Some questions about being in the reserves part time? (As university student?)

[Vyscaria]

Hey all! My name is Jerry, and I've been lurking in this forum for a while now... Finally came out of the shadows!

I'm currently a 10th grader in Toronto ON, and am contemplating a part-time career in the CF Reserves during university. I do have intentions of entering the Regular Force one day, but I want to 'test the waters' first to see if the CF is really for me. So I have a few questions, and could not find any specific answers with the search function. I'm sorry if these questions have already be asked; in that case, please direct me elsewhere.

Firstly, I am thinking of applying to both the University of Toronto and McGill University. I am aware of the 48th Highlanders Reserve Force in downtown Toronto near UofT, but am a bit concerned about possible Reserve Forces in Montreal. If I got into McGill, would I still have a chance to get into a Reserve Force and Officer Training Plan there if I didn't speak fluent French?

Secondly, if CF members are trained to obey their superiors at all costs, is there some form of support if a CF member feels personally threatened? For example, I understand that some CF missions will be life threatening. Nonetheless, what happens if a superior orders you to do something that is not related to the CF, which may put your life in danger?

Thirdly, are reserve forces constantly in hiring?

Those are all my questions so far; the rest have been answered in detail by the peeps in this forum. Many thanks in advance for your time, awesome people at army.ca. 

*Yikes, I think this topic might be in the wrong forum. ): I'm very sorry for any inconvenience.

 

[taerakwon]

Hey all! My name is Jerry, and I've been lurking in this forum for a while now... Finally came out of the shadows!

I'm currently a 10th grader in Toronto ON, and am contemplating a part-time career in the CF Reserves during university. I do have intentions of entering the Regular Force one day, but I want to 'test the waters' first to see if the CF is really for me. So I have a few questions, and could not find any specific answers with the search function. I'm sorry if these questions have already be asked; in that case, please direct me elsewhere.

Firstly, I am thinking of applying to both the University of Toronto and McGill University. I am aware of the 48th Highlanders Reserve Force in downtown Toronto near UofT, but am a bit concerned about possible Reserve Forces in Montreal. If I got into McGill, would I still have a chance to get into a Reserve Force and Officer Training Plan there if I didn't speak fluent French?

Secondly, if CF members are trained to obey their superiors at all costs, is there some form of support if a CF member feels personally threatened? For example, I understand that some CF missions will be life threatening. Nonetheless, what happens if a superior orders you to do something that is not related to the CF, which may put your life in danger?

Thirdly, are reserve forces constantly in hiring?

Those are all my questions so far; the rest have been answered in detail by the peeps in this forum. Many thanks in advance for your time, awesome people at army.ca. 

*Yikes, I think this topic might be in the wrong forum. ): I'm very sorry for any inconvenience.

From what I know, yes, CF members are trained to obey their superiors at all costs; however, your superiors will not demand you to do something that him or her self will not do due to its high risk. 
Your superior is there to lead you to perform your duties safely, not there to put you into some life threatening situations. 

With other questions, you better go and have a visit to your local CFRC

 

[dapaterson]

There are English / bilingual units in Montreal, not only French.  So, for the infantry, there are units like the Black Watch of Canada, the Canadian Grenadier Guards and the Royal Montreal Regiment; there's the Second Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery; the 34th Combat Engineer Regiment and others where you'll find both Anglophones and Francophones.

 

[kratz]

There are Navy, Army and Air reserve units in both Toronto and Montreal, you need to research those units better before posting more questions. There are bilingual units in Montreal and you may want to consider other options such as enrolling as an NCM.

The majority of the time in the reserve you will not be faced with the choice of being in a life threatening or dangerous situation. Therefore your hypothetical question is not likely to happen, unless you volunteer for a deployment. If you do volunteer, as posted earlier, you will be trained and guided by experienced leaders.

As in most of the recruiting threads, the entire CF is not hiring too many people at the moment. There are small numbers being recruited across the board. I know for my unit we had 6 positions total this year. I do not know if they are all filled or if we have a few more reallocated to us. The best thing to do is talk to the reserve recruiter you are interested in.

