Army Communication & Information Systems Specialists (Sig Op, Lineman and LCIS Amalgamation)

[Brasidas]

Wow, I thought SigOps just weren't getting the modernization package yet, guess its just me. Time to send out an email, I've got time to kill in Kabul.

Course enrolment seems piecemeal. I'm the second guy to get it in my unit; it showed up in my inbox on Friday.

 

[REDinstaller]

I completed mine yesterday. What a total lump of BS. Sig Op indoc is all it is. :facepalm:

 

[JSR OP]

Just Rx'd this email WRT ACISS Modernization Training:


To the Signal Community

1. As most of you already know, the modernization trg has been released in DND Learn for DP 2.0, 3B.0 and 4A.0. Signals personnel have already begun to receive DND Learn accounts which have caused several e-mails to be sent to the Occupational Managers. Although the time limit to complete the Modernization packages are a member/Unit coordination and set for 12 month from the date of the received e-mail, it is imperative that members/Units work on it's completion ASAP.

2. This trg is a pre-requisite (see "Exert from the QS") to the next level and members who do not complete the required trg, risk being delayed from their next Occupational Career Trg Event. Exceptions can be made on a case by case basis with substantiations from the COC to the Occupational Managers.  All personnel must complete the Modernization trg that is pertinent to them according to the criteria below (see" Exert from MWO Dulude CFSCE - for members level of required trg") . The leadership and members must be forthcoming in identifying themselves or their members if they have NOT received an e-mail from DND learn for the Modernization trg event they are deficient in.

Exert from the QS
3B.0 prerequisites
The prerequisites for selection to attend the training described in this QS are as follows:
Be qualified DP2 ACISS;
Be PLQ(L) qualified;
Be the minimum rank of MCpl; and
d. Have a minimum level II security clearance

4A.0 prerequisites
Personnel must meet the following requirements to be selected for this specialty:
Be qualified DP3B ACISS;
Be the minimum rank of sergeant; and
c. Have a minimum level II security clearance



Exert from MWO Dulude CFSCE - for members level of required trg
If you are a Cpl/MCpl not qualified QL5A  - you have to go on your DP2.0 common
If you are a Cpl/MCpl qualified QL5A - you have to do the Mod package DP2.0
*** You also need to do the Mod package if you did the DP2.1 ***
Note: 1. DP 2.0 modernization package is available on DND learn. Members should be receiving or received an email soon, with their login and password.
2. Upon reception on the login and password, the package will be available for approx 12 months.
3. 5 days from the unit should be allocated to the member to complete this Mod trg package

If you are a MCpl/Sgt not qualified QL6A - you have to go on your DP3B.0
If you are a MCpl/Sgt qualified QL6A - you have to do the Mod Trg DP3B.0
*** You also need to do the Mod package if you did the DP3B.1 ***
Note: 1. DP 3B.0 modernization package is available on DND learn. Members should be receiving or received an email soon with their login and password.
2. Upon reception on the login and password, the package will be available for approx 12 months.
3. 7 days from the unit should be allocated to the member to complete this Mod trg package

If you are a Sgt/WO not qualified QL6AB  - you have to go on your DP4A.0
If you are a Sgt/WO qualified QL6B - you have to do the Mod Trg DP4A.0
Note: 1. DP 4A.0 modernization package is available on DND learn. Members should be receiving or received an email soon with their login and password.
2. Upon reception on the login and password, the package will be available for approx 12 months.
3. 7 days from the unit should be allocated to the member to complete this Mod trg package

 

[buzgo]

I did the DP4A.0 test cold without looking at the package. Who decided that it would take 7 days of at home study to pass this thing? I would be shocked and amazed to find that any of the units can afford to let people go for this amount of time... but if you can swing it - do it.

 

[RedKarma]

When's the next one after April 27th? I'm applying right now.

 

[PuckChaser]

If they filled all the positions for the year on April 27th (assuming that it was a correct date), you could be waiting a full year for next year's positions.

 

[Donny]

Do they only do one selection for all the positions or do they brake it down and do few selections?

