Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP)-RMC 2000 - 2018 [Merged]

[DAA]

I'm not really looking for the answer of "Will I get in?" since I've read enough forums to know that there really isn't an answer, though I'd like to know if I should bother applying I guess. My main question is would I be tough enough to survive RMC if I go there. Would I meet the RMC physical training and standards? Is life there extremely tough, mentally and physically? Would people recommend that I go?

I am sure there are people out there who went to RMC with the pre-conceived expectation/notion that they would "breeze" through but never made it and then others who were "scoffed" at, as not having the physical or mental ability to make it through that were successful.

The only person who can answer these questions, is YOU!  And the only way to do that, is to apply for ROTP later this year.  Would people recommend you go?  Who wouldn't recommend applying for a "free" education and guaranteed job once you graduate?  You'd be silly not to give it a try.

 

[jeffb]

I am sure there are people out there who went to RMC with the pre-conceived expectation/notion that they would "breeze" through but never made it and then others who were "scoffed" at, as not having the physical or mental ability to make it through that were successful.

The same can be said of any post-secondary institution. I remember that there were a bunch of people who graduated with very high marks from my graduating class in High School who then went off to university and promptly failed out. (Usually due to excessive partying). Moving out of home for the first time and being the only person responsible for your education can be empowering or lead to ruin. 

That being said, my main advice would be not to ask the question if RMC is good for you but rather if you want a career as an officer in the CAF? If the answer is yes then RMC can be a great way to achieve that goal. If not, then you will be miserable, not only at RMC but during your obligatory service, and will probably not be successful.

 

[Transporter]

I am sure there are people out there who went to RMC with the pre-conceived expectation/notion that they would "breeze" through but never made it and then others who were "scoffed" at, as not having the physical or mental ability to make it through that were successful.

The only person who can answer these questions, is YOU!  And the only way to do that, is to apply for ROTP later this year.  Would people recommend you go?  Who wouldn't recommend applying for a "free" education and guaranteed job once you graduate?  You'd be silly not to give it a try.

And consider this. Not only is your degree paid for, but the four years at RMC are pensionable service. That means, after you graduate, you'll only have to serve another 21 years (25 yrs total) before you can retire with an immediate pension, paying you 50% of what you were making when you got out (unless you want to stay longer of course). So how does "retired" at 43 with what by then will be something like $70K-$85K per year for the rest of your life, grab you? Does that make RMC sound a little less tough? 

Of course that's just one aspect of the whole equation but based on the info you've provided, I think you likely have as good a shot at RMC success as thousands of others who have gone before you. Your trepidation is natural, but I wouldn't let it hold me back if I wanted it bad enough.

 

[Loachman]

CALLING ME SHORT? I'M FUN SIZED. >

I haven't taken the time to memorize your resume, but there's likely some skill or another in the least that you could use to put him in his place.

But then, he might enjoy that.

Some would pay good money for tickets to the event.

That being said, my main advice would be not to ask the question if RMC is good for you but rather if you want a career as an officer in the CAF?

That, there. What do you want to do for a career? What do you want out of life? Think longer term.

The biggest single factor in one's success at anything is motivation. Talent and ability will only take people so far, and guarantee nothing. Hunger and persistence make the difference.

Small size and weight may present you with additional challenges, but I doubt that you would be the smallest and lightest to get through that place.

But you'll never know until you do it.

 

[khyh]

you'll only have to serve another 21 years (25 yrs total) before you can retire with an immediate pension, paying you 50% of what you were making when you got out (unless you want to stay longer of course). So how does "retired" at 43 with what by then will be something like $70K-$85K per year for the rest of your life, grab you?

True, but would it be very difficult to settle down and raise a family when working for the CF? (like eventually, somewhere down the road)

 

[PMedMoe]

LOL thanks. Is that coming from personal experience?

Journeyman is right.  I am a short fun-sized girl.  As far as your other questions, no, I didn't attend RMC, but I have been in the CF for 23+ years and while the physical training might be tough, it's not impossible.

True, but would it be very difficult to settle down and raise a family when working for the CF? (like eventually, somewhere down the road)

Again, it might be difficult, but it's not impossible.  Many of us have done it.

 

[medicineman]

Again, it might be difficult, but it's not impossible.  Many of us have done it.

Many of us more than once  :nod:...me for one.

