Topic: Canadian Military ? (or any other army ,maybe I'd guess)

[Hexx]

Hey all
Just curious- do we have anyone around that's in the Canadian Army (such as it is)
As I've grown insanely bored of retail, I'm thinking of possibly joining up.
(The recruitment person seems to like me, I have "life experience" (??)~ probably slang for telling me I'm too old to join..

Anyway looking for info on what one's daily activities usually entail ( non deployed of course,)
Kinda went over it with the recruitment officer/person of some rank I can't remember , but they didn't really go into teh
day-to-day of being infantry on base.

[el-Karnak]

If you are looking at the US Armed forces, Dubya will be most happy to have you. 

 Since 9/11, US has been in "a state of war" for immigration purposes, so any foreign citizen can join the US armed forces whereas before 9/11 you had to have a Green Card. If your unit serves in a designated combat zone then you would be eligible for US citizenship within a year. Such US gov't. policy has not been in effect since the Vietnam War era.

There's also the French Foreign Legion which takes qualified candidates from anywhere with a "no questions asked" policy. If you survive your 10 year term of service (ie. there's a 10% casaulty rate and you will have to learn work-able French, free French lessons provided), then you will get French citizenship, and French pensions. Most French Armed Forces postings involve the sub-tropical areas in Africa, Middle East and guarding Ariadne rocket lauch sites in the Caribean and the far South Pacific. There's also anti-terrorist guard duty at the major French landmarks, airports and train stations.

That being said: I've heard that the current Tory Canadian gov't. is re-investing a lot in the Cdn armed forces so many new opportunities should become available.

[Green]

Karnak's uninformed views aside, you have to be a legal resident to join the US military.  If you aren't, then we kick you out of the military and notify ICE.


Hexx,

Can't offer any advise on life in the CDF (not Canadian eh).  But I have had the chance to work with a good number of CDF members.  Each one was very professional and each one appeared to enjoy what they were doing. 

Though it pains me to say this, you might want to ask Likker.  I thought he said some time ago he did a tour in the force.

Good luck in whatever you choose. 

[762_XC]

Do those rowboats come with booster chairs?

[el-Karnak]

Karnak's uninformed views aside, you have to be a legal resident to join the US military.  If you aren't, then we kick you out of the military and notify ICE.

I check USCIS.gov M-476 document on page 22 regarding USC eligibility requirements:

http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/services/natz/English.pdf

If you:
Performed active duty military service during:
• World War I (November 11, 1916-April 6, 1917);
• World War II (September 1, 1939-December 31, 1946);
• Korea (June 25, 1950-July 1, 1955);
• Vietnam (February 28, 1961-October 15, 1978);
• Persian Gulf (August 2, 1990-April 11, 1991); or
• On or after September 11, 2001.

You are not required
to be a Permanent
Resident.
Note: If you did not
enlist or reenlist in the
United States or its
outlying possessions,
you must be a
Permanent Resident on
the day you file your
application.

But, I can see where you are coming from. Getting into the US Army as a non-citizen w/o green card is more the exception than the rule.

I know that during the Vietnam War a few Canadians visited the US and enlisted in the US Army at recruitment posts in the US.

[FPF-Paladin]

Yes, there is someone...    get in touch with me via PM or we can hook up on MSN, we can talk all you want.

Seriously, if you're thinking about this let me know.  If you want to know what the day to day life is like, deployed or not I can fill you in on the little bits.

[Hexx]

Thanks Pal!
Sent the PM,

Apologies for the hundreds of questions, just trying to decide if the military deserves me or not 
(The first small step towards global domination begins.. )

[TraumaTech]

Hey all
Just curious- do we have anyone around that's in the Canadian Army (such as it is)
As I've grown insanely bored of retail, I'm thinking of possibly joining up.
(The recruitment person seems to like me, I have "life experience" (??)~ probably slang for telling me I'm too old to join..

Anyway looking for info on what one's daily activities usually entail ( non deployed of course,)
Kinda went over it with the recruitment officer/person of some rank I can't remember , but they didn't really go into teh
day-to-day of being infantry on base.

  heya hexx   if ya wanna be in the canadian forces,and you don't want the dailly routine of life on a miltary base,perhaps this link will help you decide what you want to do,although,u might get soem  deployment 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_special_forces

but i am thinking,it's trianing rigors will help you with that world domination thingie 

[likkerpig]

As Green stated... I spent 12 years in the Canadian Army.
Was a sigs pig, not infantry though. Did spend 3 years attached to the PPCLI Battle school on the other hand, as well as doing a couple leadership courses with the infantry... ( the nightmares never end).
If you are serious about going infantry, start running and wieghtlifting. The better shape you are in, the less the physical training will hurt.
Day to day on base for the infantry... from what I saw it was equipment maintenance. You would spend a lot of your time out in the bush training, various weapons and vehicle courses, time on the range and parade square.
Oh, if you are a hockey player, especially with some talent... heh...

[Laflin]

Also, be damned sure that you realize exactly what it is you are comtemplating.  This isn't like the old Cold War days where you sit in Germany and drink beer and chase skirts (wish it still was ).  You have a very good chance of deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan if you go US or Afghanistan if you go Canadian - not places that you decide you really didn't want to join up, after all once you get there .  Your life and those around you may depend on your actions - not a time to have second thoughts.  I  joined the US Army in 1984 and things have changed a whole lot since then...college money and bonuses are nice, but you may also find yourself humping crap in 120 degree heat to earn that money .  I applaud your desire to serve, but just caution you to be absolutely certain of your decision before you sign on the dotted line.

