I am going to be attending BMQ this summer, so I am zero experience and all of what I will be saying is based entirely on my own opinions of what I have read/seen. So please forgive me if I am way out to lunch.
I am joining with the intention of making a career out of the forces. Unlike most of the new generation, I have no patience with switching job careers/companies 4 or 5 times in my life. I have a family and I want to ensure that my job has long-term security. That was a factor in my joining the forces, job security and also I have a deep sense of pride in being Canadian and want to contribute to my country in a more concrete way than by working in the "Business" world where loyalty to country doesn't play a part at all. As a result of all this, I am unlike the average new recruit who seems to have the impression of joining because of what the forces can give them, and not what I can do for the forces.
Anyways, that's my background for why I am joining, now onto my larger concern, promotion and advancement. I am firmly of the opinion that a promotion should be based on merit. I do not want to be promoted unless I have proven, time and time again, that I have the skills/training/ambition to do the job properly. This means that someone will go has far up the ladder as he/she wants to, through demonstrating the skills and ambition for the respective position they want to remain at or pursue. I believe that if someone does a good job at being a Captain, but doesn't want to move any further (due to politics, job, etc.) then that should be an option, with one condition. As long as that Captain demonstrates time and time again that he is effective at his job. I am going to be NCM so in my case I do not want to become a Corporal just because it is a "gimme" rank, I want to learn and develop the necessary skills before that promotion comes up. I also want to be continually evaluated and encouraged to improve, even if that improvement is simply in becoming better at doing my current ranks job, a better Corporal/Private, etc.
Ok, if you even understood half what I wrote, good for you!
Basically, I have a motto of "Continuous Improvement." Meaning, even if I get to the rank of Corporal and stay there for 10 years, at the end of 10 years I will be an outstanding Corporal because each year I have added to my abilities/knowledge and skills, I hate the idea of not improving myself either professionally or personally on a continual basis. There always needs to be a goal to strive for, better education, higher rank, personal goals, etc. Without some kind of ambition, a person will end up being a mediocre person, not living up to his/her potential, ultimately ending up unsatisfied/unhappy. Now just in case I didn't make this clear enough, the length of time in a position does not indicate ambition/goals, someone in a single position can always strive to become better in that same position always.
Still with me?
Finally, as a new recruit, what can I look forward to as far as evaluation and advancement is concerned. From what I am reading here, some of the earlier promotions happen almost automatically, and as far as the higher levels, is there any kind of stronger motivation than money? What kind of encouragement can I expect at the lower end for improvement/advancement? From what I hear, it doesn't seem like there really is a lot of motivation to get a promotion except money, and no real standard beyond a CO's "feeling" for a member's performance. I understand a little of this as I am in charge of promoting/hiring/firing people at my company, and when a promotion or hiring is based on feeling or 1 persons opinion, too often it turns out to be a mistake.
Anyways, this isn't a criticism as such, since I have no experience with which to draw upon, but more of a concern in my future career, is there effective evaluations and encouragement throughout a military career to improve oneself, as well as opportunity to prove oneself's abilities and skills?
Thank you for your patience with a lowly recruit.