Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP)-RMC 2000 - 2018 [Merged]

[canada94]

Recruiting Center: Recruiter in St. Catherine's
Regular/Reserve: Regular
Officer/NCM: Officer (ROTP)
Trade Choice 1: Infantry O
Trade Choice 2: Arm O
Trade Choice 3: Arty O
Application Date: September 13, 2011
First Contact: September 28th, 2011
Aptitude: October 4th, 2011
Medical: 
Interview completed:
Merit Listed:
Position Offered:
Enrollment date:

 

[scriptox]

Recruiting Center: Recruiter in St. Catherine's
Regular/Reserve: Regular
Officer/NCM: Officer (ROTP)
Trade Choice 1: Infantry O
Trade Choice 2: Arm O
Trade Choice 3: Arty O
Application Date: September 13, 2011
First Contact: September 28th, 2011
Aptitude: October 4th, 2011
Medical: 
Interview completed:
Merit Listed:
Position Offered:
Enrollment date:

Looking good buddy! Guess it's time to start brushing up for the CFAT eh? It's been 9 days since I submitted my app. Hopefully they won't take any longer to contact me than they did to contact you .

 

[Allgunzblazing]

Hello Jetfuelcola,

I'm a Direct Entry applicant, but I will try to put some things in perspective for you.

Firstly - Chase is very correct, in that ROTP candidates are expected to be rounded individuals. I remember reading a post here by an officer (who was ex RMC) who had a B+ average in high school. However, what set him apart was the extra curricular activities that he used to take part in.

As for me, I've just been an average student. However, that did not hinder me from being selected. I have not been given a job offer as yet, but that is a separate matter.

I suggest that you get lots of volunteering hours under your belt. Plus taking part in team sports is huge.

Becoming an officer via RMC is far tougher (in my opinion) than via the Direct Entry route. The government is spending a huge amount of money in sending you to university in addition paying you a salary and funding your military training. The selectors want to be absolutely sure that they've picked the right candidate. They can only do so when you give them all the reason to select you.

Aside from RMC, you could even consider going to college along with joining the Reserves. You might have to start as an NCM, but if being an officer in the CF is your ultimate goal, then this is a very good option.

Cheers,

AGB.

 

[canada94]

Looking good buddy! Guess it's time to start brushing up for the CFAT eh? It's been 9 days since I submitted my app. Hopefully they won't take any longer to contact me than they did to contact you .

Yeah man! I started studying literally minutes after I realized I had booked it so soon! You'll be hearing from' em soon

 

[Mkenzie]

Is that average you mention just your grade 12? How are your academic grades from grade 9 - 12? How are your extracurriculars? There have been cases where people have been admitted with low 70s but have copious amounts of extracurriculars.

Going into reserves while in Civvy U then going into DEO looks good, I've considered that before and seems to be my backup plan in the event that I do not gain acceptance into the ROTP program.

I called the Recruiting Center today to determine the correct way to calculate my average. My average is right on 70%.

In my application every box is filled (not enough space in most of them) except for the community involvement. I'm still going to go for it. The recruiter also told me to try to get in contact with the hockey coach at RMC.

Marks aren't everything. I doubt they would take someone with 90's that doesn't do anything but school.

 

[canada94]

I called the Recruiting Center today to determine the correct way to calculate my average. My average is right on 70%.

In my application every box is filled (not enough space in most of them) except for the community involvement. I'm still going to go for it. The recruiter also told me to try to get in contact with the hockey coach at RMC.

Marks aren't everything. I doubt they would take someone with 90's that doesn't do anything but school.

I assume you are correct, what level hockey do you play?

 

[scriptox]

I called the Recruiting Center today to determine the correct way to calculate my average. My average is right on 70%.

In my application every box is filled (not enough space in most of them) except for the community involvement. I'm still going to go for it. The recruiter also told me to try to get in contact with the hockey coach at RMC.

Marks aren't everything. I doubt they would take someone with 90's that doesn't do anything but school.

Yeah man for sure, keep going for it; that's the right attitude. Sorry if my post made it seem like marks are everything but that wasn't what I was getting at.

 

[Kayghee]

Aside from RMC, you could even consider going to college along with joining the Reserves. You might have to start as an NCM, but if being an officer in the CF is your ultimate goal, then this is a very good option.

Hi Allgunblazing, this is a link to a thread pertaining to my current situation: http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/102711.0.html.