 

[dangles]

Secondly, if CF members are trained to obey their superiors at all costs, is there some form of support if a CF member feels personally threatened? For example, I understand that some CF missions will be life threatening. Nonetheless, what happens if a superior orders you to do something that is not related to the CF, which may put your life in danger?

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying here. What would/could a superior order you to do if it is not related to the CF?

 

[lethalLemon]

Secondly, if CF members are trained to obey their superiors at all costs, is there some form of support if a CF member feels personally threatened? For example, I understand that some CF missions will be life threatening. Nonetheless, what happens if a superior orders you to do something that is not related to the CF, which may put your life in danger?

If memory serves correctly, there is a clause somewhere that - if the situation presents itself and a superior gives you an order that you feel is purposely putting the health and safety of you and your brothers and sisters-in-arms at risk; you have the right to politely ask to have it appealed by higher authority. Example: You are a a Pte(R) and a Master Corporal orders you and a couple of other NCMs to move heavy objects without proper safety equipment and tools to make the job easier - you can ask to have the directive to be appealed due to the fact that health and safety is at risk.

Disclaimer: I may be wrong because I don't know for sure. Informed personnel please correct where necessary. Thank you.

EDIT: Because if injury and death can be prevented by being better equipped - it should be done! Safety and health is key to an effective fighting force

 

[brihard]

Right out of Queen's Regulations and ORders, Volume 2 (discipline), section 103.16. And I quote:

"(F) A command, in order to be lawful must be one relating to military duty, i.e., the disobedience of which must tend to impede, delay or prevent a military proceeding. A superior officer has the right to give a command for the purpose of maintaining good order or suppressing a disturbance or for the execution of a military duty or regulation or for a purpose connected with the welfare of troops or for any generally accepted details of military life. He has no right to take advantage of his military rank to give a command which does not relate to military duty or usage which has for its sole object the attainment of some private end."

So you are subject to orders that are lawful, but only disobedience of a command that is lawful under this definition may be a service offense under the National Defense Act.

At the same time, QR&O 19.915 states that, "where the subordinate does not know the law or is uncertain of it, he shall, even though he doubts the lawfulness of the command, obey unless the command is manifestly unlawful.”

So the proper answer is that you have a professional duty to inform yourself or see that you are informed as to the boundaries of our profession and of the command exerted upon you and by you.

There is, of course, the larger subject of ethics, but that's another subject for another thread.

 

[Vyscaria]

Thanks for all the quick replies. Excuse me for not specifying that I'm looking to join the [land] army in particular. I'm relieved that there will be anglophone reserves in Quebec. Yet I'm jumping ahead of myself here.

@dangles,
I'm not sure if I can explain my concerns properly over this forum- I think I will speak to a recruiting officer sometime soon.

@Brihard,
Thanks for quoting that- it does mean a lot. I always thought something like that should be in existence just out of bare necessity.

Thanks, everyone.

 

[brihard]

Thanks for all the quick replies. Excuse me for not specifying that I'm looking to join the [land] army in particular. I'm relieved that there will be anglophone reserves in Quebec. Yet I'm jumping ahead of myself here.

@dangles,
I'm not sure if I can explain my concerns properly over this forum- I think I will speak to a recruiting officer sometime soon.

@Brihard,
Thanks for quoting that- it does mean a lot. I always thought something like that should be in existence just out of bare necessity.

Thanks, everyone.

There's actually quite an academic discourse of military ethics that Canada is very much a participant in. You generally won't see much of it unless for some reason you actively look into it, other than a few publications you might see on shelves at your unit... But it's out there. Probably the best work I've seen is 'A Warrior's Way'. You can see a PDF version here if you're curious what the 'official' take on this stuff is, beyond the immediate regulations.

http://www.cda-acd.forces.gc.ca/cfli-ilfc/doc/AWarriorsWayE.pdf