• Thanks for stopping by. Logging in to a registered account will remove all generic ads. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

SAR Tech

You would need to get an Air Factor for your CAF medical and see if your HT medically excludes you from achieving that AF.
 
Is the SAR tech medical category for colour vision still CV1? I’m colour shade deficient with red and green, and wanted to know if they would accept that.
 
According to this (https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/corporate/policies-standards/medical-standards-military-occupations/minimum-medical-standards-for-officers-and-non-commissioned-members.html), minimum colour vision standard is CV2.
 
Hello all !

Lately, I discovered the SAR trade. This trade seems to align with most of my abilities and interests. Currently, I'm enrolled as a pilot but given wait times and the state of the trade, I'm thinking about trying out for SAR TECH. Given that I Have the medical and physical standards, would I be allowed to attend SAR tech selection while I do my OJT waiting for phases of training? If successful, I would have to make a decision on whether I relinquish or not, but I would be glad to at least have my shot instead of leaving my current trade to try and miss both opportunities.

SAR pilot on the cormorant seems as appealing, but the waiting time of training is just so daunting. I have a lot FOMO of waisting my 20's waiting for training and sitting around on various ops desks.

fun fact; this thread is older than me

Any guidance would be appreciated!
 
Last edited:
This thread is 21 years old. If you are younger than that, how much could you missed out on?
 
Hello all !

Lately, I discovered the SAR trade. This trade seems to align with most of my abilities and interests. Currently, I'm enrolled as a pilot but given wait times and the state of the trade, I'm thinking about trying out for SAR TECH. Given that I Have the medical and physical standards, would I be allowed to attend SAR tech selection while I do my OJT waiting for phases of training? If successful, I would have to make a decision on whether I relinquish or not, but I would be glad to at least have my shot instead of leaving my current trade to try and miss both opportunities.

SAR pilot on the cormorant seems as appealing, but the waiting time of training is just so daunting. I have a lot FOMO of waisting my 20's waiting for training and sitting around on various ops desks.

fun fact; this thread is older than me

Any guidance would be appreciated!
You pretty much need to apply to figure it out, people sometimes get stuck at the relinquishing commission part. I know one SARTech who used to be a Lt in an army trade, I can’t remember which one, and I’ve heard of people getting denied the request to relinquish their commission to do so. Seems to depend on the flavour of the day.
 
Hello all !

Lately, I discovered the SAR trade. This trade seems to align with most of my abilities and interests. Currently, I'm enrolled as a pilot but given wait times and the state of the trade, I'm thinking about trying out for SAR TECH. Given that I Have the medical and physical standards, would I be allowed to attend SAR tech selection while I do my OJT waiting for phases of training? If successful, I would have to make a decision on whether I relinquish or not, but I would be glad to at least have my shot instead of leaving my current trade to try and miss both opportunities.

SAR pilot on the cormorant seems as appealing, but the waiting time of training is just so daunting. I have a lot FOMO of waisting my 20's waiting for training and sitting around on various ops desks.

fun fact; this thread is older than me

Any guidance would be appreciated!
If i'm not mistaken (but i'm almost sure about it), you need 3 full years in the army (combat trades) or 4 full years until you can apply to SAR tech...
And i heard about a pilot (captain) that transfered to SAR tech but it's far from usual...
But honestly, at your age (give me back my 21's again) I would try to earn my wings and then apply to SAR tech ;)
The SAR tech people are usually older and more 'mature' physically ;)

Best of luck,

Sarah
 
She did say physically, not emotionally or psycho-socially.
Think of SAR-Tech more as an EMT-A / PCP with a few extra trauma protocols in the medical sense, and as a PJ with less infantry/CSAR skills in the military sense.

Esesentially as a SF trade. Mid to late 20's have the best chance of completion. And if you are indecisive or thinking about hedging your bets, don't even. You have to be mentally 100% in the game and able to override your pain reflex to continue even though you intellectually KNOW you are damaging your body possibly forever.

So Combat Diver or Airborne Infantry for 3 or so years is not a bad idea.

Nor would be getting exposuure to (but not necessarily certified - would have to unlearn a bunch. Just enough to show you CAN do it) in skydiving, mountain climbing, SCUBA, arctic survival and EMS on a rural reserve.

Ss far as the officer pilot side, Arguably more intellectually demanding than paramedic school (RW definitely so). And if you actually enjoy doing the job, less time doing/training for it than the SAR-Techs get anually and about the same number of years overall. 9 or so (SAR-Techs get broken a lot) the difference being pilots make more money and get out less medically disabled.

So advice FWIW, get some life experience, toughen up, get fitter, build more cold tolerance, take a pilot ground school course and decide where your heart lies.
 
Last edited:
You pretty much need to apply to figure it out, people sometimes get stuck at the relinquishing commission part. I know one SARTech who used to be a Lt in an army trade, I can’t remember which one, and I’ve heard of people getting denied the request to relinquish their commission to do so. Seems to depend on the flavour of the day.

Except, based on his posting history, he probably doesn't have a commission to relinquish. He is likely still an OCdt at milcol with a couple of years to go. He will, however, have already incurred obligatory service. The obligatory service may be the sticking point.

