Should I wait a year?

[Statik]

Hey everyone,

So I’ve been hanging around army.ca for quite a while, but never made an account, until now. Right now I’m a freshman in highschool and I plan to join the army when I graduate. At the moment, I’m about 5’8 and roughly 130lbs, so I’m not exactly a body builder, quite the opposite actually. My question is, should I join the army right out of highschool, or take a year off and try to get in the best shape possible, etc. I’m not exactly looking for a definite answer, just some pointers/pros and cons more or less. Thanks in advance for any help.

--
Robert

 

[X Royal]

Why not use the remaining years in high school to get in better shape?
If you can't make the time to fit a fitness routine into your school years than you'll  have a hard time keeping up with the pace of the everyday military routine.

 

[krimynal]

work out at school , or after school ..... it doesn't take money and a private gym to get back in shape , do jogging outside , push-ups , sit-ups , you can even go into a public parc and use what's there to do chin ups and everything ........

fine it's not as glamour as a private gym with all the facilities ..... but hell ..... at least your training and trying to reach a goal .... you don't need to be a body builder to be in the army , you need to be in shape , big difference

 

[BeyondTheNow]

Don't wait until you graduate, start getting in shape now!  You'll feel better for doing it, regardless of what your career aspirations are.

I would definitely consider some sort of post-secondary education.  I'm sure you have read that most trades are very competitive these days, since you stated you've been viewing the boards for quite a while. Education and grades are important, as well as volunteering, work experience, etc.  Only having the minimum requirement can often be sub-standard.

If you want to join the CF, the hiring process could be very lengthy. If you apply right out of high-school and don't get accepted, then you have nothing to fall back on.  In my opinion, it's important to have goals, but you also have to prepare adequately for what it's going to take to achieve them.

Please note that I'm not a recruiter and I'm not saying you have no possibility of being hired directly out of high-school, but I'm aware of what the competition is like for different trades. Many applicants have post-secondary.

Please have a thorough read of the recruiting boards. Questions similar to yours have been asked by many and there's some very useful responses.  Best of luck as you prepare!

 

[Jarnhamar]

Here is your 3 year plan robert.


Start working on your fitness today.

Apply for the CF a few months shy of graduating.

Graduate high school.

Continue working on your fitness while you wait to join the army.

Look at continuing your education through part time or online studies while you are waiting for the army to call you.

Continue working on your fitness.

Join the army, finish your basic training and trade course.

Continue working on your fitness and continuing your education through college or university courses.




Don't get caught up with your weight to height ratio. Work on cardio muscles and brains, everything will fall into place.

 

[Statik]

Okay, thanks for the replies that really helps. So it seems almost all of you suggesting that I get an education as a fall back plan. My question would be, how hard would it be to juggle an education course, such as Heavy Mechanics (this is what I’d rather do if I can’t get in the army) with the Regular Force?

Thanks again,

--
Robert

 

[krimynal]

if you get into REGULAR forces , you will do your job IN THE ARMY ... so no need to get your civi class ....

if you get in the RESERVE , then you will be doing your civi class and do military stuff part time

what we are saying , is apply for the forces + the class you want , you may never know how long it'll take to join , some wait 3 months , some wait 1 year .... so instead of becoming a couch potato , just apply for the class you want to do in the civi world , and once you get everything done with the army , and you get your BMQ date , you leave for your BMQ

 

[SeR]

My question would be, how hard would it be to juggle an education course, such as Heavy Mechanics (this is what I’d rather do if I can’t get in the army) with the Regular Force?

It all depends on what you're capable of. Some might say its impossible, while others would think its almost too easy.

 

[Statik]

if you get into REGULAR forces , you will do your job IN THE ARMY ... so no need to get your civi class ....

if you get in the RESERVE , then you will be doing your civi class and do military stuff part time

what we are saying , is apply for the forces + the class you want , you may never know how long it'll take to join , some wait 3 months , some wait 1 year .... so instead of becoming a couch potato , just apply for the class you want to do in the civi world , and once you get everything done with the army , and you get your BMQ date , you leave for your BMQ

Yeah, I see what you mean here, but when I apply, I want to apply for just “infantry soldier”, and I want to apply for regular forces, not reserves. So my question is, if I apply and get accepted as infantry soldier in the regular forces, and am going to get an education as well (say heavy mechanics), would I just have to work full time in the Army, then do something such as night classes?

