All things Joint Sigs Regt/JSR (merged)

[Jason Bourne]

Hey all,

Just have a question to put out there: in your opinion, would it be better to go to Battaltion/Unit after your 3's or get posted to CFJSR. Theres a few guys that want to get posted to Kingston as a first posting but they were told the chances of that happening. In my opinion, one would think that going out to Battalion would be better, as you would improve your knowledge of the equipment, proceadure and just genereal know how, where as if you go to JSR, the general gist is all they do is sat comms and whatnot. Which isn't bad but on your 5's would you be at a disadvantage? Just wondering if anyone has done the JSR and then come back for their 5's route and how steep was the learning curve and whatnot.

Jason

 

[SigPigs]

Go to the battallion and be one of a few instead of one of many at the JSR. Check your spelling too!
Most grunts treat you fine and it can be a lot of fun.

 

[SIG MITCH]

JSR IS THE WAY TO GO FOR SURE, IF YOU ARE INTO NEW TECHNOLOGY... AND IT DOESNT MATTER ABOUT THE QL5 BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN REVAMPED TO 5 WEEKS AND ITS MOSTLY IT STUFF, JSR ALSO DEALS ALOT IN THE RAD AREA AS WELL IN 1 SQN IF YOU WANNA KEEP UP ON THAT STUFF. ALSO VERY GOOD CHANCE OF ADVANCED PROMOTION IF YOU PROOVE YOURSELF, ALSO, IF YOU WANT TOURS THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE

 

[Radop]

I am currently at JSR and would strongly suggest that you don't go there first.  You will lose a lot of the training that you have done with TCCCS and would get spoiled by the way things are run at CFJSR.  The "technology" is not that advanced and TCCCS is much more complicated.  I was in Pet up until a year ago and very much enjoyed it.  Don't expect to go to an out unit as you will probably go to HQ & Sigs Sqn and the guys at the sqn will get posted to the out units.  The Bdes are the best place to learn the basics about the trade and ask Pte Mitch how many times he has gone to the field.  He may have been involved in a TAT deployment but even an NCCIS det is not a real deployment as they hardly get out of camp.  I have been on two roto 0s and I think that the training I got in 1 CDHSR before we combined with 79 Comms to form CFJSR was instrumental in developing as a radop and further as a sig op.  Learn our trade then go for satcom.  Check with those who have actually been to different places within Canada before you listen to someone just out of the school himself.

 

[Jason Bourne]

Thanks RadOp...informative.

Jason

 

[JimmyPeeOn]

The Bdes are the best place to learn the basics about the trade and ask Pte Mitch how many times he has gone to the field.   He may have been involved in a TAT deployment but even an NCCIS det is not a real deployment as they hardly get out of camp.  

[quote author=Radop

I agree with going to a brigade first, I did'nt but its a good idea. However the rest of your info is'nt totally accurate.  I've spent more time in the field over the last 2 years than I did in a "Field" unit.  Theyre excercises are longer, we just have more of them.  As far as deployments are concerned, I'm on my 2nd from the regiment and the 1st time i was off camp ALL DAY EVERY DAY, I went back to sleep. and this time I'm getting off camp about twice a week.  And thats attached to the NCCIS det.  It dosen't always happen that way, but it can.

Cheerz to beers,
Andrew

 

[Retired RadOp]

Hi Jason. Just some info from a retired Rad Op for you here. I joined in 81, and retired in 01. Served in alot of units. I will rate them for you. 427 Tac Hel Sqn(Excellent posting, and treated great by the airforce types), 4 CMBG HQ and Pigs, Germany(Outstanding, lots of trade experience, to bad its gone,  JSR (Least favoriate posting, too many backstabbing jimmys), 22 Fd Sqn/4 ESR (This posting was excellent, and you are treated great by the Engr's,  2 RCR Sig Sgt (lots of field experience, and the most well organized unit of my career, a tight family unit,  Det Great Village (Outstanding with lots of HF experience, all operators posted out in 01,, too bad,  RFTA 721 Comm Regt (Excellent unit, a tight family unit)  So all in alll Jason I would say over my career the units where I learned the most was the out units. Engrs and RCR's were excellent. Lots of time in the boonies, but the units had some excellent people. Too many sigs together as in HQ and Pigs, and the zoo called JSR, just cause the "Eat your own attitude"..VVV...  Best of luck Jason.

 

[LCIS1976]

Hello all- First time poster here so flame away!

