Question

[Shepard]

Hello!

I had just recently received my enrollment ceremony information.. along with how I was being transferred from reserve infantry to communications, and how my regiment would be switching from Black Watch to the 34th transmission regiment on Sainte-Catherine because of my eyes, seems a bit odd that there's no infantry with glasses but they are now enrolling pilots with glasses, well, there goes 10 years of childhood dreaming of being an infantry soldier! Anyway, time to man up, maybe I'll love this. The Forces aren't obliged to give me a job.

Anyway, down to the question:

The recruiter had told me twice that I was going from infantry to communications, but could someone just tell me exactly what do they mean by that? I've looked up communications on the forces.ca site and it showed five different jobs, so that is a bit confusing.

Any other information that I could use would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

I don't mean to be a pest, I've just been focusing on all the infantry information for so long now, so this is quite a bit of a shock and need as much information as possible.

Thanks!

 

[211RadOp]

Here is the link to Army Communication and Information Systems Specialist.  This is the Army's communications trade.

For further information, you can find a number of posts in this forum.

http://www.forces.ca/en/job/armycommunicationandinformationsystemsspecialist-171#info-1

 

[Shepard]

Thank you for the link.

Just wanting to confirm here, Army Communications and Information Systems Specialist is what the recruiter was mentioning as, "communications"?

 

[MikeL]

would be switching from Black Watch to the 34th transmission regiment on Sainte-Catherine because of my eyes, seems a bit odd that there's no infantry with glasses but they are now enrolling pilots with glasses,

There are plenty of people in the Infantry with glasses;  and the vision requirement for Pilot is still higher than Infantry. If you wish too in the future,  you can look into LASIK/PRK.



If you are going into the Army Reserve for communications,  then yes you would be going into the ACISS trade.

 

[Shepard]

Thanks for narrowing it down, Skeletor, and for the vision information. Greatly appreciated!

 

[Shepard]

By the way, do you ever get any action when you are an ACISS? Just wondering what it'll feel like.

 

[MikeL]

Action as in combat/fire fights, etc?

In Afghanistan,  some did,  others did not.  All dependent on their employment, where they were, etc  A few Sigs were killed/wounded over there as well.


Don't expect your job to be filled with you running around assaulting trenches,  FIBUA, etc. 

 

[Shepard]

But when you do your aciss training, you are also getting trained to be a sig/lineman, correct?

 

[MikeL]

Not really AFAIK;  you may get a bit of a feel for what they do.  Unless you get into the CST or LST stream later on you won't be trained for perform lineman or tech job's.  From what I've heard you aren't really fully trained to be a Sig Op either.


I've never done a ACISS course,  only Sig Op QL3/5 so I have no first hand experience as to what is involved with the ACISS DP1, etc.

Have you read any of these threads?
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/77029.0.html
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/104818.0.html
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/107252.0.html

 

[Shepard]

I've read them prior to posting this, I was a bit confused at the link of aciss and other communication units.

 

[MikeL]

ACISS

ACISS is a Army trade/job,  not a communication unit.  Do you mean you were confused between the core and sub occupations?

 

[Shepard]

Yes, that is exactly it. Sorry for asking so many questions- I've been studying up on the infantry trade for a long time now, so it's quite a bit weird to see all of these new acronyms  and things.

 

[chopchop]

I've never done a ACISS course,  only Sig Op QL3/5 so I have no first hand experience as to what is involved with the ACISS DP1, etc.

Did my ACISS course last summer in Kingston. Basically, people learn how to set up a communications det. It involves setting up a vixam antenna,

and getting your radios online.

There are also class courses on radio frequencies, basic electricity, descriptions of the equipment Sig ops use, basic IT courses (really, really basic stuff!) etc

We also had training involving our lsvw convoy getting ambushed, ied training etc.

We had some basic lineman training (posing wd1 lines, aerial and ground), I think that we also did some cat5 connectors (rj45) but i'm not sure.

 

[211RadOp]

Shepard,

This is right from the CFSCE site for the ACISS DP1 (Res) course:

  The aim of this course is to enable reserve personnel to be employed as an Army Communication and Information System Specialist (ACISS) DP1 and focuses on enabling students to be effective operators in a deployed environment as a detachment member.

PO 001 – Perform Command Post System Support Duties includes complete detachment administration and communicates using radio equipment.
PO 002 - Employ Tactical Communication Voice System includes using mast mounted antenna system with secure/non-secure CNR VHF and HF radio systems as well as the IRIS LAN.
PO 005 - Employ Tactical Information Systems includes install/remove IS peripherals and utilizing IS application software
PO 006 - Employ Tactical Line System includes install/remove/maintain  TacLine system and operating telephone equipment
PO 007 - Employ Counter-Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (C-RCIED) System includes operating and serviceability of Mobile Counter measures (MCM) and Portable Counter Measures (PCM) systems equipment
PO 008 - Employ Communication Security (COMSEC) includes performing signal security and utilizing cryptographic equipment.
PO 010 - Deploy a Communication Information System (CIS) detachment includes operating power generating equipment and deploying as CIS det member on a field training exercise (FTX).
EdO 001 - Understand Signals includes basic knowledge of Communications and Electronics Branch history, CIS Organizations, and CIS equipment and capabilities
**PO is Performance Objective and EdO is Educational Objective**

Duration 52 Training Days
Sessions per year 6

Prerequisites: - be qualified AINT, Basic Military Qualification Common (BMQ-C);
                                - be qualified AJOC, Basic Military Qualification Land (BMQ-L);
                                - be qualified Land Driver Wheeled as follows:
                        (1) Module 1 – DND 404s,
                        (2) Module 2 – LFC Driver Wheeled Common;
                        (3) Module 3 – LSVW and LUVW; and
                                - hold Security Clearance Level II

 

[Smirnoff123]

seems a bit odd that there's no infantry with glasses 

I am in the infantry and I must wear glasses/contacts as do many others. However it depends on how badly you need to wear the glasses. You can be V3 and still need them.

 

[upandatom]

and they sent you to ACISS with a V3?

I am fairly certain they require V2 for Sigs now

 

[211RadOp]

He never said he was V3, only CGR did.

The min med cat for ACISS is 423225


So V4 is acceptable.

Here is a link to the Min Med standards for all trades.

http://www.forces.gc.ca/health-sante/pd/cfp-pfc-154/AN-E-eng.asp


Edit to add link

 

[upandatom]

Ack thanks 211RadOp,

must be strictly colors that its 2 then.