someone recommend me what to do...I am frustrated and angry

[Enzo]

For perspective:

I got out Nov '98 reg Inf.
Began process of entering local (r)031 mid '99. The lost paperwork and my file not once, but twice. Went to a different unit. Officially, I began the process now in 2001 (took awhile to sort some things out and I travelled). I have a medical issue from my time in, now sorted as of last month (also took awhile, don't ask). Only awaiting pre-secure (worked in Caymans while waiting for medical to be resolved, pre-secures take awhile) which is due ??? Going to a country for training that doesn't like to play with Canada, so only God knows when that pre-secure will pass. 2-3 years most likely. Tough, going anyway.

You see the pattern. I'll be 40 by the time I get my ducks in a row. Almost wish I had just stayed in, if I only knew that my planned 6 months out would turn into what, going on 6 years???

Some say that there is a price to pay for a lack of thoroughness. But honestly, years? For "pre" security checks? Years?? C'mon, seems reasonable. Just don't give up or give in. Be the last one standing.

Cheers

PS

Get a good hobby while you wait. I like to work in foreign countries for fun, really pisses off the people who have to clear me. Global community my ...

 

[Skinny]

So now I am up to 8 months. I was suppost to be going for my finial interview on the 26th but they pushed it back to Feb 9th.

I have no idea what they think they are doing. But i guess its because of all the storms Nova Scotia has.
So i will wait, and wait, and wait.....

Did this happen to anyone else in NS?

 

[spenco]

Skinny, please read this thread:

http://army.ca/forums/threads/24937/post-99023.html#msg99023

 

[Skinny]

wow! and you wanted me to pick up what from that spenco?

 

[camochick]

I cant believe they are making people wait so long, I was going to join and i did everything but. When i sent my papers in they called in like a week and scheduled me for the next week and said that i would be leaving in like 2 months if i was joining. It was so fast it was scary. Maybe its because i went through gagetown, but it didnt seem like very long to me.  >

 

[Skinny]

Camochick what were you going for? That seems to be the ticket to how long we get to wait.

 

[spenco]

wow! and you wanted me to pick up what from that spenco?

You were useing the CAR avatar.

 

[adaccache]

I applied to a reserve unit (cameron highlanders) sometime early during the month of December, waited t'il mid January and called to get an update...and no one had ever heard of me (at recruiting), so I went back to the armory and spoke to the Cpl that I had originally spoke with and advised me that someone had misplaced my papers and that I would need to fill them out again. No problem, so I filled them out again and handed the papers to him who then assured me a couple of days later that the papers had been handed to recruiting, and gave me my recruting officer's name and advised me to get 2 letters of recommendation and drop them off...I got the 2 letters of recommendations and droped them off the following monday to my recruiting officer...well I wasen't allowed to see her (recruiting officer)...and the best reason for this is because 'if we were in a hospital, she would be the doctor, and you have to deal with the nurse'...so I had to deal with someone else...and guess what? the nurse or the doctor had never heard of me...papers lost AGAIN, so the nurse assured me that he will find out where they went and call me back the same day...of course he doesn't call, so I call him 2 days later, he forgot who I was...so I had to refresh his memory and give him my information again...he assured me that he was going to speak to the head of the cameron highlanders and get back to me ASAP...and of course he doesn't...fast forward to today, two weeks later, I decide to call, and of course he has no idea who I am, has the nerve to tell me I am keeping him late, so I tell him if he learned to do his job the first 2 times I contacted him I wouldn't of bothered him again, we didn't end that conversation on a good note, and now I am frustrated and angry as heck that this is happening to me

anyone have any advice? should I bother talking to his CO and complaining? should I just reapply? what should I do, I am all ears

 

[Stomper]

Hey adaccache,

What I like to do is head down to the armories and talk to the unit recruiter in person whenever I need info or an update. I think it would help them to remember you a bit better.  I've only phoned the armories once or twice.  They seem to have been very busy lately with recruiting events n' such so it may be difficult for them to remember someone from a phone conversation.

As for the lost application, it happens a fair amount in the military from what I hear. A friend of mine from my old unit was trying to do a transfer to a unit here in Ottawa, but all of his records were somehow lost.
Also, there is a good chance that the lost application was not the unit recruiter's fault.  I'm pretty sure that what they mainly do is gather the forms from you and then send the application to the recruiting center on 66 Slater Street, where it goes through a whole process.  It was probably lost somewhere in that process.

I've never been in the same situation as you, but my suggestion would be to head down and talk to the unit recruiter in person about the best way to get things processed, and try to stay on their good side.  The CHofO need to increase by around 90 members or so over the next few years so I'm sure they want to get as many new recruits as they can.

Anyway, best of luck with the application man. I put mine in over a month ago and haven't heard anything from the recruiting center, so I'll probably heard down to Cartier Square Drill Hall later this week to get an update.

Oh, and on the CHofO website it said the BMQ this summer will be run in Kingston which could be interesting. I might end up on the same course as you.

 

[Pieman]

adaccache,

Keep trying and be persistant. But remember to be friendly and polite when dealing with people, they will be more willing to work with you to process your file.

Pieman

 

[P-Free]

Had the same thing happen to me at a different reserve unit. I applied in March of '04 and never heard back from them. Called them back a couple times, no progress but by then I decided I was going to go ahead with the Reg Force and just forgot about the reserve application. Went into the local recruiting center a few weeks back and they didn't even have my old application on file. I figure it was just sitting on a desk somewhere under a bunch of papers.

If I were you I'd stay in constant contact with the unit and the recruiters to show them you aren't going away anytime soon.

 

[infamous_p]

well just from my personal experience, i called the recruiting center AND my recruiter himself basically every other day.... and i got sworn in within 2 months.. because i kept my persistence. a word of advice: being persistent like this shows the recruiter that you are keen and very interested - making them more likely to concentrate on your file (my recruiter told me this).

just be persistent and call a lot.. of course, show up whenever you can

 

[Love793]

Best bet here, is to get a copy of the Application, Security Assesment, 2 x Letters of Refernece, Transcripts and your Birth Certificate plus SIN and take them down to your local CFRC.  Don't leave until you have a date scheduled for your CFAT.  From there go to all your appointments (call and reschedule if they are in conflict with something else).  Try to get the name of the Corporal you spoke with at the Camerons, and mention the situation during your interview with the Career counsellor.