I'm Major Christina Eastwood from Timmins, Ontario.
I'm a Personnel Selection Officer currently serving
with the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group Headquarters
at CFB Borden, Ontario.
Personnel Selection Officers, or PSOs,
are the behavioural science experts in the Canadian Armed Forces.
They develop selection standards and processes,
leadership development models, and performance appraisal systems.
They support the growth and career progress of military personnel at all ranks,
helping to ensure the organization has the right people in the right jobs to fulfill its mandate.
Similarly to our counterparts in the civilian sector, which perform HR functions,
we are implicated oftentimes in policy, recruitment selection,
whether they be internally with our in-service programs,
or externally in recruitment such as I am at this time.
We also will certainly bring our specialties within certain commands
in the Canadian Armed Forces, whether that be Special Operations,
the Army, the Air Force or Navy -
and enable them not only to develop programs that contribute to the wellness of their people
but also to maintaining their operational effectiveness as a whole.
Personnel Selection Officers influence the recruitment of new personnel
and optimize the fit and potential of serving members
by overseeing the selection processes for various personnel plans and programs.
They also work closely with all occupations that require specialized selection.
PSOs may also find themselves in teaching positions.
I've been afforded the opportunity to teach at the Royal Military College for 4 years.
In addition to the Royal Military College, we have our own school system
where you can contribute to training and development
of personnel in the Canadian Armed Forces.
PSOs also act as social cultural advisors to top commanders in the military,
providing insights on human dimensions that support decision-making on military missions.
It is our role and responsibility to advise the leadership or the commanders
in terms of what are best practices, what are the various options available to them,
and what you recommend as a course of action.
Most military operations around the world include specialist behavioural science support,
and PSOs can also be deployed to assist in these roles.
For example, they may conduct leader profiling in a foreign nation,
or examine the cultural environment for a specific mission.
Day in, day out, I get to assist individuals to reach their goals or dreams.
At this time, I'm not working on a base, but I'm working in an environment
where we're supporting individual Canadians achieve their goals of becoming members
of the Canadian Armed Forces.
And that, again, is really rewarding, especially when you can see somebody who first enrols,
and then a number of years later you actually get to encounter them in the Forces -
and I get to hear about all the great things they've accomplished throughout their career.
Once qualified, PSOs are posted to an Army Base, Air Force Wing or Navy Formation within Canada.
They are likely to be posted to a base somewhere across Canada
in order to be able to complete a 1-year on-job training program.
And this will expose them, and certainly hone their skillsets,
in terms of being able to implement and certainly manage
not only some of the programs that we have across the Forces
but also hone their skills in terms of career counselling with our members.
PSOs in the Reserve Force return to their home units to continue developing their skillsets.
PSOs often work individually; however, they are integrated into the larger military team
as part of their advisory roles.
I've had the opportunities to work on a garrison,
I've had the opportunities to teach at the College,
I have the opportunity now to work within recruiting,
and what has been fascinating about each of these opportunities is that each day -
and certainly each position - has brought a different challenge.
So it has enabled me, as a person, to grow
not only in terms of my core competencies and my function, but just overall as a person.
And so, that, for me, has been what's been the big win
in terms of my career as a selection officer.