wensamjam

Nice to see fellow Riflemen in Nova Scotia. Ex - 2 RGJ. Celer et Audax !!..

riosangel

Hi Charlotte
I've told my husband to enquire about doing an exchange, it is an option for him with Australia so fingers crossed.

Souvy

Out of curiosity, what is it that makes UK military peeps want to switch to the CF?

riosangel

For us it's what my husband knows and thought that it would be a way to get to live in Canada, if only for a few years. Fancy a change

airbornesapper

Souvy....for me the option came about as a result of marrying a Canadian lass.....they paid for the move from Germany for our belongings and all family members..so I signed the dotted line one day in Lahr and flew the next...on full pay from the time I signed on.

Without the family connection I am sure the reasons to leave the UK for ex service folks are many, as is the same for most others. Ex Forces if they can crack/surmount the Canadian enrollment process will have a secure job waiting with good pay even if they have to drop a rank...some do not revert in rank at all.

Couple that with the chance to combine Brit/Canadian pensions (albeit at considerable cost)....these days folks who have a UK pension usually don't transfer their benefits to the Canadian one.

Notwithstanding many very capable Brits ex service folks were booted out either at the end of their 22 years colour service or in some cases before they even obtained a pension...joining the CF allows them to continue serving to perhaps age 55/60 (supplement their UK pension with the addition of Canadian benefits) or pay back Brit time that was insufficient in UK service to actually get an immediate annuity.

Not all Brits who make the switch do well...in my experience most do.

Yours aye, AS

Souvy

This pension stuff seems to be at the forefront of many people's minds. My missus seems to have cracked the system. Retires as a WO and goes into the public service (at DND). Pension, salary, another pension building and two sets of medical/dental insurance. Sweet. I'm sure she's not the only Log NCO in that position.

Indidentally, was it you I had a disagreement with way back about senior NCOs taking a commission? It might have been. Anyways, I do know of at least two CWOs that have recently been commissioned as majors.

charlottyb

There are more on the East Coast and in Ottawa, and the timings have to be right. Good Luck!

joepublic

Following up on Airbornesapper's previous post:

I retire as a REME WO1 Artificer Vehicles in May 2011 and I'll be a CF Sgt Vehicle Tech at CFSEME, Borden in July 2011. I am enrolling as a Permanent Residency (PR).

Lamin

JoePublic are you by any chance at BATUS at the moment?

joepublic

No, I left there in Aug 2008. I'm at ABW in Brizzol now, currently on GRT/Leave etc.

Lamin

Thanks Joe, just trying to sort out a hurdle with tax and pensions as you might have seen.

airbornesapper

Not about SNCOs or Warrant Officers taking a commission....I was CFRd from WO myself...

But going straight to Major is extremely rare...I know the last two also...as I don't know of any others...they are likely the same folks; the first for a very long time.

Moving to the public service from the military can also be quite hard....unless you are medically released, then things get a lot easier:

http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/prad-adpr/g...t2-ch6-eng.htm

The public service commission is not something I am interested in....one good pension...along with one lot of continuing medical coverage is enough for me....

Souvy

We must be talking about the same two. One was the CFCWO. I'm not sure about the other one but I believe he was another very senior chief.

It's easier to move from the CF to the public service than it used to be. In the past, members could mostly only apply for jobs open to the public (which isn't many). The system was changed to give them access to the internally advertised jobs. I think quite a few are taking advantage (particularly clerks). It's quite understandable. If you're in your mid-40s and know that you only have ten years left, it makes sense to start something new.

ultrarunner

CWO commisioned as Majors...are you sure about that? If that was the case, every CWO will be doing it. Check your facts are report back. I can tell you that when you decide to become an officer from a CWO, you are given the rank of Capt. I work with an ex CWO that just came back from Afghanistan and took his commission to Capt.

People are asking why Brits defect to Canadian military? The pay is better and the benefits as well. My move to Ottawa last summer, they sent packers one day to pack and wrap everything in the house, the next day loaders came with a 53ft truck and we don't have to lift a thing, and when the stuff arrives, it's the same in reverse.

You are put in hotel on both sides when your stuff leaves and you claim all your expenses. Lawyer and realtor fees amongst other things are also covered for house sales. For us officers ( commissioned members ), we sometimes have to move every 3-4yrs. For outcan postings, you can't buy a house, so you are left with renting.

ultrarunner

Let explain myself here again.....without any previous military service from elsewhere, and you emigrate to Canada and decide you want to joing the CF, you have to be a citizen. It's on their website and that happened to me, so why is that so hard to believe?

I was not in the Brit army.......I was a civie that had a career change, and yes am a signals officer that happens to work for a living. I have done a tour of Afghan, did a TAV to Sudan and considering a UN observer role next.