 

[PuckChaser]

Thats going to depend on how many recruits they need and when. If they need 50 ACISS this year, and they have 300 applicants on April 1st, and want to be able to run an ACISS DP1 course in the Fall with those 50 people, you bet they'll fill the spots right now.

 

[JBP]

I'm sure everyone's already heard now that we're waiting apparently until at LEAST July for an answer about Spec pay. I'm going to hazard a guess (that's all it is) that we won't hear a peep until Sept-Oct and then it will be something to the tune that it's now just in front of the treasury board as they're active review project and it will be another month or so until a decision is rendered.

By that point, end of the yearish... I'm sure no changes will take effect until the next 'fiscal' year. I expect the decision to be 'no' across the board. I'll be violently shocked if spec pay does happen for any of the sub occ's nevermind the entire trade but if it does and they back-pay it. I'm having a spec pay party at my house in the name of vanity and capitalism, all Sigs invited...  >

Anyone else hear of have any higher sources of more firm dates/timings about the review?

 

[Brasidas]

Exert from MWO Dulude CFSCE - for members level of required trg
If you are a Cpl/MCpl not qualified QL5A  - you have to go on your DP2.0 common
If you are a Cpl/MCpl qualified QL5A - you have to do the Mod package DP2.0
*** You also need to do the Mod package if you did the DP2.1 ***
Note: 1. DP 2.0 modernization package is available on DND learn. Members should be receiving or received an email soon, with their login and password.
2. Upon reception on the login and password, the package will be available for approx 12 months.
3. 5 days from the unit should be allocated to the member to complete this Mod trg package

I've been offered a total of two days to complete my 2.0 package. Is there a more formal reference to the 5 days figure for the 2.0 package?

 

[PuckChaser]

They got rid of the ridiculous figure to complete the mod packages. 2 days sounds more reasonable than 5 or 7. I finished the 3B.0 package in a couple hours, it was more difficult to read through the spelling mistakes and obvious copy/paste than it was to comprehend the material.

 

[LineJumper]

I'm curious of the ramifications of not completing DP4A.0 in a timely fashion?  ;D

 

[buzgo]

Endless email harassment by the MES guys?

 

[Rheostatic]

For the modernization package, your chain should support a few days' effort to complete the package (not necessarily consecutive days); according to the MES Manager, failure to complete it within a year is grounds for administrative action.

 

[Rheostatic]

I've been offered a total of two days to complete my 2.0 package. Is there a more formal reference to the 5 days figure for the 2.0 package?

It's in the "learning contract" on the ACISS sharepoint:

 (AKOX) ACISS DP2.0 (M) DL  2 Days
 (AKOY) ACISS DP3.0 (M) DL  3 Days
 (AKOZ) ACISS DP4.0 (M) DL  4 Days

Recent TP Changes have affected the number of training days associated with each module. Please refer to the learning contract for additional details and changes affecting you.

 

[Sizzle709]

Any new information on the ACISS selection dates?

 

[FreeFloat]

ACISS 1.0 FNG: "So, I signed up as an LCIS tech..." - 3/4 of the one's we got were 'suppose' to originally be LCIS...
Me: "What did they teach you in CFSCE/what are you qualified on?"
FNG: "I can setup a mast and generator pretty quick and I can run 3 radios..."
Me: "CJ#$(J#&(RSCFSCE@&$*@($ ..... So you don't know anything about computers, electronics or generally how to fix anything but you'd be great in a Rad det?".
FNG: "Well they said I'd learn most of that here at my unit and when I go do my 2.0 course back at CFSCE."
Me: "Do you have a notepad, a big one...?"

Yeppers, I can see that one coming.  I'm currently just at the beginning of my DP 1.0 here at CFSCE, and several times the topic of ACISS Core versus sub-occs has come up.  The most recent conversation ended with the admission that basically what the DP 1.0 turns out is a very, very basic Sig Op with next to no exposure to any of the other sub-occupations.  "You'll get all that once you get posted to the Brigades for OJT," everyone keeps saying.

 

[Fizzik]

Yeppers, I can see that one coming.  I'm currently just at the beginning of my DP 1.0 here at CFSCE, and several times the topic of ACISS Core versus sub-occs has come up.  The most recent conversation ended with the admission that basically what the DP 1.0 turns out is a very, very basic Sig Op with next to no exposure to any of the other sub-occupations.  "You'll get all that once you get posted to the Brigades for OJT," everyone keeps saying.

