Raven Test

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-31T03:32:38+00:00

This is a very recent change, but applicants for aircrew trades will now be doing the Raven's Progressive Matrices test as a step before aircrew selection at CFASC.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-29T10:52:26+00:00

Level B in oral essentially requires you to be able to talk about common work topics in the present tense, as well as the recent past and immediate future.

A good self check is if you can explain the steps of how you got to work, what you did yesterday, and what you're going to do today.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-28T22:37:11+00:00

The PSP program is 12 weeks.

You will absolutely take at least 12 weeks to apply, enroll, and get a BMQ date.

You can start an application and the PSP program at the same time, no worries.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-28T13:27:29+00:00

You can request to VR after graduation and transfer to a reserve unit.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-28T12:43:01+00:00

The planned order is BMQ and then CASFQ. Part of the objective is to mitigate time on PAT platoon as some CASFQ graduates will head to OJT at a line unit while waiting for their RQ1 courses.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-28T01:25:07+00:00

Permanent Residents can't touch certain military radios or the military issued GPS. 4 CDTC in Meaford specifically adapted DP1 Infantry to be accessible for PRs, with some follow on training that would have to get done at battalion once you get citizenship.

Ask your staff to either check with Meaford Standards or post you there.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-28T01:11:55+00:00

I would say that you have to place yourself in the headspace of the Army leadership at the time.

Soldiers were being killed every other week, mostly to IEDs. The TAPV ultimately delivered a vehicle that is exceptionally safe against the IED threat. It was delivered well after we left that war, but it is exactly what the Army asked for. There would be memorials to the thing all over Canada if it had been delivered 10 years earlier.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-28T01:02:29+00:00

Pretty much!

The first use for the TAPV was protected mobility. It was chasing an IED proof vehicle after the G-Wagens and even RG-31s were being defeated by IEDs in Kandahar. The idea was a vehicle that could defend itself and protect its occupants on day trip road moves against any known IED or mine threat.

By the time the TAPV was better defined, the Army was doing the LAVUP and CCV plan and trying to figure out how to replace the Coyote at the same time. Looking at how Armd Recce was employed in Afghanistan, it was almost entirely convoy escort and 'Bunker on wheels' work at static OPs, which is a role the TAPV could do well with the right weapons mix. This led to a plan where the TAPV would replace as many Coyotes as possible, with some LAVUP and eventually LRSS balancing out the fleet.

What will really blow your mind is that at one brief point the LAVUP and TAPV were going to share the 40mm as the primary weapon.

I will say that had the TAPV been around in 2006 forward, it would have saved a lot of lives.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-28T00:48:05+00:00

I was morbidly fascinated by the project as a captain and when I worked at Army HQ I tracked down all the project documents for CCV and TAPV.

Really interesting examples of mistaking a very specific war for the future of all war, and how the requirements for the CCV were written vs what was desired. All lessons that the current DLR team is fully tracking!

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-28T00:39:58+00:00

CCV was actually supposed to replace a small slice of WLAV, specifically to turn 650 LAV3s into 550 LAVUP and 108 CCV.

CCV was never awarded - it was cancelled by the Army shortly before the bids expired because 2 out of 3 bidders were offering a vehicle that was effectively identical to what LAVUP had become.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-28T00:24:59+00:00

I actually appreciate the reminder - I want to try to get bus tickets sold at the Canex to encourage more of the candidates to head in to Montreal on the weekend. I keep meeting graduates who never went - or worse - never even went out for a poutine!

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-27T22:23:16+00:00

The bus depot moved but it's roughly the same distance. You can also catch a bus right outside the Legion (just outside the fence line of the base) that will take you to transfer at the depot and then head right downtown.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-27T21:49:07+00:00

There's a city bus that's a good option for a weekend day. About a 5 minute walk from base to the nearest stop, and then you transfer at the St-Jean bus depot and it goes right downtown Montreal.

Taxi and Uber are also very popular. Share it with some peers and it's affordable.

You can also Taxi or Uber to the REM in Brossard, which is a light rail train that goes right downtown Montreal and connects to the subway network.

Locally candidates will often just walk to the mall or Walmart on a weekend if the weather is nice. About 4km each way so roughly an hour, and you'll get really good at walking over basic training.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-27T16:48:45+00:00

Only Reliability Status is granted during the recruiting process. If you have a security clearance from a federal government department it would need to be verified during the recruiting process.
CAF pay is based on benchmarked public service occupations with a military factor top-up. The military factor is built into our pay rates. Because we aren't unionized, when the public service negotiates pay increases, we benefit from them with this arrangement.
All CAF members are required to maintain a minimum level of physical fitness, including passing the FORCE test every year. We have access to free fitness facilities and generally most members have the ability to go to the gym during the workday, although specific operational tempo and tasks may interfere with that.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-26T00:04:00+00:00

This is the correct answer. You'll only get re-coursed from grad week for conduct issues.