MM

 

[slayer/raptor]

As I am sure you are already aware, RMC has four pillars (or components I think they are called now). Academics, Military, Bilingualism and Athletics. Not necessarily in that order, but I would say (unfortunately) according to the RMC the most important being Academics. By your short post I would say that you already have 3 of the 4 taken care of, with the military being the odd one out. While I went there (although this information is now already 6 years old), nobody had ever failed out of RMC for anything other than Academics. There were the odd ones that graduated with degrees other than the ROTP "official" degree because they could not achieve the necessary level of bilingualism or could not pass the RMC physical fitness test. However, in my four years there, never did I hear of someone failing the military pillar. And to be honest, the military pillar is the "easiest" because it is structured in a certain way that you will crawl, walk and then run in order for you to succeed.

To conclude I will not say that it will be a breeze for you, but typically if you survive the first month (First Year Orientation Period) which is where you will be exposed to the most "difficult" military training out of your 4 years at RMC, then you will find that most people  struggle with the academics (but you seem to have that taken care of).

Hopefully that helps, good luck.

 

[exgunnertdo]

My comments are anecdotal, not having gone to RMC.  But I am friends with a couple of people who are/have been squadron commanders there, and this is based on what they have said.

One of the challenges RMC students face seems to be that at RMC, they are no longer the top of the heap.  In high school, most of these 1st year students were the top students, leaders in their school, etc.  At RMC, they are just one of many top students.  One of my friends who was a squadron commander said that her most challenging OCdts to support were not the ones who were struggling, but the ones who doing fine, but were having trouble coming to terms with not being the top student in their class.  They were still doing well, but they were no longer the best. 

You seem grounded from your post, but it also seems like success has been pretty easy so far.  How will you handle it when things are difficult?  Because they will get difficult at some point.  Seeing others around you do well at something that you are struggling with is tough.

 

[Defender90]

If you play soccer at a high level, you should get in contact with the coach.  The team has an invitation only recruiting day during the summer where you will get a tour, a rundown on the school and an opportunity to informally meet RMC cadets who play on the soccer team.  They should be helpful in answering your questions.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

I am going into Grade 12 next year, and want to know if I should consider RMC as an option.
I am a 5'2" girl about 105 pounds. I can run a 6min30sec mile, 16min 3km, plank for over 1.5 minutes comfortably, do some chin ups, 20-30 push-ups easily, and 50-60 sit-ups in a minute. I can carry someone heavier than me (150 pounds?) I consider myself decently strong for my size. I play soccer mostly (we won league championships this year), and Ultimate Frisbee and field hockey (city champs last year), and used to compete in track and field. I have done up to Level 10 Swimming and Bronze Star/Medallion/Cross lifeguard courses. I am a fast sprinter and decent at endurance.
I have never been in cadets, so I don't exactly have that military experience.
I am an excellent student with a 96/97% average, and I take AP courses. I have achieved 5s in Calculus AB, Chemistry, and Biology and am taking Physics, English and Calculus BC AP courses next year. I was Top Student last year in Grade 10 and have always been in Top 10. I have certificates of accomplishments from a bunch of math contests (AMC, CNML, ASMA, Pascal, Fermat, Cayley, Hypatia, Galois, and Fryer). I have won awards at Exploravision and Science Fair. I also took Web Design for two years so I am skilled with Adobe CS5: Photoshop, Flash, Dreamweaver etc. I am a Textiles/Sewing student and made a wool coat/blazer and evening gown and sew as a hobby. I'm the type of student that doesn't need to study that much to get good grades, which can be good or bad depending on how you see it.
I have a Service Award for volunteering at my school. I volunteer at elementary schools planning and running afterschool programs such as teaching piano, art programs, reading programs, cooking programs, and soccer programs. I have High Five leadership training working with kids, and have CPR A and C. I have volunteered over 300/400 hours for the Catching the Spirit Youth Society over the past six years. I was selected as a Peer Leader in 2012 and underwent leadership training and first aid. I plan and lead overnight weekend environmental stewardship camps. I am also on the Youth Council for that. I work as a Skating Instructor with the city park board part time because I used to figure skate. I have done various work experience positions at a pharmacy, a university lab, and at an industrial company where I worked with 3D design computer modelling under engineers. I am certified with SolidWorks 3D design software. I have played piano for over ten years and achieved Level 10 RCM.
I am a Chinese Canadian immigrant so I speak fluent English and Cantonese and am conversable in Mandarin and French (just high school) with basic reading and typing skills.

I'm not really looking for the answer of "Will I get in?" since I've read enough forums to know that there really isn't an answer, though I'd like to know if I should bother applying I guess. My main question is would I be tough enough to survive RMC if I go there. Would I meet the RMC physical training and standards? Is life there extremely tough, mentally and physically? Would people recommend that I go?

