well, i've been lurking in the shadows reading these boards for a couple years now as a guest, and felt today was time to become a member and start asking questions. no better a place to do it as this particular one with the aesop topic fresh on people's minds. i am also interested in an ot over to the trade. i too went to an ot brief in march, this one in halifax, and have a good number of questions and concerns as i move into the process. i feel i'm in a bit of a tight spot right now as to when and if i can get started but if someone has suggestions i'm open to everything...as many perspectives as possible. i've been doing as much research into this as possible and can't get an answer to this one. i'm a ql4 sonar op, and, the first thing is, unfortunately, i can't officially start the process til next january, since my 48 months reg force doesn't come til next may. well, the bpso told me one thing at the briefing and another thing at their office--in so many words "don't bother us til then". does anyone know if there is a way to get paperwork initiated now and then do any kind of followup afterwards? it doesn't seem as though i can even walk in there and ask them, and my people on the ship don't seem to be open to helping me if i'm moving on. i'm to be deployed from mid august til mid december anyway, so could the time be used to my advantage as there is a demand for potentials in the cotp?