Do you happen to know whether or not I'd be able to take NCM SEP, for a few years of college as a stepping stone into ROTP?
If I happened to go through college with NCM SEP, would I be able to go/transfer into University with ROTP and then do extended years of service?
I ask because my end goal is to become an Electical and Mechanical Engineering Officer. However, if I go through college and then serve for 4-5 years, I fear I won't be eligible for ROTP going back to University.
Anyone with answers/information regarding to my thread listed above, and/or my question in this thread is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

KG

 

[Allgunzblazing]

Hi Kayghee,

I just read your original post through the link that you posted. I'm afraid that I don't have the answers to your questions as far as what entry options are open for you. You will get a lot of opinions and pointers on this site. However, I strongly recommend for you to head down to a recruiting centre. It will be a good idea to go there well prepared, even though you're only going for information gathering. The recruiting staff greatly appreciate folk who've taken the time go through the CF website. This has been my experience.

As far as high school grades are concerned - that is just one aspect about you. Academic excellence in an important factor, but certainly not the only factor which is used for grading potential officer. Take a look at this link - http://ftp.rta.nato.int/public//PubFulltext/RTO/MP/RTO-MP-055///MP-055-30.pdf

This is just one source that I had used when I was preparing for my interview.

I strongly believe that people choose to become officers or NCMs based on their "calling". All my friends in the CF are guys with university degrees. Only one of them is an officer. I have no doubt in my mind that if they had wanted, they would have been chosen by any officer selection board.

Take some time to introspect... When I was preparing for my interview, I had asked some of my friends to jot down some words that describe me. I told them to be brutally honest. These answers I compared to the qualities that are sought in officers of the trade that I applied for. 

Sorry for rambling on...

All the best!

AGB.

 

[Mkenzie]

I assume you are correct, what level hockey do you play?

My High school didn't have a team and I was invited out to Major Midget but I didn't have enough money to play. So I ended up playing midget AA but I played really well and that got me an invite out to a NHL mini combine that would rank me in North America for my age group (18 years old). I was looking into playing NCAA but I was unable to go to the States in the summer because I broke my ankle and money issues crept in. Now I'm playing junior C because i missed Junior A and B tryouts.

Yeah man for sure, keep going for it; that's the right attitude. Sorry if my post made it seem like marks are everything but that wasn't what I was getting at.

No worries, Your post did not make it seem that way.

Also the recruiter told me to calculate your average to get into RMC you take all of your grade 11 and grade 12 courses (besides courses like art and gym) then divide by the number of courses added together and that's your average for RMC. On the website it was different. My grade 11 marks are what saved me.

Although after reading this thread http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/1330.0 I'm still undecided about what role I am best suited for. Considering the recruiting center is closed all next week I have some time to decide but if I applied to be an NCM i would be able to go for Medical Technician which I would not be able to apply for if I apply to be an Officer.

I want to make sure my final choice is something that I am happy with and something that I can have a successful career in.
There's just so many options...  Whatever I decide I'm going to charge right in and give it my all  :threat: and I hope everyone else does the same.

Good luck to everyone. Hopefully the CFATs, medicals and interviews all go well for everyone.

 

[canada94]

My High school didn't have a team and I was invited out to Major Midget but I didn't have enough money to play. So I ended up playing midget AA but I played really well and that got me an invite out to a NHL mini combine that would rank me in North America for my age group (18 years old). I was looking into playing NCAA but I was unable to go to the States in the summer because I broke my ankle and money issues crept in. Now I'm playing junior C because i missed Junior A and B tryouts.

No worries, Your post did not make it seem that way.

Also the recruiter told me to calculate your average to get into RMC you take all of your grade 11 and grade 12 courses (besides courses like art and gym) then divide by the number of courses added together and that's your average for RMC. On the website it was different. My grade 11 marks are what saved me.

Although after reading this thread http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/1330.0 I'm still undecided about what role I am best suited for. Considering the recruiting center is closed all next week I have some time to decide but if I applied to be an NCM i would be able to go for Medical Technician which I would not be able to apply for if I apply to be an Officer.

I want to make sure my final choice is something that I am happy with and something that I can have a successful career in.
There's just so many options...  Whatever I decide I'm going to charge right in and give it my all  :threat: and I hope everyone else does the same.

Good luck to everyone. Hopefully the CFATs, medicals and interviews all go well for everyone.

Thats quite impressive may I ask were you play Jr. C? I played Jr. B a couple years ago.

 

[Kayghee]

Thanks a lot for the response and the tips AGB, I appreciate it.

I've already visited the Recruiting Centre multiple times during my application last year, but I'll visit them again to ask some other questions specifically pertaining to my situation. I've read the PDF file you've attached and I noticed that 'Motivation towards the Canadian Forces' is listed under the factors upon which they grade you.
Personally, my motivation towards joining the Canadian Forces is for the subsidized education and the meaningful career that awaits me when I finish. I think it's great to be able to serve my country (making it a meaningful career), however, my main reason for joining is for the opportunities for advancement within the CF.
There are a lot of people who join purely for patriotic reasons, which I find admirable, but that's not the case for me.
Does anyone else happen to have the same mindset as myself..? Will this hinder my chances of getting into the forces?

