Looking for insight from longtime serving reservists

[ColtGreenhorn]

I have read all I can garner on the reserves and have determined it is my ideal career path in the Forces. I plan to have a career in the reserves while hopefully fulfilling a full time duty as a police officer after university. Was wondering if any long time serving reservists could offer any insight by way of a PM or in this thread?

Some questions I have:
1. How often can you make it out to parade? Do you find this effects your progression and or performance?
2. Have you been deployed? What was the experience like when returning to your full time job?
3. Have you transferred to other units because of your main source of income?
4. How does the role of a reservist differ from a regular force member when both deployed in the same theatre? My understanding is the training is sometimes different and lessened in the reserves, is this reflected in the position they may occupy when deployed?

I understand each situation is different but I would like to see some of these instances which is why I placed this in the personal stories section. Any reserve experience from individuals who work other full-time jobs is welcomed.

Thank-you in advanced for any responses.

 

[brihard]

I have read all I can garner on the reserves and have determined it is my ideal career path in the Forces. I plan to have a career in the reserves while hopefully fulfilling a full time duty as a police officer after university. Was wondering if any long time serving reservists could offer any insight by way of a PM or in this thread?

Some questions I have:
1. How often can you make it out to parade? Do you find this effects your progression and or performance?
2. Have you been deployed? What was the experience like when returning to your full time job?
3. Have you transferred to other units because of your main source of income?
4. How does the role of a reservist differ from a regular force member when both deployed in the same theatre? My understanding is the training is sometimes different and lessened in the reserves, is this reflected in the position they may occupy when deployed?

I understand each situation is different but I would like to see some of these instances which is why I placed this in the personal stories section. Any reserve experience from individuals who work other full-time jobs is welcomed.

Thank-you in advanced for any responses.

Police officers will usually work shift work, for instance four days on, four days off, and a mix of days and nights. In my experience both first and second hand, this will often mean a police officer will go through a cycle where for a month or two they can make everything, then their attendance drops brutally for a bit then picks back up. Units are understanding of this. I've yet to find a reserve regiment that doesn't want cops, and they should be able to play ball. But yes it will affect your attendance. After the first few years, a lot of cops will end up in Mon-Fri investigative or administrative units with 'normal' hours and it becomes much more manageable. One of my instructors when I trained as a police officer was a full time instructor, and also a reservist with an infantry regiment in his nearby city.

I deployed in 2008/09. I was a full time university student and working part time with my unit and another job prior. The adjustment on return took some time, but I was alright. I have heard of police officers deploying as military, but it's rare. There are also international deployment opportunities for police. I encountered three OTtawa Police officers working as polcie trainers in Kandahar. RCMP get the bulk of positions, but municipal/provincial forces send people too.

I have transferred units because of where my work took me. I no longer live in the same city as my regiment, and I've found a line serial working with a local army cadet unit helping with their training, which will keep me on the books til I move back where there's a unit.

The role of reservists on deployment varies. We had formed subunits of reservists doing things like convoy escorts, camp security, civil-military cooperation, psychological operations, and some other stuff. We had individual reservists augmenting regular force units whose primary role was to kill people and break their stuff. It's hard to predict what future deployments will look like. It would be nice to see some guys augmenting the rotations to Poland or Ukraine, but I've not heard of it happening yet.

So yes- you can be a cop and a reservists. It's hard early in a police career, and you'd better get your basic training done as a reservist first, because once you're a cop good luck getting full time off for a few months for courses. But after some years in a force, you'll be more flexible for reserve service.

Both have been awesome experiences.

 

[GreenWood]

We have at least 5 members at our unit who are police officers, yes it is definitely doable, also it looks good on your resume when you are trying to get it.

We also have some of these members bringing staff from work once a year to come give us two parade night of hand to hand combat, how to properly search individuals and vehicles, and how to defend yourself in a knife fight (They use this knife that is actually a taser!) . (Really interesting stuff).

 

[mariomike]

I plan to have a career in the reserves while hopefully fulfilling a full time duty as a police officer after university.

These are a few of the discussions about Police Officers in the Reserves.

Targeting CivPol for recruiting in the PRes 
http://army.ca/forums/threads/101249.0/nowap.html

Civilian Police Officers Joining Reserves 
http://army.ca/forums/threads/87995.0

RCMP mbrs in the Militia 
http://army.ca/forums/threads/110.0

Special Leave for RCMP Members in the PRes 
http://army.ca/forums/threads/68679.0

RCMP Members now permitted to join the PRes 
https://army.ca/forums/threads/59295.0

 

[acen]

It would be nice to see some guys augmenting the rotations to Poland or Ukraine, but I've not heard of it happening yet.

Brihard, your home unit (and where you know you belong) has a reserve augmentee in Poland as we speak. You should know the gingerling as well. 

 

[ColtGreenhorn]

Thanks for the info! Some great responses and I have and will continue to look through those other posts! Thanks again!

 

[mariomike]

Any reserve experience from individuals who work other full-time jobs is welcomed.

If your full-time career involves shift-work, mandated or voluntary overtime, Call-Back or Standby, you may have occasional scheduling conflicts in that Reserve training, generally, takes place on week-nights, week-ends and during the summer months.

Doesn't make the Reserves impossible for those members. Just something to consider.