Looking for some answers

[Dreamac]

Hey all!  I am a brand new member.  I am not personally applying to CAF, but my husband is.  He's already applied and has his CFAT on Thursday.  We have a few questions we are desperate for answers to.  I've read everything possible on the Forces website, watched both seasons of Basic Up, and researched as much as possible, but I am still left with some questions.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!

1. How much does a married person TAKE HOME bi-weekly during Basic Training?
2. This question is only for those living in SMALL towns, as big town folk will provide a different answer...how long did it take from CFAT to official job offer?  (providing everything goes smoothly and you pass everything.)
3. When you get weekends off, are you allowed to leave the province? We live in PEI, so if he ends up in Ontario or Quebec, we'd like to know if he can fly home or if he's allowed to stay in a hotel if I go to him.
4. How long after basic training before you get posted to your base, or go for your career training?
5. Are you allowed to wear nicotine patches during Basic?
6. If you fail a course (drill, weapons, etc...) are you automatically kicked out, or can you recourse if you want to?
7. Do you have ANY down time during a normal weekday to relax sore muscles, read a course book, or take a bath?
8. During the field training, are you out in the field for a week or two straight, or do you go back and forth?

Thank you in advance to anyone who can answer these questions.  If you have an answer and can provide a link that proves your answer, please provide it (mainly for the monthly take home amount, we need 100% reassurance so we know if we can afford it).

-DreaMac

 

[sarahsmom]

I went through 6 years ago. Keeping that in mind...
There is no time for bath. Maybe on the weekend if your whole platoon goes home, and you are the only one left behind. There is one bath per 15 people in the green sector, and 1 bath per 6 in the blue sector. Showering will be the norm.
As for other downtime, once your homework and station jobs are done, there's your downtime. We used to average about 10-15 minutes per night, but we had a lot of smokers and running down 8 floors to the smoke pit every 1-2 hours cuts into activities.

In the field: we were out in Farnham for a total of 3 weeks. One week in shacks in week 9 (for the BFT), one week in 10 man tents/hoochies, one week in the FOB. The training has changed somewhat, but once you leave St Jean for a field ex, you are gone for a week.

I was posted the next morning after graduation to Borden for my trades training, but once there I had a 9 month wait for my QL3 to start. I was lucky, hubby was also military and posted to a base where I could do OJT/OJE, so i got to go home for 6 months. This is not always an option and requires a memo, approval from the losing base and the gaining base, and probably a few handshakes and coffees along the way.

Be prepared to hurry up and wait. I was separated from my family for almost 3 years (not counting OJE time) before my husband and I got posted together. That's 3 years from the time I left for basic to the time I was finished my trades training. There is travel assistance but it is only available every 6 months max and sometimes it is not enough financially to get him home.

 

[drbones]

I  completed basic this spring, but paleomedics points are still valid. I will try to answer the questions by each number.
1)I think it was $1000 approx. bi weekly, the recruiting centre should provide you with a pay breakdown sheet when you go to sign your offer so no suprises. It will detail all deductions ie. pension, rations etc. and your final takehome. Also depends on what trade and rank you are being offered. Again the recruiting centre should know this.
2)sorry I'm big city
3)During basic if you get the weekend off you are allowed to leave the province, but subject to approval. We had it that if the destination was over 400kms ( they kept telling us different distances) you would have to submit a memo with your leave pass. You will learn all about these at basic.
4)Most people in my platoon got posted immediately after basic to their next posting, or career training. Some people were sent on OJT (occupational job training) while they wait for the military career courses they need.
5) Not sure about nicotine patches, but some people took up smoking at basic, because you are allowed to get smoke breaks pretty regularly. A lot of the time instructors will tell you if they don't know about it, they don't care, just don't get caught. Unsure if nicotine patches are allowed or fall into that broad category.
6)If you fail a course you are given a second attempt to pass and sometimes even a third attempt. You would most likely get recoursed to week 1 instead of being kicked out. To get kicked out takes effort on your part. If you put in the time, effort, work hard and are team player, this should not be a concern.
7)Downtime if there is any is spent normally cleaning your rifle, polishing your boots, sweeping your gargantuan room and slaying dust bunnies. Some platoons have it easier than other ie. hollywood and hell platoons, but we were always told if you are not doing anything then you are doing something wrong
8)When you start heading out to the field it is for 1 week and the following week you are back at the mega. They alternate 1 week on 1 week off so you can clean yourself up and prepare for the next week in the field.

