University Student Reserves Pt.2

[Boder]

Hey everyone I recently posted on this sub before I started the application process. Since then I have done my online application and applied with my preferred regiment of choice being the Queens own Rifles as an Infantry Officer. Recently I’ve read up and heard that the wait time from application to job offer atrocious. I was hoping to start BMOQ and other required trainings in the summer but now it seems way less likely that is possible. What’s the demand for an infantry officer like in Toronto (probably low)? And how long might an application take now in 2024, has anything improved?

 

[da1root]

For reserve units, they are responsible for their own recruiting - as such to know how many positions there are for Infantry Officer at QoR you'd have to speak to them. There are improvements in place for PRes Army recruiting to have files move faster (esp if you don't pose a requirement for a pre-security screening).

 

[brihard]

This is going back a few years now, but I have no reason to believe it's changed much. I was the recruiter for my reserve infantry regiment. The process is quite a bit more local. Most of the recruiting woes you read about have to do with the centralized Regular Force recruiting system where applicants go in a big pool and are competitive against each other for positions in the entirety of CAF. A reserve unit, if they recruit you, are hiring you against a known vacancy, and on their own timelines to suit upcoming courses. I know that I personally was always working to make sure I filled all of our spots on upcoming recruit courses.

The back end administration has changed somewhat since my time, but the general reality that reserve units bring in their own recruits for their own positions remains. Where it can still drag centrally is with medicals and reliability screenings/security clearances, but it's not the same as the Reg Force recruiting. Your best and really only good point of contact is going to be the recruiter at the unit you've applied to.

 

[shiska]

First contact to swearing in was 8 months for me. The local recruiter was awesome and his part of the process was quick. I had my interview, cfat, fitness test, medical test done within 2 months. Then my medical file went off to Ottawa and we hearrd nothing for several month until they asked for a form to be resubmitted because it got lost at some point in the process. We waited another few months before getting the go ahead. My file was unusual as I do have prior service from 10 years ago and my understanding is that this caused technical issues.

 

[brihard]

First contact to swearing in was 8 months for me. The local recruiter was awesome and his part of the process was quick. I had my interview, cfat, fitness test, medical test done within 2 months. Then my medical file went off to Ottawa and we hearrd nothing for several month until they asked for a form to be resubmitted because it got lost at some point in the process. We waited another few months before getting the go ahead. My file was unusual as I do have prior service from 10 years ago and my understanding is that this caused technical issues.

Prior service can slow things down; they need to pull your old records, which may have been archived, and make sure there were no prior or outstanding issues that would change the decision to re-enroll you. They may also do an assessment of prior training and courses to determine if there's any training you can be already credited with this time around. So yeah, that can delay,