Cadets or Reserves?

[dangerboy]

That is right, you still owe a round.  :cheers: But in all seriousness, it is very common to see Ptes on leadership courses these days.

 

[the 48th regulator]

That is right, you still owe a round.  :cheers: But in all seriousness, it is very common to see Ptes on leadership courses these days.

hehehe,

Nice try Jingles....


So, it is safe to say, at 17 you can join the reserves.  This while in high school, where you are concentrating to get the grades to go to RMC.

So you can be among adults, learn what it is like to be a Soldier, rather than playing with children pretending to be the one who holds the conch on a remote island....

But then, what the hell do I know.  Let us listen to CadetRac, who "Believes" as opposed to those of us that know...

dileas

tess

 

[stealthylizard]

Leadership potential is also a part of the PDR, even for no-hook privates.  I was the RSM of my cadet unit at the rank of WO after 4 years.  I have been in the reserves, and I had also applied for RMC about 15 years ago.  Now I am in the Regs as an NCM.  You really want to know what they look for in an officer applicant, especially for RMC?  A genius with a healthy and busy extracurricular life.  I went through school with someone that had a 98% average throughout high school, and still didn't get accepted into RMC because he spent all his time studying and doing nothing else.  As said before, cadets will help with drill (although some things are different, especially regimental drill), some leadership and rank recognition, even somewhat with CoC usage, but the reserves helps with so much more that is actually important, like section attacks, weapons handling, operational experience, dealing with the vast loads of redundant paperwork, networking, etc etc.  The list can go on forever.

I would agree that going into RMC from the civie/cadet side would be faster or easier than the reserve side, based simply on the CT process.

 

[ScotiaShooter]

(My apologies for the wall of text I did my best to shorten it but it didn't really work )

While you or your friend are thinking about cadets or the reserves to strengthen your application to the Royal Military College why not also look into some volunteer work in your neighborhood at the same time? I know of one person from my area who was accepted to RMC who was an air cadet but he also played sports and volunteered at places like soup kitchens and held down a part time job all while keeping up his grades.

Now I am not a recruiter or RMC student or even a Military member so I know I am outside my lane with this and possibly mistaken but it would seem that he was probably accepted into the CF for a lot more then just his being a member of cadets.

And I'm not attempting to talk down on cadets I was a cadet I feel it is a fantastic youth program and can provide a great summer job but I feel you should look at the bigger picture rather then focusing purely on whether reserve service or cadets will help you get into RMC

Regardless of whatever community you live in I guarantee you there are lots of options out there for volunteer work If your old enough why not look into volunteer firefighting? most depts that run what is called a junior training program usually recruit at I think sixteen. You can gain medical and rescue experience and practice teamwork. Another benefit of firefighting experience is with all the ball busting and jokes that happen around the station I promise you will develop a very thick skin.

Quite a few communities run ground search and rescue teams I am not aware of any real age limit to join but I might be mistaken as it could depend on your province. In GSAR you can again gain medical experience you can learn map and compass and learn to work in a team you will also gain leadership experience if for example you are called on to lead search parties and most importantly you get to help people.

And you don't even need to do the super sexy rescue work and wear the cool jumpsuits to help people go to your local food bank or legion see if they have any small jobs you could do to help out you obviously wont be able to do any bar work due to age but I'm sure you can find someway to help out

All of this is stuff that can go on a resume or in your case a school application plus it builds character and lets you give back to the community. And you can still join the reserves or be a cadet while doing this you just need to learn to balance a schedule. And most importantly remember if your in grade 12 hoping to go to a university of some sort don't forget to focus on your school work I learned that lesson the hard way so please don't make the same mistakes as me.

My apologies for the wall of text hopefully my message is clear though I'm sure it isn't

Cheers
SS

P.S. To the staff if you feel I am either mistaken or I have stepped too far outside of my lane please accept my apologies

 

[Towards_the_gap]

You should heed the advice of numerous other posters on this thread and wind your neck in.

But when joing RMC (where they look at leadership more than they look at military experince) beign a cadet CWO, where you have gone on an exchange, para, done staff seems a heck of a lot better than a Private in the reserves who has MAYBE done BMQ. and im not comparing a MCPL to a C/CWO, because i am assuming that this guy is planning to join right after grade 12 which doesnt give him enough time to become a MCPL, and PTE's dont get any leadership experince..

Pte's do get leadership experience. In some cases, OPERATIONAL leadership experience. Exchange, para, staff etc are all just little sweeteners for cadets to keep them in, it's really of no use as a real soldier. It is the military version of boy scouts, nothing more, and do not kid yourself further in this. I would rather, to be honest, have someone off the street to train than a cadet, simply for the fact that you have a blank slate, with no bad habits or misconceptions.

Also, in the reserves, your friend is more likely to gain a bit more life experience, ie sports, socialising, employment, AS AN ADULT surrounded by ADULTS, than staying as a cadet.