Cheers

 

[Dreamac]

Thank you for the great info guys!  It did leave me with one more, fairly important, question.

After Basic, when you get posted for your career training, is your family (ie: wife, and/or children) moved with you?  Or do you have to be away from them for 3 years while you do the training and OJT?  (He chose a career that has a 2 year OJT).

Thanks again

 

[Gbert84]

For career course no. My wife moved with me to my my unit the day after my career course was finished. OJT is completed at the unit for my trade. However I know people who did some OJT before there course and the rest after there course. Depends on a lot of things.

$1000 bi weekly at basic seems very high for take home. I remember it being closer to $600 after all the deductions, and it's not bi weekly it's 15th and last day of the month.

 

[Dreamac]

Okay, to clarify:

My husband will be at Basic for 13 weeks, after that, he will be sent to Borden for 8 months training as a weapons tech, followed by a year and a half of OJT.

This means that me, his wife, will not be moved with him for a year, until AFTER his 8 months training in Borden?  This concerns me because when he leaves for Basic, I am living with friends and family so we don't have to pay rent here while he is gone.  Is there any way to request his family be moved to Borden for those 8 months, or there no way around it?

 

[Gbert84]

In my case yes it was about a year before my wife was moved with me. After basic you go on whats called a PAT platoon. Basically doing odd jobs around the base (some OJT if you're lucky) until you're course loaded. After course you'll get your posting and be moved together. 
However, even though my wife wasn't moved with me I was able to get approved to live off base during my career course. I was lucky we only lived and hour away from where my course took place.  Having said that it was very hard to get approved to live out, it also made course very difficult.

The first few years are very hard.  But it's worth it in the end. 

 

[Leeworthy]

OJT will be a posting most likely to a base. That base is where he will be posted, and moved at the publics expense. You can then get a PMQ and move in with him.

As for during the ql3 course he will be living in shacks and you cannot move in with him. Your best bet would be to move to the location if that's an option and get an apartment or rent a room from someone local. Atleast that way you can see him regularly.

As for the other questions, I cannot be of help, as I did basic and my trades training back in 2001, and I know a lot has changed since then.

 

[Dreamac]

Man, that is brutal.  We live in PEI, so I will have no choice but to move, at my own expense.  I have to say, they are quite misleading at recruitment centers when they say that your family is moved with you to base.  They never bothered to tell us that we will be apart for 8 months after basic training.  Having second thoughts now.  Sad because he really wanted to join the CF and serve his country.  He really wanted to provide a good and stable life for his family.  But without help, there is no way we can afford an apartment on PEI while he is paying to live away, or that we can afford an apartment near his base, when he has to pay to live there as well.  So frustrating.

 

[Leeworthy]

Its 8 months. If you cant financially support yourselves on the income you are going to make then maybe the military isn't for you guys. Could you not get a job and then use that income to pay for the apartment and such?  Its only 8 months. I paid for an apartment and a car loan while in basic training. Yes, things were tight but I managed and then you can both move together after that. Its all what you want to do. If he is enrolling because he truly wants to support his country and is looking for a life-long career then you make sacrifices to get what you want.

It really is an amazing career path and the benefits and pay are very well once you are trained and fully employed.

 

[Dreamac]

I do have a job, in fact, I work from home so I can work anywhere.  However, I do not make a high wage.  Moving to another province isn't cheap, and apartments in other provinces are twice or three times more expensive then they are here.  Does he have to pay rent and food costs while he is doing his career training?

 

[Leeworthy]

Are you two married?? Or just engaged and such? If Married, "don't quote me on this" but I don't believe he will have to pay R&Q BUT Like I said, don't quote me on that. If a member is entitled to separation expense then they do not pay usually. I don't mean to sound rude, but these are questions your husband should be writing down and asking the recruiting center. He can call, go in and see them, or even email and then he has his answers in writing. This is NOT a official DND webpage.

My best answer if for him to call, he can get the answers he  needs and he doesn't have to wonder what if.

