National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces
National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces Employee Reviews
Found 1,551 reviews matching the search See all 1,626 reviews
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Excellent Job to start with.
Infantry Soldier (Current Employee) – Barrie, ON – 13 February 2019
The Canadian Armed Forces is a wonderful career to have if you're just getting out of high school. It will teach you to be tough, self motivated, and will test you to your ultimate limits and how to pass them. You will be set for life.
Pros
Intense workouts, good pay, motivational
Cons
Mental Strain, 24 hour days, high stress
Good career, difficult job
Officer (Current Employee) – 2 Queen Elizabeth Drive – 13 February 2019
The CAF is an awesome place to work, but very demanding. Good coworkers, but the leadership often make questionable decisions.
The military is fairly unique, and there are many interesting trades and tasking that CAF members can undertake. However, the military leadership are bloated and generally tribalistic when it comes to managing their own personnel and resources.
The military is fairly unique, and there are many interesting trades and tasking that CAF members can undertake. However, the military leadership are bloated and generally tribalistic when it comes to managing their own personnel and resources.
Pros
Unique jobs
Cons
Demanding work environment
A true brotherhood
Soldier (Former Employee) – St.-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC – 8 February 2019
Great opportunity for advancement, good place to find brotherhood and to find yourself. You will quickly learn what you are made of, and how far you can push your body snd, more importantly, your mind.
Pros
Learn to survive together, good food, good brother hood.
Cons
Being away from home. Difficult adjustment at first
Not a bad place
Regular Force Member (Former Employee) – Edmonton – 7 February 2019
Usually not bad place to work. Very good benefits, pension, health care, and vacation days. Can be very busy during exercises but usually given extra time off.
Pros
Free medical, 20 vacation days to start.
Cons
Some days extra long, can be called in on days off
All encumpasing
Reserve Military Police (Current Employee) – Toronto, ON – 5 February 2019
Dominates your life, and does not allow for any other social aspect. Sometimes extremely demanding and unrealistic. Money is good benefits suck and tend to be a sexist, and acholic fueled enviornment
Pros
Money
Cons
Everything else
Great experience
Officer Cadet/Second Lieutenant (Former Employee) – Kingston, Canada – 31 January 2019
Studying and training in the Canadian armed forces was probably the best experience of my life! I enjoyed every single minute of it. The friends you can make are the best part of the forces. Leadership opportunities every single day. Best training for young people.
Pros
Great training
Cons
Long hours in the field
Great camaraderie: Secure job, healthy lifestyle,
Communications Specialist (Former Employee) – Ottawa, ON – 28 January 2019
27 years in Military in Communications and Signals field. Very challenging yet rewarding trade. Feel good about your self after a good days work. Met lifelong friends.
Not for everyone
Sonar Operator (Current Employee) – Victoria, BC – 27 January 2019
I found that the armed forces is good in a sense that they teach you the fundamentals for being an adult, but the job and career it's self is not for everyone.
Pros
Good money
Cons
Bad Leadership, Horrible work - life balance, Impossible to have a family
Workplace with lots of opportunity to gain experience
Infantryman (Former Employee) – Meaford, ON – 23 January 2019
A typical day for myself in the Armed Forces started with a 0600 wake up and breakfast, followed by our 0730 Physical Training. After that, we focused on the days tasks, which always varied from cleaning our shacks to weapons maintenance to training in the field. Usually around 1630 we would be dismissed for the day and have dinner, although this wasn't always the case. Lights out was at 2300.
I learned various skills and qualifications from the Canadian Armed Forces. From discipline, order, responsibility and organizational skills, to receiving my Safe Driver Training and my AK-47/RPK Foreign Weapons Training. Everyday there was an opportunity to learn something more.
The hardest part of the job was the long hours, or the constant shifting work schedule. Every week was something different. One week you could do the regular 0600-1630 everyday and the next you could be in the field training and getting little to no sleep every night.
The most enjoyable part of the job was the fact that everyday was different. Every week was a different experience and there was always so much to learn and do.