Thanks,

--
Robert

 

[krimynal]

usually if you are in the regular forces , you will be doing from monday to friday during the days , usually finishing around 3-4 in the afternoon ... so Night Class or Internet Class ..... but don't forget that you might get deployed or you might have to leave for training ( the vandoos here left for 2 months in past december for a training in alberta ) ... so doing night class + regular forces , is do-able ..... but not easy

 

[SeR]

So my question is, if I apply and get accepted as infantry soldier in the regular forces, and am going to get an education as well (say heavy mechanics), would I just have to work full time in the Army, then do something such as night classes?

My question for you is why would you need an education in heavy mechanics if you were to get into the infantry?

 

[krimynal]

why not apply for vehicle technicians ???

http://forces.ca/en/job/vehicletechnician-37#video-0


it'll give you the mechanical stuff , and the army stuff , and you might patrol with the infantry and everyone ....

isn't it the best of both world ???

 

[MikeL]

why not apply for vehicle technicians ???

.....and you might patrol with the infantry and everyone ....

During BMQ-Land he could practice some skills with pers who are in the training system to be Infantry and any staff that are Infantry.  I haven't seen any Veh Techs conduct dismounted patrolling with a Rifle Coy before.

 

[krimynal]

During BMQ-Land he could practice some skills with pers who are in the training system to be Infantry and any staff that are Infantry.  I haven't seen any Veh Techs conduct dismounted patrolling with a Rifle Coy before.

my bad kinda assume that when a patrol was going on with vehicules , you kinda needed a technician behind it in case something breaks ....

but I mean ... it would still be somehow a good mix of what he wants to do

 

[MikeL]

my bad kinda assume that when a patrol was going on with vehicules , you kinda needed a technician behind it in case something breaks ....

If a Combat Team is going out on a operation,  a MRT may be attached and roll out with them.  I don't think mechanics would be attached to anything smaller outside of a QRF(I think they were part of the QRF in Afghanistan anyways).

 

[krimynal]

oh thanks alot for the info ! at least now I'll know , always kinda assumed that it was like a SAR team where you pretty much always have a mechanic alongside the heli ... in case something happens !

 

[Statik]

usually if you are in the regular forces , you will be doing from monday to friday during the days , usually finishing around 3-4 in the afternoon ... so Night Class or Internet Class ..... but don't forget that you might get deployed or you might have to leave for training ( the vandoos here left for 2 months in past december for a training in alberta ) ... so doing night class + regular forces , is do-able ..... but not easy

Yeah, that's one of my worries. I just don't know how I want to go about it. I'm thinking about applying a few months before I graduate, then while I wait just work and stay in shape. Then if I decide to only do four years or something I can go to school after.

 

[Statik]

My question for you is why would you need an education in heavy mechanics if you were to get into the infantry?

Because if I couldn't be in the army/infantry for whatever reason, my second choice would be a heavy mechanic. But if I had to have a first pick, it would be infantry. Heavy mechanics is kind of like a second choice/fall back plan.

 

[Jarnhamar]

So it seems almost all of you suggesting that I get an education as a fall back plan.

Don't see an education as a back up plan. Look at it as a way to make you a better smarter more efficient soldier.

*IF* things don't work out then you'll have a head start on a new course of action/career.

The type of education you can work on earning (what, where, when, how) is going to be somewhat restricted due to your obligations with the military.
As an infantry soldier you won't be able to attend school in Toronto for a full time course on mechanics.
You will however likely be able to attend some type of night course for mechanics in Pembroke and work on getting your mechanic achievement.

 

[Statik]

Don't see an education as a back up plan. Look at it as a way to make you a better smarter more efficient soldier.

*IF* things don't work out then you'll have a head start on a new course of action/career.

The type of education you can work on earning (what, where, when, how) is going to be somewhat restricted due to your obligations with the military.
As an infantry soldier you won't be able to attend school in Toronto for a full time course on mechanics.
You will however likely be able to attend some type of night course for mechanics in Pembroke and work on getting your mechanic achievement.

Okay, thanks!

Right now, I'm debating on something like that (but I can there could possibly be some flaws/problems), or just working before hand, and going to school after.

But I guess I still got 2 years to figure that out.