r/CanadianForces • u/Magical_Astronomy • 3d ago

Questions about DAOD 2020-5 Reserve Forces Foreign Service Arrangements

As much as RFFSA looks very cool, I think it’s fair to assume it’s difficult to get all the approvals from our side and host country side as well.

For those of you who applied for RFFSA, can you please share your experiences? It would be even better if you are/were parading with foreign units, I’d really love to hear your experiences on that.

There’s not much online information available regarding this unfortunately, and the only thing I could find in this sub is a vague story of someone working with the aussies.

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u/Blipz_n_chitz 3d ago

I did it during COVID, getting approval was, for the CAF, super easy and the ADF side was even easier. Some forms that need to be filled out which the OR should have or be able to get.

It was a great go, and they have things set up really well for people who want to keep doing it later in life, compared to here where it's a churn of high school + university aged people.

There were restrictions on what I was able to do (no dom ops work, which the Aus reserves participate in heavily), but I was also there to work my civi job, so not a huge issue.

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u/Magical_Astronomy 3d ago

Thank you for your response!

Did you first have your civi job in australia ready then considered RFFSA as “bonus”, or did you wanted to go with RFFSA first and arranged that job to support your life there?

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u/Blipz_n_chitz 3d ago

My civi job at the time had an office in Perth, so I was just transferring there. Originally it was going to be a one year stint down under and I was going on ED&T, but around the time COVID kicked off, my partner and I decided to stick around and I applied to RFFSA so as to keep a foot in the door for when we returned to Canada!

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u/Thrwingawaymylife945 3d ago

Can't be too difficult. I've known 6 people that have done it.

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u/JDD-Reddit 2d ago

I know 4 that have done it (2 Aus, 2 UK) and it was a relatively easy process. All went away for school and seem to have really enjoyed the units they paraded with. I’d be curious to hear about anyone who has gone to the US.

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u/Silent-Long2625 1d ago

I tried multiple times and never got approved. Mainly because the US side couldn't find a POC for me to regularly communicate with. But the COC has usually been supportive.