How is military life as infantry?

[Jarnhamar]

Just objectively not true. There’s 25 percent manning for reservists on deployment. Do that math. I’d love to have seen the justification for putting a reservist on basic sniper and how that cell took it lol.

There are lots of opportunities for reservists to go on tours, especially filling "any trade" positions. Just check out the REO lists. In the past it wasn't uncomon for reservists to go from tour to tour to tour. Reservists are excellent for plug and play because regiments don't have to worry about manning, meriting, succession planning, career courses, or any of that jazz.

33 Brigade got a position on a BSniper course in Petawawa and a reservist filled it. He did really well too, don't believe anyone cared. Normally it's the immature insecure reg force soldiers who get their hackles up over reservists on courses.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Do you know if its easy to be reservist full time or it is not very common ?

Edit: when you apply as reservist, can u apply for a full times position or you start part time?

Remius beat me too it.

Once upon a time getting a full time contract for a reservist was like finding a unicorn. Now, especially with manning shortages, they seem to be more and more common.

Reservists on class B (full time contracts) are paid basically the same as regular force members. Maybe 93% or something along those lines.

The down side is there is no job security.

 

[dangerboy]

33 Brigade got a position on a BSniper course in Petawawa and a reservist filled it. He did really well too, don't believe anyone cared. Normally it's the immature insecure reg force soldiers who get their hackles up over reservists on courses.

The thing is what is the point of spending all that time and money on training a person to be a sniper if they will not be employed as one? There are no sniper positions in the reserves so unless they get a class b with 1 or 3 RCR they will have limited opportunities to stay current and employ the skill they learned.

 

[Khloe13]

Remius beat me too it.

Once upon a time getting a full time contract for a reservist was like finding a unicorn. Now, especially with manning shortages, they seem to be more and more common.

Reservists on class B (full time contracts) are paid basically the same as regular force members. Maybe 93% or something along those lines.

The down side is there is no job security.

No job security? They need so many soldiers …no? why would they kick someones out? Does it take times to switch from reserviste to regular? Btw i have an other questions. . I know caf member still wear the damn mask also if its not mandatory in most province. Do you always wear it???

 

[dapaterson]

Every detailed review of Reg F specialty training followed by employment with that specialty skill set shows a considerable - sometimes majority - of training not employed after being delivered.

For example, I know multiple individuals who, upon completing the year long Army Tech staff course, were posted into generic staff officer positions.

To say nothing of the year-long residency JCSP / NSP courses incurring no obligatory service, resulting grad parades being followed immediately by DwDs.

 

[OldSolduer]

The thing is what is the point of spending all that time and money on training a person to be a sniper if they will not be employed as one? There are no sniper positions in the reserves so unless they get a class b with 1 or 3 RCR they will have limited opportunities to stay current and employ the skill they learned.

You make a good point. Perhaps the soldier in question who is now a sniper could be CTd to Reg Force for a three years as a sniper.

Just a thought

 

[Remius]

No job security? They need so many soldiers …no? why would they kick someones out? Does it take times to switch from reserviste to regular? Btw i have an other questions. . I know caf member still wear the damn mask also if its not mandatory in most province. Do you always wear it???

Basically your contract says that it can be ended at any time for any reason. Happened to me in 2010 when major cuts to budgets were underway and cutting Class B contracts in half was an easy win for DND. Wasn’t well thought out as they didn’t quite analyse the repercussions and basically just said cut half.

After that I still landed another contract but took that time to get a more secure job and never looked back at full time reserve work again.

 

[Remius]

You make a good point. Perhaps the soldier in question who is now a sniper could be CTd to Reg Force for a three years as a sniper.

Just a thought

I would imagine that reservist must have had all the pre reqs to go on that course. Maybe a unicorn or someone with connections, or maybe helped fill a course for standards.

 

[Jarnhamar]

The thing is what is the point of spending all that time and money on training a person to be a sniper if they will not be employed as one? There are no sniper positions in the reserves so unless they get a class b with 1 or 3 RCR they will have limited opportunities to stay current and employ the skill they learned.

This is something the reg force wrestles with too when putting soldiers on high-speed courses when the soldier has indicated they're interested in becoming operators or assaulters. Is it worth it.