I learned various skills and qualifications from the Canadian Armed Forces. From discipline, order, responsibility and organizational skills, to receiving my Safe Driver Training and my AK-47/RPK Foreign Weapons Training. Everyday there was an opportunity to learn something more.
The hardest part of the job was the long hours, or the constant shifting work schedule. Every week was something different. One week you could do the regular 0600-1630 everyday and the next you could be in the field training and getting little to no sleep every night.
The most enjoyable part of the job was the fact that everyday was different. Every week was a different experience and there was always so much to learn and do.
Pros
Meals and housing paid for, great pension and benefits.
Cons
Long hours
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Amry Life
AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES TECHNICIAN, CANADIAN FORCES (Former Employee) – Canada – 22 January 2019
If you're young and have no idea what you want to do with your life, or think you will end up in jail if you keep walking the path you're walking, join the military. There's no experience like it. If you put forth the effort, and buy into the system, it will be a great career.
Working at Department of National Defence
Administrative Assistant/Clerk (Former Employee) – Gander, Newfoundland – 22 January 2019
I have always enjoyed working at Department of National Defence. Unfortunately I find it difficult to obtain a indeterminate position there or even a term position there. As my husband in in the Canadian Armed Forces, we are forced to move before I ever get the chance and we are usually in smaller communities so the opportunities are much more limited. However, if I ever had the chance to obtain an indeterminate position at DND, I would absolutely take it. I have an educational background and personality that I feel would fit well within the organization.
Pros
job security, good salary, great health care benefits (with term and indeterminate positions), ability to move up in career.
Cons
Difficult to get into a term position and indeterminate position.
Fast paced environment
Food Services: GS FOS 02/ Kitchen Helper (Former Employee) – Wainwright, AB – 21 January 2019
During my time at the mess in Wainwright I was able to build upon the following skills; adaptability, reliability, accountability, ability to work under-pressure, and ability to work as a team player.
Pros
Decent wages
Cons
Poor air quality in the summer
busy and dynamic environment
Chief Administrator (Former Employee) – Comox, BC – 19 January 2019
satisfying 30 year career with the CF. Learned team cohesiveness, incorporative management skills, and adaptability. Federal budgetary restraints were ever increasingly difficult to maintain office operational effectiveness. The travel and teamwork parts of the job were the most satisfying.
Pros
involved management
Cons
doing more and more with less and less
all over different jobs.
military (Former Employee) – Canada – 16 January 2019
good place but don't look after the troops afterwards, and the now government is throwing vets to the dogs to look after themselves. good comradery would be one of the only pluses of ever serving these days.
Solid job with loads of opportunities
Weapons Technician (Current Employee) – Edmonton, AB – 14 January 2019
As a member of the Canadian Forces I've learned a lot about the world and myself. I've learned Teamwork, Communication, Responsibility, but you never truly stop learning in this job. This job doesn't adapt around your life, your life adapts to it. The workplace culture is unrivaled, and the management is solid as it should be. The most enjoyable part of this job is putting on the uniform, knowing the respect and honor it portrays.
Best job I've ever had.
Infantryman (Former Employee) – Edmonton, AB – 13 January 2019
Working for the Armed Forces was a life long dream of mine. I legitimately enjoyed working for the Department of National defense. The work is hard, demanding but VERY rewarding. I genuinely wish I did not have to leave the work. I miss it almost every day.
Pros
Highlight on fitness. Strong emphasis on team cohesion. Fun environment.
Cons
unpredictable hours (exercises). VERY demanding physical work.
Good Benefits/ Job Security aren't free
Supply Technician (Former Employee) – Wainwright, AB – 11 January 2019
The CAF is a well paying organisation that provided some great benefits but it comes at a cost to personal freedom. before considering a job in the forces, you need to decide for yourself if your autonomy is worth the sugar coated benefits.
Pros
great pay, full benefits
Cons
lack of freedom
Very good salary and benefits with great career options
Combat Engineer (Current Employee) – Québec City, QC – 10 January 2019
If you want a job that will push your limits, the Canadian Forces is the way to go. You have so many career options and possibility of advancement that you can not get bored.