I'm posted to CFJSR this summer with a COS date of July 16. Now July 16 as of this point is looking like a problem as I'm currently approaching 2 months with my home on the market here in sunny  28 degree St. John's NL ,yes you read that right no typo it's actually great weather in St John's. I'm in shock as well.  I guess my first question as I'm typing up a memo here to extend my COS to Aug 16 in a attempt to sell my home before I hit Kingston .how does the powers that be at JSR and I guess base commander deal with requests for delay of COS's? Should i start planning for the worst and look at buying in Kingston before I sell in St John's or do you think the memo for change of COS is going to fly. I ask because I've spent the last 4 plus years here in CFS St. John's and what flys with the CO here is prob a lot different then what flys at a field unit.

Second question - As a LCIS tech  ,Snr Cpl type(who after signing my PER a few weeks ago and my place on the merit list) Should make Mcpl once the board sits again) how hard is it to get myself a tour ASAP once hitting the ground? I'm green good to go on the readiness checks and looking forward to my first tour(and yes the extra coin). Spent the last 4 plus years static and well to say i need a change is a understatement.

lol lastly what have i gotten myself into by asking for CFJSR? I spent the last 4 years as a LAN Administrator in St John's and therefore in the networking IT world pretty much since my LCIS QL3 in 2003(I came from the INF res world before that). I haven't touched a radio in almost 5 years so someone is going to have to show my the on dial. Fingers crossed I get IT once I'm in Kingston though

So first off thanks for reading what I intended to be a short post but quickly spawned into a short novel. Secondly any help/info on life in JSR for the LCIS types or there policy on COS dates changing would be great . Lastly if anyone has any experience with buying a new home while there current home isn't sold yet then help me out as I've been putting off my HHT and I'm running out of time .


Cheers and  See you in Kingston

Patrick

Byrne.PK
CPL
LCIS 227
LAN ADMINISTATOR
CFS ST JOHNS
VVV

 

[George Wallace]

First off the rules are always changing so take this with a grain of salt.  You can leave your house on the Market for a year after your move to your next Posting, without any penalties.  If you sell that home at a loss, the Government will make up a percentage of that loss to lessen the blow.  That percentage is constantly being changed, once having been 100% of the loss at Fair Market Value.  Not selling your house will of course affect your abilities to buy in your next location, so that is a problem.  Putting off your HHT could also be problematic, as you may loose out on it all together, should your Posting Date arrive and you haven't made use of it.   You may land up being posted and living in the Shacks, while you look on weekends for a place to move your family and F&E into.  You are not likely to get your HHT from your gaining unit once you have arrived. 

To change your Report Date, you have to submit a Memo through your C of C.  That does not necessarily mean that you will get your wishes.  I've been there and done that........Landed up having to do an Early Report Date instead...... :-[

Best advice is to see your OR Staff and the staff at Royal Le Page.  They can set you straight on the most recent regulations and benefits.


As for Tours; well you are headed to one of the busiest Units in the CF in these terms.  They deploy on all Tours, so you will no doubt see one very soon.  There are more Ptes in that unit with rows of medals longer than most long serving members in any other unit.....Was going to say NDHQ, but that is a no brainer.  ;D

 

[muffin]

Hey there hubby is an LCIS tech at JSR -

before you can deploy with JSR you must do your light and heavy det courses first. (That took about a year for Hubby). With your IT background you MAY be lucky enough to get a TAV, but this is rare without the other training.

There isn't a ton of radio work done there anymore - CNR (Combat Net Radio) is the shop that works on em, and I will say most new transfers end up there until they have the Light and Heavy Det courses. You may be lucky and get put in the IT tp.

Have you not been assigned a sponsor here in KTown? If not - PM me - hubby says he will make sure you get one.

Good luck with the house -

muffin

 

[LCIS1976]

First thanks for the repsonses one and all. Needless to say things are getting a tad stressful here in St John's witn the house not sold and i'm running out of tiem putting off the house hunting trip.  As for the first response you said a very bad word shacks! I don't think I have it in me as a 30 year old happy homeowner to move back into the shacks. Really hoped those days were behind me. That being said I'm running out of options and my fingers are starting to cramp from all the crossing waiting for my home to sell.

Secondly a full year of courses seems like fun times lol that should shake the rust off of me I hope. needless to say i was hoping to be deployed quicker then that but thats the least of my worries at this moment.

Lastly I have not heard peep from either JSR or CFB Kingston with reguards to a sponsor ,a MFRC welcome package, or even joining instructions  in there defense CFS St.John's here is very much the end of the world.

