I was a reg force Sig Op, and I am now a reserve infantryman. I did it because I had the bloody foolish notion that I ought to go back to university and finish my degree, and the much more legitimate motive of wanting to do the whole "patriotic Newfoundlander" thing and wear a caribou on my hat.
I was a sig op in the first place because initially, my eyes were rated too poor for the combat arms. During the eye exam everybody was given on BMQ, I received a better eye rating, so I OT'd when I CT'd at the end of my contract.
I love the idea of not having to deal with any more kit than I can carry. I'm a distance runner, and I did IRONMAN twice back in my glory days in Petawawa, and I was keen on the idea of getting more use out of my legs. Doing physical stuff up at the sharp end. The great irony of it all is, I spent 1-07 in Kabul driving staff officers and such around the city and delivering mail, while many of my old Signals buddies were employed in Kandahar as company signallers and the like. That would have more to do with the component transfer than the occupation transfer, however. I can't complain, though. The weather was warm, and the food was fantastic.
Granted, Sig Op had its perks, too--generally owing to Sigs having generators, and therefore AC power, in the field. I remember one particular exercise working at a radio re-broadcast detachment; we had two detachments, each with a five-man tent. We ran extension cords into the tent to set up small ceramic heaters. There was snow on the ground, but the tent was so warm, I had to sleep on top of the sleeping bag.
What exercises I have been on (they've been few, owing to the fact that I transferred at the end of April '06, did SQ and DP1 (Inf) that summer, and started predeployment training in November '06) have been enjoyable.
I love my regiment, but I miss Petawawa.
Why do you ask? What's your situation?