For me, I feel that the CF would give me purpose in life, since I really don't know what direction I want to go and there are a lot of options out there for me. I like that RMC is so structured and scheduled and challenging. I want the discipline because it could potentially push me to reach my full potential. But it's also the type of thing that could make or break me, so I'd like to know how you'd think I'd handle it if you've undergone it before. Also, what could I do to improve?

I am an RMC Grad (Class of 2010) and I'll give you some advice.  From reading your background you seem to be a very strong candidate for the school; however, you need to ask yourself why do you want to go to RMC?  Also, you need to ask yourself what do you want to do after RMC?

A lot of people apply to RMC for a challenge but forget that they now owe the military five years of time after school is finished.  When your 18 this may not seem like a long time but trust me, it is! 

I'll be honest my RMC experience wasn't that great, I was a piss poor student and while I did well in High School I had zero interest in Academics, the only thing I wanted to do was be an Infantry Officer.  RMC has four pillars but three of them take a back seat to the Academic pillar.  At 18 I had a false impression of what RMC was (probably from watching too much Full Metal Jacket ), I went there full of piss and vinegar and was slightly underwhelmed as a result.  TBH I am surprised they let me into the school in the first place and I am sure while I was going through their some were pissed I was there as well but I digress  ;D

If you apply to RMC you need to want to have a career in the military otherwise the next decade of your life is going to suck real bad!  I wanted to become an infantry officer and I achieved that goal.  What got me through that school was looking forward to summer training every summer where I got to go run around in the woods for a bit and play with weapons.

Everyone has different reasons for joining but ultimately RMC is a means to an end with that end being a career in the military.  If you want a career in the military go ahead and join, you will make it, I am living proof of that.  If you don't want a career in the military after RMC is done than please stay away as it's a LONG four years.

 

[Loachman]

True, but would it be very difficult to settle down and raise a family when working for the CF? (like eventually, somewhere down the road)

Why?

As for the obligatory service period, forty-one years has flashed by for me. If I could be your age once more, I'd do it all over again.

 

[DAA]

True, but would it be very difficult to settle down and raise a family when working for the CF? (like eventually, somewhere down the road)

Absolutely!  I have been around for quite sometime and managed to raise a perfectly good wife who has turned out rather well.   

 

[HeyJhon]

Hi everyone,

So, I actually would like to join Forces as MARS,Pilot or Engineer Officer. As far as I know,anyone with a Bachelor's degree is eligible for these MOS by direct entry. ( The MARS officer I once spoke to at school told me there was other MARS graduate in letters, history, mathematic, french... )

I really would like to do one of these military job but, only for somes years in active duty, then, I would move to reserve while being medic, which is the civil job that I WANT to do too.

Alors (I am out of synonyme for "So" in english!), with this plan, would I be eligible  to go to CMR of Saint-Jean-Sur-Le-Richelieu, do my CEGEP (pre-university), then do my BACH in medecine in civil university and serve as MARS/Pilot or should I only study in civil before apply to direct entry? Because I wouldn't want to get in Saint-Jean-Sur-Le-Richelieu and then be obliged to study at Kingston as there is no medicine there.

I posted this on "So you want to be an officer, he!" at mid July but it don't look like it was the good place.

Thank you for you time and have a good day.

 

[SupersonicMax]

Nope.  You can join ROTP (RMC) or ROTP (Civilian).  You cannot combine both.  To go tw civy route in Quebec, you'll need to do your 2 years of CEGEP then apply.  I don't think Med school qualifies for ROTP.

 

[HeyJhon]

Well, thank you. Guess I will go in with direct entry in 7 years.

Have a nice day.

 

[SupersonicMax]

For your information, if you join as a pilot and are successful during selection and training, yoh will have to serve a minimum of 7 years after receiving your wings.  Realistically, it's 9-10 years of service.

If being in the military is not what you really want to do (especially the pilot and MARS trades), I recommend you do not join. 

Also, if you want to be an Engineering Officer, you'll need an engineering degree (ie: Med School won't cut it).

 

[HeyJhon]

Oh, I thought Engineer Officer as MARS or Pilot was open to anyone with any degree. Well thank you for this information. So,I will look for engineering as Engineer Officer interest me.

Thank you again Supersonicmax, bonne soirée à toi.

 

[HeyJhon]

but, I am wondering, you told me to not join if I it isn't what I really want to do, especially for pilot or MARS MOS... I understand for pilot because as you told me, I would be obligate to serve for 9-10 years, but what about MARS? Are MARS obligate to serve for 9-10 years as well or is it only because it is a job with a high dropout rate?


Thank you for your time.

 

[SupersonicMax]

It's not because of contract lenght, but rather be cause the training is fairly rigourous for both trades.