[Hexx]

Nah I've thought about it (it would be joining the Canadian army, figure if I do it may as well join the best)

Just I've spent the last 14 years of my life in retail, the actual last 4 with my own business, and have come to the conclusion that
I loathe it. I want to do something that keeps me busy. Was thinking of carpenter/electrician, but there's no real job openings.
So I figured Air Traffic Controller or Military (gotta love how the mind works)
ATC seems like it would be engrossing, ~ but I can't get any answers on how exactly their hiring works.
You pay to take a test, get a certain mark on it (curved I believe) and pay more money to go to school, where (it seems) they
don't mark by grades, but by what position you are in the class and how many positions they have open.
Kinda chancy(and a little odd) for me.

Have an intense dislike of the sea, piloting would be cool, but (apparently) they want you to have 20/20 uncorrected vision
and have finished university. (bastards)
So I figured the army.

I'm just (a bit) concerned that after I mentioned I had run my own business for 4 years the recruiting guy seemed to think that would benefit me. Just really don't want to get stuck in some supply position.
(Some of those boxes look heavy)

Of course in the infantry someone might shoot at me, not sure if I approve of that either. Would think it might be unpleasent.

[NuclearWessels]

...Was thinking of carpenter/electrician, but there's no real job openings...

Wow - you're in the wrong part of the country!   They're absolutely screaming for people with/willing to learn any kind of trade skills out here.   (For the next few years at least, we'll see how well it holds together after the olympics.)  I'm pretty sure the same holds in Alberta, but then again, you'd be in Alberta   -- sorry Pig

dave

[TraumaTech]

Nah I've thought about it (it would be joining the Canadian army, figure if I do it may as well join the best)


Have an intense dislike of the sea, piloting would be cool, but (apparently) they want you to have 20/20 uncorrected vision
and have finished university. (bastards)
So I figured the army.

I'm just (a bit) concerned that after I mentioned I had run my own business for 4 years the recruiting guy seemed to think that would benefit me. Just really don't want to get stuck in some supply position.
(Some of those boxes look heavy)

Of course in the infantry someone might shoot at me, not sure if I approve of that either. Would think it might be unpleasent.

  i know the CAF has changed a lot in the last few years Hexx.....BUT  as long as you have the aptitude and they have the openings,you can ask for just about anything.At least when i was in there...NAVAL RESERVES,it went on availability of position requested and ability to do the work.They just won't put you in a supply techs position simply because you ran your own retail business.   

[Hexx]

Didn't like Alberta much (though it was better than Manitoba..ick)
I likve Vancouver, dunno if I'd want to live  there though. (Isn't it like pricey?)

Ugh plus the Canucks.. I'm not even sure the Sens are visiting there this year..

[FPF-DieHard]

Have an intense dislike of the sea, piloting would be cool, but (apparently) they want you to have 20/20 uncorrected vision . . .

Plus you feet have to be able to reach the the pedals 

[likkerpig]

Didn't like Alberta much (though it was better than Manitoba..ick)
I likve Vancouver, dunno if I'd want to live  there though. (Isn't it like pricey?)

Ugh plus the Canucks.. I'm not even sure the Sens are visiting there this year..

Ah! So it was you King Ralph was talking to when he said "Go home you Eastern bums!".

[TraumaTech]

Didn't like Alberta much (though it was better than Manitoba..ick)
I likve Vancouver, dunno if I'd want to live  there though. (Isn't it like pricey?)

Ugh plus the Canucks.. I'm not even sure the Sens are visiting there this year..

Ah! So it was you King Ralph was talking to when he said "Go home you Eastern bums!".

  king ralph?????    was he some one of importance in Canada?????        wasn't he a" poster child "for for ALCOHOLICS ANNONAMOUS????    didn't he prove the    +  more    made him and  and not on good terms with      wow   what a role model for the country 

[likkerpig]

Don't you be dissin' the old King Ralph, you cod kisser!
When he was on the sauce was when he was at his best! That's when he got rid of the debt.
Now that he is "sober" (well in public anyway) he spends like an east coast NDP'er!

Pffft... east coaster dissin' anyone is ironic....

[TraumaTech]

Don't you be dissin' the old King Ralph, you cod kisser!
When he was on the sauce was when he was at his best! That's when he got rid of the debt.
Now that he is "sober" (well in public anyway) he spends like an east coast NDP'er!

Pffft... east coaster dissin' anyone is ironic....

   lol   what is ironic  his how much you credit to a hasbeen for getting rid of alberta's debt,when he had nothing to putting the oil in the ground and/orgiving advise to unscrupulous speculators in other parts of the world who'd raise the price of a barrel of oil simply because some one said boo  ........  roflmao     

      so when he was a belligerent drunk.....lol    he was at his best??? 

[likkerpig]

Actually the oil boom's effect was getting us out of debt 2 years earlier than predicted. Nice to have but the result was inevitable anyway.
Heh, sensing a little eastern jealousy here. What do you care about King Ralph anyway? Guy lowered my taxes and gave me a cheque for 400 to boot, works for me.
As for him being a drunk... well I guess you should despise Churchill too, amoungst others.
You just stick with your tea totalling debt ridden turf if that makes you feel superior... don't matter to us Albertans.