All About RESO (merged)

[Redeye]

RESO does not exist anymore, Yes Man, but the replacement allows you to complete all of your courses to qualify to the rank of Lieutenant in one summer. If you complete the Common Army Phase (Reserve) course, which is five weeks in Gagetown for all arms, you will be promoted to 2Lt and commissioned. You have to put in at least two years (IIRC) before you will make Lt and complete the requisite field time, which basically means making sure you go to CAC every summer.

 

[Yes Man]

I dont really know if I will stay in the army after school and right now I do not intend to join the regular force.

I went to the recruiting office yesterday and they gave me info that said there was a RESO program, how can it not exist any more?

 

[Redeye]

Yes Man, that‘s because a lot of recruiters don‘t even know the difference. RESO was a program under which reserve officers trained on the same courses as Reg F officers. The last year that it was run was 2001.

There is a new reserve entry program, but it is not the same as RESO, and the credentials are not transferrable into the Regs.

 

[Yes Man]

"Reserve Entry Scheme for Officers
This entry program is available to all first year university students and students in the first year of a three year community college program. You will work with a local Reserve unit during the academic year and attend Basic Officer and classification training in the summer months. Your recruiting centre is the place to start."(http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/lf/English/1_3_2_3.asp)

I see what your saying Redeye, I guess then they made the new program with the same acronym. Do you have any information on this new program and how it works?

 

[Redeye]

I know it had a different name when it was introduced, because the old RESO consisted of RESO I, a four-week basic leadership training course in May in Gagetown, followed by the Basic Infantry Officer Phase II (with Regs and Reservists together). All arms did the Common Phase of Phase II (ten weeks) before heading to their respective schools for four or five weeks for basic classification. This qualifies you to 2Lt in the Reserves. Then the following summer you would do Phase III in your specific MOC and generally this is the end of your training and qualification to Lt. Then next courses you‘d go on would be higher level courses later in your career.

To this day I rue the fact that an injury in week ten cost me the last Phase II course run and I couldn‘t get onto the Reg Force Infantry Phase III as a result. That‘s beside the point, though.

The program now is more modularized like a program we used to have called MITCP - it can all be done in two week blocks, or if you are student, in one summer. You start by doing BMQ through your unit - Basic Military Qualification (which used to be called QL2) with the non-commissioned recruits. After this course you take a course called Basic Military Officer Qualification, which is a non-field one week course in staff functions, battle procedure, and estimating. Then after that you do the Common Army Phase, which is essentially a section commander course condensed, where you learn fieldcraft, the C9, section attacks, navigation, and patrolling. This course is five busy weeks as it covers all the material that was covered in Phase II Common in less time, basically.

After CAP(R) you progress to courses specific to your MOC. Where these are conducted depend on your MOC. Combat arms courses are at CTC Gagetown, I can‘t speak for others except for Signals which is at CFSCE in Kingston. Most of the other CSS-type trades are taught at CFB Borden, I imagine, since that‘s where CFSAL and CFSEME and so on are.

At the end of all this training, you are qualified to hold the rank of Lieutenant, though you won‘t generally get it right away.

 

[mdh]

Redeye,

You wouldn‘t happen to know how long the reserve platoon commanders course is supposed to be under this new system? Thanks in advance...

 

[Redeye]

Six weeks in three modules which can be taken consecutively.

 

[mdh]

Thanks Redeye, appreciate the quick response - it hasn‘t been easy tracking down an answer to this question.

 

[Redeye]

That‘s in part because so many changes have happened in the training plan for officers in the Reserve that a lot of people don‘t know the answers anymore! I was told just after the change "You‘re going to Gagetown, you‘ll be a Lt when you come back." My Adjutant had no idea what was in store beyond that.

 

[Meridian]

Hi.

I‘m an ex-ROTP‘er who did not complete the IAP phase of BOTP due to medical reasons (screwed up my back). Due to financial and other reasons, I left the military (and ROTP program) voluntarily and was highly recommended for re-enrollment by my CO.

Im looking at getting my commission (yes, I dont need to hear about how its better to be an NCM first) in the reserves, and am returning as a 2nd year university student this year at a civilian university.

