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Dear Army.ca Forum Members:
My Name is Alex Davis. I am nineteen years old; I live in Ottawa, Ontario in my miniscule little apartment with my girlfriend, going into my second year of schooling at Algonquin College. I apologize if reading this sounds like a broken record, as I am sure that many of you have heard similar stories to mine, I ask that you bear with me.
I have always had a fascination with military matters and history, in particular Canada’s rich military history and culture. For many years my friends encouraged me to look into the Canadian Forces, but I was not interested at the time. Before leaving to go to College, my mother and father sat down with me and showed me a recruiting video for the Canadian Forces. Even with the encouragement of my family, I felt unworthy to be part of the organization. I was 50 pounds overweight, severely lacking in confidence and convinced that I was incapable of the heroism of our brave Canadian soldiers.
Things have changed now. I have lost twenty pounds over the course of the 2011 summer, I have studied intensely, everything that I could find online that had anything marginally to do with the Canadian Forces. I have ordered no less than ten non-fictions on the Afghanistan war and Canada’s involvement, and I am now taking the Canadian Forces very seriously. I have analyzed a number of exciting trades in the military, and have decided that the all-popular Infantry Soldier is my main target. I realize that this may be an almost unachievable goal, given the economic and recruiting atmosphere in the Canadian Forces right now. But I am an intensely competitive individual, and I am utterly determined to achieve this goal.
I plan to apply at the Recruiting Centre here in Ottawa, at some time between January 1st 2011 to the end of my last college semester in April. I have been told during interviews with Infantry soldiers that April is the best time of the year to apply for combat trades, but I am not 100% sure of this fact. So I turn to the Army.ca Forum community here. I do this to continue to integrate myself into the Canadian Forces, and to learn as much as I possibly can from experienced individuals.
If there is any advice anyone can give on the following questions, I will be most grateful. I will reply to your answers as diligently as possible, and answer any questions as well. I have some basic knowledge that I can offer, should anyone have any questions for me.
Has the end of the Afghan combat mission affected the combat trades to the point where hiring is almost non-existent? Or is the Chief of the Defence staff stocking up to prepare for new missions in the 2012 summer?
What are the best times of the 2011-2012 year for someone to apply to the Canadian Forces combat trades? What is the best time for applying at all?
The Forces.ca Website shows the Infantry Soldier trade to be not accepting applications. Does this mean that one cannot apply at all? or that the trade is closed? Or that the chances of getting in are slim?
What are the ramifications of the recent staff cuts in the Canadian Forces? Have combat trades been affected by these? Do these cuts make the recruiting atmosphere even more vacant?
My Name is Alex Davis. I am nineteen years old; I live in Ottawa, Ontario in my miniscule little apartment with my girlfriend, going into my second year of schooling at Algonquin College. I apologize if reading this sounds like a broken record, as I am sure that many of you have heard similar stories to mine, I ask that you bear with me.
I have always had a fascination with military matters and history, in particular Canada’s rich military history and culture. For many years my friends encouraged me to look into the Canadian Forces, but I was not interested at the time. Before leaving to go to College, my mother and father sat down with me and showed me a recruiting video for the Canadian Forces. Even with the encouragement of my family, I felt unworthy to be part of the organization. I was 50 pounds overweight, severely lacking in confidence and convinced that I was incapable of the heroism of our brave Canadian soldiers.
Things have changed now. I have lost twenty pounds over the course of the 2011 summer, I have studied intensely, everything that I could find online that had anything marginally to do with the Canadian Forces. I have ordered no less than ten non-fictions on the Afghanistan war and Canada’s involvement, and I am now taking the Canadian Forces very seriously. I have analyzed a number of exciting trades in the military, and have decided that the all-popular Infantry Soldier is my main target. I realize that this may be an almost unachievable goal, given the economic and recruiting atmosphere in the Canadian Forces right now. But I am an intensely competitive individual, and I am utterly determined to achieve this goal.
I plan to apply at the Recruiting Centre here in Ottawa, at some time between January 1st 2011 to the end of my last college semester in April. I have been told during interviews with Infantry soldiers that April is the best time of the year to apply for combat trades, but I am not 100% sure of this fact. So I turn to the Army.ca Forum community here. I do this to continue to integrate myself into the Canadian Forces, and to learn as much as I possibly can from experienced individuals.
If there is any advice anyone can give on the following questions, I will be most grateful. I will reply to your answers as diligently as possible, and answer any questions as well. I have some basic knowledge that I can offer, should anyone have any questions for me.
Has the end of the Afghan combat mission affected the combat trades to the point where hiring is almost non-existent? Or is the Chief of the Defence staff stocking up to prepare for new missions in the 2012 summer?
What are the best times of the 2011-2012 year for someone to apply to the Canadian Forces combat trades? What is the best time for applying at all?
The Forces.ca Website shows the Infantry Soldier trade to be not accepting applications. Does this mean that one cannot apply at all? or that the trade is closed? Or that the chances of getting in are slim?
What are the ramifications of the recent staff cuts in the Canadian Forces? Have combat trades been affected by these? Do these cuts make the recruiting atmosphere even more vacant?