Oh and i'm in the process of booking the house hunting trip .  I'm thinking east Kingston? While i'm single I'm stil lthinking i want to be with the pod people in the suburbs. Any advice and where and not where to live?

 

[PO2FinClk]

To change your Report Date, you have to submit a Memo through your C of C.  That does not necessarily mean that you will get your wishes.  I've been there and done that........Landed up having to do an Early Report Date instead...... :-[

Best advice is to see your OR Staff and the staff at Royal Le Page.  They can set you straight on the most recent regulations and benefits.

Believe it or not nowadays only an email to the losing CO, then onto the gaining CO requesting the change of report date is required. As far as requesting changes to COS dates, some Career Managers only want emails where others want complete formal correspondence. (Memo, Message, etc)

With regards to your house, as George states, these rules are ever changing, from reimbursing a percentage, to reimbursing capital improvements, the list is exhaustive from year to year. Follow his advice and go speak to IRP to see what your options are with them. You can also read up on the policies directly pertaining to yourself through their policies:
http://www.forces.gc.ca/dgcb/dcba/engraph/CFIRP0708_e.asp?sidesection=2&sidecat=99

 

[muffin]

Cpl Byrne, I will make sure someone from Kingston gets in touch with you ASAP.

muffin

 

[PiperDown]

A change of report day, 30 days in either direction of your COS only requires a quick email from one CO to another.. IF you are trying to change your report date further than 30 days, a memo through your COC is required, as well as career manager intervention.

Its too bad you are not posted/promoted because I have seen a number of guys "on the bubble" get swept away in Kingston.. (Not to distract you)
However, if you are high enough on the merit list, and get promoted this year you will have nothing to worry about.

Cheers, and good luck.

PS, if you are having trouble selling your house or finding a new house in Kingston, why not go IR until things get ironed out?

 

[navymich]

PS, if you are having trouble selling your house or finding a new house in Kingston, why not go IR until things get ironed out?

He mentioned this earlier, which means that IR would therefore not apply, right?

Oh and i'm in the process of booking the house hunting trip .  I'm thinking east Kingston? While i'm single I'm stil lthinking i want to be with the pod people in the suburbs. Any advice and where and not where to live?

 

[aesop081]

He mentioned this earlier, which means that IR would therefore not apply, right?

No..i am single and when i got posted from Gagetown to Greenwood, i could have gone IR because of the short lead time (10 days) so being Married is not a requirement for IR.

 

[navymich]

Not that I don't believe CDN A (okay, sometimes it's doubtful ), but the site outage gave me a chance to do some searching just to learn some new stuff and this is what I found.  From the CFIRP site (more information on link, but this gives the basic):

Members without dependants whose principal residence
is unsold on their COS date may proceed to their new place of
duty under this Addendum and be entitled to the benefits outlined
in Articles A4.17 to A4.20 Section 5 below.

edited to change link to current APS

 

[LCIS1976]

Thanks one and all for the response. You've all helped answer a few questions I've been having as my  COS  date  draws closer. keep your fingers crossed the simple COS date extention i submitted thru my COC flies and that my home sells ASAP. Looks like I'm heading to Kingston on the 25 June regardless if my home sells or not by then.

As for being on the promotion bubble I would be lieing if that thought didn't go thru my mind. I've been assused that the PER i just signed  and my in turn place on the merit list should keep me in the zone but then again I'm about to become Cpl number 20567..... at JSR and I'm not about to step on anyones toes or stab a back or two to climb ahead. hopefully a strongly worded Immediate PER and a high spot on the merit list still counts for something

Lastly IR and the shacks are def my worst case scenario .Think I would try the bridge financing route first but then if my COS is pushed to the 15 Aug hopefully it won't come to that.


Thanks again for the info guys and girls and if you have any more info ,personal experiences or words of wisdom to pass on by all means type away

 

[brin11]

Just a thought as some people have done this.  If you have very good credit you may consider employing a property management company to take care of your current home, install some tenants and take out a second mortgage.  I don't know how feasible that would be for you but if the property values in St. John's are going up you might want to give it a bit of time to get some more equity into your current home and then sell.  Wouldn't be much or any out of pocket expenses except for the credit question.

As I said, just a thought.

Good luck.

 

[phionex]

I have a question for you who are actual sig ops or officers. I am waiting for the call to basic and I have enlisted as a sig op. I am wondering which base is better for a sig ops career advancement and better in general in your opinion: Kingston, Petawawa or Edmonton? Im leaning towards petawawa but I would like you wise advice. Also what does a new sig fresh out of QL3 do at all three bases?