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

[rmc_wannabe]

If only there was a magical place that existed that everyone world wide had access to. It could be like a web that connects millions of people!

Ah, but that is just a dream off in the distance I guess.

Like I said earlier, communication is our job, not out policy ;D

 

[Swingline1984]

So it's "the process" that has given only 3 official updates in 3.5 years ( and each update promises a final answer in a couple months)

Or it's "the process" that started a SharePoint site as a repository of information.... That's last upload was 2011 ?

If "the process"  gives repeated vague and inaccurate updates, the rumour, conjecture and misplaced anger is sure to take its place.

How are rumours that came out of the vacuum the Branch's fault?  Don't get me wrong...I too am unhappy with the lack of updates, but then on the flip side I also don't see how constantly sending out bulletins that say "nothing yet" would have helped anybody.  I think they were pretty up front when they originally stated and then continued to state, "as soon as we have any new info we'll pass it on".  No news is just that...no news.  If it's blame that you wish to assign then hang it on a certain member of the Liberal International Affairs Council of Advisors "providing advice on foreign and defence issues" (who had a personal hate on for Sigs) for pushing MES down our throats before we were ready for it...blah blah blah...building a plane in flight...blah blah blah...

We're all tired and need some good news or at least just an end to the waiting I understand that and I hope the upcoming update from DSigs is a rosy one, but somehow I doubt it.  Again a fault of the process not necessarily the people.  Hang in there...it can't get worse.

 

[PuckChaser]

If it's blame that you wish to assign then hang it on a certain member of the Liberal International Affairs Council of Advisors "providing advice on foreign and defence issues" (who had a personal hate on for Sigs) for pushing MES down our throats before we were ready for it...blah blah blah...building a plane in flight...blah blah blah...

That makes a little bit more sense, but wasn't the whole MES system Sigs-led? It seemed like a terrible idea to start with, we're already seeing the damage cutting apart the DP1 training is doing. We could have rationalized what was being taught without pretending we could create an all-singing, all-dancing Signaller.

 

[Swingline1984]

That makes a little bit more sense, but wasn't the whole MES system Sigs-led? It seemed like a terrible idea to start with, we're already seeing the damage cutting apart the DP1 training is doing. We could have rationalized what was being taught without pretending we could create an all-singing, all-dancing Signaller.

MES was the son of MOSART (which was another bad idea along the same lines that died) and no one took it seriously until it was imposed on us along with an implementation date (it's coming to the rest of the military eventually if it hasn't already started).  I've been in some high level discussions and it may not seem like it, but while the troops have been getting rogered with a red hot poker, there was a lot of effort on all fronts to re-align and re-vamp training (from the bottom up) to produce a better product than what we have been getting (a disservice to both the member and the line units that receive them).  Trust me (if you feel you can trust a random guy on the interwebz) that things will get better rather than worse (there is still a bill in both time and sweat that we each have to pay to make it work).  If only we could put the whole pay review behind us it would allow us to get on with the healing process.

 

[PuckChaser]

Well, I've seen a rough outline of fixing the DP1 training (downloading stuff from the 1.1s and 2.1s, and it does look a lot better. I just sincerely hope they don't try to keep the DP1 at 50 training days, while shoehorning more crap into it. I fear we've backed ourselves into this short training cycle corner, and trying to increase the time it takes to create a DP1 ACISS member might not go over well in an era of budget cuts; even if its desperately required.

I absolutely trust that there's people out there trying to fix what was so recently broken, I just hope they outnumber those who think how things are done now is just fine.

 

[227_LCIS]

Is the ACISS SharePoint still active, if so does anyone have the link? Would like to get the PLAR scorecards off of it for the IST courses so I can actually show something for all the civi courses I have taken in Ottawa.

 

[JSR OP]

Here is a link to the site I think you're looking for:
    http://acims.mil.ca/capdev/ACISS/default.aspx

There is a link to PLAR stuff there, but it's not functional.

 

[227_LCIS]

If the PLAR stuff in N/S I might have to go find an IST that still has their score cards and go from there. Thanks for the link though.

 

[Sig_Des]

If the PLAR stuff in N/S I might have to go find an IST that still has their score cards and go from there. Thanks for the link though.

I don't know if they have one at your unit, but I remember out west someone was assigned as a Bde MES manager. You could ask through your FofS to see if they have any input.

 

[JSR OP]

227_LCSS, PM sent

 

[upandatom]

Recently heard from the school,
(I know I am not still in, but I do have friends still in)

LST dropped the Spec Pay chase?
CST is good to go and ready for it?(Apparently the Sub Occupation has been approved all the way up)
IST is still waiting to get their ppwk in order for approval?

Typical disclaimer, the person that told me about it is not a member of this site, but let me know what is going on with it because I was one affected by it (and chances are, had MES not happened, I would still be in the CAF), and as always, this is word of mouth. Could be a rumor mill going as it was passed down his CoC.

 

[PuckChaser]

Its funny that your friend is fanning the rumour mill, because two weeks ago the CFSCE Cmdt and RSM refused to say anything about the issue, only that DSigs would be providing an update "soon" as he was aware of the lack of information. They even went so far as to say they have an idea what is going on, but wouldn't fan the rumour flames with info that's not directly released from higher.