For the reserves I'd say there are a number of good reasons why it's worth the cost:

1. Reserve units have a sniper qualified soldier who can pass on lots of lessons learned. Field craft, marksmanship, writing orders, other infantry stuff.
2. A reward for a member's loyal service and all the times they've undoubtedly volunteered or went above and beyond for the reserves. Rewarded members are going to feel appreciated and contribute even more.
3. Motivation for other young members to be disciplined, attend training nights, be good reservists. They see someone get a sniper course and it gives them something to aim for. We already do this with jump courses, a sniper course is a lot more useful.
4. If the reservist transfers to the regs then the reg force is getting a sniper qualified soldier. The CAF still benefits.

A basic sniper qualified reservist probably isn't going to be employed as a sniper but there are more, I'd argue more important, other effects.

 

[markppcli]

There are lots of opportunities for reservists to go on tours, especially filling "any trade" positions. Just check out the REO lists. In the past it wasn't uncomon for reservists to go from tour to tour to tour. Reservists are excellent for plug and play because regiments don't have to worry about manning, meriting, succession planning, career courses, or any of that jazz.

I don’t know when “the past” was for you, but I deployed as a reservist years ago and it certainly was t difficult to get a spot, but it was far from after for all. We were also sending 2500 soldiers out the door every six months not the 450-800 we do now.

33 Brigade got a position on a BSniper course in Petawawa and a reservist filled it. He did really well too, don't believe anyone cared. Normally it's the immature insecure reg force soldiers who get their hackles up over reservists on courses.

Well sniper specifically is to fill the regiments Sniper Cells up, so if you put a reservist on it that means you giving a qualification to someone that isn’t going to achieve that result. It’s not “insecure regular force” it’s called stewardship. I can see the argument for the “reward” aspect but frankly that needs to be a back seat to the actual purpose which is filling out the Sniper platoons. The problem with that reservist having the course but never being employed, and this is true of regular force guys to, is that they’ll never go on and become det comds or UMS, so you’re giving a guy the quality but not adding to the program in any real way.

“Encourages guys to attend training” that’s a pretty damning statement about the reserves no?

 

[Remius]

No different than jump courses where a person will likely never jump beyond their course or be employed as a jumper but get to wear wings.

 

[markppcli]

No job security? They need so many soldiers …no? why would they kick someones out? Does it take times to switch from reserviste to regular? Btw i have an other questions. . I know caf member still wear the damn mask also if its not mandatory in most province. Do you always wear it???

Still masking at work yes

 

[markppcli]

No different than jump courses where a person will likely never jump beyond their course or be employed as a jumper but get to wear wings.

Slightly different in a few ways. 1) there’s actually a reserve unit with a jump task, 2) PCGs are actually fairly all arms so people could end up there, and 3) the amount of courses ran is different, sniper is once a year and has a fairly small course load (I’d have to check with the cell but it’s like just over a dozen I think) with a high fail rate, so you want to maximize your possible return.

 

[Jarnhamar]

I don’t know when “the past” was for you,

I joined the forum in 2002 after getting back from a tour to Bosnia. 30% off the section were reservists.
By the time Afghanistan hit even more reservists were relied upon across the board.

Positions for reservists have opened up significantly over the last few years. Perhaps not so much specifically with infantry battalions, who still may take 1-3 reservist per section, but just ATR positions on tour.

Well sniper specifically is to fill the regiments Sniper Cells up, so if you put a reservist on it that means you giving a qualification to someone that isn’t going to achieve that result.

Positions on a sniper course aren't locked in to that specific battalions soldiers. A sniper course in Petawawa may see a few candidates from the R22R or PPCLI. I've seen one run with 2 CSOR students (one of which was a former reservist -> Operator). The needs of the CAF supersede the needs of a unit.

The problem with that reservist having the course but never being employed, and this is true of regular force guys to, is that they’ll never go on and become det comds or UMS, so you’re giving a guy the quality but not adding to the program in any real way.

Very few sniper qualified soldiers go on to be the UMS. After their time in the sniper platoon at rank soldiers will bounce back to "mundane" positions like section commander in a rife section, Pl WO, Coy CQMS. Most people go off and fill other positions.

