# Current  Red Air Force Trades and other questions



## RTaylor (10 Jan 2008)

Howdy all,

Ive already done the search trying to find the red air force trades (ones needing people) but I cant seem to find any info anywhere (could be just the army/navy having red trades I don't know).

Anywho, my wife has really started her nagfest about me going Combat Engineer (just waiting for my all for Basic) so I am trying to get ammo to use against her but just in case I've decided to jump over here to the Air Force forums to spam my questions. 

So here we go I guess, this may get locked and I'm ready for that, but it doesn't hurt to get hte advice from the experienced. Based on what follows, what would you recommend as a possible trade

1 - I like not being stuck in 1 place all the time. I like to see things, do things but being crammed in a cubicle isn't my style.
2 - My hobby is working on computers and electronics and I really enjoy it, but I also enjoy being out doors doing stuff.
3 - Like to see some travel and see some overseas time
4 - According to my wife she doesnt want me out and about all the time so I guess the option for a more or less regular work day 
5 - Chance to avoid overly reptitive work (I work in a call center at the moment, drives me insane) so a bit of dynamic work wold be great.
6 - Would like a chance to work with DART as it lies within my interests to help people (got counselling diploma / addictions counselling diploma) during a crisis.


I guess what it comes down to is I like computers, travelling, not being stuck in 1 place too often (but it can be nice sometimes) and a fairly steady schedule on a job thats not going to kill me with repetitive garbage.

Well, I got to clean up a tad, so if you have any feedback or questions please post em here.


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## The_Falcon (10 Jan 2008)

Go medic.


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## RTaylor (10 Jan 2008)

Tried to but I dont have Gr12 chem or Bio...that was my first choice (well, between that and Combat Engineer).

Not as if Im not smart enough to do the Gr12 courses needed.


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## Bandit1 (10 Jan 2008)

Not an AF trade, but how about the Navy?  Ships have computers galore and are always on the go to some port of call...

If you wanted an AF trade, why not give AVN Tech a whirl....

Bandit


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## RTaylor (10 Jan 2008)

Ships are a moot point, I get seasick pretty bad and just plain don't like being on them at all.Plus I like my feet on the ground as much as possible lol.


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## Bandit1 (10 Jan 2008)

Aviation Systems Tech

Avionics Systems Tech

Aerospace Control Operator

Bandit


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## RTaylor (10 Jan 2008)

I actually contemplated Avionics System Tech when I was applying but I got a chance to see it in action...not my cup of tea.


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## cp140tech (10 Jan 2008)

Where did you see the AVS guys in action?  That trade can have quite a bit of variety depending on fleet and position.

Have you looked at ATIS?

If you're into computers then you might not be happiest in the AVN trade.


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## Gramps (10 Jan 2008)

Well, if you like travel then Traffic Tech is a good option. We do many different jobs and work around the globe.


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## Strike (10 Jan 2008)

Sigs?


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## Command-Sense-Act 105 (10 Jan 2008)

What a disappointment!

I saw Red Air Force and I thought we were going to talk about this.

Have a happy day, comrades!


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## X-mo-1979 (10 Jan 2008)

LMFAO

Silly tankers.


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## RTaylor (10 Jan 2008)

lol nice one CSA


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## navymich (24 Jan 2008)

RTaylor said:
			
		

> Ive already done the search trying to find the red air force trades (ones needing people) but I cant seem to find any info anywhere (could be just the army/navy having red trades I don't know).



Current red trades for AF (ref: Occupation Status List FY 07/08 (applicable to 2008/09 VOT competitions) - Published by DPGR ftp://borden.mil.ca/cfrg/Bilingual%20Messages/ISS/Occ_Status_FY_07_08_All_Spring_b.xls _DIN accessible only_)

AEC, AF ENGR, ANAV, AESOP, AVN, CE SUPT, CONST TECH, EGS TECH, FLT ENGR, RM TECH

note: these are the red trades for VOT and therefore some of them are only available for those that meet the prerequisites for a transfer to a 'remuster only' trade.  However, if you do a bit of research comparing these trades to what is available through  all AF jobs on the recruiting website, you will narrow down what you could apply for.


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## Inch (24 Jan 2008)

airmich said:
			
		

> Current red trades for AF (ref: Occupation Status List FY 07/08 (applicable to 2008/09 VOT competitions) - Published by DPGR ftp://borden.mil.ca/cfrg/Bilingual%20Messages/ISS/Occ_Status_FY_07_08_All_Spring_b.xls _DIN accessible only_)
> 
> AEC, AF ENGR, ANAV, AESOP, AVN, CE SUPT, CONST TECH, EGS TECH, FLT ENGR, RM TECH
> 
> note: these are the red trades for VOT and therefore some of them are only available for those that meet the prerequisites for a transfer to a 'remuster only' trade.  However, if you do a bit of research comparing these trades to what is available through  all AF jobs on the recruiting website, you will narrow down what you could apply for.



Pilot isn't red? I find that hard to believe. We're overflowing with ANAV's here in Shearwater and according to the APS openings, we've got 9 vacant pilot slots here at 423 which would make us undermanned by about 25 percent. CM brief next week where we'll find out for sure.


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## navymich (24 Jan 2008)

Inch said:
			
		

> Pilot isn't red? I find that hard to believe. We're overflowing with ANAV's here in Shearwater and according to the APS openings, we've got 9 vacant pilot slots here at 423 which would make us undermanned by about 25 percent. CM brief next week where we'll find out for sure.



