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Specific questions about how commissioned officers and NCOs work

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LookingAround

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So, first and foremost: I hope this doesn't come off as a whinge :) It's not. There's definitely some soul-searching happening, though,
so I hope I can be forgiven in advance if one runs into the other.

I'm 32 and considering a second career. Possibly in the Canadian Forces. I believe my educational background is mostly irrelevant. In the private sector I've spent ten years in technology. I do thing like design, build, operate, monitor, and troubleshoot data centres, hosting facilities, and major Internet applications. A publisher asked me to write a reference book and I did so for shits and giggles. (When I was 24 or so? It sold well too.) I've helped build two companies from the ground up (one suffered from terminal executivitis, the other is still very successful despite major competition having popped up in the past few years). The title I've adopted is Systems Engineer (Wikipedia's first couple of sentences: Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary field of engineering that focuses on how to design and manage complex engineering projects over their life cycles. Issues such as reliability, logistics, coordination of different teams (requirements management), evaluation measurements, and other disciplines become more difficult when dealing with large, complex projects.) I've directly managed teams with as many as 6 Ops-type people (that's a lot in my field) and indirectly managed multiple teams of software developers. First and foremost, however, I work the tech. My past management experience has primarily been in the form of mentoring my subordinates and advising executives. (That's the type of management that I like doing. Except of course when the executive in question is a gibbering idiot and makes poor decisions. In such cases I have promptly marginalized them within the company.)

So, the arrogant bullshit aside (try not to slip, it doesn't wash out), I'm trying to collect data to figure out if I could have a home in the CF. I plan to call my local recruiting centre for an appointment, but I'd like to solicit some responses here first. I don't believe I'm capable of trusting the responses of a recruiter to the sort of questions I'm posing here.

As usual, it boils down to "officer or NCM?" (or, I hope, "commission or Warrant?" - on pay alone I wouldn't aim for anything lower than Warrant)

I have some questions/concerns for each:

1. How likely is it that a commissioned officer can get their hands dirty? For instance, if I'm managing an air traffic control installation, there's no way I'm going to get to directly do the work of my subordinates, right? How about a naval engineering unit? Or a group of avionics systems technicians? (My apologies for my poor terminology.)
2. I have an extremely low tolerance of aggressively ignorant executives. As a Warrant, how likely would it be that I would be taking harmful, counter-productive orders from brain-addled officers? After following those orders, what actions can I take to have said officer marginalized? What can I do to limit the damage? Things like "it's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission." (Also, this is on the assumption that I have tried but completely failed to improve said officer's performance. I'm usually pretty successful, but there have been failures.)
3. How much of a square peg in a round hole is a genius Warrant? In the private sector there has been occasional awkwardness with new executives/senior managers treating me as a technician until they were schooled by our peers. I can't think of any case where problems developed past that initial temporary awkwardness, but it was definitely an adjustment for some. Understanding that I take orders well and that I afford all due respect to the positions held, some people (though luckily nobody who's been "senior" to me in the org chart) simply cannot seem to work effectively with a subordinate who's better than them. (In most/every way.) I'm adept at handling that in a corporate setting, but I'm concerned there would be rigidity in the CF system that might result in me being unable to both perform well and coddle the requisite egos.
4. How political are the commissioned officer's ranks? Not just rising through the ranks (though that's a concern), but also in the duties? I've turned down executive titles in the past mainly because with them comes the requirement to deal with investors and shareholders, which tends to be a pretty political duty. Tough work, important work, but not really my cup of tea. I imagine the super-high-level commissioned officer's ranks (the ones that end up talking to politicians) are bad, but what about the mid-level ones? (Up to, say, Colonel?) Lots of politicking (presumably internecine stuff)?
5. Can anybody comment on Warrant & Sergeant's Mess vs. Officer's Mess? How about living quarters? (Hey, quality of life matters...)
6. I'll ask the recruiter this as well, but if I'd like to meet some senior NCOs/officers, does anybody have any suggestions? (I'm willing to buy lunch? :)

Thanks in advance for anything anybody can contribute.
 
I don't believe I'm capable of trusting the responses of a recruiter to the sort of questions I'm posing here.

...but you would trust unknown people on the Interweb?
 
It'll be long time, if ever, that you'll become a Warrant Officer with your attitude.

There is so much self aggrandizing in your post, that it's hard to take it serious.

It has been a long time since we've seen anyone so conceited and at the same time, so dismissive of other ranks they know nothing about, that it hard to take you serious.

As such, I'll just assume you're a troll and no nothing and lock up this shit show so we don't have to waste any more time with it or you.

---Staff---

BTW, almost all your questions can be answered by searching the site. Someone with the exceptional capabilities you claim to possess should be able to soar right through the archaic system we have here and get the answers they seek.

Also, please don't set your aspirations on becoming a Warrant Officer and making the rest of us look like tools by association.
 
My gut feel, LookingAround, is that you would not be happy n the CAF.

If you're not ready to suck back that attitude and "arrogant bullshit" for months or possibly years to get through basic levels of training as either an officer of NCM before you get to a point of having anywhere near the responsibility that you appear to be imagining will be granted to you, you're aren't going to survive in either career track.
 
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