Who's inthe Army around here?

[95EagleAWD]

I'm looking for a job that doesn't suck and bore me to death.

I'm looking at an NCM position as an Infantryman. I need something physical, something outdoors, and something that is gonna be different.

Plus, while the base pay sucks, I hear they make good money overseas on deployment.

Army guys... convince me. (Actually, I don't need much convincing, but tell me what you think of it. Convince my parents it's a good idea!)

[Hakkola]

I'm an army boy, not the Canadian army, but I'll tell you that training and all that jazz is an unbelieveable experience, nothing compares, the hard work, camraderie and raw adrenaline is matched by absolutely nothing else. If all my other plans fall through, I'll go back and do more service, for higher officers the money kicks ass, but even if I never made it that far I think I would still be happy in the army.

This coming from someone who loves expensive toys.

[kaishen]

Ha! i was in the singapore army for 2.5 years. Its something all of us have to do when we hit 18. Life in the army was pretty fun and tough at the same time. Not sure how it is like in the canadian army but ranks play a pretty big part in the army. You get to do play with different weapon. For me it will be m16, m2o3, LAW(light anti tank weapon), SAW(section automated weapon), bashing through the forest, in green camouflage on the face. Of course there are times when it was tough like digging trenches for 3 days 2 nights, going through combat trainings. I was later posted to combat engineers school where i was a trainer for landmovers. All in all, you get to see and learn things which other people would most prob never get to experience.

oh yah since i was doing a national service, pay out was peanuts. I was paid $165cad when i was recruit and it rose to 500cad when i was a 3rd sergeant =)

[Hakkola]

Originally posted by kaishen

oh yah since i was doing a national service, pay out was peanuts. I was paid $165cad when i was recruit and it rose to 500cad when i was a 3rd sergeant =)

LOL, you think that is bad? I got paid 3 Euro's and 25 cents per day or about 14 cents/hr. Conscription FTW!

[ZyaL8R]

I did signals, its a mix of computers/IT and combat arms. I think signals is actually considered a combat trade now, cause you still work with the radios/crypto gear, but can get attached to infantry/armor units, etc.

Infantry is for people that love PT. Its the trade everyone can get into if you're in good physical shape, brains aren't really required. IMO. :)

It just depends what you want to do I guess. There's a lot of choice besides "oh I want to blow shit up and go on patrols every day".

Check out Communications (signals) if you like working with high-tech stuff. And dont laugh "lol high-tech and CDN Forces?" We got brand new shit a couple years ago and it's pretty advanced.

Infantry if you want to learn how to fire all sorts of weapons and get REALLY GOOD at it. Ive seen a 2-man infantry MG team lay down ~200 rounds, swap out a barrel on a C9 LMG in about 2 seconds, and then start firing again. It was amazing. Plus they can disassemble/reassemble a C7 (rifle) with winter gloves on, in the dark. Even the little firing pin.

Logistics is more of an office/supply room job. You get to hand out gear. :dunno:

Combat Engineering would also be really cool IMO, lots of heavy lifting but if you're good with math you'd get to build bridges across rivers, clean up mines, set explosives...

Why not go talk to the recruiters? I know the place in Shaw Centre in downtown Edmonton, I was there myself. Grab a bunch of those handouts and read up on what you might think would be cool.

[QuasarCav]

Originally posted by ZyaL8R
I did signals, its a mix of computers/IT and combat arms. I think signals is actually considered a combat trade now, cause you still work with the radios/crypto gear, but can get attached to infantry/armor units, etc.

Infantry is for people that love PT. Its the trade everyone can get into if you're in good physical shape, brains aren't really required. IMO. :)

It just depends what you want to do I guess. There's a lot of choice besides "oh I want to blow shit up and go on patrols every day".

Check out Communications (signals) if you like working with high-tech stuff. And dont laugh "lol high-tech and CDN Forces?" We got brand new shit a couple years ago and it's pretty advanced.

Infantry if you want to learn how to fire all sorts of weapons and get REALLY GOOD at it. Ive seen a 2-man infantry MG team lay down ~200 rounds, swap out a barrel on a C9 LMG in about 2 seconds, and then start firing again. It was amazing. Plus they can disassemble/reassemble a C7 (rifle) with winter gloves on, in the dark. Even the little firing pin.

Logistics is more of an office/supply room job. You get to hand out gear. :dunno:

Combat Engineering would also be really cool IMO, lots of heavy lifting but if you're good with math you'd get to build bridges across rivers, clean up mines, set explosives...

Why not go talk to the recruiters? I know the place in Shaw Centre in downtown Edmonton, I was there myself. Grab a bunch of those handouts and read up on what you might think would be cool.


A 2 man infantry MG team would use the C6 not the C9. The C9 is equal to the american SAW and is carried at the section level.

[Hakkola]

LOL, I've heard stories about the c6, appearantly it rusts like crazy and takes forever to clean. How long has it been in service?

[kaishen]

if u like counterstrike or tom clancy stuff, you might like infantry. You get to give fire battle order, do your left and right flanking. Pretty cool codes on the signal sets, clear large terrains, fighting in built up areas.

$165cad is pretty little, its ard $5.5 a day, $0.23/hr. haha we used to count like that when we were in the army, every hr of vigorous training is worth only $0.23. Haha but that was national service, am sure they pay pretty competitive wages if you are doing it as a job.

prob canadian army have those 3mths internship thingy where u can try out before you sign the contract.

Things becomes much better when you rise in ranks, you do things on a different scale. I used to tease my trainees a lot and get them to do funny things.

i guess it isnt very very similar to what u see in the movies like full metal jacket/ saving private ryan. but the spirit camaraderie spirit is there

[QuasarCav]

Originally posted by Hakkola
LOL, I've heard stories about the c6, appearantly it rusts like crazy and takes forever to clean. How long has it been in service?


It's a beast for sure. I'm guessing it's been in service for at least 25 years. 7.62 rounds and with the gas adjustment set on high a 2 man team should be able to get hundreds of rounds down range quickly. I've never had to clean one but the C9 takes a few hours if you've put enough rounds through it.

I once made the mistake of changing the barrel without wearing gloves and I'll never do that again.

A word of warning for the OP though, the infantry is a young mans job. Most of the guys that are in their 30's have bad knees, hips, backs. They end up remustering into something a little easier on the body.

[2jzgte]

Yes i might be doing the army thing full time next year instead of going back to school.
Any tips on how to prepare for the testing? physical and mental part of it?

[ZyaL8R]

Originally posted by QuasarCav



A 2 man infantry MG team would use the C6 not the C9. The C9 is equal to the american SAW and is carried at the section level.

Don't correct me, I know the difference between a C6 and C9.

[QuasarCav]

Originally posted by ZyaL8R


Don't correct me, I know the difference between a C6 and C9.


Why would you need two guys on a C9? You would have another soldier to carry some ammo but the gun is only for one person to use.

[Hakkola]

Originally posted by QuasarCav



Why would you need two guys on a C9? You would have another soldier to carry some ammo but the gun is only for one person to use.

Canadian army, probably not enough equipment to go around. :rofl:

Sorry guys just joking, Canadian army FTW!

[broken_legs]

Considered joining the military but my knees weren't in good enough shape to pass the physical.


From what i understand, if you have a degree you'll start as an officer after 8 weeks of basic and ofificer training. I think the starting pay was like 50k/year ?

I have a few friends that are reg force and they will be set soon... Gotta love the army pension

[95EagleAWD]

Thanks for all the info guys... I gotta swing by my old Cadet unit and get my service number and then submit it online.