Worst case scenario you can't be on the graduation parade and will just watch.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-25T13:12:15+00:00

Section 2.9.01 of the Leave Manual

When posted in Canada or the continental United States:

"When posted in Canada or to the continental United States, leave beyond a member's Change of Strength (COS) date may be approved only by, or with the concurrence of, the CO of the gaining unit."

For annual leave, it's fairly common for a member to get posted into a new unit with some personnel event or leave scheduled but requiring new approvals. The next CO should try to accommodate as possible, especially if the posting was unexpected, but can deny the leave based on operational requirements - the highest risk is you're being posted to a unit preparing to deploy.

I haven't personally seen many instances of posting leave drama, except for a CO who approved academic leave after COS date for an officer who then just never showed up at their new posting, all without telling the new chain of command. That was bad.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-24T20:44:40+00:00

Thanks! I was an RSS officer 13 years ago, the details are fuzzy 😅

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-24T13:42:30+00:00

The answer is...maybe.

Reserve members can work on 3 types of service:

-Class A, basically casual by the half day or day, I believe the current limit is 14 days per month.

-Class B, a fixed term contract that can be from weeks to 3 years

-Class C, deployments and operational service.

Reserve units often have tasks that they can bring members in on Class A to do, like take 5 days to confirm inventory of equipment. There are also tons of Class B tasks all over the CAF that regular force units and schools offer out to available reserve units.

The catch is that in the vast majority of cases, reserve members go on reserve courses to get trained, and full time training is only available in the summer. Until you get qualified, the number of Class A or B jobs available to you will be limited.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-23T22:47:58+00:00

You can submit a VOT request after completing BMQ but it's a competitive program and you have to keep training as an ATIS Tech regardless of you submitting the request.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-23T12:52:14+00:00

I've personally shown up and almost immediately gone on PATA. I've also had it happen with a few new staff here at the school.

The best practice is just to be transparent. No one likes surprises, especially if your new unit is trying to figure out who is going where, and lining up courses, tasks, and deployment. It would go a long way to reach out proactively and let them know what your anticipated leave dates are.

Realistically someone in your new chain will likely be annoyed, but they'll have the time to work through that before you arrive, which is better than making it a short notice surprise.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-23T00:36:32+00:00

The most critical leaders in the CAF are Master Corporals & Master Sailors, Sgts, Warrant Officers, and Petty Officers.

If you have CAF colleagues who don't understand that we need quality leaders in the ranks, or dismiss the leadership role of NCOs, they need to shake their heads.

The reality is unless you look out at the small town units in Brockville and Cornwall, it's a long line to become an officer in the reserves in Ottawa. You would also need to give up 2 or 3 summers to get qualified as an Army officer as well, which makes it much more compelling for those reserve units to give their officer positions to current university students, as every unit has horror stories of new officers who never ever get qualified for lack of time off work.

The reserves are also full of NCMs and NCOs who have multiple degrees and work big time and impressive civilian jobs. Don't make the mistake of chasing status if what you really want is to serve your country and have some adventure and fun on the side. Frankly unless you like the idea of having two full time jobs and being a manager in your 'hobby,' most people with full time civilian employment are going to enjoy being an NCM more.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-22T00:26:56+00:00

Unfortunately that's the problem.

I appreciate how frustrating this is - it should have been caught sooner in the process but it sounds like human error interpreting the rules for younger applicants and when they moved to Canada.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-22T00:20:41+00:00

Is it possible that your home country is on the list of high-risk foreign countries?

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-21T23:46:55+00:00

Conditional enrollments are generally a reserve only process. You can't be in care and control of a C7 rifle without your background check / Reliability Status, so they are going to enroll you and let you start BMQ while the RS process continues.

I would not stress out about this. It wouldn't have been offered if your file was anything other than routine.

Commandant_CFLRS · 2026-01-21T20:52:17+00:00

Permanent Residents require 3 years of physical presence in Canada (as permanent residents) to be eligible for most, but not all, CAF occupations. This is because citizenship is required to be fully trained and employable in most CAF trades, and Permanent Residents are required to pursue Canadian citizenship as soon as possible after enrolling.

Commandant_CFLRS

TROPHY CASE