Do officers have fun?

[DannyITR]

I'm going to be joining as an officer in the reserves very soon (after having completed BMQ as a private and asking for a release 2 years ago). I was talking with the recruiter and he mentioned that an officer's role is mainly planning the mission. I have a few questions after having already searched this forum.

1. I have a degree. I read on this forum that I'd be commissioned upon enrollment. Does that mean I'm a 2lt going through BMQ and SQ? If this is not the case when do I become a 2lt and get rid of the cornflake on my beret? (I'll be joining an engineering reserve regiment).

2. Do officers have any fun with weapons and perhaps leading attacks at all? When I was a private, I never saw the officers at the regiment. I wondered what they did while we were cleaning and doing drill etc.

3. I've heard officer's courses are very hard. What makes them more difficult? Longer marches? More PT? What?

 

[vonGarvin]

OK, I'll try to answer this.
Officers do much more than "plan" a mission: they lead it.  At all levels except the section/crew/det level.
With a degree, you will be commissioned upon completion of BOTP or whatever basic officer training is nowadays (unless that's changed recently)
Officers are expected to be able to not only handle every weapon in the platoon arsenal, more importantly, they are excepted to master siting and employing them.  (Sgts and  your Pl WO are an invaluable asset in this aspect).  As for "having fun", to each their own what "fun" entails.  As I said above, officers are expected to lead, often by personal example.  As I have often heard, the role of the subaltern is to die gloriously and thus inspire his men onwards.
The officers don't do drill with the troops, until it's "show time".  They dont' clean.  If taken PW, officers are forbidden by international conventions to do manual labour.  So, when in your own lines, they dont' do it either (cleaning, mopping, etc), HOWEVER, you will do lots of this in training.
The officer courses are very hard because of the material taught and expected to master.  Consider this: a private soldier spends four years in that rank, and then perhaps 2 or more as a corporal before doing his/her PLQ.  An officer will do a course that is "on par" with the PLQ as his or her SECOND course (after basic training).  Next is the platoon commander course, which NCMs do when they have well over 10 years of experience.  I call it "learning curve".  As for PT, you better be fit.  Where soldiers may get the business if they fall out of PT, officers who fall out of PT are fired.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Let's try this again, shall we.

How about we hear from those with experience relevant to the poster's questions.

Milnet.ca Staff

 

[Blackadder1916]

... When I was a private, I never saw the officers at the regiment. I wondered what they did while we were cleaning and doing drill etc.

Mortarman Rockpainter gave a good answer to most of your question.  As to the what we do while you're cleaning and drilling, a number of years ago (at a unit in which I was serving) a similiar question was asked by a young private who had recently joined the unit.  We had just returned from Wainwright, were doing the usual post-ex drills and the private wanted to know what the OC (and the other officers) did while they unloaded vehicles.  The CSM replied "Drink whiskey and masturbate."  The OC happened to be passing at that exact moment, stopped and corrected the CSM by saying "that's insulting, you know I don't drink on duty anymore".

On the serious side, what the officers do when you don't see them is mostly relatedly to ensuring the unit is prepared both operationally and administratively.  Often that means (depending on your rank and appointment) paperwork.

 

[dimsum]

1. I have a degree. I read on this forum that I'd be commissioned upon enrollment. Does that mean I'm a 2lt going through BMQ and SQ? If this is not the case when do I become a 2lt and get rid of the cornflake on my beret? (I'll be joining an engineering reserve regiment).

2. Do officers have any fun with weapons and perhaps leading attacks at all? When I was a private, I never saw the officers at the regiment. I wondered what they did while we were cleaning and doing drill etc.

3. I've heard officer's courses are very hard. What makes them more difficult? Longer marches? More PT? What?

1.  You get commissioned after BOTP (BMOQ?  Whatever the new name for it is.)  Then it's Common Army Phase, Phase 3 and then Phase 4. 
2.  CAP (from what I understand) has a bunch of weapons training, section attacks, etc. 
3.  It's a different mentality being in BMQ and BOTP...especially the "supervisor's there to supervise, not do the work" bit.  Takes a bit of getting used to.  The "game" is usually more mental vice physical as an officer (this is just from my experience...not sure if Eng O's go through the same.)

 

[Trinity]

Wow... tough question.

I watch the politics involved in being an officer at different levels, things that I wouldn't
have imagined when I was a MCpl.

I had the most fun as a Cpl.  MCpl was nice too but once elevated into leadership roles
on a constant basis started to wear on the "fun" factor.  But I didn't do the job for "fun".

I think a re-wording of the question might be in order.  If the job suits you and your are
capable in doing it, it would seem enjoyable. I enjoy my job in the CF but it's not per say "fun".

 

[Disenchantedsailor]

Ok I'll tackle this one a little, the straight answer do officers have fun - YES, but we also have alot of work to do. As for the statement "the supervisors there to supervise not work" that may be true of a Sr NCO or Sr Offr, a JR Offr will garner more respect early in thier carreer (most inportant time to do it) by "doing", if that means helping "punch the guns" postex or completing some postex routines with the troops, so be it, the troops need to know you don't think yourself better than them. There will be times you can't do it as you're busy with AAR's, Planning the next exercise, making sure food is laid on if you get back late and all the other details that come with leading and command.

 

[TangoTwoBravo]

2. Do officers have any fun with weapons and perhaps leading attacks at all? When I was a private, I never saw the officers at the regiment. I wondered what they did while we were cleaning and doing drill etc.

3. I've heard officer's courses are very hard. What makes them more difficult? Longer marches? More PT? What?

The others here have given great information and I will try to add. 

