"I'm an army reservist and a nurse. I learned to keep the first job a secret"

[The Bread Guy]

Good one via CBC.ca - a few excerpts ...


Article also archived here if earlier link doesn't work.

Yes, anecdotes =/= singular of data, but still intriguing reading.

 

[GK .Dundas]

This one of the best pieces that I have seen in a long time. The author of this has done a few others about his "other" job as well and his former one as well as a paramedic in Calgary and environs .

 

[mariomike]

I had too many friendly work relationships turn sour when they learned I was also a reservist.

Nobody GAF when off-duty. YMMV

Only grief I got was the Military Leave Policy.

Military Service

Policy Statement The City of Toronto supports employees who want to participate in the military reserve force and allows them to take a leave of absence to fulfill their reserve duties. Application All employees listed below are eligible for Military Service leave. Non-union employees CUPE local...

www.toronto.ca

Military Leave with Pay ( LWP ) took place during summer "prime time" ( ie: limited, high demand ) vacation, which was booked by seniority.

That meant "bumping" a more senior man off his summer vacation.

Which led to the annual, "I can't take my kids to the effing cottage, because you want to play soldier!"

I recall the advice of a '46er, "Why give up an OT shift for your weekend thing? This is your career. That's your hobby."

He made a point, financially. We had "Equitable Distribution Process for Voluntary Overtime". Which meant I had as much access to voluntary OT as he did.

If I was available.

Being in a PRes Transportation Company, in addition to parading two nights a week, and our own training weekends, we were called upon to support the District.

That means I'm a part-time soldier for the Canadian Armed Forces, who train constantly and volunteer to serve when there is a need to fight wildfires or deploy to a war zone.

YMMV No "Dom Ops" for us.

Leave of absence shall be granted to employees to serve in the Armed Forces during hostilities or during a time of war as declared by the Government of Canada

 

[childs56]

Nobody GAF when off-duty. YMMV

Only grief I got was the Military Leave Policy.

Military Service

Policy Statement The City of Toronto supports employees who want to participate in the military reserve force and allows them to take a leave of absence to fulfill their reserve duties. Application All employees listed below are eligible for Military Service leave. Non-union employees CUPE local...

www.toronto.ca

Military Leave with Pay ( LWP ) took place during summer "prime time" ( ie: limited, high demand ) vacation, which was booked by seniority.

That meant "bumping" a more senior man off his summer vacation.

Which led to the annual, "I can't take my kids to the effing cottage, because you want to play soldier!"

I recall the advice of a '46er, "Why give up an OT shift for your weekend thing? This is your career. That's your hobby."

He made a point, financially. We had "Equitable Distribution Process for Voluntary Overtime". Which meant I had as much access to voluntary OT as he did.

If I was available.

Being in a PRes Transportation Company, in addition to parading two nights a week, and our own training weekends, we were called upon to support the District.



YMMV No "Dom Ops" for us.

More then likely the same people asking where the Military is during a ice Storm or flood.

 

[OldSolduer]

Its Montreal - and I think Childs 56 has a point.

 

[mariomike]

OP:

On one placement, even a supervisor, who smiled a lot and seemed to like my performance, turned cold and became critical after my manager mentioned that I was a soldier.

I learned life is easier if I hide that part of my identity.

Government of Canada offers this advice,

Talk About Your Reserve Work​

It shouldn’t be a surprise to your colleagues—especially your direct supervisor—that you’re a reservist. The Canadian Armed Forces are genuinely interesting to those with little knowledge of the military, so don’t be afraid to talk about your military work and the competencies you build through enduring reserve service (e.g., leadership, situation analysis, planning and contingency-planning, time-management, stress-management, technical skills).

Know Your Employer’s Military Leave Policy (MLP)​

Contact your human-resources team or union to ask if an MLP applies to reservists. Policies or collective agreements often explain the procedures for this kind of leave. If your organization doesn’t have an MLP, ask what it would take to implement one and volunteer to draft it. Ask your Unit Employer Support Representative for advice.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Good one via CBC.ca - a few excerpts ...
View attachment 85699
View attachment 85700
Article also archived here if earlier link doesn't work.

Yes, anecdotes =/= singular of data, but still intriguing reading.

Sad, but pretty much the opposite of my experience.

The brand of the Canadian military is still strong amongst most Canadians, IMHO...

 

[Remius]

OP:




Government of Canada offers this advice,

Talk About Your Reserve Work​

Know Your Employer’s Military Leave Policy (MLP)​

I discuss my reserve work on a regular basis. It’s been an invaluable tool in my civy work. It also helps that a work colleague of mine is ex CAF and a lot of ex CAF and serving ARES types work where I do. Never any issues.

I’ve run into many types though on the street that have issues with the military. The types are normally misinformed at best and completely ignorant at worst. I can deal with the first types as long as they are willing to have honest conversations. The second type won’t have their minds changed. Most have only Hollywood and echo chambers for their frames of reference.

 

[The Bread Guy]

... The brand of the Canadian military is still strong amongst most Canadians, IMHO...

I remain optimistic, too - although I also agree with those who say support is a mile wide and an inch deep.

 

[Remius]

Sad, but pretty much the opposite of my experience.

The brand of the Canadian military is still strong amongst most Canadians, IMHO...

Experiences will vary and I agree.

