Canadian Forces (CF) pre-enrolment tests complete

As per the subject heading, I’m now back in Blighty having finished my whistle-stop trip to CFRC Toronto to carry out the CF pre-enrolment tests. I was absolutely knackered last night and slept for 14 hrs solid.

All went to plan apart from a small hiccup with the medical. I had some minor high frequency loss in my left ear, which I already knew about based on my last UK military hearing test. I still made H2 (H3 is the minimum for Veh Tech) but the examiner (Army WO) asked me to have another test when I'm back here and fax him through a copy. He said that their machine is new and he wants a second opinion to make sure that the result is right. He said that even with the hearing loss I passed the medical with no issues but the final decision always rests with the OC in Ottawa. I've managed to book a hearing test for Monday afternoon so I'll be able to get that back to him ASAP, which shouldn't delay things too much.

The eCFAT (aptitude test) couldn't have gone any better, which was a massive relief, although I did think it was miles harder than the practice stuff. I nearly ran out of time on the first 2 sections (Verbal Skills and Spatial Ability) but I'd cracked section 3 (Problem Solving) with 13 minutes to spare. I was the only one doing the test on Tuesday, which was a surprise; I guess that's a reflection of the lack of places available in the CF at the moment. My interviewer (Navy Lt) was more than happy to tell me I'd scored 57 out of 60, which apparently puts me in the top 99.9th percentile (that was a turn-up for the books). I needed 35 to pass entry as a Vehicle Technician so no worries there. At the end of the eCFAT there were a load of psychology questions to answer but those weren't against the clock and weren't pass/fail - I think they're designed to wheedle out whether you're a closet gun freak/terrorist etc.

The interview was very straightforward and a bit of a disappointment (in a nice way). I'd boned up to death on all things CF and I was ready to spout off a plethora of facts and figures about the First Defence Strategy, deployments of the Navy, composition of the 3 Mechanised Brigades etc, etc. As it turned out, he didn't ask me about any of it. He concentrated more on the mandatory stuff like what non-prescription drugs I'd taken (a resounding nil on that front) and then he just went through the motions asking the questions off the sheet. We did have a nice offline chat afterwards though, which was useful to pick his brain.

I wasn't flying until Wednesday night so I took a drive right up to Wasaga Beach and all round the Barrie area. I managed to get hold of my recruiting Captain and I drove up to CFB Borden for a face-to-face 20-minute chat (would have been longer but he was due in a meeting). He's a really nice bloke and it was great to put a name to a face after all this time. He said that he hopes to give me my T&Cs for my job offer by January, which coincides with our PR landing trip (3 - 13th Jan) - I'll keep pestering him on that one and I said that I'd drive up to Borden and collect them myself. I need to keep things rolling because I'm more than aware that I'm lucky to still have an offer. The picture he painted is bleak to say the least. He's got 1/2 a dozen trades that are fully recruited already this year (Veh Tech being one of them). He's reserved me a slot but even that is putting him over the numbers. Fortunately, I'm the only foreign Veh Tech on the books so he doesn't think it will be too much of an issue. He did warn me however that he doesn't make the rules so nothing can ever be guaranteed. The only time I can breath easy is when I'm taking the Oath, which is why I'm going to keep myself in the spotlight and keep pushing my case until that happens.

So there we go, another hurdle done and dusted.

Visas collected.........but a sting in the tail

Today, the long wait was finally over and by 2.10 pm I was sat on a park bench outside CHC London with our visas in my hand and a premature look of satisfaction on my face.  I say premature, because I then delved into the envelope to have a read of the Confirmation of Permanent Residency (COPR) paperwork only to find mine had a nice letter stapled to it saying that I have 'Inactive Tuberculosis (TB)' and I need to register with the local health authority within 30-days of landing in Canada to arrange further monitoring.

A classic WTF moment followed, before I rang my DMP to see if she could shed any light on the matter.  You may recall that I'd taken a CT scan with me to my original medical to show that I'd had a chest infection in the past and there was some evidence of calcification in my lungs.  The DMP had written no evidence of TB on my med report and included the scan/report as evidence which was then forwarded to CHC.  Although my medical chest x-ray had come back all-clear, CHC subsequently sent me for follow up tests just to make sure.  The follow up x-ray came back all-clear too, as did the sputum TB test which had to be done over 3 consecutive days and cultured in a lab for 8-weeks. Nowhere was there any proof that I had ever had TB or indeed have ‘inactive TB.’

Anyway, 10 minutes later the DMP rang me back and said that based on the CT scan I provided, the CHC medical team had decided that due to there being evidence of a past infection (no mention of TB) they wanted to air on the side of caution and monitor me upon my arrival in Canada. To that end, I get a letter saying that I have ‘inactive TB’ when there’s no evidence to suggest that I do.

I wouldn’t have a problem with any of this if it wasn’t for the fact that I have my Canadian Forces (CF) pre-enrolment medical in less than 2-weeks and it’s not exactly going to help my cause when I have to tell them that CHC suggest I have a dormant and potentially highly infectious disease, when it’s been clearly proven that I don’t.

In the meantime, I have made an appointment for next Tuesday with my military doctor here. The nurse seems to think she'll be more than willing to put together a letter stating that from her (the British army's) perspective, I am fully fit and have no underlying medical concerns.

From what I have read, even if a CF applicant did have 'inactive TB' it is not neccesarily going to be a show-stopper, but it's certainly something I could do without. I guess in 2-weeks time we'll know one way or the other........