Hello,
I am writing because I thought perhaps someone could shed some light and help me find some peace in my head over what route I will choose to fulfill my dream of joining the military. Background info: 37 yo, female, Married to a reg force member (WO) who is headed to Afghanistan for 7 months August 3.
I began this process 18 months ago by preparing myself physically... losing 50lbs, running and training with a Personal trainer because I knew that to make it, I'd have to be proactive, lose weight and prepare myself instead of dreaming about "I want to join the army". All is going well, I've lost weight... am close to my personal final weight loss goal, am still running, still struggling with pushups, but am unwilling to give up and will continue to push myself to get them. Began my Application process in April, determined to go Reg force. Worried about my CFAT, but wrote it June 12 and passed for my first and only trade choice of RMS clerk. Was going into the interview and my interviewer told me "I'm really sorry we did not catch this glitch earlier, but we've hit a road block. RMS clerk now requires advanced gr.11 math and your transcripts show you only have grade 10 math and a "intro to Algebra 11" math credit. Your college diploma and college marks show you did extremely well as a mature student learner (I graduated with distinction on the dean's list, 4.0 grade point average, but did not have math credits in my choice of studies.... Human resources related field of study). Anyway, he said I had a few options... 1) Look at alternate trade choices that did not have the education requirement like Supply Tech, Traffic Tech, MSEOP, etc....
2) Look at reserves which still had only the gr. 10 math requirement
OR
3) Apply for a waiver of the math education requirement from Ottawa due to my college transcripts. Allthough he informed me he did not have a good feeling about that happening as they are very sticky about education req. waivers and rarely is one granted.
Well, my bubble was burst that day. But I Knew option 1 was out. I only have my heart set on one trade.... RMS clerk. the only trade I have ever wanted to do.
We decided to cancel my interview that day and wait to re book with my medical after we found out about the waiver so I would only have to make one trip back to the recruiting center.
I left not very confident that a waiver would be granted, and called the reserve recruiting staff at my local air force reserve unit to see if they would have a spot for me to join.
As luck would have it, they would be willing to give me my referral papers and accept me if I was interested, but I was too late to go on this summer Basic TRg.... I'd have to wait for either a position on a reg force basic in the fall if she could grab a spot for me or January basic in Borden at the latest. I
Talked to my husband and he got all excited because , of course, reserve life would fit in much easier with our current circumstances ... his leaving for Afghanistan. Also, he said Air reserve would be lovely because there would be opportunity for Class B work after my training and field life would be minimal for me, which is a concern for us with him being in such a deployable regiment as a Combat Arms regiment himself.
HERE's My dilemma....
Got a call Thursday. Appears Ottawa would be willing to give me a waiver. WOW! I was not anticipating that and I was surprised as well as the career counsellor, but excited too. However, now I had also been thinking of Reserves during my 2 day wait on Ottawa's decision and told them maybe that would be the best route for me at present. I decided to change my file to reserve and was told I'd get a call this week about medical/interview dates. Now I am second guessing myself. I originally wanted to be a reg force member, but I also want to do what's best for my family. I have 2 kids (15 and 11) whose grandparents will be called upon to do parent duty when both my husband is gone to Afghanistan and I too Basic trg.)
I am thinking boy was I lucky to be offered the waiver and maybe I should call back and keep processing REG. force. I don't want to get the recruiting staff frustrated with me due to my indecisiveness, but I am having a tough time deciding what way to proceed. I can see the pros and cons of both REG and RES. and Res looks like it will fit better with family life, but some part of me also feels I am making a bad decision to give up a REG force opportunity. Any help/advice would be so appreciated as I am turning this over and over in my head trying to come up with a decision I can feel good about. I am going to also contact my recruiting center first thing Monday morning to see if I can come in and talk about my concerns/questions. I hope if I do decide to change back to reg force Application processing, it would not bee too late.
One last thing that is causing my indecisiveness is also the fact that my husband and I have been everywhere from West coast to East Coast in our 20 years as a military family. Just recently came back west and want our kids to graduate in Alberta. (at least 4 more years of education for my oldest son and 7 for my youngest.) I know you can't always pick postings, but we do know we want to be West Coast residents from now on. Sorry this was so long, there was alot of info to impart and I thank you in advance for any insight or advice that may help me with this decision.
Sincerely,
Marie
I am writing because I thought perhaps someone could shed some light and help me find some peace in my head over what route I will choose to fulfill my dream of joining the military. Background info: 37 yo, female, Married to a reg force member (WO) who is headed to Afghanistan for 7 months August 3.
I began this process 18 months ago by preparing myself physically... losing 50lbs, running and training with a Personal trainer because I knew that to make it, I'd have to be proactive, lose weight and prepare myself instead of dreaming about "I want to join the army". All is going well, I've lost weight... am close to my personal final weight loss goal, am still running, still struggling with pushups, but am unwilling to give up and will continue to push myself to get them. Began my Application process in April, determined to go Reg force. Worried about my CFAT, but wrote it June 12 and passed for my first and only trade choice of RMS clerk. Was going into the interview and my interviewer told me "I'm really sorry we did not catch this glitch earlier, but we've hit a road block. RMS clerk now requires advanced gr.11 math and your transcripts show you only have grade 10 math and a "intro to Algebra 11" math credit. Your college diploma and college marks show you did extremely well as a mature student learner (I graduated with distinction on the dean's list, 4.0 grade point average, but did not have math credits in my choice of studies.... Human resources related field of study). Anyway, he said I had a few options... 1) Look at alternate trade choices that did not have the education requirement like Supply Tech, Traffic Tech, MSEOP, etc....
2) Look at reserves which still had only the gr. 10 math requirement
OR
3) Apply for a waiver of the math education requirement from Ottawa due to my college transcripts. Allthough he informed me he did not have a good feeling about that happening as they are very sticky about education req. waivers and rarely is one granted.
Well, my bubble was burst that day. But I Knew option 1 was out. I only have my heart set on one trade.... RMS clerk. the only trade I have ever wanted to do.
We decided to cancel my interview that day and wait to re book with my medical after we found out about the waiver so I would only have to make one trip back to the recruiting center.
I left not very confident that a waiver would be granted, and called the reserve recruiting staff at my local air force reserve unit to see if they would have a spot for me to join.
As luck would have it, they would be willing to give me my referral papers and accept me if I was interested, but I was too late to go on this summer Basic TRg.... I'd have to wait for either a position on a reg force basic in the fall if she could grab a spot for me or January basic in Borden at the latest. I
Talked to my husband and he got all excited because , of course, reserve life would fit in much easier with our current circumstances ... his leaving for Afghanistan. Also, he said Air reserve would be lovely because there would be opportunity for Class B work after my training and field life would be minimal for me, which is a concern for us with him being in such a deployable regiment as a Combat Arms regiment himself.
HERE's My dilemma....
Got a call Thursday. Appears Ottawa would be willing to give me a waiver. WOW! I was not anticipating that and I was surprised as well as the career counsellor, but excited too. However, now I had also been thinking of Reserves during my 2 day wait on Ottawa's decision and told them maybe that would be the best route for me at present. I decided to change my file to reserve and was told I'd get a call this week about medical/interview dates. Now I am second guessing myself. I originally wanted to be a reg force member, but I also want to do what's best for my family. I have 2 kids (15 and 11) whose grandparents will be called upon to do parent duty when both my husband is gone to Afghanistan and I too Basic trg.)
I am thinking boy was I lucky to be offered the waiver and maybe I should call back and keep processing REG. force. I don't want to get the recruiting staff frustrated with me due to my indecisiveness, but I am having a tough time deciding what way to proceed. I can see the pros and cons of both REG and RES. and Res looks like it will fit better with family life, but some part of me also feels I am making a bad decision to give up a REG force opportunity. Any help/advice would be so appreciated as I am turning this over and over in my head trying to come up with a decision I can feel good about. I am going to also contact my recruiting center first thing Monday morning to see if I can come in and talk about my concerns/questions. I hope if I do decide to change back to reg force Application processing, it would not bee too late.
One last thing that is causing my indecisiveness is also the fact that my husband and I have been everywhere from West coast to East Coast in our 20 years as a military family. Just recently came back west and want our kids to graduate in Alberta. (at least 4 more years of education for my oldest son and 7 for my youngest.) I know you can't always pick postings, but we do know we want to be West Coast residents from now on. Sorry this was so long, there was alot of info to impart and I thank you in advance for any insight or advice that may help me with this decision.
Sincerely,
Marie