Questions about my future.

[FireTiger]

I've had an application in for a while now via the online system and I'd like to get it sorted out sometime in the next 3 months. The only thing holding me back at this point in time is clearing up my personal finance situations (student loan). The trades I have whittled my choices down are as follows in priority order: Comms Res 291 (Navy, for various reasons) Cook (Navy) and Imagery Technician (Air Force)

My questions are mostly about the lifestyle aspects of the military and what I can expect. Basically I am looking into having my girlfriend move in with me soon, and I'm wondering what kind of accommodations exist for "partners"? Ideally (and she doesn't know this yet) I would like to propose to her after the completion of BMQ. I realize with 291, which is really what I'm hoping for, that there is an extended period of training in Kingston and then deployment in the Leitrim area after the security clearance period is completed. Is it a dormitory based setting in Kingston, or are private accommodations available? What about afterwards during the limbo status?

I've tried looking around on the forums about relationships and marriage within the forces, but I've mostly only found people giving advice on how to maintain a relationship during basic or on deployment.

How long am I looking to wait before we are able to live together again after I start BMQ? It's not the biggest deal in the world having to wait months to see her again from time to time, but it really would be inconvenient from a financial standpoint to have to pay for two separate living areas if it were avoidable.

I know I can't take her with me everywhere, but it would be great to have her by my side between deployments and exercises. I've spent a long time considering this application and future. I know full well that sacrifices and selflessness are requirements, and I've talked to her for the better part of the last year and a bit about these things to make sure that she is the kind of woman that can hack putting up with a relationship like this.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Michael OLeary]

For housing options after your BMQ (and possibly after your trades training) see this thread for a start:

Military Housing, CFHA, and the cost of renting a PMQ (and annual increases)

 

[benny88]

FireTiger,

Good post, those are legit questions. I dunno about living arrangements with a significant other, but I have a question about your financial situation Re: your student loans. Are you in university? Because if so, and you feel like considering an Officer trade and join under ROTP, you will be reimbursed. Research your options before you commit to something, and good luck!

 

[FireTiger]

FireTiger,

Good post, those are legit questions. I dunno about living arrangements with a significant other, but I have a question about your financial situation Re: your student loans. Are you in university? Because if so, and you feel like considering an Officer trade and join under ROTP, you will be reimbursed. Research your options before you commit to something, and good luck!

I went to university for one year because I thought it was what I was supposed to do. Thanks to a delayed letter of acceptance from my first choice university, I ended up not doing what I wanted to do. On top of that I joined an experimental program for that year because I thought it was going to be full of individuals with similar interests, it turned out that almost every other student was in that program because their parents had selected it for them. Everything ended up being completely different than how I expected it to turn out, my interest in classes wained after the first 2 months, I came down with a case of pneumonia after that and eventually I had no motivation to continue my studies. Things could have turned out differently, but my heart wasn't in it anymore. I ended up passing one course, and would have passed another if it wasn't for an attendance mark. This is my fault, and it has set me back considerably, but I won't make excuses for it. Thankfully I am the one paying for my education and not my parents. I doubt the forces would want to take that kind of chance on me, given my grades for the first year, and I don't feel like I deserve it either.

I may be wrong on this, but I also am guessing that life at the RMC is probably not very conductive to a relationship, especially during the first year.

 

[aesop081]

Comms Res 291 (Navy, for various reasons) Cook (Navy) 

Those are what we call "purple" trades and you may find yourself working in any / all 3 environments during the course of your career. The colour of the uniform you get has no bearing on where you get employed.

 

[George Wallace]

FireTiger

Sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders.  Not everyone these days has to become an officer, and many who try don't make it.  You will be living in quarters until you finish your Trades training.  Once that is complete, you can start worrying about having a place of your own, that you can have your girlfriend move into with you.  You would not have any problems paying off your Student Loans with some frugal budgeting.  This is going to be even harder should you find a place off the base and get married.  You will have to be all the more conscious of your spending habits and give up a lot of "luxuries".  As you pointed out, going the officer route would put a delay on your plans and would not offer much more monetarily in the early stages.  You have picked a Trade that will more than compensate for that, as you progress through your career.  My only advice is to look into some of the topics on managing your money and start now with putting 10% of your earnings into savings.  You have decided to embark on two very extreme life changing challenges at the same time.  Good luck.

 

[benny88]

I may be wrong on this, but I also am guessing that life at the RMC is probably not very conductive to a relationship, especially during the first year.

    Ditto to what George Wallace said on not being solely commited to going Officer, but jkeep in mind that it is possible to continue your studies at your civilian university (with reimbursment for previous years), not just RMC. 

 My only advice is to look into some of the topics on managing your money and start now with putting 10% of your earnings into savings.  You have decided to embark on two very extreme life changing challenges at the same time.  Good luck.

    Check out this thread: http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/26093.0.html

Bonne chance!

  Definitely take a look at this thread: http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/26093.0.html