Im in ottawa, if that matters. Im wondering how the process for Jr. Officer trainign works in the PRes. All the info I can find is solely based on NCMs. Id be looking at Infantry, GGFG probably here in the Capital.

I can‘t call, as they are all on holidays.

I recognize there are much less positions for jr. officers in the PRes, but nonetheless, I believe I can compete for one of the few. Im just wondering about training process in particular: how is the IAP/BOTP/Phase 1 done for PRes Officers.. is it necessary to take a summer off of yoru full time employment?

Thanks.

 

[kurokaze]

I can tell you about my experience.

My BOTP course ran over the weekends and then I went for one full week doing "leadership" training.

After that I went for 5 weeks in Gagetown doing CAP(R) (Common Army Phase - Infantry training).

After that it‘s your MOCs, and the length of that will depend on your trade.

You probably won‘t have to take a full summer off, since practically everything is done in mods these days (lucky you).

Hope that helps

 

[Enzo]

Meridian, I‘d like to know how you injured your back, what kind of injury it is and any difficulties you had returning to the CF? Please go into detail. Thanks.

 

[Meridian]

I haven‘t returned - yet.

But when I was leaving, I was recoursed for medical reasons on Phase I. I then requested a VR, and was granted, but on out-clearance discussed with the docs, and they agreed that they would clear my med levels back to appropriate levels, as my back should get better with rest, less strain, and going through physio/etc.

It had always been less than stellar before entrance, but on course, after several sessions of running in combats with poorly mounted

 

[Meridian]

****... a poorly mounted ruck (a result of repeated pushup/exercise sessions during the run)...

we had a PPCLI Marathon-running 26 year old insane captain who felt we could all run a marathon with a ruck ;-) and when I say run, I mean run.

So at any rate, the repeated stress of a basic course with this dude, was too much for my back. that and I didn‘t want to half-*** it through the course either, and coupled with personal issues... just figured it would be better for me to not engage in further training under ROTP.

If anyone who has ever asked for an exception of the military can attest, its easier to get out and reapply for somethign that suits you better than to wait for the COC to make a decision in your favour.

 

[Meridian]

I would love to know if anyone has any more info on the OCTP... Im going back to school part time, and I would not be entering first year anyway, so I do not qualify for RETP, as it is described on the forces recruiting website.

OCTP seems more along the correct lines...
If anyone has any more serious info/personal experiences.. before I make a committment, I like to have an idea of how the real world really works, not what the recruiter feeds me.

 

[Freight_Train]

I need some clarity on Reserve Officer training. I have been told (by a reserve recruiting officer) that Reserve IAP and BOTP (Phase 1) takes 6 weeks in Gagetown. The CAP (Phase 2) takes another 6 weeks and Phase 3 takes another 6 weeks. I was told that all 3 phases can be broken down into 2 week modules. My questions are:
1. Is the Army really going to fly me in and out of Gagetown from BC 9 times if I can only get away from work for a couple, maybe three weeks at a time?
On the other hand, for NCM's, I have been told that BMQ, SQ and MOC take about 20-21 days each, and that the courses are often done in house on weekends.
2. Is the Officer training that much more involved?
Thank you for your input.

 

[Eowyn]

One of the biggest factors is the number of students. There are more NCMs taking the BMQ and SQ than officers. With that factor, the officer‘s course are run in centralized locations like Gagetown. Yes the Army will fly you out all those times, if you can only get a couple weeks off at a time.

 

[Freight_Train]

Is it really 6 weeks for each phase?
Thanks

 

[Eowyn]

I don‘t know about the length of the BOTP or the trades trg, but CAP(R) is 6 weeks.

 

[SpinDoc]

For the so-called "Phase I", BOTP for the most part is the same as BMQ and could be done over the weekends, except for the leadership portion which is a few extra days.

To answer the questions -- as far as I know:
1) Yes, the army will fly you and/or cover travel expenses for the courses.
2) CAP is quite involved, since each and every candidate has to be assessed multiple times individually (i.e. leading section attacks, recce patrols, etc) whereas for NCM, BMQ and SQ troops are more or less assessed within a group. Anything after CAP is trade specific and I can‘t speak with authority on other trades. For some trades the training is longer than others; some involve take-home study packages and less time at a base.