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There's no life like it

Powder promotes the military lifestyle, but it's not for everyone

Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (May 03/01) - Prospective members of the Canadian Armed Forces receive an immediate taste of stern discipline at the recruit school in St. Jean, Que.

"Getting off the plane in Montreal is a big culture shock," said warrant officer Floyd Powder. "It's go, go, go. You're told what to do and when to do it."

Powder, a military career counsellor originally from Fort Smith, was in Fort Simpson last Friday to speak to students about possibly enlisting in the Canadian Forces.

The students watched a training video that showed recruits getting their heads shaved and instructors barking orders at them, telling them in no uncertain terms how things must be done.

"The bottom line is we want discipline. You could be in Afghanistan right now," said Powder, a 21-year Forces veteran who has served two peacekeeping missions in Croatia and another in Cyprus. "We don't accept excuses, it just wastes people's time."

The rigid, authoritarian setting is only one aspect of military life.

There are 48 entry level career options for non-commissioned soldiers and 32 occupations for officers, who can have their university education paid for by the Forces if they commit to several years of military service. Some of the varied occupations include flight engineer, plumbing and heating technician, dental hygienist, postal clerk, clearance diver and cook.

Non-commissioned soldiers receive a starting pay of $25,000 per year but work their way up to $42,000 after four years of service, Powder noted. Officers are paid even better.

While the minimum academic requirement for entrance into the Forces is Grade 10, Powder encourages students to attain their high school diplomas. A student who has completed Grade 12 with above average marks and who has been involved in the community will more likely be accepted into the military than someone who has done the bare minimum, he said. A diploma would be an asset on a post-military resume too, said Powder.

"We're dealing with more technology these days, so the more education the better."

A military career, complete with being posted from one base to another, isn't for everyone, "but if you want a challenge, a sense of adventure, then the Canadian Forces could be for you," Powder said.

Four of the 35 youth remained to ask questions afterwards, Grade 10 student Travis Cazon being one of them.

"Yeah, I'm interested," Cazon said.

"I'm trying to be a cop, so (a military career) would help an awful lot. It would open up more opportunities."