Pilot is Amber, along with: CELE, AC OP, AVS, ED TECH, IMAGE TECH, NDT TECH and SAR TECH.  Pilot is "8.3% below PML, expanding, medium term recovery, trg issues"


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## RTaylor (24 Jan 2008)

Someone was explaining the AVN trade to me, and from what tehy said and what the site says it seems alot more like a mechanic for aircraft than anything else. AVS seems more like a psition for computer users or techies.

One thing that did iseem interesting is this line in AVN :

AVN TECHs are employed in tactical helicopter field units and on board ships. When employed with land or sea forces, they are subject to the same living conditions as soldiers and sailors. 


Does this mean that they do alot of work in the field and do exercises with the army, etc? I know that they can get alot of travel in as opposed to the AVS tech


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## Inch (24 Jan 2008)

A Helicopter Air Detachment (Helairdet) is typically comprised of 4 pilots, 2 TACCOs (Navigators), 2 AESOps, 1 MWO tech (AVS or AVN), 1 Sgt tech (AVS or AVN), 2 Mcpl AVN, 1 MCpl AVS, 4 Cpl AVN and 2 Cpl AVS for a total manning of 19. So if you go AVN or AVS and end up in a Maritime Helicopter Sqn, you will go to sea at some point.

TacHel is similar, when the Sqn deploys helos, it also deploys associated techs and aircrew. So yes, if you end up TacHel or MH, you will deploy with the army and navy and have the same living conditions as them.


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## cp140tech (25 Jan 2008)

RTaylor said:
			
		

> Someone was explaining the AVN trade to me, and from what tehy said and what the site says it seems alot more like a mechanic for aircraft than anything else. AVS seems more like a psition for computer users or techies.
> 
> One thing that did iseem interesting is this line in AVN :
> 
> ...



  I think you may be slightly misinformed about what the AVS folks do.  They go away just as much as AVN does.

  AVN techs get dirty, fuel/oil/hydraulic,  all that good stuff.  Thinking of us as mechanics will give you a decent idea of our role, plus a few things like safety systems, and armament.

  AVS techs are responsible on-aircraft maintenance as well, but their components tend to be cleaner and full of wonderous magical gizmos.  They work outside, on the flight line and on deployed ops.  Think of all the radios, navigation systems, flight instruments and little black boxes it takes to keep an aircraft in the sky;  that's what those folks own.  The common saying for this fleet is that they're not paid for what they do, but what they know.  It might seem easy to just go in and start replacing little black boxes, but finding the right box is a miserable job and it requires a lot of knowledge.  The people who are happy in this trade often seem to be people who are comfortable with computers and solid state electronics, but they don't spend their days behind a desk.  When we're away, they'll pitch in and help us out.  They do all the flight line servicing that AVN does, we split that stuff down the middle.  It's pretty much impossible for me to troubleshoot any of their snags, but I can replace what they point out and I can hold a flashlight with the best of them.

  I've only got experience with my fleet, so I can't provide first hand knowledge about TacHel or Sea Kings, but it looks like Inch gave you the scoop on that count.


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## MAJONES (28 Jan 2008)

AVN & AVS are wide open right now.  If someone comes into the centre and applies for these trades we process them as fast as possible.  Combat Engineer is currently full (at lteast until the new fiscal year in April).  Other tech trades that are wide open are ATIS and LCIS as well as most of the Navy Tech Trades.  Artillery also hs a huge number of open spots right now.


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## Eye In The Sky (7 Apr 2008)

RTaylor said:
			
		

> Howdy all,
> 
> Ive already done the search trying to find the red air force trades (ones needing people) but I cant seem to find any info anywhere (could be just the army/navy having red trades I don't know).
> 
> ...



RTaylor,

Maybe you have already applied....but in the event that you haven't...

Based on all 6 of the things you listed above, I would have to say that ATIS Tech or LCIS Tech are trades you should take a closer look at.  I don't think an AVN Tech would ever see a DART deployment, but if you were a ATIS or LCIS Tech posted to the CFJSR in Kingston (which provides the majority, if not all, of the Signals assets to DART) you could be deployed with DART.  Both ATIS and LCIS are very very diverse trades, and as either of them, you could be posted to any base, including Navy bases (shore postings, not on the ships, that would be NE Techs doing that job).

ATIS and LCIS are basically the same job but the environment, equipment and lifestyles are typically different in the ways the army and air force are different.  Typically as ATIS you can expect to be more static, where as LCIS you could expect a higher deployment tempo being posted to field units.  However, it is possible to be ATIS and be in a high deployment unit (CFJSR and 8 ACCS as examples).  Both trades are Spec Pay level 1 trades, which basically means a Cpl in those trades makes the same $ comparable to a Standard pay level Sgt.  Spec pay is roughly $600 a month when you hit the top IPC.

In either of those trades, you can / will rotate thru different shops (radio, radar, IT, crypto, etc) depending on your unit it might be every 6 months or so, to keep learning new skills on new kit and equipment.  There are TONS of courses called OSQs available.  You name it radars, computers (HW and SW side) voice services, cabling, radios, SATCOMM, the list is pretty extensive.

Something to think about.

*ATIS Tech *    http://www.recruiting.forces.gc.ca/v3/engraph/jobs/jobs.aspx?id=226&bhcp=1

*LCIS Tech*    http://www.recruiting.forces.gc.ca/v3/engraph/jobs/jobs.aspx?id=227&bhcp=1  (LCIS is listed as a hot job on the Recruiting site right now)

You can also find some info here on the Communications and Electronics forum


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## KingKikapu (13 Apr 2008)

just out of curiosity; if ANAV is such a red trade, then why are there only 15 slots available?  Is that simply the amount that they can train in a year?

Oh yes, first time poster, long time reader.


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