How are Artillery DP1 and DP2 different from Infantry DP1 and DP2? What do DP1 and DP2 focus on?
Our language can be quite confusing when we use abbreviations and numbers to represent something!
DP in this case refers to Developmental Period (DP). DP1 is all the Individual Training (IT) required for somebody to be qualified to perform their role at the entry level in their first unit. For all officers it includes Basic Officer Military Qualification (BMOQ) which is typically run at CFLRS St-Jean and then whatever courses are required by their Branch (MOSID) to be able serve at their unit.
Almost all Army officers will take BMOQ-A (Basic Military Officer Qualification Army), which used to be called CAP and Phase II before that. This teaches leadership in a tactical environment where you command a Section of your peers through tactical tasks. You also learn the common weapon systems. Its a demanding 12-week course with lots of field time.
After BMOQ-A officers will take the DP1 courses specific to their Branch. In the case of the two Branches you mention:
- Infantry Officers DP 1.1 and DP 1.2. Each of these is something like 12 weeks long. DP1.1 focuses on dismounted platoon tactics while DP1.2 focuses on mounted (LAV) platoon tactics. These are demanding courses with plenty of hands-on field time.
- Artillery Officers DP1.1 and DP1.2 Artillery Officer. I am afraid that I do not know much about those, but I believe that DP1.1 focuses on learning the various junior officer positions in a gun battery while DP 1.2 adds in a mechanized context. I could be wrong! These are also demanding courses with plenty of field time.
DP2 is everything you do as a junior officer after completing DP1 and before you become a Major. This includes courses but also your experience doing your job. This experiential pillar becomes more important as you pr0gress. There is some distributed/on-line training required by all called AJOSQ (Army Junior Officer Staff Qualification?) which teaches all the the little things that officers need to know how to do. Then there is the Army Tactical Operations Course (ATOC) in Gagetown that teaches Combat Team tactics and the Army Operations Course (AOC) in Kingston that teaches Battle Group and Brigade level planning and tactics. Some branches also have specific DP2 courses (Arty certainly has some).
DP3 is the period when you are a Major and LCol. Lots of time to worry about that later!