Again, thanks in advance for any responses/comments to my questions.

KG

 

[jetfuelcola]

Thanks very much to Chase for answering my original question, I feel much more confident now and I'm getting ready to hand in my application this week.

Kayghee, you said your main motivation was for "the opportunities for advancement." I hope I'm misreading your post. As a fellow applicant I may not be the best person to answer your question. But until someone does, I'll just point out something which thinking about may benefit you: Are you willing to fight, kill and die for your country and the man next to you?

With respect, I doubt a subsidized education or career advancement would be at the front of your mind in such circumstances.

 

[Kayghee]

Thanks very much to Chase for answering my original question, I feel much more confident now and I'm getting ready to hand in my application this week.

Kayghee, you said your main motivation was for "the opportunities for advancement." I hope I'm misreading your post. As a fellow applicant I may not be the best person to answer your question. But until someone does, I'll just point out something which thinking about may benefit you: Are you willing to fight, kill and die for your country and the man next to you?
With respect, I doubt a subsidized education or career advancement would be at the front of your mind in such circumstaes.

This goes without saying. Do I want to fight, kill and die? No. But am I willing to defend my country and in doing so, fight, kill and die for it? Yes.
I'm not a very aggressive person, and as such, I'm opting to become an engineer in the military helping in the 'sidelines' so to speak. But again, if it comes to it, I am willing to do all those you've mentioned above. As you said, a subsidized education or career advancement wouldn't be at the front of my mind in such circumstances, but life's too short to always think about that. I believe you can't just go into the Canadian Force with the single thought of 'kill or be killed'. We're not a war seeking country but rather a peacekeeping one :nod:.

But again, thanks for clarifying that for me. I suppose you suggested that if I'm willing to do those that I'm considered 'motivated'.
I greatly appreciate you taking the time to comment.

KG

 

[jeffb]

We're not a war seeking country but rather a peacekeeping one :nod:.

KG

We may not be "war seeking" but we are definitely are war fighting country more then we are a peacekeeping one. Here's an article about the Myth of Canadian Peacekeeping but there has been a lot of academic material written on this. http://www.journal.dnd.ca/vo8/no1/maloney-eng.asp

Canada's major military involvements in the last 50 years have had very little to do with UN, blue beret peacekeeping. By way of example, after the Second World War (1.1 million Canadians served), came Korea (26,791 soldiers) and the Cold War in which Canadians stood ready to fight in Germany for decades. Post cold war Canada has used military power in several occasions, Gulf War 1, Kosovo, anti-piracy operations off Somalia, and more recently, Libya in conflicts that had very little/nothing to do with the UN. Most notably, there has been the mission in Afghanistan that has seen a far greater commitment of Canadian troops then any peacekeeping mission did.

Canada does have a proud tradition of peacekeepers. The work done by soldiers in the former Yugoslavia and in many parts of Africa gained this country a lot of respect in the 1990's and doubtless saved countless lives there.

Sorry for the rant but the myth of peacekeeping is one of those that floats around by "soft power" advocates who try to undermine what should be a proud military tradition for political ends.

 

[Allgunzblazing]

Excellent post Jeff! I have no time or breath to waste on the advocates of "soft power". Thankfully, some sensible people have put in place the Canada First Defense Strategy. At least now the CF can get the assured and much needed investment in terms of manpower and equipment. Sorry guys, I know that there are different threads for discussing politics.

 

[chase429]

Also dont be too down if you do not get a call back right away. I applied in mid October, and did not receive a call to do the CFAT till around may. So keep giving it hope and remember that even after you do your CFAT, Medical and interview you still have a long wait till offers go out. Hope to see lots of you here ready for FYOP next year .

 

[scriptox]

Also dont be too down if you do not get a call back right away. I applied in mid October, and did not receive a call to do the CFAT till around may. So keep giving it hope and remember that even after you do your CFAT, Medical and interview you still have a long wait till offers go out. Hope to see lots of you here ready for FYOP next year .

Roger. If you don't mind me asking, throughout the waiting period between you submitting your application to the point where you received a call about the CFAT, did you ever call the CFRC and inquire about any updates to your file?


Thanks

 

[jayyble]

Just recently CT'd from Reserves, and received an email back from Director of Military Career (D Mil C) saying that they've accepted and received my application. It went on to say that my unit's chief clerk will be responsible for me throughout the rest of the process. I applied for CT last thursday (parade night) and they got back to me today (2 business days later). I'll keep you guys posted as to how my process is coming along.

In the mean time, I'll keep reading your threads

 

[chase429]

Roger. If you don't mind me asking, throughout the waiting period between you submitting your application to the point where you received a call about the CFAT, did you ever call the CFRC and inquire about any updates to your file?


Thanks

Yes, i emailed and called about once every  2nd week.