From posting history.

Sep 2018 . . . "im an ROTP applicant and im 16" . . .
May 2019 . . . "going BMOQ for pilot rotp july 5" . . .
Mar 2020 . . . "I'm a young cadet at CMR st-jean" . . .
Apr 2020 . . . "I am currently a prep year student at CMR saint-jean in french" . . .
Oct 2021 . . . "I completed mod 1 and 2 , and now I have like 2 free summers." . . .
 
Except, based on his posting history, he probably doesn't have a commission to relinquish. He is likely still an OCdt at milcol with a couple of years to go. He will, however, have already incurred obligatory service. The obligatory service may be the sticking point.

From posting history.

Sep 2018 . . . "im an ROTP applicant and im 16" . . .
May 2019 . . . "going BMOQ for pilot rotp july 5" . . .
Mar 2020 . . . "I'm a young cadet at CMR st-jean" . . .
Apr 2020 . . . "I am currently a prep year student at CMR saint-jean in french" . . .
Oct 2021 . . . "I completed mod 1 and 2 , and now I have like 2 free summers." . . .
There’s a couple issues then, like the 4 years of service. I know a guy who is heavily involved in ST recruitment and the flavour of the day is that there’s currently no mechanism for an officer to apply but they’re working on it.
 
Think of SAR-Tech more as an EMT-A / PCP with a few extra trauma protocols in the medical sense, and as a PJ with less infantry/CSAR skills in the military sense.

Esesentially as a SF trade. Mid to late 20's have the best chance of completion. And if you are indecisive or thinking about hedging your bets, don't even. You have to be mentally 100% in the game and able to override your pain reflex to continue even though you intellectually KNOW you are damaging your body possibly forever.

So Combat Diver or Airborne Infantry for 3 or so years is not a bad idea.

Nor would be getting exposuure to (but not necessarily certified - would have to unlearn a bunch. Just enough to show you CAN do it) in skydiving, mountain climbing, SCUBA, arctic survival and EMS on a rural reserve.

Ss far as the officer pilot side, Arguably more intellectually demanding than paramedic school (RW definitely so). And if you actually enjoy doing the job, less time doing/training for it than the SAR-Techs get anually and about the same number of years overall. 9 or so (SAR-Techs get broken a lot) the difference being pilots make more money and get out less medically disabled.

So advice FWIW, get some life experience, toughen up, get fitter, build more cold tolerance, take a pilot ground school course and decide where your heart lies.
Very interesting answer! I discovered the trade because since covid I'm getting involved a lot Into mountain climbing and backcountry skiing. Also did scuba license recently. Cold bath are part of my routine.
That being said, I still love flying and I will always do.

The main concern is :

Why can't I just tryout SAR selection while I'm waiting for my phases training post graduation from RMC . Seems very logic to me.

Cheers
 
There’s a couple issues then, like the 4 years of service. I know a guy who is heavily involved in ST recruitment and the flavour of the day is that there’s currently no mechanism for an officer to apply but they’re working on it.
Good to know
 
Except, based on his posting history, he probably doesn't have a commission to relinquish. He is likely still an OCdt at milcol with a couple of years to go. He will, however, have already incurred obligatory service. The obligatory service may be the sticking point.

From posting history.

Sep 2018 . . . "im an ROTP applicant and im 16" . . .
May 2019 . . . "going BMOQ for pilot rotp july 5" . . .
Mar 2020 . . . "I'm a young cadet at CMR st-jean" . . .
Apr 2020 . . . "I am currently a prep year student at CMR saint-jean in french" . . .
Oct 2021 . . . "I completed mod 1 and 2 , and now I have like 2 free summers." . . .
Interesting to see how things turned out
 
Very interesting answer! I discovered the trade because since covid I'm getting involved a lot Into mountain climbing and backcountry skiing. Also did scuba license recently. Cold bath are part of my routine.
That being said, I still love flying and I will always do.

The main concern is :

Why can't I just tryout SAR selection while I'm waiting for my phases training post graduation from RMC . Seems very logic to me.

Cheers
Mostly because the Canadian Taxpayer has already spent several hundred thousand on your education and training. Maybe into the 1-2 million range if you are well into the pilot pipeline. (A friend is about 80% through the Warrant Officer RW flight program in the US. $1.6 million worth to date (C$2.15mil) with another year or two and a few hundred hours of flight time (by itself another $5k per hour in DOC) of OJT before becoming a PIC. So maybe $3mil by the time they are a captain (aircraft captain, not rank).

Methinks The return of service for your education would have to be met first. 4 years for the degree plus ???

RW pilots in the US Army owe 10 years AFTER they become certified as second in command.
 
There is also the whole NCM/Officer aspect. When you signed up, it was for your current trade. There are rules, as there has to be, to do occupational transfers and it becomes more complicated when there is the NCM/Officer trades aspect involved.

A PSO would be able to give you a run down on the CFAOs, DAODs, etc that apply. Maybe go have a chat with one of them for their SME advice on that aspect?
 
Back
Top