# Joining up



## Wolfman (Mar 16, 2011)

So Im a 21 year old canadian trying to join the Forces as an infantry soldier, but as luck would have it they are not accepting applications. I know this is what I want to do. Ive tried to get info on US branches Eg. Marines,Army but i need a visa to even talk to a recruiter. Im looking for suggestions on what I can do to help my situation. Thanks


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## ProPatria (Mar 17, 2011)

Have you looked into any of the other trades within the combat arms?


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## Wolfman (Mar 17, 2011)

yah i have but there only looking for signal operators and i dont want to sit behind a desk all day lol Other than that i  cant really find anything that remotely interests me


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## ProPatria (Mar 17, 2011)

Sigs isn't so bad, wouldn't be my first choice either. Have you thought about Combat Engineer? It's kind of like the infantry and you get to use more explosives.


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## LibraryLady (Mar 17, 2011)

I don't know about the Canadian way, but down here, recruiters are subject to quotas at times.  That being said, have you checked with other recruiters to see if they say the same thing?  And is there a place online you can talk to recruiters?

LL


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## Wolfman (Mar 17, 2011)

I've talked to local recruiters and they all say the same thing too.


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## policemedic (Mar 17, 2011)

Not recruiting infantry? WTF.


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## ProPatria (Mar 17, 2011)

We have to many privates and corporals in the infantry and not enough NCO's to supervise/lead them hence why we are not recruiting new infanteers. Once we have more guys promoted and start filling out other ranks is when the infantry will start recruiting again.


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## digrar (Mar 17, 2011)

policemedic said:


> Not recruiting infantry? WTF.



Pretty much the same in Australia. WM If Infantry is what you want, join the line and wait your turn, that's what I've been telling the kids down here that are looking at a 12-18 month wait.
 With Afghanistan winding up for your blokes, you might find the positions start to open up.


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## Wolfman (Mar 18, 2011)

Well I'm grateful for your guys help, but it seems like Im going to have to find a new route into the Canadian Forces.


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## ovicidal01 (Mar 24, 2011)

FWIW, it's the end of the fiscal year too.. Most gov organizations don't have money at this time of the year to hire new staff, my department is having this issue too (Health Can).  I've been trying since October 2010 to get into Med-tech/Engineer. In December/January I read into Sig Ops, decided to go for it (I'm a tech geek, so it works for me) and still nothing.

The word I've been hearing (not that I consider it reliable.. it's the net after all...) is that infantry is a no go, and apparently the Army is offering people in Inf. options to transfer out to other trades. In _my opinion_ there's probably some amount of dust that needs to settle before the Military is ready to start hiring again. But what do I know..

If it is the budget that's the issue though, and with what's been going on........ I think we may have to wait until Parliament gets their stuff sorted out.  Hopefully PM-Harper can wrangle up some support for it.


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## ProPatria (Mar 24, 2011)

It is true that they are offering special incentives for infanteers to transfer out of the trade. I know of a lot of guys that are doing this but not enough that will open the doors back up.


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## ovicidal01 (Mar 24, 2011)

ProPatria said:


> *snip*... but not enough that will open the doors back up.



Infantry pride? (...not that it's a bad thing!!)


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## ProPatria (Mar 24, 2011)

Ya pretty much. I love being in the infantry and I wouldn't want to be in any other trade. When I joined and I told them I wanted infantry and they said I had to have two other options on the form so I wrote infantry for both. I wouldn't have joined if it was anything but.


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