Naval Warfare Officer [NWO] - questions

[omidae]

I understood that MARS trade has a high failure rate. I do not see myself enjoying any other trade. I and i'am afraid of the potential failure. But ROTP requires service for the school subsidy

I have some questions that it seems the recruiting centre does not have a definitive answer, and every person there gives me different answers

Asking these questions because I assume I will be forced in another trade if I don't make MARS because of the subsidy.

1. When exactly is the mandatory service starting (2 mth for every 1 mth school)? After degree graduation or after being trained in a trade?

2. If no trades are available that I wouldn't want to do, if I release, do I pay back only the months of school I have been subsidised? (tuition, salary, books for the months I was in school and not salary I would receive during summers training or on-job-training)

3. If I do complete part of the mandatory service, (2.5 years out of 5), would I only pay half of the subsidy?

4. Does training in a different trade add additional mandatory service or costs of I decide to release earlier?

Always dreamed of commanding a big ship, but the potential of failing and being stuck in another trade I would hate (especially one not on a ship) scares me.

Thanks

 

[yoman]

1. When exactly is the mandatory service starting (2 mth for every 1 mth school)? After degree graduation or after being trained in a trade?

After you graduate from university.

2. If no trades are available that I wouldn't want to do, if I release, do I pay back only the months of school I have been subsidised? (tuition, salary, books for the months I was in school and not salary I would receive during summers training or on-job-training)

Correct.

3. If I do complete part of the mandatory service, (2.5 years out of 5), would I only pay half of the subsidy?

Yes.

4. Does training in a different trade add additional mandatory service or costs of I decide to release earlier?

Depends on the trade and what training it requires but generally no.

MARS training is fairly demanding but don't sweat it too much. Work hard when you're there and the odds of you succeeding are that much higher.

Also, there is a new MARS program that just started which should help with some of the issues that were occurring in the past. One of the bonuses now is that NETPO is no longer a "booze cruise". In fact, NETPO for MARS officers is now called MARS II and it actually introduces you to some of the finer aspects of what being a MARS officer is all about. What this means for you is that you will probably get a chance to see what being a MARS officer is all about during one of your summer training periods (IE: before you graduate). This should hopefully start weeding out the people not cut out for the trade early and give a reality check to some of the people who weren't sure this was for them.

 

[omidae]

Thank you for answering my questions. I feel much more at ease now.

Unfortunately it's not possible to see what the job entails until after the first year of school, which means by the time I see if I'll be cut for the job I will be in my mandatory service period, hence all my questions.

But I'll do my very best, and if I succeed, all my initial concerns about my questions when mandatory service starts or if only the pay and tuition I have to return is during the months of school if I release will no longer matter as I'll be living my dream carrier for the years to come

 

[dimsum]

....so, MARS II is back to what it was before NETP-O.  It was fun, but definitely some good learning involved.

 

[polardr]

Hello Everyone,

I went to the recruiting office this week, the recruiter told me that I will be called in a month or two (?) for an exam proper to Naval Officers, so I understand this is called the MOST (please correct me if I am wrong). And that I will have an interview too.

I started digging in the forum to learn more about the process - things changed since the forum started - I am finding a lot of older threads mentioning the Naval Officer Assessment Board (NOAB) examination. It is not clear while reading the older threads and my recruiter did not expand much on it, but did the MOST replaced the NOAB examination? NOAB seems like an extended stay and examination on the west coast for several days, while MOST will happen at my local recruiting office, half a day duration or so. Well as far as I understand MOAB and MOST scope looks quite different. If I am wrong could someone put me back on track? Is there still a MOAB assessment equivalent afterward ?

Also, I am looking for reading material - there is a lot of suggestion threads on the forums, but many of those books seems dated, or are US Navy focused. Do we have RCN focused books of note or naval leadership (practical /theoretical) ? I am perceiving the Navy in general as a traditional branch where 90% of the things relevant in 2009 are still relevant today so it may not be a big issue in the end. And how about the national context?

The goal of reading is to prepare myself for the interview and to try to see how my experience relate to the Navy context/philosophy.

Some reference examples I found:

• The Canadian Army Reading List, 2015 http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/mdn-dnd/D2-249-2015-eng.pdf
• The BlueJacket Manual https://www.usni.org/store/books/professional-books-sea-services/blue-and-gold-professional-series/bluejackets-manual-25t
• Dutton's Nautical Navigation, 15th Edition https://www.amazon.ca/dp/155750248X/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_XmVBCbGH08HDJ
• Chief of Naval Operations Professional Reading Program https://www.navy.mil/ah_online/CNO-ReadingProgram/index.html

While the above references are either 'not Navy' or 'not Canadian' or older, I am pretty sure I can start from there but I am curious to learn if there is other Canadian Navy oriented must read books!

thanks Everyone,

polardr

 

[dapaterson]

You are correct. The NOAB no longer exists, so you'll have to make the MOST of it.

 

[polardr]

You are correct. The NOAB no longer exists, so you'll have to make the MOST of it.

Hah I got it thanks for clearing this up !

 

[FSTO]

Where are you located? At the recruiting centre did you talk to an actual Naval Officer (perferebly a Naval Warfare Officer or Naval Engineering Officer)?
If there is a Naval Reserve Division close by I would suggest you go there and talk to the NWO's there (both reserve and the regular Navy Officer if one is there). They can point you in the right direction.

PM me if you want more information.

Cheers.

 

[polardr]

Where are you located? At the recruiting centre did you talk to an actual Naval Officer (perferebly a Naval Warfare Officer or Naval Engineering Officer)?
If there is a Naval Reserve Division close by I would suggest you go there and talk to the NWO's there (both reserve and the regular Navy Officer if one is there). They can point you in the right direction.

PM me if you want more information.

He FSTO, great suggestions. No I did not talked to a Naval Officer, the recruiter I was talking to was an Armour PO. I will PM you with a question.