (Civilian equivalent is AME M). BMQ in St-Jean on Jan. 15th.

Other option is wait til the new recruiting numbers come out in April to see if any Aircraft Structures (ACS Tech) spots open up. I'd go in as Semi-Skilled and be in the trade that I went to school for and worked in before. No guarantee that there will be any spots, ACS is a specialized trade that requires a Selection Board. Plenty of ways this could go. I will be in uniform in 2007, just a matter of when - Jan or May? And I'll be a wrench wench either way.
Ok, off to sit in all night diner and deliberate the PROs and CONs. Thanks for listening and encouraging.

P.S. HLM I will not drink unsupervised, time to stop holding my bottle of Screech hostage. That is all.

[mellow_pilot]

Congrats kid!!! Good luck, whatever you decide!

[xsbank]

Congratulations from me, too!

Can you transfer to another specialty after you get in? Can you get your first choice after five years (trust me, five years is not very long)? If you want to work after the Forces, which specialty would pay better? Can you do more education with them (promotions)?

I think either choice is a terrific opportunity and you should be proud that you are what they are looking for.

I think you could probably have a small one now!

[Say Altitude]

Here's the real deal.............the CF is short of EVERY single trade/occupation on the planet.

Hold off and force them to make a great offer to get you to come onside....do what you've trained yourself for - don't accept anything less than that....

Trust me...you won't regret it.......

[Rowdy]

CONGRATS BUDS!

I knew it was only a matter of time before they realized the sheer awesomeness that was Petite and tried to coerce you into a spot.

I'd say hold out too.. Unless of course you can transfer once you're in.

[shitdisturber]

Remustering from one trade to another is not as easy as some here seem to think; take that into consideration when you're making your decision. Someone asked if there was a difference in pay between the two; there isn't, they're both specialist trades and the pay is identical. As for ease of promotion, that depends on how over or under staffed the trade you end up in is; during most of my time, we were at peak staff levels and cutbacks resulted in few promotions. After I took an early retirement;, one of several offered, manning levels were way down and promotions came a lot faster.

Good luck with your choice.

[punk]

CONGRATS!!!!!! Best of luck making the call...nice to see dreams coming true!

[groundpilot]

I say if you want to join which you seem to go ahead and get basic over with. The sooner your in, the sooner your done boot camp and the sooner your away from the hell hole of St Jean. As well, the sooner you join, the sooner you will get pay raises, more vacation, and pension. You can try for an occupational transfer after basic.

I am not sure how "semi-skilled" works so if it includes starting at a higher incentive level what I said before may be void. Bottom line: whatever they tell you, get it in writing and don't lose it!! Keep every piece of paper you get in the military. They seem to have a problem of losing your documents.

I debated on delaying on my joining time and I am happy I joined as quick as I could although I had my trade locked.

Good luck with your decision. In general, the longer your in, the better it gets.

[gonfly'n]

listen to that man about holding onto your paperwork. They do seem to lose things especially having to do with pay.

[hazatude]

Gratz Petite. You've worked hard. Go with what you feel in your heart.

[petite]

Thank you all for the support and advice. Currently in Mississauga with some friends. Mostly relaxing and talking this whole situation out. I'll be calling CFRC Ottawa on Monday morning with my decision. Whatever I choose will be the trade that I stick with for a long time.

In case, anyone wanted to know what I am choosing between. It's not a question of whether or not I am going into the military. It's a matter of when Jan or May/June and for what - ACS (1st choice) or AVN (2nd choice)

ACS Tech

AVN Tech

[TerrainTerrain]

Good luck, regardless which one you decide on. By the sounds of it, you'll enjoy military life and your trade (whichever one you choose) very much.

And I wouldn't worry about St. Jean being a shithole. Borden is right up there too!

Get past those two resorts and you're golden

[Kandoo]

A word of advice from someone who’s been there. Wait the extra couple of months and get the trade you want. I didn’t want to wait the extra year for my preferred trade to open and was told no problem to remuster after I joined. They, the recruiters, have been known to stretch the truth occasionally. When you sign on the dotted line you belong to the Forces and their needs outweigh yours. Once I was in and attempted to remuster I was told you have to be TQ5 (journeyman) qualified to even apply. That happens at around the five year mark. Five years was a long time doing something other than what you want. The Canadian Forces is a great experience, you will get to meet great people and have an interesting career that you can take to civie street when you get out, if you play your cards right. Best of luck!
I think semi-skilled will allow you to skip some trade training and lead you to higher payscales sooner. Waiting up front may get you farther ahead in the long run.

[Beacon Final]

The CFRC are all about filling the most needed spot. Hold out for what you want. The other choice will always be there.

[Jimmy Mack]

remember---> soldier first, trade second. Good luck, always always and twice on Mondays photocopy any paperwork you do.

JM