Another question/situation from me.

[cameron_highlander]

Right, here I go again.

Anyone who's been following any of my posts on this site in regards to my short CF career (so far) have probably noticed a trend, and thats the one that looks like I can't make up my flipping mind.

So, after all my plans either didn't work out, backfired or got a reality check, I think I've come to a conclusion. I'm trying now to OT outta the R871 trade and the band and into the MP reserves. Why you ask? Because after careful consultation with people in law enforcement (yes, I even decided where I want to go in life), the general consensus is that going into the MP's as a reservist would be my best bet if I wanted to apply to police forces (either to the reg MP's, RCMP, City etc) after university. Also, 33 MP Plt. (the unit I'm trying to join) appears to have pretty intensive and interesting training throughout the year. And lastly, I was under a few false impressions when I joined as a bandsman (no one told me I could not to the 'army stuff' too, and I saw no info that said this) and I joined the army to soldier, not just make music.

As you may see, I'm doing my OT rather late (haven't even handed in the memo yet, waiting on the MP's to tell me whether they want me or not) and therefore, my chances of doing any summer courses (SQ would be all I'd have time for) are slim to none (unless by some miracle my OT takes less then a month).

The question is, will my career/skills/usefullness to the CF suffer as a result of this (missing a whole summer of training and not being QL3'd until at the earliest late 2006) and being a Pte. (Basic) for almost 2 years? When I could have been halfway done my 3's at the end of this summer if I had been a little more careful in choosing my trade. I don't want to be one of those people who are looked at with an air of disdane because 'the lazy bugger's been in over a year and a summer and isn't even done his SQ?'. Just asking, maybye even looking for a 'don't worry, your not totally screwed' or a 'yeah, your screwed' to at least warm the cold feet I'm getting.

What is a little misguided piper to do? I feel like a newbie looking to join all over again.

 

[Sig_Des]

Piper...If it's what you want to do, push it out...but don't jump in blindly.

Now's a pretty good time to do the OT. I know quite a few of the guy's in 33 MP Platoon (same armouries), and for the most part all good guys.

I just finished an ML course, and 4 of the MP's were on it with us. They do a lot of training year round, and they Parade Tuesday's.

as far as not doing your 3's this summer, eh. I've heard they're currently in the process of rewriting the MP 3's and 5's anyways.

 

[canadianblue]

I'm just wondering, are you applying to a police foundations program if your considering becoming a reg force MP. Last I heard even for OT's they will require you to have the program even though you could have a few years in the forces fulltime.

 

[winchable]

My cousin (who is about your age) was in a similar-ish situation (Pte. B decided his MOC was all wrong for him) of having to figure out if the OT he was doing was worth missing out on 1 Year+ of training; basically wether he should've stuck with his MOC, said sod it and go through with his OT at all costs or leave the reserves all together, and I also have similarly applicable experience in the wacky world of OT's.

The experience I had, as bad as it was, made me realise what I wanted and I got out of it and took a chance on something else.
He stuck through the mountains of shit and no one thought any less of him for switching.
He's now a happy bosun (or last I heard) and I'm drinking tea 6 times a day, though I'm happy to do so because I've got a plan and a goal to work for whereas before I just drifted in limbo.

My biggest advice I give to anyone contemplating an OT is to A)Make absolutely certain your desired MOC is worth the wait and B)Find out (Roughly if you can) how long you're looking at. Now based on mine and others experiences, you're looking at 1 year plus a few months (at best) as a bandsman while your transfer goes through (hopefully...get that memo in asap)

You sound certain (based on your chosen degree and career aspirations) of your direction which I applaud, at your age I was certain I was going to own a landscaping business and have a history degree while I played soldier for booze money and a social scene. That morphed into a career in my beloved navy, and that changed into... well...here I am in God's country, 99% sure I know what I'm doing at 22.

Soooooo to sum, first pearl of wisdom (and you may not have the luxury) do a year of university in your chosen field before you "know" what you're doing, you don't want to go through the trouble only to find out that criminology bores you into wetting yourself and you'd rather be a beautician.

Okay, so ignoring that advice (I would have too so I take no offence) and in regards to your question about will people look at you with disdain..or really, should you care if people look at you with disdain.

I asked the exact same question of a senior of mine and he basically said "at a certain point you have to say, well who gives a damn what other people think, it's my career and there's no way it's going to be a lifetime of ______" (Insert piping in your case)
To sum it up, who gives a damn what the people at the unit (the unit you dont even want to be in might I add) think of you, they're happy to drum, pipe etc. whereas you want something else, if they were MP's and wanted to squeeze that bag of cats (and I know how the Scots work, that bag is full of cats screaming) they would want the same thing you want.

No one will fault you for being a late-teen who cocked things up a bit and in most cases you'll find they'll be extremely helpful because the reality of it is that no one really wants to see you cock things up anymore becuase it makes more work for them and the majority of people are not complete bastards who wish cancer on your generation.

If it's what you want, you will do it, regardless of what we tell you and there's 90% chance you'll be where you want to be, just pray it's where you want to be when you're there..and you don't want to be somewhere else.

Hopefully somewhere in that long blast of hot air you find something to think about.

To summarise it to a very simple peice of advice I would say, either move very, very quickly (get your OT memo request in..tomorrow! You can't go wrong, even if there are no spots, you'll know for sure when you apply. Parade regularly with your head down, eye on the prize until your OT goes through, do not, I repeat, do not rock the boat. Follow your plan through) or not at all (stick with the band, as much as you might loathe it, figure out what everyone seems to figure out after a year of university, get your degree (or not) and then make a decision)
The second might seem like diddling but I'm certain that I read somewhere that 60% of first year students change their major in their second year. A very close friend of mine went from general arts to neurology if you can believe, so it does happen and sometimes balls out action is detrimental.

In any case good luck.