Revelations2005 said:
I've been reading through the boards because I want to join the Reg. Forces. Is it too late to sign up for this summer? I'm not too sure. It's only the middle of May but I hope it's not too late. I've finished school for the year and I want to experience different things in my life at this point.
The sooner you get into a recruiting center and find out if there is a trade you really want in the reg. force the sooner they can start processing your application.
Perhaps your reading through the boards has not impressed on you that there can be a considerable time lapse between application and enrollment.
Hoping to land on a summer BMQ, while not having even submitted an application by the middle of may seems really far fetched in my opinion. I won't say it can't happen, but I think it would be really unlikely.
I applied for Reg. Force 031 about three years ago, and am due to finally be merit listed in the very near future (just as soon as the med file comes back, its been about a month now)
Now there are lots of reasons why it's taken 3 years, however, aside from 1 thing that closed my application for awhile the slow processing time has been completely out of my control. I qualified for every NCM trade on the CFAT, have a well above average fitness level, had 2 really solid interviews, and have no significant medical issues.
There was a request for allergy testing because I told the med tech I was reactive to be stings when I was a child (4 months) then subsequently I waited for my file to come back from Borden for about 8 months because it had never actually been sent. Station #2 had listed my file as delivered to the med. dept, but had never actually walked the file over. Probably, someone thought "I'll do that after lunch" and then never remembered. It took a lot of phone calls to sort it out. I was met with some really serious attitude at the end too when someone at station #2 became insistent that if the computer said the file was delivered, then it must have been delivered, and that there was no point in looking in the filing cabinet. After I practically had to beg her, she finally got up (after 6 weeks of calling), opened the drawer and found it straight off.
Then came the transfer a year ago. I was waiting for the med file to come back from Borden last spring, probably only weeks away from the merit list when I separated from my longtime girlfriend in Toronto. I decided I would be happier moving home to BC than staying back east. I made it really clear to the recruiting center that I did not want to jeopardise my process in any way, and that if transferring CFRC's was going to be ANY kind of problem that I would wait it out in Toronto. They were enthusiastically insistent that it was a total non issue, my file would arrive before I even moved back, be glanced at by the CO of the recruiting center and proceed to the merit list.
It took about 6 weeks for the file to get here, and only after some calls made from the new CFRC to the old on my behalf. Then the CO was on assignment to CFB Comox for about 2 months and by the time she got back my PT was expired. so basically I've been put through the entire process over again minus the CFAT. Updated medical, PT, and interview, all of which were scheduling issues due to the fact that I work Monday to Friday and my employer has to shut down whatever site we are at for me to take a couple of hours off, so I've had to schedule these updates at least 2 weeks in advance to feel comfortable enough to take the time off.
Now finally I'm really really close to getting merit listed and I'm living like a hermit because I'm terrified that some unforeseen event will set me back at zero again. Any legal matter could close your file for 6 months, some jerk picking a fight at the bar, a car accident, witnessing a crime, whatever, I want none of it right now.
As you can see, there is so much potential for hangups during the recruiting process it's unreal. It really would be wise to get in and talk to a recruiter right away. Because if you toy with the idea for awhile, but don't commit to applying then when you eventually do make the commitment you could end up frustrated and disappointed at how long it all can take.
Anyway, Go for it I say, and Good luck.