The reason we're in this gongshow is because everyone has a "friend" who "knows whats up" or was "passed this from his CoC". None of it is true, and probably none of it is from the actual people who are working on the file.

Misinformation is worse than no information.

 

[REDinstaller]

It's too bad that the misinformation seed was planted by the MES team right from the get go.

 

[upandatom]

Its funny that your friend is fanning the rumour mill, because two weeks ago the CFSCE Cmdt and RSM refused to say anything about the issue, only that DSigs would be providing an update "soon" as he was aware of the lack of information. They even went so far as to say they have an idea what is going on, but wouldn't fan the rumour flames with info that's not directly released from higher.

The reason we're in this gongshow is because everyone has a "friend" who "knows whats up" or was "passed this from his CoC". None of it is true, and probably none of it is from the actual people who are working on the file.

Misinformation is worse than no information.

You mean all of the signals world is saying this? What do you expect, I am not doubting what you say, even with a Cmdt and RSM saying we arent saying about it there are other channels that information gets passed down from. I have been at a brief where the Cmdt says one thing and then 20 minutes later other information is passed down. Putting a No comment out there, is not the same as there is no answer or information. They are probably just as sick as everyone else hearing and discussing this and just want effin answers.

 

[Brasidas]

It's too bad that the misinformation seed was planted by the MES team right from the get go.

Exactly.

The reason we're in this gongshow is because everyone has a "friend" who "knows whats up" or was "passed this from his CoC". None of it is true, and probably none of it is from the actual people who are working on the file.

Misinformation is worse than no information.

The reason we're in this gongshow is because MES was oversold by the people overseeing MES, and the original misinformation came from them.  It did come from the people working on the file. The "we haven't heard about spec pay, but a decision is coming soon" started there and was perpetuated by others after the fact.  The second-hand rumours aren't helpful, but they certainly aren't surprising with how the mess was conducted.

 

[JBP]

On a different note... It seems that it's becoming very prevalent and obvious to many that we're short pers again. And we're short ISTs like crazy! But I heard that we're short roughly 500 Sigs all trades considered.

I think it took a couple years for the positions to get sorted out and is still shaking out but a lot of new positions have been identified as IST and there's no people to fill them. Just at JSR apparently we're short like 40-50 IST! That's a massive backlog to fill. How short are we at the brigades? All I know when I left Edmonton was that on paper we were close to having the ISTs needed but in reality we seriously could have used 5 more decent guys.

I suppose this could be a good thing for IST or a bad thing. Either a promotion vacuum or stagnation issue. It seems that's why we've been promoting 90+ Sigs or ACISS-Core since I've got in, attrition alone is causing it. But if we don't have enough people joining the ranks with fresh blood wouldn't (Shouldn't?) that cause stagnation and NOT as many promotions?

 

[upandatom]

On a different note... It seems that it's becoming very prevalent and obvious to many that we're short pers again. And we're short ISTs like crazy! But I heard that we're short roughly 500 Sigs all trades considered.

I think it took a couple years for the positions to get sorted out and is still shaking out but a lot of new positions have been identified as IST and there's no people to fill them. Just at JSR apparently we're short like 40-50 IST! That's a massive backlog to fill. How short are we at the brigades? All I know when I left Edmonton was that on paper we were close to having the ISTs needed but in reality we seriously could have used 5 more decent guys.

I suppose this could be a good thing for IST or a bad thing. Either a promotion vacuum or stagnation issue. It seems that's why we've been promoting 90+ Sigs or ACISS-Core since I've got in, attrition alone is causing it. But if we don't have enough people joining the ranks with fresh blood wouldn't (Shouldn't?) that cause stagnation and NOT as many promotions?

Dealt and seen that a bit. A CST jumping ship to IST created a lot of open spaces for members to get promoted. There were and are a lot of people being promoted that shouldn't of been. (Im not saying everyone didnt deserve it) The maturity level was just not there, and they weren't quite ready yet. They were great CSTs don't get me wrong, I know a couple that have been promoted in the last year that its a little bit mind boggling how far down the merit list they had to go. That will hurt those members later in their careers.

I think I have IST Joeschmo figured  out as to who they are, and they can attest to the extreme lack of TI and experience from the CST at JSR.

Sidenote- Are there any MCpls that have been a CST or IST the whole way through yet? or just Forced OTs?

 

[Jager]

Sidenote- Are there any MCpls that have been a CST or IST the whole way through yet? or just Forced OTs?

If you include Cpl's that started as CST or IST when the sub occs started, then yes I know several

 

[upandatom]

If you include Cpl's that started as CST or IST when the sub occs started, then yes I know several

I mean more of those that were recruited as an ACISS

 

[JBP]

I mean more of those that were recruited as an ACISS

Pretty sure there are some ACISS-Core who have already been promoted to MCpl since 1 Oct 2011 when the official trade change happened... If not yet, there will be come this APS! Core is still promoting an absolutely retarded number of people post-Afghanistan somehow. Good thing for them I suppose! Terrible for the trade as a whole.

I've been DOING an IST job since I got in, but that was before this whole transmogrification took place!

Now that I think about it... There's a guy whom showed up in Edmonton in 2010, and is now a Jack who has been doing IST things the whole time, so he'd be one of the newer generation I guess but even still. Not truly through the entire new training system and all that, he still did do a Sig Op QL3 I believe.