Towards_the_gap
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Towards_the_gap said:
Well, today is that day. This will take a while, as I want to cover all the bases on my experiences so far as a British Army - CF Transferee, so that others know what they are in for. I'll also break it down into stages so that it's not one huge super-paragraph:
Recruiting Process
Relatively straightforward. The CFRC I dealt with initially didn't know quite what to make of it, as it's not such a normal occurrence to have a serving British soldier waltz in and ask about transferring, however, once they ascertained I was in fact Canadian I was simply treated as a rejoin. The PLAR process did not take very long, in fact the most worrying wait was to be for my Pre-Sec, however in the midst of my application I was informed that individuals who have lived in either the US or UK need only to supply a criminal record check (done within the last 12 months) and then will not need a Pre-Sec.
I was then sworn in as an AL/Cpl on the Thurs and given an ETP message for Pet to report the following sunday night.
Arriving at new unit
First impression was that everything was newer and shinier, however 2 CER does occupy a pretty new and well maintained building. The in clearance process was 'relatively' painless, I say relatively for there were issues with my initial pay and benefits administration that are only being resolved now. However those were the fault of the CFRC not my unit. I was kitted out with an initial issue of combats and head dress so I could look the part, and then given my full scale of issue on the Wednesday. As this was the Wednesday of the last week before Xmas leave, most people were quite surprised that I was able to get so much done, it being the silly season and all, so BZ to the sup techs in the Pet Clothing Store.
First few months
The first few weeks were spent settling in, more specifically finding a home for myself and my wife who crazily followed me from the UK. The IRP process is great. Compared with the British Army, where you are given sometimes as little as 2 weeks notice to move on posting, then given around $1400 in moving allowance and told to 'crack-on', the whole process, although daunting, made life so much easier. At work, it was a case of settling in, getting to know everyone, and I was lucky to be allowed to stay back from the Texas exercise in order to finish renovations on our newly purchased house. I also started getting acquainted with the different bits of kit, in particular the C7. I found the entire regiment extremely welcoming, and VERY similar in attitude, outlook, and humour to what I was used to.
I also began the process of having other quals, that weren't looked at in the initial PLAR process, recognised. An example of this is my British Army 'driving license' recognised and swapped for a 404's. Whilst a direct swap isn't possible, I only have to do DDC & Safe Backing, then I can receive my 404's, and get familiarised on all vehicles similar to those that I drove in the British Army. This saves me the annoyance of having to relearn, on a driver wheel course, how to change a flat tire.
Conclusion
Best da*n choice I ever made. If any other British soldier are reading this and considering it, I would recommend the following:
-Get copies of absolutely everything in your p-file. If necessary get in touch with Glasgow or your RCMO to get this. Also make sure your FMT 600 is up to date.
-If possible, get in touch, possibly through these means, with the regiment/branch you wish to transfer to. Unless you are being recruited/file managed by someone from that same background as you, they may not necessarily know what you are capable of. For example, how would an Air Force Cpl RMS Clerk know what I meant when I said I was a B2 Combat Engineer and A2 Engineering Surveyor.
-Be prepared to drop a rank, if only for the fact that some qualifications, particularly leadership, are not covered in the initial process. They may just hire you as qualified in your trade, not necessarily your rank. If you do drop a rank, take it on the chin and consider it a break from the responsibility you were used to, in order to give you time to settle in and learn the subtle differences in the two armies.
Pros's
-Better pay
-Better food (the first week at pet I ate at Normandy court and was in heaven. The British Army are not called sh*teaters for nothing)
-Better terms of service
-WAAAAY More support for families than you would get in the UK
-WAAAAY more support from the public in general. I never once got thanked in the UK for being a 'squaddie', hence it embarasses the hell out of me when it happens here.
-Better benefits, in particular the health care (both OHIP and PSHCP).
-Better kit. Yes some of it doesn't float my boat, but I got issued more socks on my enrollment than I would've got in 5 years British Army service. And that 'Clothing Online' is a great idea too. Never seen the likes of it in the UK. I was also issued a number of things I had already had to buy as a British soldier.
Cons
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*Mods please feel free to move this to a whole new thread if it takes up too much space.
