Topic: Direct Entry Officer Question

[mattg]

I am thinking of joining up through the DEO plan and was wondering if anyone here could answer some questions I have.

From what I can tell from the CF recruiting site, some DEO candidates are commissioned as 2nd LT while others immediately as a full LT. Is this the case? Also, why would some start off with a higher rank? (ie level of education education, language proficiency, career path in the forces, previous leadership experience, etc)

Thanks in advance for your help

Matt

[Trick]

I'm a little curious about this myself. If you don't mind my asking, what are you looking to do? My understanding is that pilots don't follow the normal line, and I imagine the same is true for a few other trades. I know this is the case in some, especially more technical, NCM trades.

[mattg]

I'd like to get a position as an intelligence officer, which from my understanding progresses along normal lines (as opposed to pilots, medical officers, etc), except that there are fewer positions for promotion past the rank of Captain, so it would be more competitive than say an infantry or armored officer. I'm interested in how intitial rank is determined because I have a masters degree in a relevant field and some previous leadership experience.

[D3]

Commissions directly to LT and Capt depend on the trade and military experience.  As a DEO with no previous service you would only get commissioned to a rank other then 2Lt if your trade calls for it.  While most of those trades require advanced degrees, not necessarily, since I believe MPs get commissioned to Lt and require only a bachelor.  Having a PhD will not get you commissioned to anything other then 2Lt in the infantry for example.  However, having an advanced degree will get you in at a higher pay incentive level.

[mattg]

Thanks for the help.

[ringknocker82]

Commissions directly to LT and Capt depend on the trade and military experience.  As a DEO with no previous service you would only get commissioned to a rank other then 2Lt if your trade calls for it.  While most of those trades require advanced degrees, not necessarily, since I believe MPs get commissioned to Lt and require only a bachelor.  Having a PhD will not get you commissioned to anything other then 2Lt in the infantry for example.  However, having an advanced degree will get you in at a higher pay incentive level.

D3, I was medically released (4B) as an Lt.  I have been medically cleared and am now merit listed for MARS.  If I am offered a job, would I start back at A/SLt or be given the rank SLt? This really is not a big deal, but I'm just curious.

[perspectiveofficer]

Hi,

 I am a 4th year senior finishing up university with a degree in Economics. I really had no intentions of joining the military until about two years ago, when I felt a sense of duty and a sense of adventure to try something amazing during my youth. Regardless, I kind of messed around in my first and second years at university and so my GPA tanked. It was not really a matter of intelligence, but one of effort (or lack thereof), of which I focused on drinking and partying. I drifted aimlessly and tried my hand at a few majors before deciding on economics since it was one of the recommended degrees for an intelligence officer on the army website. So, I got my act together and really pulled my GPA up. I was at around 1.8 (low C level) in 2nd year, and I am expected to leave with a 2.9-3.2GPA (mid to high B) level. Would this come up on my application/ interview? I am proud that I am finishing my degree with a respectably GPA, but I am embarrassed at the mistakes I made during my younger years, and I know that I had the potential to leave with a lot higher of a GPA. Will this show a lack of discipline/ character and make me exempt from an officer position? Will grades even be looked at, or is the army more concerned with my degree? Thanks in advance.

[PMedMoe]

Your grades will be looked at, however, the fact that you did "get your act together" and finished your degree is probably what will really matter in the long run.

[Delaney1986]

I wouldn't plan on getting DEO for Intelligence. Not only are positions few and far between for civilians, they like their Intelligence people to have some knowledge of and experience in the military first.
Unless of course you are a ninja who speaks 5 languages and has experience working for an intelligence agency....at least that's pretty much what the recruiter told me....I paraphrased a bit...

Good luck with everything!

[SentryMAn]

While I was on Basic we had 2 LT recruits on platoon.
They were both trained nurses., as in holding RN certs.

I believe it happens when either you CFR from certain positions into Officer(which isn't DEO), or you come ready to work in your trade where the trade requires a specific certification(doctor, Lawyer, Nurse, etc).

I think going straight in as Int will be even more difficult now with the current "issues" the Forces are having around the INT branch(lol)

I am not confident in saying this is the case but this is what I have seen.

[Pusser]

In a nutshell and for the most part, advanced rank for DEOs is dependant upon their employability upon enrollment.  For example, a fully qualified, licenced nurse may be promoted to Lt immediately because he/she already has most of the skills required to  function at the higher rank (2Lt is basically a training rank) and the CF training required is minimal.  On the other hand, since the CF has to teach everything to an infantry officer, it makes no difference whether a candidate has a BA or a PhD, he/she will start at the same rank.

On another note:  perspectiveofficer, are you sure you don't mean prospectiveofficer?

[Journeyman]

perspectiveofficer, are you sure you don't mean prospectiveofficer?

shhhhh...he just finished telling us how he's got his act together and that he really should be an Intelligence officer.

[Pusser]

shhhhh...he just finished telling us how he's got his act together and that he really should be an Intelligence officer.

But I'd like him to be an intelligent officer...

[perspectiveofficer]

Thanks for the responses; it was pretty late when I signed up and I only have one email. I knew I messed up a letter, but it was too late to make adjustments.

[perspectiveofficer]

Your grades will be looked at, however, the fact that you did "get your act together" and finished your degree is probably what will really matter in the long run.

Thank you for the response. Do you know if there is a mean level of GPA for DEOs or, are grades merely secondary to volunteer experience/ leadership experience and how you conducted yourself during your studies? If this information is unavailable here, I can save it for my recruiter. Thanks again.

[PMedMoe]

There might be, but I have no idea.

[ttlbmg]

From my limited experience, when you fill out the application form for DEO, there is a section where you fill out the your educational background. A general graduating GPA question is asked. (Highest level of education, being secondary school, post secondary, post secondary with a B+ grade, masters, PhD) You will have to fill out graduating GPA only. After filling mine out, I asked about the PP assessment process, and was told that I scored higher in terms of PP "points" because I had a B+ or higher graduating GPA. While your transcripts are included in your application, the only spot on the application for GPA, when I filled out my application, was my graduating GPA. However, I do not know the extent to which a recruiter or interviewer would look at your overall GPA, from year one to graduation.

[D3]

D3, I was medically released (4B) as an Lt.  I have been medically cleared and am now merit listed for MARS.  If I am offered a job, would I start back at A/SLt or be given the rank SLt? This really is not a big deal, but I'm just curious.

It depends on the trade and how long you were out...