Enlistment in the GGFG

[TheProfessional]

Hi, long time lurker, first time poster.

So earlier this week I went to Cartier square drill hall in Ottawa to the recruiting office, as I want to join the reserve in an infantry regiment and the Governor General's foot guards seem like a good idea. I talked briefly to a couple of guys in the recruiting office. I was told that there was possibly recruiting for may, and September. I left my name and contact info on a sheet of paper, and then the recruiting officer eventually arrived and told me he was busy that night but he was doing interviews next Tuesday and so, asked me if I could come by at 2045. I said yes of course and then he went on his way.

Now I'm just wondering what kind of interview this is? I'm puzzled because I thought you were supposed to pass the physical and cfat before getting an interview when enlisting. Unless the process is different when joining the reserve? I wrote an email to the recruiting cell asking for more info but they haven't replied, at least not yet. Is this right? Do I already have an interview before doing the physical, does that happen? Or did I misinterpret the recruiter? He clearly said he was doing interviews, but did he mean info sessions? If this is indeed a formal interview, what paperwork should I bring? I have already filled out my recruiting papers and everything, but do I need anything else? Birth certificate, sin card, etc?

Thank you very much for your input guys!

 

[ht90]

Hello,

Do you mean you talked to the recruiter of that regiment or did you talk to a recruiter of a recruiting center?

When i first enlisted in the naval reserve, I did it through the unit who then sent my file to the recruiting center but only after I went to an information session that was about that reserve unit.

You should bring all your papers just in case though that means birth certificate, SIN card, school transcripts and diplomas etc..

Hopefully someone with more knowledge on this can reply,

ht90

 

[MikeL]

Have you tried calling the unit and asking them what this interview is for?  If you should bring anything?

 

[BDTyre]

It could be an informal interview, sort of a "get to know you thing." When I first applied, they sat me down, asked me some general questions (why did I want to join? what did I do civy side? schooling? etc). and went over the application with me.

 

[Sadukar09]

It could be an informal interview, sort of a "get to know you thing." When I first applied, they sat me down, asked me some general questions (why did I want to join? what did I do civy side? schooling? etc). and went over the application with me.

This. According to the Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding, our unit is over-strength. So we need the most committed and best troops.

 

[Jarnhamar]

This. According to the Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding, our unit is over-strength. So we need the most committed and best troops.

Is vetting of applicants at unit level allowed? I've tried that in the past and threatened by CFRC with charges.

 

[brihard]

Is vetting of applicants at unit level allowed? I've tried that in the past and threatened by CFRC with charges.

It is not. At this point in time reserve units have no mandate, permission, or training to do vetting of applicants at unit level past he point necessary to determine the basest 'suitability' that we express in the letter given to CFRC. I have in my time as a recruiter only turned down one person who was so woefully unprepared that he really had little idea what the infantry did, what the reserves are, or anything like that- and I ran that one past my
RSM first. He iterally was unsuitable at that time, and I told him to do some research and apply again at the next recruiting cycle.

In the next year or two reserve units will be getting a full time position for recruiter, and will be assuming most of the administrative responsibilities for the recruiting process, with only a 'final product' getting sent up to CFRC North Bay near the end stage. But tha thas not happened yet.

But at the end of the day the recruiters at a reserve unit such as GGFG are almost never actually trained in recruiting by Canadian Forces Recruiting Group. Any unit recruiter had best be prepared to explain their approach to national recruiting.

 

[SentryMAn]

When I was in the reserves, everything had to be approved by the reserve unit prior to doing anything with the CFRC.  the unit I was in had to approve me and basically endorse me with an open position prior to my application going forward.

It may have changed since this time(2008).

This interview likely is the Res units way of seeing if you would be a good fit for their unit and to determine if you are in fact a good choice to fill any gaps they may have in their ranks.

Best of luck.

 

[TheProfessional]

Thank you for the feedback.

So this would basically be an informal interview? If I pass the physical and cfat would I then get another interview? And should I bring anything besides cf enlistment forms and resume? Like goverment issue IDs and school diplomas?

 

[brihard]

When I was in the reserves, everything had to be approved by the reserve unit prior to doing anything with the CFRC.  the unit I was in had to approve me and basically endorse me with an open position prior to my application going forward.

It may have changed since this time(2008).

This interview likely is the Res units way of seeing if you would be a good fit for their unit and to determine if you are in fact a good choice to fill any gaps they may have in their ranks.

Best of luck.

That has not changed. It remains the case. When reserve units do put such systems in place, it normally is coming from the CO or RSM of the reserve unit who have chosen to interpret for themselves what scope they are given to determine an individual's suitability to proceed to CFRC.

Thank you for the feedback.

So this would basically be an informal interview? If I pass the physical and cfat would I then get another interview? And should I bring anything besides cf enlistment forms and resume? Like goverment issue IDs and school diplomas?

I know the individual who will be interviewing you. He is very knowledgeable and has considerable experience. The interview you will be doing will focus on your experiences, on what you want to do in the reserves, on your availability and what else you're doing in life, what sort of future you would envision with the reserves, etc. I would advise being sure that you are familiar with the nature of the army reserve as part of the Canadian Forces and how we are differentiated from the regular force. At the end of the day you are selling yourself as an individual, a team player, a professional, an academic and an athlete as applicable. You want to leave him thinking 'yup, if weput this guy through the ringer and get him trained, I'm confident we can make a soldier of him that I would want in my platoon'.

I would bring your ID and application forms so that he can look over them; it can't hurt.

 

[TheProfessional]

Hey guys.

Thanks for the feedback, I have an update. So I ended up going to the interview. Turns out it was pretty formal, it wasn't just some info session. They were expecting me when I arrived, they sat me down in Cartier Hall's conference room. They looked over my resume and made me fill out a GGFG specific application form. The recruiter then asked me a series of questions from a questionnaire, writing notes as I answered. They were generic questions, like why do you want to join the military, etc. He then went over the recruitment process with me and at the end, told me if I was selected, they would send me a recruitment referral via email that I would have to bring to cfrc along with all of the rest of my paperwork. 6 days later, I received an email from them, telling me I had been selected for nomination, along with the letter of referral. I went to cfrc with all my paperwork but at first, the recruiter was puzzled, as he thought there was no available spots for infantry. I got worried, and he went to check something. He came back with a smile, saying it was my lucky day; turns out they are accepting applications for infantry, but they were only taking 2 applications. Turns out only one other candidate brought a recruitment referral to cfrc, but he was kind of lost and didn't have any of his paperwork with him so he was sent back. They briefly went over my forms to make sure everything was in order, signed them, and put my application in a file ready to be processed. Now all that is left to do is wait for them to call me for my cfat, medical, physical test and interview! I am very excited and looking forward to start my bmq! ;D

 

[brihard]

You can expect BMQ to start in the Sept-Oct timeframe, running through til next March or so. You'll be looking at a two month full time DP1 Infantry in summer 2014.

 

[TheProfessional]

Just got a call this afternoon, my cfat is scheduled for next tuesday! Looks like the recruitment process is moving along quickly, I'm very excited!  ;D

Also, I was told that the likeliest scenario would be BMQ in september, however I inquired to the MCpl at the regiment to see if it would be possible to start it earlier, and he told me that there is a possibility if my application process goes through quickly enough. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will be the case. So far it looks good though because I applied 3 weeks ago and they are already calling me for my cfat!