Question about joining the Reserves prior to joining MP

[eitan67]

Hello,
Just started my Policing Foundation Course and I have a classmate telling me I should join the Reserves (which from what I understand is basically part-time work at with the Military) to gain more knowledge and experience before I apply to the Military Police after I finish my course, but my fiance's dad, who just retired from the military, telling me that if I join the Reserves it would slow down the process of applying to the Military Police (and I don't want any slow downs since I'm expecting).
Is that true?
I don't see a reason why it would slow down the process but I am not familiar how it works yet.
Thanks for any answers!

 

[mariomike]

Hello,
Just started my Policing Foundation Course and I have a classmate telling me I should join the Reserves (which from what I understand is basically part-time work at with the Military) to gain more knowledge and experience before I apply to the Military Police after I finish my course, but my fiance's dad, who just retired from the military, telling me that if I join the Reserves it would slow down the process of applying to the Military Police (and I don't want any slow downs since I'm expecting).
Is that true?
I don't see a reason why it would slow down the process but I am not familiar how it works yet.
Thanks for any answers!

Army Reserve MP Component Transfer to Reg Force MP 
http://army.ca/forums/threads/82854.0;nowap

CT For Reg Force MP very Limited?
http://army.ca/forums/threads/105371.0

Res Armour to Reg MP 
https://army.ca/forums/threads/113504.0

New Reserve MP QL3 
http://army.ca/forums/threads/92727.0
I know reserve MP units have been in a mode of change for a while and I'm hoping the new QL3 (and badge) will make CT'ing to the reg force easier.

Occupational Transfer to MP 
https://army.ca/forums/threads/72615.50
3 pages
CT to MP are also discussed.

As always,  Recruiting is your most trusted source of information.

 

[PuckChaser]

If you're going to be in the Reserves less than 2-3 years, don't waste your time or the unit's time. You'll gain very little experience and just complicate your transfer. Also start researching the prereqs for RegF MP trade, to make sure you're taking the right programs.

 

[mariomike]

Just started my Policing Foundation Course and I have a classmate telling me I should join the Reserves (which from what I understand is basically part-time work at with the Military) to gain more knowledge and experience before I apply to the Military Police after I finish my course, but my fiance's dad, who just retired from the military, telling me that if I join the Reserves it would slow down the process of applying to the Military Police (and I don't want any slow downs since I'm expecting).

CT to MP see also,

Component Transfers (Reserve to Regular): Q&A
https://army.ca/forums/threads/12797.1000
45 pages.

The Military Police [MP] Superthread 
http://army.ca/forums/threads/4577.750.html
31 pages.

 

[brihard]

Since a lot of the acronyms and terminolgoy won't mean anything to you, I'll try to break it down.

When you join the military you typically join either the regular force, which is a full time job, or you join the reserves, which is very part time. Reservists usually have school / full time jobs and do the reserves on the side. Reservists do some of the same things as the regular force, but at a more basic level and we require more training prior to deploying overseas.

The reserves and the regular force are two different components of the Canadian Armed Forces. To move from one to the other, you have to component transfer or CT.

You want to be regular force MP I gather. They take some recruits off the street, they take others as transfers from other regular force trades, and they take some as component transfers from the reserves. All three have their own distinct hiring quota. All three are administered serpately. All three can take a long time.

Police Foundations is a two year program. If you were to join the reserves right now, you wouldn't be in and through your basic training until the end of next summer. You woul dbe looking at transfering to the regular force just nine or so months later. Not really worth it.

I would advise holding off, and then speaking with recruiting next fall as you enter your second year of police foundations.

In the meantime- you have unfortunately chosen a not particularly good college program. I'm not trying to be a dick, it's just an unfortunate reality. Police Foundations is a huge money sink and a profit generator for the colleges, and only about 3/10 graduates will ever be any sort of cop. I would sugest that for the next couple of years you sink as much time as you can into being active in your community, volunteering, and learning other skills and having other experiences that would make you someone that others would want to hire. The MPs are still tough to get into like any other police service. You MUST have some sort of backup plan for how you'll spend the next five years after graduating if you cannot get into the MPs or another police service. PArticularly given your disclosure about recent and fequent drug use, I would expect it's going to be a few years yet before anyone will give you a badge. Police foundations grads who have smoked a lot of weed and worked in security are a dime a dozen and not particularly attractive applicants. You have a ways to go yet.

I hope this is helpful.