“Encourages guys to attend training” that’s a pretty damning statement about the reserves no?

After all the bitching and whining and crying I've seen reg force guys do to get out of stuff? Nope.
Reservists balance home life, their job, AND the part time military training. Getting paid a few extra bucks isn't often worth the added BS so finding unique and clever ways to encourage reservists isn't a bad thing. Reservists in turn take the pressure off regular force members who experience significant manning shortages.

 

[markppcli]

I joined the forum in 2002 after getting back from a tour to Bosnia. 30% off the section were reservists.
By the time Afghanistan hit even more reservists were relied upon across the board.

I mean kind of? The BG was two per section plus the FP platoons and CIMIC / Psy Ops, overall still around 30 percent total commitment.

Positions for reservists have opened up significantly over the last few years. Perhaps not so much specifically with infantry battalions, who still may take 1-3 reservist per section, but just ATR positions on tour.

We had like… 20 ish for the mortar platoon in 2020, again about 25 percent ish as I’ve been saying.

Positions on a sniper course aren't locked in to that specific battalions soldiers. A sniper course in Petawawa may see a few candidates from the R22R or PPCLI. I've seen one run with 2 CSOR students (one of which was a former reservist -> Operator). The needs of the CAF supersede the needs of a unit.

Generally they’re regimental, ie the RCR run a course, the PPCLI does the same, R22R. CSOR would send guys as they didn’t have their own basic course, much the same way they used to put guys on PLQ. No sure what the reserves to operator comment was supposed to be about ? Obviously that happens, much like obviously people ct?

Very few sniper qualified soldiers go on to be the UMS. After their time in the sniper platoon at rank soldiers will bounce back to "mundane" positions like section commander in a rife section, Pl WO, Coy CQMS. Most people go off and fill other positions.

Yes, which is why you need to build the pool. Honestly most guys will float out and base line, ie 6 months of rifle company time, and then go back, because the numbers are really small.

After all the bitching and whining and crying I've seen reg force guys do to get out of stuff? Nope.
Reservists balance home life, their job, AND the part time military training. Getting paid a few extra bucks isn't often worth the added BS so finding unique and clever ways to encourage reservists isn't a bad thing. Reservists in turn take the pressure off regular force members who experience significant manning shortages.

Ah yes the inherent superiority of the reserves there it is. I could never understand that attitude that your paid part time service was some one this moral high ground. I used to hate hearing that stuff as a reservist and it always comes up here. Oh well.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Ah yes the inherent superiority of the reserves there it is. I could never understand that attitude that your paid part time service was some one this moral high ground. I used to hate hearing that stuff as a reservist and it always comes up here. Oh well.

Never seen it come up here. YMMV

 

[Remius]

I don’t know if anyone has ever brought up “superiority” but certainly some differences in the challenges that some may face. Maybe more prevalent when pay was a wider issue.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Remius beat me too it.

Once upon a time getting a full time contract for a reservist was like finding a unicorn. Now, especially with manning shortages, they seem to be more and more common.

Reservists on class B (full time contracts) are paid basically the same as regular force members. Maybe 93% or something along those lines.

The down side is there is no job security.

That doesn't explain the many Class B people I know who have been at a CBG HQ for 25 years. It shows, too

 

[PuckChaser]

Just want to remind everyone this is the Recruits Only area, so if you're not directly answering the OP's questions just quote the post and put it in the appropriate thread. I'm sure we have a few on PRes employability on the go.

- Milnet.ca Staff

 

[GreyWarden]

There are a lot of awesome opportunities for infantry reservists. If deploying overseas is your thing there is a good chance you'll have more oppertunities to deploy than your regular force counter parts. I've even seen a reservist put on a basic sniper course, though it's not very common.

I hear that course itself is hard to get possibly because of being a reservist?

I’ve also been reading this soldier handbook and it’s really informative, just learning how parade nights and how exercises work and what to bring to prepare, it all seems so exciting. I’m just scared to mess up maybe, or have people hate me for my setbacks. I also want to work on not being too sensitive or take things to heart. I’d love to help out whether it’s overseas or local however, always envied the people who actually get to say during a flood or a fire. I’ve always wanted to do something to help out whether it’s in the country or elsewhere!