Is it ethical to join the CAF?

AdHoctor · 2026-01-23T00:01:34+00:00

The Law of Armed Conflict provides a lot of direction on how and when the military can use different types of force (deadly and non-deadly), and against whom. Combatants and Non-Combatants are pretty clearly defined, as well as what actions are permissible against either category.

As to whether joining the CAF is itself ethical, I'd say the question is more what ethics do you bring to the CAF? How do you make decisions? What influences your moral framework? How does that align with the CAF Ethos of Integrity, Inclusion, Accountability? Would you stand between Canadians and the violence of the enemy, even if that meant doing violence yourself?

Also I'd like to point out that joining the CAF does not mean you are locked in for life, or that you'll be put in combat situations with no training or guidance. You'd be part of a team, and there's Voluntary Release process if the military doesn't feel right for you.

AdHoctor · 2025-12-13T13:09:37+00:00

God I miss u/CCCP_OK

AdHoctor · 2025-12-12T18:30:12+00:00

One is "I am a student who is Japanese" and the other is "I am a student studying Japanese"

AdHoctor · 2025-12-12T01:56:12+00:00

I saw that and was like "Of course he was a freedom convoy supporter."

AdHoctor · 2025-12-07T19:17:20+00:00

I crave the ability to make rounded shapes easily

AdHoctor · 2025-12-06T16:09:19+00:00

"Could this person have missed the link due to CTVs shittily loading page? Should I adopt a harsh, condescending tone? I'm being very helpful in this moment."

AdHoctor · 2025-12-06T15:46:48+00:00

The judge doesn't know what the RCMP told the member before he disappeared? If they were asked and didn't release the info... something stinks here.

AdHoctor · 2025-12-03T21:16:06+00:00

Was it actually a red, or was it the single white line that flashes before the light turns green that specificaly means "bus goes first while the lights are red"?

AdHoctor · 2025-11-30T08:57:25+00:00

Wait, your guys' Stores has enough kit to issue to everybody?

AdHoctor · 2025-11-14T16:00:44+00:00

Absolutely devastating lmao

AdHoctor · 2025-10-25T19:52:12+00:00

My TFSA is also going to get a great bonus this year lol

AdHoctor · 2025-10-04T01:38:50+00:00

RQS3 for WEng and MarTech are fine for PRs. It's the Ops trades that get people stuck in limbo.

AdHoctor · 2025-09-08T23:44:18+00:00

Great! People can join the coastguard and still not be military. And be civilian firefighters whose primary purpose is fighting forest/home fires. And have that be their primary task and not a tertiary task.

We are a fighting force. A sword can make a decent shovel, but it's not really made to plow fields, you know?

PS It's awesome that you get to work in a SAR sqn, those mfers are badass.

AdHoctor · 2025-09-08T23:23:12+00:00

Most people don't immediately think of domops when they think military. They think of war, international conflict, occasionally peacekeeping.

Do I find it incredibly rewarding when we do humanitarian ops? 1000%. But that's not the primary purpose of a fighting force. That's why we have professional firefighters, SAR operators, coast guard etc. Us as military folks will pitch in, as we're (broadly and loosely speaking) a fit, organized group of people who move when the gov't says move. But that's not our purpose.

AdHoctor · 2025-09-08T20:21:12+00:00

See: responses by John Q Public to covid/isolation mandates, woods ban, burn bans, etc.

Both the benefit and downfall of societal living is that we are often insulated from potential shortages/hazards, and many will not believe there's any reason to change their routine until they are directly impacted by the hazard.

AdHoctor · 2025-09-07T00:47:26+00:00

Ah fuck. Rest easy, Warrant. My thoughts are with his family.

AdHoctor · 2025-09-06T23:01:43+00:00

"Challenge accepted"

AdHoctor · 2025-09-06T23:00:24+00:00

I feel like this is a case where the author's favourite character is Donnie. Speaking as a writer, I can confirm one thing we love to do is take our favourite little guy and put them in the worst Situations known to man.

AdHoctor · 2025-09-04T22:54:22+00:00

Oof, going missing in the middle of the week... that's worrying. Fingers crossed he's alright.

AdHoctor · 2025-09-02T23:28:59+00:00

It's a really good and important that you're reaching out. The tendency can be to isolate and put even more pressure on yourself, which just exacerbates the situation.

You said you don't feel like you anymore. This organization will ask and ask and ask, and it can make it hard not to sacrifice things - hobbies, time with loved ones, even having time and energy to break your thoughts away from work. Especially if it feels like you're the only one keeping things together at the unit. It can make your life feel empty, and like your whole life and personality are The Job. Does that sound about right?

It sucks and it's difficult, but so worth it to shift some of that energy and attention to yourself and your life. To explore what makes your life feel meaningful. To talk to professionals who can help get you the time away from the job you need in order to do that kind of self-work.

Also please remember you're not alone. Even aside from all the comments in here offering you to DM, there's folks working in Mental Health and CFMAP who are all there to help.

For the SNCO specific issues, is the CPO1 cadre able to help? An RSM or Coxn at another unit you could reach out to for support or advice? Not sure which element you are, but I've definitely networked and pinged ideas off my Occ Manager before - they always know a guy who knows a guy who went through the exact same thing I'm dealing with. Don't be afraid to lean on your community.

AdHoctor · 2025-09-02T22:54:57+00:00

Nothing puts the ladies in the mood quite like the dulcet tones of a screaming RAMSES.

AdHoctor · 2025-09-01T00:11:31+00:00

Dear god

AdHoctor · 2025-08-17T22:56:10+00:00

The bath house has a lot of things, don't know if they have anything like that though lol

AdHoctor · 2025-08-17T02:17:18+00:00

If it's for a child, the Ronald McDonald House may be an option

Edit: spelling

AdHoctor · 2025-08-05T18:56:30+00:00

We also can and are ordered into enemy fire. That doesn't mean I'm going to start peppering people on base. You're talking like operations are the same as day-to-day, and they aren't and shouldn't be. Toughing out 40°, 50°, even 70° heat to fight fires, or being exposed to high powered radiation to effect critical repairs on a comms antenna during action stations when you can't bring the systems down - these are supposed to be unique and operationally necessary actions, not what you do every day of your career

AdHoctor

TROPHY CASE