After Basic Training !!! PLEASE HELP!!!

[Shannon193]

So, I have taken the first steps into joining the Canadian military by applying online. I quickly received an e-mail asking me to call to book my processing appointment. This is a difficult decision for me for the most basic reasons. I am to be the maid of honor at my brother's wedding and am wondering, if I make it through the Basic Training (by which time it will be August, the month of the wedding), what are the possibilities of me getting to go home to participate in the wedding, for a weekend? If at all, as I am aware that it is not ideal to leave for recreational events such as a wedding. My brother and sister-in-law are perhaps the most important people to me and I am honored to be the maid of honor . However, I know that the military is not quite sympathetic to these types of things. Is there a certain reprieve I can request? I do not want to wait until August to re-apply, as I am terribly excited to join the military as soon as possible, but I would be ashamed of myself if I were to miss this event. Please help! 

 

[KerryBlue]

Yeah I wouldn't worry about even starting basic in August. The way recruiting goes if you just applied online this week you could be anywhere from 3 months-2 years of waiting. The average wait time to go through the whole process being between 8 months and a year. SO you have lots and lots a time to not worry about missing the wedding.

 

[Shannon193]

Oh, okay so even if I book the processing appointment now, I might have to wait, or just the basic training? I'm not quite sure how it works or if there is some kind of pre-test to being sent to Basic training. If there is , then the time between the processing and basic training could be a while?

 

[Goose15]

Post removed.

 

[KerryBlue]

It depends what you are applying for, regular force or reserve. Officer or NCM. But if you look at the Forces.ca website the process is outlined pretty well. Your initial appointment with the RC will be to bring in your documents i.e Birth Certificate,Passport etc... Then you will book your aptitude test(CFAT) the waiting time for that is about a month. After that you have to do a medical and an interview. It could take anywhere from a month to over half a year to get these. Then the medical takes about a month to be cleared by Ottawa assuming you have no medical conditions that need to be cleared by your own doctor first. Then the interview and finally merit listing. You can sit on the merit list for a few months before being selected. So I wouldn't worry to much about missing the wedding, just start the process and what happens happens, but I doubt you will even start BMQ before August.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

So, I have taken the first steps into joining the Canadian military by applying online. I quickly received an e-mail asking me to call to book my processing appointment. This is a difficult decision for me for the most basic reasons. I am to be the maid of honor at my brother's wedding and am wondering, if I make it through the Basic Training (by which time it will be August, the month of the wedding), what are the possibilities of me getting to go home to participate in the wedding, for a weekend? If at all, as I am aware that it is not ideal to leave for recreational events such as a wedding. My brother and sister-in-law are perhaps the most important people to me and I am honored to be the maid of honor . However, I know that the military is not quite sympathetic to these types of things. Is there a certain reprieve I can request? I do not want to wait until August to re-apply, as I am terribly excited to join the military as soon as possible, but I would be ashamed of myself if I were to miss this event. Please help! 

If all you have done is applied online, I wouldn't quite jump to  anic: stations yet.  You might not get accepted at all, you might but be waiting for an offer, etc.

Possible option;  you could apply now and tell the CFRC staff if/when you get thru the required testing, etc to get to the job offer stage "I have a personal commitment taking place on the weekend of *insert dates* Aug 2014.  I am very excited to join the CF and begin training, but as I am the Maid of Honor in my brothers wedding, I would not be able to start BMQ until after that".

That kinda thing.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

It depends what you are applying for, regular force or reserve. Officer or NCM. But if you look at the Forces.ca website the process is outlined pretty well. Your initial appointment with the RC will be to bring in your documents i.e Birth Certificate,Passport etc... Then you will book your aptitude test(CFAT) the waiting time for that is about a month. After that you have to do a medical and an interview. It could take anywhere from a month to over half a year to get these. Then the medical takes about a month to be cleared by Ottawa assuming you have no medical conditions that need to be cleared by your own doctor first. Then the interview and finally merit listing. You can sit on the merit list for a few months before being selected. So I wouldn't worry to much about missing the wedding, just start the process and what happens happens, but I doubt you will even start BMQ before August.

How do you know the OP will be sitting for a few months?  What if she has a great application, and merits very high and gets a job offer quickly?  Maybe the OP is joining as RMS Clerk, has a college diploma in Office System and relevant work experience, and gets thru the application process fast and is on platoon in St Jean in 4 months.  Then what?

As an applicant yourself, maybe you should leave the "how the CAF operates" advice to people who know, from the inside and experience.

 

[Shannon193]

Awesome, thank you all for being a fountain of knowledge truly appreciated .

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Best answer is "let the CFRC staff know".  They are the ones who will co-ord your BMQ start date with the CAF system for you as an applicant.

Good luck!

 

[MeatheadMick]

Eye in the Sky hit this one on the nose... I have a friend who applied in June and was done basic by January... I have also seen it take over 2 years to get an offer... it's on a case by case basis, so if you're serious about making the commitment to the CAF, let your recruiters know your intentions. Don't go making serious life plans on hearsay over the internet... especially from others in the same boat.

 

[Journeyman]

Best answer is "let the CFRC staff know". 

Giving yourself MilPoints now?      ;D

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I can do that?  >

 

[DAA]

How do you know the OP will be sitting for a few months?  What if she has a great application, and merits very high and gets a job offer quickly?  Maybe the OP is joining as RMS Clerk, has a college diploma in Office System and relevant work experience, and gets thru the application process fast and is on platoon in St Jean in 4 months.  Then what?

They have to contact their CFRC first!  Once they do make contact to book their CFAT/TSD, regretably, the OP will probably be sitting for a few months, if not longer but I would guess a minimum of 6 weeks plus and that is "after" getting in touch with them.  Once they write the CFAT/TSD, then they will be waiting again........

The contents of the application, occupation choice, academic credentials, work experience, etc, etc, etc only factor in during the final interview stage.

So, the OP just needs to "try" and contact their local CFRC and good luck with that one!

 

[Lilswitche]

In the event that your application is completly processed and that you've been made an offer prior to the wedding; another option is to have your RC make a request you be placed on a later BMQ/BMOQ course.  When I was given my offer and my swear in date, it would have been less than a week from phonecall to basic training.  I was able to push back my start date by two weeks being there was another course nearby.

Just another option at your disposal.