How Do You (or Did You) Decide on Your Career Path?

[Scratch_043]

My father was in the Reg then reserve Medical Corp.

I had, like Joe, grown up with the police, fire, or Military career goal, joined 80 RC(Air)CS at 14, left the sq. at 17 after attaining the rank of Sgt. due to work and school. After leaving the sq. I missed it, the discipline, the structure. So I am now working in a warehouse, Training in preparation for my application.

 

[cgyflames01]

I was in the midst, of becoming a paramedic, so I thought what the hell, I might as well get Field experience/ tour the world/ and serve my country, so I decided to enlist as a Med A

 

[Alex252]

Always wanted to continue on what my grandfather started. Also I always was fascinated by the Army so in a few years when I get the chance i'm going down to the recruting office

 

[hiv]

My reason was far less inspirational. I didn't want to go back to school and I didn't really have anything else to do. Yea, hardly the poster boy for recruitment but I've outlasted my first BE so I guess things are going well.

 

[ab00013]

I never really had â Å“the callingâ ? for the military. However, I did have the calling to be a police officer. Ever since I was very little I watched every police show and movie I could. I loved, and still do, everything about policing. When I was in my second last year of university for my B.A. in Criminal Justice, I started exploring which departments I wanted to work for...but every time I thought I found the right department something bothered me. Little departments had not enough action, or promotions, or opportunities for training, and generally did not pay enough. On the other hand, larger departments had good pay and action, but if you want to advance you are generally forced to either stay for numerous years as a police officer or specialize into only one area (ie: forensics, swat, etc.) Then there was the option of the RCMP, which are generally posted in rural areas with not much action, and you don't really get to do anything interesting like specializing for at least 7 years.

When I was pondering :-\ all of my options I was talking to my professors, most of which are in or retired from the US Military, FBI, or US police departments. Every time I mentioned that I wasn't sure they all told me the same thing....The Canadian Forces!! They all told me how in one time in their career they worked with the CF and in their opinion the Military Police are the best police in the country.

Anyways, at the same time I was looking into my options, I found an HRDC ad for infantry soldiers in the reserves, which I figured I'd try out. I was sworn in this past summer and will start basic training hopefully this weekend.

Since talking to my professors, being sworn into the reserves and talking to people, reading all I can on being an MP, and taking related UNITAR courses, I realized the Canadian Forces and more specifically the Military Police is everything I am looking for and more. I totally 100% want to be an MP!

I'm planning on component transferring in March when I finish my first year of my Master's degree.

 

[Veterans son]

I want to serve my country as my father served proudly in the CF for 31 years
(WW2, Korea and peacetime).

I will reapply next year and hope to be sworn in as a member of the Canadian Forces.

 

[cgyflames01]

I will reapply next year Reapply; why what happaned?

 

[white]

I want to join the army to start a whole new way of life and to really feel like I've accomplished something by been able to do all the hard physical demanding jobs.

I will reapply next year and hope to be sworn in as a member of the Canadian Forces.

I'm in the same situation as you, one month gone eleven more to go.

 

[Inch]

I didn't join for any noble reason like wanting to serve my country. That wasn't the sole deciding factor, it's just a "perk" of the job. For me, I love the structure, I love the camaraderie, I love change (postings), and I love my job. Some of the coolest flying in the world is done in the military. Though I haven't experienced it, getting shot at probably won't be a barrel of laughs, but it's a small price to pay for waking up in the morning and being excited to go to work. Worst case scenario, if I die while serving, well at least I died doing what I loved.

Cheers

 

[StormTrooper]

They are still running the background check on me.. I personally can't explain why I want to join the army when other people ask me, because I am pretty sure that they wouldn't understand.. There is just something in the army thats pulling me towards it; is this the "calling" that you guys are talking about?..  lol Thinking of this just made me wonder about what I'm gonna tell the interviewer when he/she asks me why I decided to join the army  ???..

 

[JBP]

They are still running the background check on me.. I personally can't explain why I want to join the army when other people ask me, because I am pretty sure that they wouldn't understand.. There is just something in the army thats pulling me towards it; is this the "calling" that you guys are talking about?..  lol Thinking of this just made me wonder about what I'm gonna tell the interviewer when he/she asks me why I decided to join the army  ..

I suppose that would be the "calling". You just know it's what you want. Just a hint, yes, you should have an answer to that question for your interview...

 

[R031button]

I've wanted to be int he military since I was a kid. I had, however, never realy considered it as a career untill my cousin went to RMC; long story short he didn't have the eye sight for pilot so he's now a captain in 3RCR. I had somehwat similar goals, I wanted to be a pilot, I even was in cadets for a few years. Then a buddy of mine joined up for the reserves, which I had been thinking about, so I got my papers in and was shipped out. To me it's an oppertunity to do something really meaningful; something that has an effect on people. I don't want to sit in a desk all day and count beans, I want to be out doing something. That's why I'm looking at law enforcement or reg force after I finish school; that way I can really change somebody's life. Also, I figure I owe the Canadian Army a great deal, asI'm half dutch. I can vividly remember my Opa telling me how he and my Oma were half starved before the Canadians came through and liberated their home town (Dordrecht). So in a very real sense I owe the army my life.

 

[CallOfDuty]

  As for me, I have always been intrigued by the army but for some reason, never actually thought it was something I could/would ever really do.  For the last few years, I have been reading alot about our military in history books and whatnot, and then I realized that this is something I can actually be a part of instead of just reading about!!!
  It is going to be different for me for sure.  I have a great job...good pay...in the union...some seniority..yada yada yada........But I am willing to give it all up, for the chance to have a career in our Army. 
Cheers guys
Steve

 

[q_1966]

I joined Army Cadets, when i was 14 cuz i thought it would be a cool thing to do, and i think it was sometime after I took CL, I thought to myself I dont want to wear Gumbies, I want to wear Combats,
I dont want to do drill, i want to go on excercise and go play in the mud, dirt, rain, snow, whatever it may be, and cadets just wasnt doin it for me.
After hearing some storys from some Reg Force Cpl's, Reading some recruiting pamflets, i was sold, i just handed in my recruitment package to the dragoons, yesterday. my only disappointment is how long the recruiting process takes, if all goes well, it will take 4 months, *sigh, oh well, its worth the wait

- Shawn

 

[MedTechStudent]

Someone very close to me died accidentally.  I wanted to save people ever since. 

Thats the short version. 

So alas, Med Tech course here I come.

 

[GUNS]

Grandfather served in WW I :warstory:
Father served in WW II :warstory:
Uncles  served in Korea :warstory:
American relatives served in Vietnam. :warstory:

My decision to join the military was a no brainer.

 

[Elwood]

My grandfather and uncle were both air force, so I had the idea to join since I was very young.

In university, I followed the path of becoming a teacher / professor, but by the end of my degree I couldn't really see myself content with a career in teaching, so I applied to the forces. A lot of my professors raised their eyebrows when I told them what I was doing, but they're supportive and my family is proud too. I'm excited to begin my career in the CF. 

 

[Sig_Des]

4 Gens of mil service before me + Dad who said I wouldn't make it + stubbornness = enlistment.

I applied Infantry, Armour, and Combat Eng. Hit with a V4, couldn't do any. Recruiter told me Sig Op was infantry with a radio.

Here I am.

 

[aesop081]

I was on the subway in Montreal. I wasn't paying attention and got off at the wrong station. Walked up the stairs, opened the door and was right close to the CFRC.

You dont chose this life, it choses you.

 

[yak]

I was making minimum wage in Winnipeg and going nowhere fast.  I did well on the aptitude tests and pretty well had my choice of the open trades when a (somewhat overweight) Chief came out of the back office of the recruiting centre and said "we're getting new ships, and we'll pay for you to go to school."

That pretty well cinched the deal.

Always wanted to travel, and that's certainly been a wish fulfilled.

I got in for purely selfish reasons I guess, and learned pride of service as the years went on.  No life like it.