In your officer training you will learn about most if not all the weapons in your branch.  You will tend to fire quite a bit in your training and the field exercises will be very challenging.

At the Regiment it can depend on what job you are doing and what cycle your unit is in.  If you are a platoon/troop commander then you will have fun.  If you are not then you are doing something wrong.  You plan, execute and then analyse what happened.  When the troops are cleaning weapons and kit you will generally be recording what has happened in the training event.  I should add that I cleaned my own weapon and looked after my own kit.  Different trades have different practices.  As a tank Troop Leader and then as a Battle Captain I helped clean out my own tank and helped with the labour intensive maintenance. If you are surfing Army.ca or reading Men's Health while your soldiers are putting new tracks on a tank then you are doing something wrong.  That being said, the floor is generally the domain of the Troop MCpl and an officer can try to help too much.  You need to judge how much is right and your Tp WO will guide you. 

Some officer work can seem boring but it has to be done right.  If one of your soldiers has an administrative issue then you have to advise and guide him through the system.  You should get your Tp WO's thoughts on any personnel matter first, but it will generally be up to you to draft the initial paperwork and then get the ball rolling.  This may not sound fun, but it is critical to having a happy Troop.  A happy Troop is a fun Troop.  An unhappy Troop is not fun no matter how much you get to blow up.

 

[1feral1]

Officers are leaders of men and must lead by example.

Respect is earned, its not a given, although we must respect the rank, not necessarily the dickhead who wears it.

I think 'fun' is a poor choice of words.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Do they have fun?  Yes.

The day I stop having fun, I'm out.

1 year as a Gdsm, 7 years as a Militia officer, and 20 years of commissioned Regular service, and still having fun.

 

[medaid]

I have fun all the time

 

[Rodahn]

Hmmm, from a different perspective....

Many years ago we Engineers were utilizing the ranges in Germany, and the "other ranks" were confined to base. The officers went out and proceeded to abscond with one of the local kinder amusement toys. Needless to say the RSM was livid (if memory serves the CO was with the Jr officers)....

Do officers have fun... In a word, yes....

Having said that I've also been the LO's driver at Brigade, etc and have seen how much goes on behind the scene's and realize how much work the officer corp is involved in that is not the domain of the other ranks and the is not seen until attaining a certain amount of rank.

it's been my experience that the higher rank you are, the less sleep your able to get on operations.

 

[daftandbarmy]

If you, at the age of 20 years, can't have fun leading a platoon of 1/2 crazy head bangers armed to the teeth with machine guns, grenades, antitank guns, mortars and other sundry explosives and weapons (augmented by direct access to tank, air and artillery support via your handy radio), then you'd better stay at home with the High Def TV and the wii.

 

[QV]

If you, at the age of 20 years, can't have fun leading a platoon of 1/2 crazy head bangers armed to the teeth with machine guns, grenades, antitank guns, mortars and other sundry explosives and weapons (augmented by direct access to tank, air and artillery support via your handy radio), then you'd better stay at home with the High Def TV and the wii.

That has got to be the post of the week.

 

[3VP Highlander]

Do Officers have fun... Yes.  There is nothing better than leading soldiers.  I have just joined a reserve unit and enjoy leading young soldiers and junior officers.  The members of the unit are keen and very eager to learn.  I have enjoyed the field time and to be honest do not enjoy the paperwork.  However, without proper administration, they would not get to the field.  The time spent in the office is paid in full, when the troops are heading down range and doing their first individual live fire lane and pairs fire and movement. 

 

[J.J]

The others here have given great information and I will try to add. 

In your officer training you will learn about most if not all the weapons in your branch.  You will tend to fire quite a bit in your training and the field exercises will be very challenging.

At the Regiment it can depend on what job you are doing and what cycle your unit is in.  If you are a platoon/troop commander then you will have fun.  If you are not then you are doing something wrong.  You plan, execute and then analyse what happened.  When the troops are cleaning weapons and kit you will generally be recording what has happened in the training event.  I should add that I cleaned my own weapon and looked after my own kit.  Different trades have different practices.  As a tank Troop Leader and then as a Battle Captain I helped clean out my own tank and helped with the labour intensive maintenance. If you are surfing Army.ca or reading Men's Health while your soldiers are putting new tracks on a tank then you are doing something wrong.  That being said, the floor is generally the domain of the Troop MCpl and an officer can try to help too much.  You need to judge how much is right and your Tp WO will guide you. 

Some officer work can seem boring but it has to be done right.  If one of your soldiers has an administrative issue then you have to advise and guide him through the system.  You should get your Tp WO's thoughts on any personnel matter first, but it will generally be up to you to draft the initial paperwork and then get the ball rolling.  This may not sound fun, but it is critical to having a happy Troop.  A happy Troop is a fun Troop.  An unhappy Troop is not fun no matter how much you get to blow up.

DannyIT,
Read very carefully what T2B wrote. If you want a "fun" and successfully career as an officer take to heart what he wrote and I can almost guarantee you that your troops and NCO's will support you and make life much easier for you. Without support from your NCO's your workday will be long, stressful and generally unpleasant. I am not an officer, I am a Senior NCO, I understand what it is to work for an officer who likes to come to work and I know what it is to work for an officer who is having less than a pleasant experience at work. Like any job, it is what you make of it. Be a leader, set an example and listen before you speak. Everything will work out in the end.

 

[Drummy]

Do they have fun?  Yes.

The day I stop having fun, I'm out.

1 year as a Gdsm, 7 years as a Militia officer, and 20 years of commissioned Regular service, and still having fun.

PPCLI Guy,

Can I send you a PM?

Drummy