RESOURCE - Active Duty Resources (lol if you're still in though)

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Internet VFW > RESOURCE - Active Duty Resources (lol if you're still in though)

SRQ: Nov 9, 2009

Hello, goons.

I applied in march (lol) for an officer position with the CAF, and successfully sidestepped several people screaming at me this was a poor idea. The application is getting close (???) to the end now. You can make what you will of the 9 month process (so far) but it's beside the point.

I've been kind of a sheltered baby my whole life, and while I'm super committed to this and think it's a good step to make me a better person, and a career I've considered even before I started my degree, I'm also an idiot. So I'm coming to ask goons like... what should a sheltered baby man know, learn, practice or adjust to so he doesn't end up being the weakest and dumbest link.

Also my parents offered to buy me Really Nice Boots for it and I'm asking for recommendations.

Thanks goons. God Save the King.

[I will have to swear an oath to him I might as well get ahead of it.]

# ¿ Nov 11, 2022 01:50

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ May 10, 2024 05:19

SRQ: Nov 9, 2009

Stultus Maximus posted:

Skip the Really Nice Boots. Nothing like shiny new fancy poo poo to stand out as a sheltered baby.
Use the same issued crap that everyone else gets until you have been around long enough to justify your existence and figure out the culture and norms of the people you work with.

This is fair and good advice I will take to heart.
Duty Boots it is.

# ¿ Nov 11, 2022 03:11

SRQ: Nov 9, 2009

Wrennic_26 posted:

In this and probably in a lot of other work situations, that same advice scaled up might help a lot.

Do what is asked of you simply at first, and while you do, do your absolute best to understand the alien new culture and system you are a part of now.

Once you do, even a little... try to find something you can do that generates value, and thereby goodwill, for your organization and the people around you, and (especially for officers) STRINGENTLY avoid doing things that drain value or hurt others, even if they are tied to some high-minded ideal of discipline or whatnot.

What *really* helps, and what *really* harms, with a focus on incremental steady progress.

Do that valuable thing until it is easy for you. Once you have a good value loop, you've got a basis to work from, and you can start picking up new, useful things. Scale from there.

You'll do great.

This is good advice, I like this. I will definitely be going out of my way to volunteer for things and make myself useful without trying to come across as a weirdo keener. Gonna be a balance, but I'm sure I can get it.

I'm hoping to get armour officer, which actually I'm curious- what the hell do you do day in and day out? I know the tanks just stay in the garage, but between PT and the end of day what _are_ you doing? What is "desk work" for an armoured officer?

# ¿ Nov 11, 2022 06:06

SRQ: Nov 9, 2009

That makes sense. Was "armoured officer" too specific? I can walk back that post, although I suppose it's a bit late now. Those points actually do align with my best-guesses, I guess we'll have to see what it means practically.

# ¿ Nov 11, 2022 21:50

SRQ: Nov 9, 2009

Wrennic_26 posted:

Nope you're great, just helping you mind your digital hygeine.

Great thanks, I super do want to be mindful of that and this actually led me to a question. I'm sure they'll drill me on this and give me the specifics in training, but I figure it might be nice to ask: How much should I abstract Story Time?

Let's take a theoretical example. I'm 2nd Platoon, Company C, Lowtax Shitposters [Or whatever the real structure is] based out of Bumfuck Saskatchewan. A private who's been conspitated shits himself on PT when the ex-lax happens quicker than he planned for. Big funny.

How much of this is it necessary to abstract away, and how much is safe to include?

# ¿ Nov 12, 2022 04:12

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ May 10, 2024 05:19

SRQ: Nov 9, 2009

Mustang posted:

Don't worry about it too much, they'll train you in all of the tactical/technological poo poo you need to know. It's going to be pretty straightforward unless you're naturally an indecisive person.

All officers spend most of their time doing white collar office work, you're going to become very familiar with Microsoft Office if you aren't already. If you want to get ahead of the game, get good at excel. Planning and coordinating upcoming events will occupy most of your time.

Platoon leaders and commanders get to do more of the more exciting stuff as well but you're still going to be spending a lot of time behind a computer.

If you want to make your bosses (and your own) life easier then get into the habit of never coming to them with problems unless you've already come up with some solutions yourself. It's extremely unlikely you're ever going to come across a truly unique problem to solve and your boss is going to feel like they need to micromanage you if you're constantly coming to them with problems but no solutions.

Leverage the experience of your peers, your NCO's, or junior enlisted troops. They all have some knowledge or experience that you lack and you'd be a fool to ignore it.

They did tell me of the "office" angle when it turned out they were more interested in my vintage computer hobby and failed tech-school attempt than how good or bad my university GPA was, which amused me. "Yeah I like, dropped out within a year, wasn't for me. Picked up some higher level computer skills though." -> Visible recruiter interest. I do actually find I'm fairly decisive, something I've grown from lived-experience.

The vintage part there has already come in handy as I had to user an ancient power-mac to scan in my medical forms. Really looking forward to finding like, some ancient system somewhere that I just happen to know the edge-case troubleshooting for because I had one once.

"Don't report an issue without a solution," is great advice. I tend to just naturally do that myself because I'm very good at seeking problem solving, and not shy to venture ideas that might be bad to see if they can help establish the real solution.

Honestly I'm simultaneously terrified my ten-year free ride living at home with effectively infinite free time will be over soon, but excited that it will be and I can have an opportunity to grow as a person, pay off my loan, and become an actual person with social utility. Now if only the CAF would tell me more specifically when I was shipping out because it's been "in two months" since March.

SRQ fucked around with this message at 22:19 on Nov 12, 2022

# ¿ Nov 12, 2022 22:15

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Internet VFW > RESOURCE - Active Duty Resources (lol if you're still in though)