Got into Reserves, but kind of disappointed.

[PteAJL]

I originally applied for the 7th Toronto Regiment as an artillery soldier and was told I had a successful interview, CFAT and fitness test. So today, I had my medical exam and I didn't meet the standard because my vision isn't good enough. However I was offered a position as V-Tech in the 32 Service Battalion. I'm glad that I was offered a job, but I'm feeling kind of disappointed that I am disqualified from the combat arms, as my 3 original choices were combat trades.
Although I am looking forward to the being a vehicle technician, I will always want to be in the combat arms. I have since I was a little child.
Anyone else get really great results from all three components of the recruiting process, and then vision just ruins the whole thing for you?

 

[MikeL]

So you didn't get into the Reserves?  You are just near the end of the recruiting process.  Or have you already been sworn in, etc?


It sucks,  lots of people have been denied from Combat Arms due to vision.  Happened to me,  so I went into Signals(Reg Force) and did that for awhile(7 years).  I got LASIK 6 years ago and am now in the process of going into the Combat Arms(Reserves).  This could be a set back,  but you can always look into LASIK/PRK in a few years and possibly get into Combat Arms.  Or you may end up loving being a Veh Tech and stick with it.

 

[PteAJL]

At CFRC Toronto I was told that I couldn't be in any of the combat trades, but I was told that I had a position as VTech at 32 Service Battalion waiting for me.
My occupational trade was changed to that, and now I'm just waiting for my file to get sent to the unit so I can be sworn in, etc.

 

[GAP]

Disappointed? Don't be...without the great people in the background not much happens on the pointy end without great difficulty....the tooth to tail ratio is what it is because it is important.

 

[Tank Troll]

if your really set on Combat arms then go with Skeletor's suggestion we had a young guy that wanted to join the Rifles, was a Rifles cadet but his eye sight wasn't good enough had the surgery and now he is with us. It just took a bit longer to get to where he wanted to be. 

 

[PteAJL]

Thanks for the advice, I am willing to wait about 8-9 years to get eye surgery. I would have made enough money from working as a Veh. Tech, maybe this could be a stepping stone to where I really want to be.

 

[AmmoTech90]

You realize that the Reserves are set up to be a part-time job done in addition to other full-time work or study, right?  There are opportunities for full time employment but they are becoming scarcer and are not what you want to plan your life around.

Using the reserves to help pay for school and using the pay as a bonus when you are working full time elsewhere is what you should plan on.

Planning on being able to afford eye surgery while trying to support yourself on part-time reserve pay will probably result in disappointment.

 

[PteAJL]

@AmmoTech90
I am currently still in high school, and I have my parents' full support. They will allow me to live at home for as long as I need as long as I have a steady career path. So I happen to be in a very good fiscal situation.

However there was one thing I was wondering. I know a former MCpl. from the 48th Highlanders, and he had worse vision than me when he joined up.
Sometimes I wonder if the standards are really being enforced properly.

 

[AmmoTech90]

The thing is you cannot count on the Reserves as a career.  It is structured as part time job, especially at the lower ranks.  By the time you are finished high school you might be trade qualified at the very basic level.  What are you going to do for  the next 6 years when you work 1 night and 1 weekend a month and maybe a couple of months during the summer?

 

[PteAJL]

Oh that is definitely true. I know the reserves is a part time job, so I will probably find full time work.
But it will be a primary source of income, as I look for work after high school (and that will take some time, in this economy).

 

[Chelomo]

My advice would be to go to school after you finish High School. You don't have to go to college or university, but getting a trade's degree (Here in Quebec we call them DEP) will definitely help your career prospects in the long term, especially if you have the chance to live with your folks. It's the best time to study, not later on when you have your own place, 2 kids and a wife, and trust me, you won't regret it. The reserves will also give you a small income from which you can save on to purchase that surgery.

 

[Teager]

PteAJL I would defiently take Chelomo's advice. If you suffer an injury or something happens to you it is important to have a plan B. Doing it while your young is important too. Have a look at apprenticeships for trades that way you can get paid while you learn and still do the reserve thing plus the trades make good money and as said before will help you in the military as well.

 

[PMedMoe]

Nothing wrong with Veh Tech (at least in the Reg F).  My bf has been out for a few years and is still working as a mechanic.  :nod:

 

[PteAJL]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. It would be awesome to go to university, but my parents dont have the money, so learning a skilled trade is probably the best way for me to go.

 

[Chelomo]

Well dude, if you really want to go to university, there's a lot of loans and scholarship programs. If I hadn't messed up in CEGEP when I first took it, I would have been eligible for 20 000- 30 000$ in scholarships with my current grades. So if you have good grades, definitely look into that. You can work part time as I do right now, supplement that with scholarships and some loans. I know you guys in Ontario have a financial aid system, I don't know how generous it is though, but your scholarships are definitely better than here.

Everything put together, it will cost me about 15 000$ a year to go to U of Ottawa, live and eat on campus and for my books. The fees don't vary that much across universities, and it's definitely possible to make it with a part time job. Either way, do what you feel like doing, if you're more of a manual guy, maybe doing an apprenticeship in a trade would be best, but if you're book smart and love school, then uni is rarely a waste.

 

[JM2345]

My little advice: Take a year to work a regular 9-5 job anywhere and get the feel for what full time work feels like after High School. If you are living with your parents and you save money, you could easily have $4,000 - $9,000 saved up at the end of the year. That will allow you to pay for school, or get laser eye surgery, or just help you achieve anything else you want in life. 6 months to a year of full time 5 days a week work will teach you a lot and help you get a better idea what you want for your future.

 

[FormerHorseGuard]

I can understand your disappointment with your choices no happening and dealing with it.
When I first was interested in the military it was because I wanted to be a pilot, and fly helicopters. My grandfather was willing to help pay for my  private lessons and purchase a small plane as a graduation gift when I completed the course so we could fly together, but I failed the colour vision tests and was no longer to live out the pilot dreams.
I still joined the reserves and had a great time learning how to be soldier. I think if you go thru the basic training and give it a shot, you  will see the fact you can be a soldier and serve how the army needs right now and get  the eye problem corrected later when you have the cash.

 

[Smirnoff123]

I think that this is a problem that many of the support units face, they are filled with many people who are in it as a last resort due to medical, etc.

OP, although it is not your first choice you will enjoy it in that unit. The EME members of 32 svc are quite a proud bunch with all of their arte et marte (youll figure out what that is).

 

[PteAJL]

@C.G.R. Now you've got me curious. Could tou give me a hit on what "arte de marte" is?

 

[shreenan]

@  PteAJL , Sadie will be happy to tell you what Arte Et Marte means!  :nod: