Rayman452 said:
From the sounds of your response to my first question, I'll be granted with the opportunity for an exciting and challenging career.
You most certainly will.
Rayman452 said:
1. This may be very difficult to answer, but what is the typical progression of a career like from ROTP and beyond? I know upon graduation and successful completion of my courses I will be granted my S/Lt., but how does career progression go from there?
It really varies depending on your performance, the needs of the CF, and what you want to do. At the end of your training, you will be sent to a regiment for your first 2 to 3 years. During this time you will probably hold a troop command position, and one or two other jobs in squadron headquarters (admin O or Ops O) or regimental headquarters (IO, Trg O, Asst Adjt, Asst Ops O, Engr Int O, Recce O ... these possibilities vary between the regiments too). Depending on the Op tempo, you may get up to two tours during this time (or none at all if things are slow such as in 2002). By the end of this period (unless you've managed to go wrong) you will find yourself as a jr Capt.
At this point, there are many options for your first extra-regimental tour. You could be posted to a higher headquarters such as bridge, Area, Land Staff, CEFCOM, CANOSCOM, CANSOFCOM, CANADACOM, etc. You could also get posted as staff of a School (especially CFSME) or RMC, or to a CFRC (if the North interests you, there has typically been an Engr in Yellowknife for the last several years doing this). This could also be where you apply to branch off into one of the career streams: CE, Tech Staff or MCE. If you are interested in any of the CANSOFCOM units, this is probably also the right time in your career to try for that.
After 2 to 4 years outside the regiment, you can return as a senior captain in the role of squadron second in command, Regimental Ops O, or Adjt (alternately, some will go to CFSME and fill these roles). Some people may not return as a captin (especially if they find them selves working in something they like & push to stay there longer).
Based on merit, you can be promoted to major. The coveted job on reaching this rank is squadron OC in either a regiment or CFSME, but not everybody gets this. Much like for captains, after the initial employment in rank at a regiment, majors will be posted extra-regimentally.
Rayman452 said:
2. After more time passes in the regiment, will I begin to hold a position for more than a year? Is the constant shifting in positions to help me become familiarized with the workings of the military, or is it done due to personnel shortages?
The shifting has been because new officers need to do time as troop command in order to develop for future employment in the regiment. There are not enough troop command jobs for the number of new officers being produced.
Rayman452 said:
3.Is there opportunity for travel as an engineering officer?
Plenty. You can go on courses & operations in all sorts of different places in Canada and around the world. Depending on what your extra-regimental employment is, you might also find yourself visiting odd places at home & abroad in the conduct of your work.
Rayman452 said:
4.I was searching the site and found a post saying that combat diver is not an officer trade, and that there is no need for officers to be trained in this skill. Was the poster incorrect, or have things changed?
Combat Diver is not a trade. It is a skill that Combat Engineers can be trained in. You may have been reading about Clearance Divers as this is an NCM trade in the Navy.
Rayman452 said:
5.Plenty of my own time once I'm in the regiment, which means that I will have (possibly) the time to peruse other activities, meet the local population, make non-military friends, etc?
Yes.
Rayman452 said:
6.I'm not sure if this is a question which most people will be able to answer, but is engineering officer a good trade to help me get accepted into CJIRU with? I understand that I may sound like one of those JTF 2 ninja wana-bees, and so its okay if this question gets ignored. I'm studying nuclear engineering currently as my degree, and was hoping I could continue with work related to this field in some way. Would it be best to ask such questions to my CFRC, or call the hot line posted on their website?
The Comd CANSOFCOM has been on this site commenting that people should not get too tied-up in which occupation will best prepare them to be an operator. A selection is held, the right people are chosen and they are trained for the skills and knowledge they will need. As I indicated earlier, if you are interested in a CANSOFCOM unit then the best time to look into this might be as you come to your last year of the first regimental tour. In the end, you might not make the cut as an operator so you want to ensure that you've selected an occupation that interests you.
Rayman452 said:
7.Is there field time as an officer? What does the engineering officer do when they reach Afghanistan? Surely they can't spend their whole tour there writing performance evaluations and post exercise reports the whole time.
Again, it depends on the job you hold when deployed. If you are a field troop commander, then you may find yourself planning and conducting troop level operations, or you may find yourself working closely with a rifle company headquarters in planning company operations while dispersing your sections in direct support of platoons or other maneuver elements. If you are an infrastructure officer, then you may be more focused on camp utilities and the construction of Forward Operating Bases.
