possibility to switch officer trades once accepted?

[stewacide]

I'm set to start DEO Infantry Officer training in the fall. I interviewed for both Infantry and MARS, and have increasingly come around to the opinion that I'd prefer MARS. I was expecting to go before the naval officer review board in a month, but since the offer for Infantry came down I've been told if I don't go forward with that my whole application will be dropped.

What I'm wondering is, first, if this is necessarily the case: if I'm accepted for one trade I can't still try for a position in another (I've no idea if there are openings for MARS or not). And failing that, what opportunities there are to switch trades in the future? While combat arms seem like a good challenge, I've - belatedly - started to think more about long-term lifestyle issues, and am increasingly worried that the novelty of combat arms will eventually wear off, while the navy would provide for a more settled life and steady career.

Any advice?
Thanks in advance.

 

[observor 69]

Commenting out of my lane but predicting a few of the comments you will receive:

1. It is not easy to switch trades after the military has invested in your training.
2. Don't MARS officers by the very nature of their job spend a lot of time away from home, as in away from their home port.

Ref combat arms speaking as an Air Force type I have no comment.  ;D  >

 

[TimBit]

I'm set to start DEO Infantry Officer training in the fall. I interviewed for both Infantry and MARS, and have increasingly come around to the opinion that I'd prefer MARS. I was expecting to go before the naval officer review board in a month, but since the offer for Infantry came down I've been told if I don't go forward with that my whole application will be dropped.

What I'm wondering is, first, if this is necessarily the case: if I'm accepted for one trade I can't still try for a position in another (I've no idea if there are openings for MARS or not). And failing that, what opportunities there are to switch trades in the future? While combat arms seem like a good challenge, I've - belatedly - started to think more about long-term lifestyle issues, and am increasingly worried that the novelty of combat arms will eventually wear off, while the navy would provide for a more settled life and steady career.

Any advice?
Thanks in advance.

Ok I know many will echo my comments, but I am first... ah ah!

If you want MARS, DON'T accept Infantry. Voluntari Occupational Transfers are never guaranteed, will slow your career and require a long time in the trade. There are tons of openings for MARS and it is a very long training before being operational, and a life of training before qualifying for command.

However if "settled" is what you're looking for, then both these choices are bad. MARS officers can expect at least 5 years of actual sea-time before hitting command (feel free to laugh at and correct my feeble estimate folks), interwoven with courses. As for Infantry, expect exercises, deployments and, yes, possibility of injury or death. Neither of these sound like "settled" life to me.

Of course, all that is moot if you actually signed the offer... did you?

 

[stewacide]

I haven't signed an offer. I just got the call.

And I should better define 'settled'. Deployments are something I want: that's why Infantry and MARS both interested me. However MARS would provide a steady 'home base' in civilization (Halifax or Victoria... especially since I have friends and family in the latter), whereas Infantry would - presumably - have me stuck in the boonies permanently.

I would be prepared to turn down the Infantry offer, and try to go forward with MARS, except I was told - albeit just over the phone - that this isn't possible; turning down an offer would close my application. Any idea how I could go about engineering this with the recruiting centre? When I first got into this process Infantry was my preferred choice, being gung-ho about challenge and self improvement right out of university, but with nearly a year to reflect I think MARS is something I could make a life out of, and is more consonant with my personality.

 

[TimBit]

I haven't signed an offer. I just got the call.

And I should better define 'settled'. Deployments are something I want: that's why Infantry and MARS both interested me. However MARS would provide a steady 'home base' in civilization (Halifax or Victoria... especially since I have friends and family in the latter), whereas Infantry would - presumably - have me stuck in the boonies permanently.

I would be prepared to turn down the Infantry offer, and try to go forward with MARS, except I was told - albeit just over the phone - that this isn't possible; turning down an offer would close my application. Any idea how I could go about engineering this with the recruiting centre? When I first got into this process Infantry was my preferred choice, being gung-ho about challenge and self improvement right out of university, but with nearly a year to reflect I think MARS is something I could make a life out of, and is more consonant with my personality.

Ok well I am glad to see you clarified what you meant by "settled" ;D As for MARS Vs Infantry, what I read here is that you are concerned about location. Well, if that is all that matters to you, I would say that Edmonton, Quebec City and Fredericton (Gagetown) are great places you could actually end in as Infantry... mind you, there is also Shilo and Petawawa, although lots of folks here like Petawawa. But make no mistake, both trades are very different in their lifestyle/deployment-exercise routine. You're young and do not appear to have a gf/wife/significant other, but that might change...oh well look at me sounding like an old fart already.

As for the process, well some members here are in one CFRC or another and might be able to give you very good insight as to what you can do, where as I unfortunately cannot do the same.

Cheers and good luck!