 

[armchair_throwaway]

If a person is clueless enough to say "Well in cadet we did drill this way", he probably would be the same type who would say "Well in the reserves we did our section attacks like this". No one at RMC would be impressed either way. Some of you seems to think just joining reserves would make one more mature and more adult-like. I'm sure there were a few who got a life-changing experience after 2 months of BMQ/SQ, then there were those shit-pumps who remained shit-pumps but still safely graduated.

Don't take me wrong, I absolutely agree with everyone that cadet experiences in no way equals military, but some of the example important lessons mentioned are pretty weak: how to exchange kit, write memo, play sports and socialize with adults? You can easily learn these as a civilian, it's called common sense and having a part-time job.

If the OP and his friend were in boy scout or Jr firefighter/police/etc., most of you probably wouldn't tell them to quit that and join a year of reserve for "real-life experience" to prep for RMC. Just the mere mention of cadets seems to invalidate the things they gain from it. Not all cadets are snobs, but certainly this site attracts a lot of them, as I'm sure sites like Blueline may attract a certain type.

 

[1feral1]

"Well in the reserves we did our section attacks like this".

I thought doctrine (such as fire and movement) was Army wide with no difference in tactics between full time and part time components.

OWDU

EDITed for spelling and to add, you'll find AH's and DH's in every nieche of military society including militia, cadets and the regs.

 

[stealthylizard]

I thought doctrine (such as fire and movement) was Army wide with no difference in tactics between full time and part time components.

OWDU

EDITed for spelling and to add, you'll find AH's and DH's in every niche of military society including militia, cadets and the regs.

For the most part I agree, but learning section attacks in BMQ, and BIQ, there were vast differences.  The one thing that was constant ws fire and move, but they didnt get into flanking, aussie peelbacks, weapon dets, etc  in BMQ.  I don't know if trades other than infantry go into much detail for section attacks other than the common "up, he sees me, down", and "one foot remains on the ground and covers, while the other one moves."

Sorry had to correct "niche".

 

[1feral1]

One would think all tactics would be covered under one CFP to avoid confusion.

I would tend to base my sumations at the core, from an Infantry course for that trade, the ole 031, not necessarily at an all arms/corps recruit level, but one would think there would be some consistancy, as if not its a bad practice.

Yes, this confuses me. Here things are under one MLW (Manual of Land Warefare), and doctrine (Infantry) for example, is based out of one cell at the SOI (School of Infantry) at Singleton, NSW who write doctrine.

As for the Aussie peelback, well after 17 days shy of 15 yrs svc here, its non existant, at least by that name. Here a peelback means one is uncircumcised, ha!

Cheers,

OWDU

 

[armchair_throwaway]

I thought doctrine (such as fire and movement) was Army wide with no difference in tactics between full time and part time components.

At my SQ, the reg force Sgt (who subbed for a few classes) often corrected the moves that the Res instructor had taught us. So we just shut our mouths and learn both ways

 

[c4th]

One would think all tactics would be covered under one CFP to avoid confusion.

B-GL-309-003/FT-001  The Infantry Section and Platoon in Battle

http://armyapp.dnd.ca/ael/pubs/B-GL-309-003-FT-001E.pdf

Page 2-16 has everything you need to know.

 

[1feral1]

At my SQ, the reg force Sgt (who subbed for a few classes) often corrected the moves that the Res instructor had taught us. So we just shut our mouths and learn both ways

So, by the sounds of it, there is only one way, and the militia instructor, threw his own two cents in when he should have stuck to the basic references that are listed in TNO's post.

Regards,

OWDU

 

[mariomike]

As for the Aussie peelback, well after 17 days shy of 15 yrs svc here, its non existant, at least by that name. Here a peelback means one is uncircumcised, ha!

Congratualtions, Wes. That and your CF service is a real milestone.

"Peelback"?! I never heard that one!  ;D
I think the more medical term is to "deglove: to force off or peel back skin from a part of the body, especially a limb or appendage, as if removing a glove, sleeve, or mask."

 

[Niteshade]

See:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDjEYKNMu9o

Nites

 

[armchair_throwaway]

So, by the sounds of it, there is only one way, and the militia instructor, threw his own two cents in when he should have stuck to the basic references that are listed in TNO's post.

Actually, the instructor was going by the pam (I think that's the right word...I assume it's the official lesson reference book) but the Sgt was going by the drill he actually used in real-life combat. Of course, when we were finally tested, we had to "unlearn" it again. There were more than one discrepancies, but we were told not to worry. When it comes time for deployment and work-up training, we'd be taught what we need to know.

Anyway, to be back on topic, know-it-alls are everywhere, whether in cadet or reserves. The fact that cadet knowledge may not be useful or that reservist may not be taught all the tricks of the trade shouldn't impact anything. If the friend stays in cadet, he gets to learn a bit about leadership and work along with the CIC officers in managing a group of youth. If he joins reserves, he learns how to be a soldier. But FDO already pointed out the lengthy CT process, which ended the purpose of this thread.

 

[Northalbertan]

Cadets are not soldiers.  A cadet may learn a few "military " things like drill, but are not taught section tactics or anything else you need to know to be a soldier.  I would think reserve experience would count for more.  One is a youth organization the other is military, and a job.  :2c: