Ranking Up To Officer Instead Of Direct Entry As An Officer?

[Halohockey36]

Hey there,

Something I was wondering, as I plan on joining the army after High School, was if you are able to rank up to and become an officer over the years.  So I know you can directly enter as an officer and go to RMC but that's not something I am really interested in doing right off the bat.  So I was curious if it is possible to rank up to say Chief Warrant Officer (The Highest NCM rank) and then further rank up to Officer Cadet or Second Lieutenant without having a college degree or going through RMC?  Or once you reach CWO would you then have to be sent to RMC to get a degree and then become an officer or is it just not possible at all?

Thanks, Erik 

P.S. what about say ranking up to Corporal and then going to RMC to get a degree and become an officer since its not something I want to do right away?

 

[Tibbson]

"Once you rank up to CWO"?  By that time you would be ready for retirement most likely.  Once you are in as an NCM then that is your career path unless you display the required skills and traits to be selected for a Commission.  Even if you apply for one of the programs you must still be selected and there are no guarantees.  I know of plenty of NCMs with degrees, myself included, who are not commissioned officers so in my opinion you need to decide right from the get go which path you wish to pursue.  If you want to be an officer then shoot for that.  If you don't make it, join as an private.  If you don't make that...try Walmart.

 

[jaysfan17]

Hey there,

So I was curious if it is possible to rank up to say Chief Warrant Officer (The Highest NCM rank) and then further rank up to Officer Cadet or Second Lieutenant without having a college degree or going through RMC? 

P.S. what about say ranking up to Corporal and then going to RMC to get a degree and become an officer since its not something I want to do right away?

CWO and Officer Cadet's are two different components, you can't just "rank up". You'd need to be Commissioned.

As for the "PS": You can be a Corporal and apply to RMC, but that's a harder program to get into than ROTP/RETP.

  If you want to be an officer then shoot for that.  If you don't make it, join as an private.  If you don't make that...try Walmart.

:goodpost:

 

[Eye In The Sky]

CWO and Officer Cadet's are two different components, you can't just "rank up". You'd need to be Commissioned.

Components are Regular Force, Reserve Force, etc.  RANKS are CWO, OCdt, Sgt, etc. 

As for the "PS": You can be a Corporal and apply to RMC, but that's a harder program to get into than ROTP/RETP.

I think you need to stop because...you are not really in a position to advise anyone on anything having to do with the CF.  In fact, you don't even know enough to be dangerous at this point, just mildly entertaining.  If you don't know the answer (and you don't...), don't chuck shit for the sake of it.

Interview/ Medical: Sept, 29. 2014  Waiting to Re-Write CFAT as of March, 24. 2015

 

[Halohockey36]

I think you need to stop because...you are not really in a position to advise anyone on anything having to do with the CF.  In fact, you don't even know enough to be dangerous at this point, just mildly entertaining.  If you don't know the answer (and you don't...), don't chuck crap for the sake of it.

Interview/ Medical: Sept, 29. 2014  Waiting to Re-Write CFAT as of March, 24. 2015

haha, thank you for clearing that up.  I read his post and kind of went "what?"

 

[Halohockey36]

"Once you rank up to CWO"?  By that time you would be ready for retirement most likely. 

Very true, but who knows, could happen (probably not though)

I know of plenty of NCMs with degrees, myself included, who are not commissioned officers so in my opinion you need to decide right from the get go which path you wish to pursue.  If you want to be an officer then shoot for that.  If you don't make it, join as an private.  If you don't make that...try Walmart.

ok, so I could join as a private with a degree and then later become an officer?  Or have to choose officer right away?  If that is the case I've still got a few years to think about it so maybe I will change my mind and decide I actually want to be an officer right away.

 

[Loachman]

Our previous Wing CWO was commissioned and promoted to Captain last summer. It happens.

Read through some older threads. Do a search for UTPNCM, Commissioning from the Ranks, CFR, and Special Commissioning Plan.

 

[Halohockey36]

Read through some older threads. Do a search for UTPNCM, Commissioning from the Ranks, CFR, and Special Commissioning Plan.

Ok cool, thanks.  Will do that now.

 

[dangles]

If you know you want to someday join as an officer, make it easy on yourself and go get a degree first.

You can even do what I did, which is join the Reserves while doing an undergraduate degree. It gives you an insight into the military life, and the ability to better assess if this is the right career (or trade) for you. Not to mention it's a good part-time job and they subsidize up to $2K of your tuition and books each year you're in.

 

[jaysfan17]

Components are Regular Force, Reserve Force, etc.  RANKS are CWO, OCdt, Sgt, etc. 

Yeah, I made a mistake with calling the two ranks "components",  I meant to use a different word. My apologies.

I know that the Regular force and the Reserves are two different components.

 

[jaysfan17]

As for the "PS": You can be a Corporal and apply to RMC, but that's a harder program to get into than ROTP/RETP.

I should have elaborated a bit more on this. I met a recruiter awhile back, who is a Captain, and he used to be a Corporal. He said he was only a handful of NCM's who successfully got into RMC through one of the programs that the CF offers for NCM soldiers wanting to be commissioned (I can't remember which program it was).

 

[Halohockey36]

If you know you want to someday join as an officer, make it easy on yourself and go get a degree first.

You know that's not a bad idea, I had thought of joining the reserves while I finished high school but never while in college.  Plus it would make my mom and other family happy (read my other post about that) because they want me to have a degree so I have something to fall back on.  Now another question I would have then, is how easy (or hard) is it to transfer from reserves to regular force and what advantages/disadvantages are there?

 

[Halohockey36]

I should have elaborated a bit more on this. I met a recruiter awhile back, who is a Captain, and he used to be a Corporal. He said he was only a handful of NCM's who successfully got into RMC through one of the programs that the CF offers for NCM soldiers waning to be commissioned (I can't remember which program it was).

Ok, I understand now.  Thanks for explaining.

 

[jaysfan17]

Hey, thanks for understanding and sorry for the confusion.

 

[Halohockey36]

Hey, thanks for understanding and sorry for the confusion.

Not a problem, everyone screws up at one time or another.   

 

[PMedMoe]

I should have elaborated a bit more on this. I met a recruiter awhile back, who is a Captain, and he used to be a Corporal. He said he was only a handful of NCM's who successfully got into RMC through one of the programs that the CF offers for NCM soldiers waning to be commissioned (I can't remember which program it was).

UTPNCM.  And there's more than a "handful" who've done it.

 

[Tibbson]

ok, so I could join as a private with a degree and then later become an officer?  Or have to choose officer right away?  If that is the case I've still got a few years to think about it so maybe I will change my mind and decide I actually want to be an officer right away.

Yes, you could join as a Private, degree or not, and eventually you could apply to be commissioned.  Keep in mind however that a degree is a very small part of the process.  I know a number of NCMs in my trade (MP) with degrees who were turned down for commissioning and we recently had one selected for commissioning and he did not have a degree but was being sent to get one.  When it comes to being commissioned, you will essentially need to have displayed the qualities of leadership that the CF looks for in an officer.  You could have all the degrees you want but if you are not displaying the right personal and professional traits you won't be recommended/accepted. 

 

[Halohockey36]

Yes, you could join as a Private, degree or not, and eventually you could apply to be commissioned.  Keep in mind however that a degree is a very small part of the process.  I know a number of NCMs in my trade (MP) with degrees who were turned down for commissioning and we recently had one selected for commissioning and he did not have a degree but was being sent to get one.  When it comes to being commissioned, you will essentially need to have displayed the qualities of leadership that the CF looks for in an officer.  You could have all the degrees you want but if you are not displaying the right personal and professional traits you won't be recommended/accepted.

Right, thank you.  I'm not even sure that being an officer is something I would ever really wanna be anyway.  I've never really been huge on leadership so I'm not sure if it would really be right for me but just having the option is nice.  Also aren't officers not as involved in the field work as a normal soldier since they are more busy planning things and commanding people?  One of the reasons I want to join is because of the Field work.

 

[mariomike]

Also aren't officers not as involved in the field work as a normal soldier since they are more busy planning things and commanding people? 

Some discussion of that here,

Officers…only desk jobs?
http://army.ca/forums/threads/113834.0

Now another question I would have then, is how easy (or hard) is it to transfer from reserves to regular force and what advantages/disadvantages are there?

This discussion will give you an idea,

Component Transfers (Reserve to Regular): Q&A
http://milnet.ca/forums/threads/12797.0.html
41 pages.

 

[Halohockey36]

Officers…only desk jobs?
http://army.ca/forums/threads/113834.0

Ok so from the little I have read officers do a lot more desk work then stuff in the field.  I think that officer wouldn't really be for me, not right away at least, maybe not ever because its more desk then field work and field work is what I am interested in.

Thanks, Erik