 

[stewacide]

Actually, ignore all this :

I had a good talk with them about the usual career path for an infantry officer: namely, that re-mustering at a later point is usual since it's clearly a young-man's game. My worry was that I'd be stuck with it PERMANENTLY: the Infantry sounds just like the challenge I'm looking for at 25... I'm just worried about my prospects with it at 40

Actually I'd consider this ideal: ~10 years in the infantry while I can still give it my all, and then get into something lower-impact and more civil before I become a permenent desk jockey with busted knees ;D

p.s. It's slightly disconcerting that a job offer doesn't come with something to sign immediately; apparently that happens sometime in July.

 

[stewacide]

Ok well I am glad to see you clarified what you meant by "settled" ;D As for MARS Vs Infantry, what I read here is that you are concerned about location. Well, if that is all that matters to you, I would say that Edmonton, Quebec City and Fredericton (Gagetown) are great places you could actually end in as Infantry... mind you, there is also Shilo and Petawawa, although lots of folks here like Petawawa. But make no mistake, both trades are very different in their lifestyle/deployment-exercise routine. You're young and do not appear to have a gf/wife/significant other, but that might change...oh well look at me sounding like an old fart already.

As for the process, well some members here are in one CFRC or another and might be able to give you very good insight as to what you can do, where as I unfortunately cannot do the same.

Cheers and good luck!

Thanks for responding.

One of the things I need to work on is that I don't drive: a great lifestyle choice in university (I walk, bike, jog, and public-transport everywhere), but probably not viable if I wind up in Petawawa MARS, I suppose, would have spared me that... and even better make year-round motorcycling a viable alternative  ;D ;D

 

[observor 69]

Couple of quick thoughts,
West coast is great but Halifax has a "lot" of MARS slots.

Infantry - Edmonton  http://www.army.dnd.ca/3PPCLI/index-old.html

Edit : If you don't then learn to drive. 

 

[CFR FCS]

Stewaciee,
MARS is looking for people right now and if you are considering MARS go see your recruiting centre and ask if you can go on the Naval Officers Assessment Board (NOAB) to see if you like the lifestyle. Your recruiting centre may hold your Infantry position until you go on NOAB and finally decide what you want to do. Call and ask to talk to an MCC.

CFR FCS

 

[stewacide]

Stewaciee,
MARS is looking for people right now and if you are considering MARS go see your recruiting centre and ask if you can go on the Naval Officers Assessment Board (NOAB) to see if you like the lifestyle. Your recruiting centre may hold your Infantry position until you go on NOAB and finally decide what you want to do. Call and ask to talk to an MCC.

CFR FCS

They told me, when I called to inquire today, that they couldn't hold the position, and for some reason now couldn't get me before the NOAB (they claim to have tried). That seems awfully strange since when I was physically in there the day before they said there was no problem scheduling me for the NOAB, but as soon as the Infantry offer came down (which, don't misunderstand me, I'm happy to have) that possibility seems to have evaporated?

edit -- Just to clarify, I didn't talk to the MCC, just the person who answered the phone. I will try to get ahold of the top dog on Monday and explain my thinking: principally, it couldn't possibly hurt to see if MARS would be a better fit, but not even trying could leave me with a permanent gnawing regret going to NOAB would settle one way or the other.

Getting into the wrong trade through complacency / lack of effort / curiosity wouldn't do me or the military any good. I wish I'd known about this site before I was so far along, which would have made me much better informed about my options and the recruitment process :crybaby: Instead, I've artificially narrowed my options in accordance with my personal and educational background, and have been WAY more frazzled about the wait - and consequently too ready to put the whole thing out of my mind - then I should have been.

 

[a78jumper]

Stew, PM inbound. I go Infantry over MARS  in a heartbeat.

 

[stewacide]

Stew, PM inbound. I go Infantry over MARS  in a heartbeat.

Thanks for the PM. I've already sent a few to people on here who are in / seem to know about MARS.

As things stand I think I have a better idea of the downside of Infantry vs. MARS, which is clearly influencing my thinking. Not knowing any better, my only - but far from insignificant! - concern about MARS would be the 'office politics'. People I've talked to about the Navy seem to always bring this up (the people you are with can make your experience great or absolutely unbearable), and from what I gather MARS is particularly vicious and competitive. OTOH the lifestyle seems quite appealing (I love the water, I get along really well with people and am impossible to anger, I like being challenged academically...)

I'm hoping I can go to NOAB since, presumably, they can assess your personality to see if you're the kind of person who'd get along with it (that's largely the point, correct?)

 

[px90]

When I was in for my pilot interview last week the recruiters were really pushing MARS on me , and it looks like I may be going to the NOAB end of May, no guarantees yet they say. I have some family members reasonably high up in the Naval community which is one of the only reasons i was leaning against it, but its looking more and more like a real possibility now.