As members of the Canadian Armed Forces, your son or daughter has access to myriad of services and supports. Some of the services are unique to RMC while most are common to the Canadian Armed Forces. If you are new to the CAF family, this site provides you with information about the services which are here to support your son or daughter. This site provided insight into the adventure that your son or daughter is experiencing as a student and as a CAF member at RMC.
We strongly recommend that you stay in touch with your son or daughter, but do not be worried if they don’t get back to you right away; their days and evenings are filled with academic, physical fitness and military related studies and duties. This site has been put together by the College Success Centre. We welcome your feedback ref content and if you have any questions.
We recognize and appreciate that you have entrusted your daughter or son to our care for their education and development into future leaders of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). A broad insight into the Canadian Armed Forces will help you understand the rank and pay structures. The recruitment site provides you with information, which is more specific to the potential professional work your son or daughter will be doing post-graduation.
Throughout this site, you will see the abbreviation “N/OCdt”. The “N” identifies cadets who have elected occupations associated with the Royal Canadian Navy. OCdts means Officer Cadet(s) and this term applies to Army and Airforce Officer Cadets.
RMC and the CAF offer and provide a wide range of services to support the immediate and longer-term needs of your daughter or son. Services include medical, dental, psychosocial, resiliency training, on-going education, peer support and the diverse services provided through cooperating agencies such as Veterans Affairs, SISIP and the Military Family Resource Centre. Many of these services are also available to the next of kin of the N/OCdt through the CAF Morale and Welfare services site.
For the parents of the exchange students, we are pleased that your government has allowed your daughter or son to attend RMC. The attendance of your child is a benefit to them, to RMC and our other students. Through this exchange, we have the opportunity to build international relationships that will last careers and lifetimes.
Parents are able to book tours of RMC through Liaison Services. The City of Kingston site provides tourist information as well as day-to-day services that are available in our host city. There is always something on the go in Kingston from great concerts to outdoor festivals and events downtown and we encourage the students and their families to partake. There is also so much more to Kingston that is beyond the downtown core; there are great parks and almost wilderness areas that you may wish to visit.
Support Services
RMC provides traditional academic support services to the student population along with career and life skills counselling. Most academic services are managed through the Registrar’s office. We have on site residence for all the ROTP N/Ocdts as well as a large dining facility. All ROTP N/OCdts are expected to reside on campus for the duration of their studies. This allows for team bonding, combined activities and the establishment of relationships that are crucial to future success.
One of the most common areas of concern for parents is how their son or daughter can access medical care. Canadian Armed Forces personnel receive health care through a distinct health care structure , which is unique to the CAF, but leverages some aspects of the provincial health care system for more complex care, when required. The CF Health Services centre on site at RMC is their primary care provider/family doctor. Select Health Care if you are interested in having a more complete understanding of the CAF Healthcare system. Select Dental if you are interested in having a more complete understanding of the dental services available to you.
A wide variety of support services exist at the RMC campus and within the Kingston military community for CAF and, when needed via referrals to use provincial health services. Specific other nations have standing agreements for receiving health care from Canadian Forces Health organizations.
- Community Medical Services
- Health Promotion
- Canadian Forces Health Services
- Canadian Forces Mental Health Services
- Canadian Forces Dental Services
- RMC Academic Services
- CAF Morale and Welfare services
- CAF Appreciation
- CAF Members Assistance Program
Life Events
To assist the N/OCdts with various life events we have chaplains, medical, administrative support services and the Chain of Command who are all willing to assist. If you or your son or daughter forgets about these services or who provides what service, the College Success Centre staff will gladly assist you.
Financial Services can help your son or daughter decide if they really need to buy a new vehicle, can they afford the mandatory insurance, should they lease a vehicle, rent or buy a house or condominium.
We realize that a variety of family crisis at home may occur during a N/OCdts tenure at RMC. They are not alone in dealing with family and personal crisis, and the CAF is there to support with to address short and longer-term needs. To facilitate your son or daughter being able to attend a family crisis they must engage their chain of command. Unlike other universities, students at RMC are not allowed to be absent for a few days without written permission. They can only get permission to be absent by and through the chain of command.
In the event of a family related crisis, there are social workers, mental health professionals at the college clinic and Chaplains on site who can help your son or daughter cope with their grief and to, eventually get them back to studies and their career. They can also assist with your son or daughter being able to attend life events. The N/OCdts professors may be able to accommodate your son or daughters absence and to help them catch up on missed studies.
The CAF and RMC are large, complex organizations so N/OCdts should not expect to be able to figure out all the pieces alone. The staff and faculty of RMC are very experienced and well equipped to assist your son or daughter, no matter the issue.
Financial Management
Through our partners and drawing from public documents, we offer the N/OCdts personal financial management training. This training serves two purposes; one it helps them get their own finances under control and two it helps them to help their future subordinates if they happen to need assistance.
- Budget
- Buying a home
- SISIP is on site at RMC in the College Success Centre and at local bases near you.
Services for when you visit
Frequently asked questions about National Defence
Frequently asked questions about National Defence
Frequently asked questions about RMC
- Q1. Is my child a member of the Canadian Armed Forces by studying at RMC?
- A1. Depends on the arrangements made for them to attend. If they are a ROTP student, then they are full members of the Canadian Forces and subject to the benefits and obligations of being a serving member. If they are a reserve member who attends classes, their obligations are no different from a reserve member parading at home.
- Q2. Can I visit my son or daughter?
- A2. There are specific occasion where the College has family oriented events and the schedule of the cadets is adjusted so that they are available for the events. Every second weekend, as a norm, the cadets are not engaged in obligatory, structured work and are therefore potentially available. However, the academic and military workload, along with homework may make visits more challenging. It is best to coordinate in advance with your son or daughter
- Q3. Can I tour the RMC site?
- A3. Yes. Tours can be arranged through Liaison Services.
- Q4. What options does my son or daughter have if they decide that they do not want to continue their studies at RMC?
- A4. Each case is slightly different. If the Cadet opts to withdraw before the start of the 2nd academic year, there are no financial or obligatory service implications. If the Cadet decides to withdraw after the start of class in the second year, there will be implications. The fidelity of release is handled by a specialized service at the CAF release centre. The cadet must request, in writing, to withdraw from the ROTP.
- Q5. Will my son or daughter have to serve with the CAF after they have graduated?
- A5. The expectation is that they will serve, as an officer, is inherent in their contract and the agreement for them to study at RMC as a ROTP cadet. The purpose of the RMC program is to create officers who are fit and ready to serve in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Feedback
Your feedback in reference to content or navigating this web site is appreciated. Please do not hesitate to contact the College Success Administrator with your perspectives and information requests.
Please contact the College Success Centre at SuccessCentre-CentredeSucces@rmc-cmr.ca