That is pretty much 100% correct in the theory behind the newly developed training. You will see the the problems this has created and will continue to create  problems at places such as the Brigades being full of semi-trained no hook privates. It becomes an administration problem among many other imaginative scenarios. From my experience alot of individuals once arriving at Brigade HQ&Sigs are then farmed out to other units in support which is a step in the right direction(more hands-on). Time will allow adjustments and configurations to the trade which will hopefully smooth out the next big recruiting problem. For example the new recruits being recruited as ACISS how is it determined what Sub-Occ stream they will go and their eligibility.

 

[Sig_Des]

You will see the the problems this has created and will continue to create  problems at places such as the Brigades being full of semi-trained no hook privates. It becomes an administration problem among many other imaginative scenarios. From my experience a lot of individuals once arriving at Brigade HQ&Sigs are then farmed out to other units in support which is a step in the right direction(more hands-on).

The hell it is. Maybe for the individuals themselves, sure. They'll be exposed to a lot. For the good of the service and units? Not a chance in hell. When you're a tradesman at a first-line unit, you're supposed to be the SME.

When this first originally rolled out, we were told an ACISS DP1 would be able to function out of the school as a basic CP Operator, with exposure to elements of the other specialties so that they would be familiar with the basics, to a point where they could receive OJT.

What I have found is distinctly different

Voice Procedure - atrocious. And I don't mean needs practice, I mean a complete unfamiliarity with proper procedure on nets, from the basics of a NCS initiated Radio Check, to no knowledge of Radio Reports and Returns.

Troubleshooting skills - almost nonexistent. Beyond recognition of brainfarts of "forgot to plug in the coax", the training they seem to have directs them as soon as they see error codes or something doesn't work, instead of using logical problem-solving process to at least isolate the issue, Find a Tech! When the techs ask what's wrong with it, the invariable answer is "It doesn't work". That or blank N/S tags.

Unfamiliarity with Equipment - I'm not talking about the kids showing up not knowing how to program new stuff, or how to set up DAMA with a 117. I'm talking about a kid not knowing how to attach the amp to the Radio. I'm talking about them not being able to setup an LDN to save their lives. I'm talking about them having never seen a Sputnik Antenna element before.

I brought this up during a town hall with the CFSCE Commandant a couple months ago when he came to visit us in the field. Brought up the fact that it's great that you spend 2 weeks at the school teaching them EPLRS and ECM, even though half of them don't do the training because they don't have the Sec Clearance, and nevermind the fact that EPLRS has not nearly been implemented in the field force, and they won't touch ECM. So instead of wasting time, why not focus on more of the basics. Answer I got "We've gotten that feedback. Which is why they'll get more line training".

I don't want to take away from the guys, they work hard, and they are eager to learn. It's not their fault that the School is pushing the Onus of training the basics onto the HQ & Sigs. It's not their fault that the HQ & Sigs are pushing these kids to first-line units. But that's what's happening, and it's bullshit. Virtualization of training + OJT + DL's is NOT the answer as a REPLACEMENT for proper training, but it's the answer we're getting in the trade, and it's going to bite us in the *** very, very hard. Like skin-grafting hard.

Want to decentralize training? Fine. Send out some standards to the Bdes, setup training troops, and run courses there. Unfortunately, Op Tempo and manning being what it is, we can't afford to do that.

What's the answer? My initial answer apparently isn't acceptable (I was NOT a proponent of amalgamation).  So here goes. First off, the DP1 has to be rewritten. We've been told that the army won't allow any days added onto the training. Fine, then the time available has to be managed better, with the main focus being on the BASICS, taught to a sufficient standard.

To catch the stuff that these guys aren't learning, some sort of STANDARD OJT package has to be pushed out, much like the old QL4. And DP1's should NOT be pushed out to First-line units until they have at least completed that package.

Until then, we're going to get a lot of people falling through the cracks, and the trade is seriously going to suffer for it.

 

[buzgo]

Amen.

And stop sending DP1 troops to CFJSR. The absolute worst place to send a Pte.