 

[Dreamac]

We are married.  We plan to ask, just wanted some feedback.  My only concern is having to pay two rents each month, which, wouldn't be doable.  Thanks for the info.  We will inquire on Thursday when we go in.

 

[Colta]

My husband is in Borden after just finishing bmq. He had to pay rations and quarters and because of a screw up with his pay (that is just getting fixed... Maybe) he was getting far less then what he was supposed to for the entire time he was there.
He is still paying rations and quarters in Borden as well... He has had the opportunity to apply for separation pay, which I guess was supposed to be done in Saint-Jean from what the clerks said... But yeah.
We're paying two rents basically right now and it's been very tight. We're applying for him to move out of the shacks and for me to be moved up with him to help alleviate that (plus I'm joining and will hopefully be going soon). But that is not a definite (and certainly not a soon) thing... So yeah.
Be prepared for him to not take home as much as he's supposed to. It happened to a lot of people on his platoon.

 

[Colta]

My husband is also a weapons tech and is being told to expect a year or more wait to get on course... So he definitely won't be out of Borden in 8 months...
He can apply to have you moved up and live in a Pmq with you, but it's not a fast process.
Right now between soldier quals, the common eme courses and his trade course... Plus the time he'll be on PAT, he's been told to expect 1.5-2 years waiting to be done in Borden.

 

[Dreamac]

Thanks for your feedback everyone!

Last question, does anyone know how early one can apply to have their spouse moved with them?  The earlier the better I assume.  I am considering renting a small motel room or something near Borden, not ideal, but better than being 4 provinces away.  Just have to keep telling ourselves that it is worth it in the end.  We are doing this for a better life.

 

[km1984]

My husband is in Borden after just finishing bmq. He had to pay rations and quarters and because of a screw up with his pay (that is just getting fixed... Maybe) he was getting far less then what he was supposed to for the entire time he was there.
He is still paying rations and quarters in Borden as well... He has had the opportunity to apply for separation pay, which I guess was supposed to be done in Saint-Jean from what the clerks said... But yeah.
We're paying two rents basically right now and it's been very tight. We're applying for him to move out of the shacks and for me to be moved up with him to help alleviate that (plus I'm joining and will hopefully be going soon). But that is not a definite (and certainly not a soon) thing... So yeah.
Be prepared for him to not take home as much as he's supposed to. It happened to a lot of people on his platoon.

You should have your husband check in to why he is paying both rations and quarters. I am common-law, already signed the man's papers with the army and have to sign mine at swearing in. I DO NOT pay for quarters but I do pay for rations. All of this can be found on the CAF website, it's 500 and something a month. I will be helping pay household bills well at basic as well, jeep, insurance, house, household bills plus anything I need out there for the next 6 to 9 months. Also remember basic is 12 weeks but that's if nothing goes wrong. If your man gets sick, injured or recoursed then it will be longer.

 

[sarahsmom]

You should have your husband check in to why he is paying both rations and quarters. I am common-law, already signed the man's papers with the army and have to sign mine at swearing in. I DO NOT pay for quarters but I do pay for rations. All of this can be found on the CAF website, it's 500 and something a month. I will be helping pay household bills well at basic as well, jeep, insurance, house, household bills plus anything I need out there for the next 6 to 9 months. Also remember basic is 12 weeks but that's if nothing goes wrong. If your man gets sick, injured or recoursed then it will be longer.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thought quarters were roughly $100/mo and rations were $500/mo? I remember at basic those that paid R&Q were charged approx $600/mo.

 

[Colta]

Right now he's paying a sizable chunk of his pay towards rations and quarters, I'm not sure exactly how much though... I'd have to ask. As for why he's paying quarters, I'm not sure... That was just what we were told he would have to pay. He's putting in for separation pay at Borden now... but I don't know what's all going on with things. I know he's supposed to be making more then he is. The clerks in Borden told him that Saint-Jean hadn't put him into the payroll system correctly and his pay has been screwed up since day one. So we shall see.

 

[km1984]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thought quarters were roughly $100/mo and rations were $500/mo? I remember at basic those that paid R&Q were charged approx $600/mo.

You are correct. It's rations of around 537ish and if you were to pay both rations and quarters it would be around 645ish. This is why you need to tell the RC office if you are common law or married.