My bad experiences have been when I was in recruiting interacting with large swaths and varied segments of the public. Most were all positive. Enough were not. And some came from serving members.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Not my experience in Montreal and Quebec city at all. I never shied from traveling in transit in my uniform or mentioning that I am a reservist at my civilian job. I can't recall a single time being put down or insulted or verbally aggressed while doing so. At work, it was rather the reverse: everybody wanted to know more about the Navy and what I did in it.

Could this be more of an Army thing?

 

[Rudburg]

It very much depends where you live and what you do in civilian life. Some jobs are very military friendly, and are often full of other reservists. Some much less so.

A high percentage of reservists are university students; I would be curious to see how many keep quiet about their military service.

 

[Eaglelord17]

It very much depends where you live and what you do in civilian life. Some jobs are very military friendly, and are often full of other reservists. Some much less so.

A high percentage of reservists are university students; I would be curious to see how many keep quiet about their military service.

Likely depends on the university (and the major) as well.

I know civvy side I never hided being a Reservist, I actually kept recruitment cards in my tool box and gave some advice to co-workers looking to get their kids in or find them a job. That being said, I have been in environments that are hostile to the military. I just accept it’s due to their own ignorance.

Much like those who are automatically hostile to the police, they generally are the first to call when they need something.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Not my experience in Montreal and Quebec city at all. I never shied from traveling in transit in my uniform or mentioning that I am a reservist at my civilian job. I can't recall a single time being put down or insulted or verbally aggressed while doing so. At work, it was rather the reverse: everybody wanted to know more about the Navy and what I did in it.

Could this be more of an Army thing?

The Army uniform does get more of a response. While I was with 36 CBG I was constantly complimented and thanked in Halifax. In my Navy uniform I'm generally ignored lol.

 

[mariomike]

Leave of absence shall be granted to employees to serve in the Armed Forces during hostilities or during a time of war as declared by the Government of Canada

More then likely the same people asking where the Military is during a ice Storm or flood.

For reservists keen on Dom Ops, TF3 may be the way to go.

They handle situations outside the city, and are available for provincial, national, and international assistance.

For the rest of us, it could have been worse. The 2 weeks annual paid military leave cost city taxpayers 200 hours ( 80 hours for the reservist + 80 hours OT at time and a half for your replacement ).

I never shied from traveling in transit in my uniform or mentioning that I am a reservist at my civilian job.

That's good. Because, in our town, you seldom see that. The emergency services are perhaps more visible ( and audible ), and still make house calls.

everybody wanted to know more about the Navy and what I did in it.

Could this be more of an Army thing?

Purely anecdotal, but my father said, during the war, motorists seemed more likely to pick up hitch-hiking sailors than soldiers.

Saw an American wartime training film about induction of draftees. The man asks the draftee if he wants army or navy. The guy says Navy.
The man stamps his file ARMY.

Guess it was to show the military had a sense of humour.

Some jobs are very military friendly, and are often full of other reservists.

Came up during my interview. The man said, "I was in the Big One. Yer WW2." Seemed to warm up a bit.

 

[PrairieFella]

It very much depends where you live and what you do in civilian life. Some jobs are very military friendly, and are often full of other reservists. Some much less so.

A high percentage of reservists are university students; I would be curious to see how many keep quiet about their military service.

I hid the shit out of it for my first year at the University of Winnipeg. Lots of hostility there from professors when asking for accomodation.

When I switched to the University of Manitoba it was night and day, got free credits, no problem with accomodation, extra help, the whole schbang. Shout out to the International Relations profs at U of M, you were gems and academic inspirations to me.

 

[Kilted]

Not my experience in Montreal and Quebec city at all. I never shied from traveliIt ng in transit in my uniform or mentioning that I am a reservist at my civilian job. I can't recall a single time being put down or insulted or verbally aggressed while doing so. At work, it was rather the reverse: everybody wanted to know more about the Navy and what I did in it.

Could this be more of an Army thing?

It might depend on which part of the country you are in. I've always had positive reactions. The worst I've gotten is homeless people yelling at me because I didn't have time to buy them a coffee. Workwise, most of my employers have been supportive. Many years ago before post-secondary worked part-time at a major grocery for about two years when I got a new supervisor who tried to use union rules to prevent me from going on weekend exercises by giving me a five-hour shift on Saturdays. He eventually told me that I needed to choose between the military and working there. Shortly after a Class B came up and I was tired of working there. I probably should have fought it, because everyone else was very supportive.

 

[Kilted]

I had one professor who saw "CD" in my signature block and went out of his way to come talk to me.

I hid the shit out of it for my first year at the University of Winnipeg. Lots of hostility there from professors when asking for accomodation.

When I switched to the University of Manitoba it was night and day, got free credits, no problem with accomodation, extra help, the whole schbang. Shout out to the International Relations profs at U of M, you were gems and academic inspirations to me.

 

[shiska]

I hid the shit out of it for my first year at the University of Winnipeg. Lots of hostility there from professors when asking for accomodation.

When I switched to the University of Manitoba it was night and day, got free credits, no problem with accomodation, extra help, the whole schbang. Shout out to the International Relations profs at U of M, you were gems and academic inspirations to me.

Yup same experience for me as both student and staff. UofM is very military friendly.

 

[PrairieFella]

Yup same experience for me as both student and staff. UofM is very military friendly.

I loved my time at U of M, great school. Also, I honestly didn't realize how many Manitobans are on this site. Howdy neighbour haha.