Signal Operator Breakdown & Deployment Duties?

[Vaino]

I don't know too much about the Sig O's prospects or career direction, but I have noticed over ten years as a troopie that I seem to bump into the same ones on a regular basis...as though they individually train for a specific path.

Therefore I suspect, highly, that as a Sig O you will be trained in a certain offshoot, and likely follow that your entire career, or most of it.  If your office job works for you, likely you can stay in such a position for eternity...if the Field works for you...same thing. Posting Preferences my friend, research and utilize, then make sure everyone knows you want to work for a living.  We respect that, and wont eat you.lol

To be sure, I am only guessing....appears that way though.

 

[canadianmak]

are v4 signal operators condemned to a desk or can you still get out into the field?

 

[Sig_Des]

are v4 signal operators condemned to a desk or can you still get out into the field?

If they kept all Sigs who are V4 behind a desk, you wouldn't have any field sigs. The trade is full of people who chose it as the closest thing to Cmbt Arms that accepts V4's.

I am Sig Op who's Vcat is 4, and most of my time has been in a field unit.

 

[sm0ke]

The trade is full of people who chose it as the closest thing to Cmbt Arms that accepts V4's.
I am Sig Op who's Vcat is 4, and most of my time has been in a field unit.

This covers my reasoning for wanting to go sig op, and puts to rest the biggest cause for my hesitation.  Thanks a ton.

 

[Sig_Des]

This covers my reasoning for wanting to go sig op, and puts to rest the biggest cause for my hesitation.  Thanks a ton.

Well, best of luck to you. Sig Op wasn't my first, second, or even third choice when I joined, but with the V4 list of trades that was available to me, it was the most interesting, and I've come to greatly enjoy it. There's a lot of different paths available in the trade.

 

[sm0ke]

That was pretty much what it came down to for me when filling out my choices.  My interests and ambitions are driving me toward something combat arms, however circumstances dictate that that is not an option at present.  Perhaps down the road at some point the eyes can get zapped and options will change, but the big thing for me is to get in and get started.  Application is filled out, going to hand it in tomorrow.  Thanks again for the help.  (Been lurking here for years, and greatly appreciate the information and assistance I've received from everyone on the board.  I also sit with child-like anticipation waiting for paracowboy's dailies...)

edit:  typo(s)

 

[Zombie]

During three's you get pretty well every weekend off which in some cases I don't necessarily agree with. However you get most weekends off, once the day is done the day is done. I've had most evening off, might have had to work on kit a little bit but it's never been that hectic. Most evenings I've had time to go for a drive, go into town, etc.

What about inspections? How often and how difficult are they on course? And what about homework, is there a lot, or enough to take up your evenings?

 

[Ex Ranger Instructor]

It's a new rule for the Comm Res that any reserve siggie going over to the Sandbox has to be PLQ qualified. For those Regforce sigops who have been over there do you find this to be a good rule or bad rule given the apparent short supply of Sig Ops? Although leadership skills are critical in the army, are the things you learn in PLQ really needed to be working in a CP in Afghanistan?

This is now officially just a sh**house rumor that has been de-bunked.  I just nominated a Pte for a tour, and he certainly doesn't have PLQ.

 

[Sig_Des]

What about inspections? How often and how difficult are they on course? And what about homework, is there a lot, or enough to take up your evenings?

Depends on your course, and if you've f**ked up. On my 5's this summer, we had one punishment inspection, lasted most of the evening, and we had a total of 7 Sgts and MCpls tearing through our rooms...Usually all seven in one room at a time....pretty funny when I look back on it.

Willy can attest to the above. He came into my room, looked at me, and told me it was now my rooms responsibility to get rid of the cam paint that was on the floor. So there were the four of us, scrappin off the wax with gerbers....

3's we had one inspection a week, unless we screwed up, and those were closed locker. Depends on the course and the staff.

This is now officially just a sh**house rumor that has been de-bunked.  I just nominated a Pte for a tour, and he certainly doesn't have PLQ.

I was pretty sure it was some asshat coming with BS, and I know I was never able to find a CRD on it, but we had a tasking Sgt who wouldn't nominate anyone who didn't have PLQ, and stated it was Comm Res policy. He is thankfully no longer in that position. Ah well, no matter, I don't really belong to the Comm Res anymore, anyway. Hooray!

 

[JSR OP]

I was pretty sure it was some asshat coming with BS, and I know I was never able to find a CRD on it, but we had a tasking Sgt who wouldn't nominate anyone who didn't have PLQ, and stated it was Comm Res policy. He is thankfully no longer in that position. Ah well, no matter, I don't really belong to the Comm Res anymore, anyway. Hooray!

When this first came up here, I spoke with a Sgt with 70 Comm Gp a while back and she didn't know anything about it.  I couldn't remember what thread it was in at the time...

 

[canadianblue]

Quote from: Sigs Guy on July 20, 2006, 16:38:20
During three's you get pretty well every weekend off which in some cases I don't necessarily agree with. However you get most weekends off, once the day is done the day is done. I've had most evening off, might have had to work on kit a little bit but it's never been that hectic. Most evenings I've had time to go for a drive, go into town, etc.


What about inspections? How often and how difficult are they on course? And what about homework, is there a lot, or enough to take up your evenings?

Inspection's aren't that difficult, they mostly care about dust, and the odd time will yell at you for some BS. As well it is open locker inspections here at the school unfortunately. You usually have your evenings off, even with homework that might take maybe 30-45 minutes unless it the homework you get when you do line training which can take up a whole evening. You will usually have your evenings off as well as your weekends. Another thing is that your no longer allowed to drink in the shacks if your a Sig Op, they couldn't find a guy that did some stupid prank, so they decided to blame the Sigs for some reason.

One warning though, for the most part your QL3's will be boring, I've never been so bored in my life as I have been in Kingston. I've only got two and a half weeks left and hope to never see CFSCE ever again.

 

[2929]

Depends on your course, and if you've f**ked up. On my 5's this summer, we had one punishment inspection, lasted most of the evening, and we had a total of 7 Sgts and MCpls tearing through our rooms...Usually all seven in one room at a time....pretty funny when I look back on it.

That was pretty funny for us to watch... until it was our turn! ;D

 

[2929]

Inspection's aren't that difficult, they mostly care about dust, and the odd time will yell at you for some BS. As well it is open locker inspections here at the school unfortunately. You usually have your evenings off, even with homework that might take maybe 30-45 minutes unless it the homework you get when you do line training which can take up a whole evening. You will usually have your evenings off as well as your weekends. Another thing is that your no longer allowed to drink in the shacks if your a Sig Op, they couldn't find a guy that did some stupid prank, so they decided to blame the Sigs for some reason.

One warning though, for the most part your QL3's will be boring, I've never been so bored in my life as I have been in Kingston. I've only got two and a half weeks left and hope to never see CFSCE ever again.

Inspections are well... inspections... it all depends on the mood of your staff. Hygiene/cleanliness was a BIG thing with our inspections. The only time we didn't have evenings off was when we screwed something up, that only happened once or twice. We always had weekends off, hell we even had two 3 day weekends! ;D Homework was very minimal, I can not remember more then one occasion where I actually had to spend over 45min doing homework and/or preparing for inspection! Most evenings I had time to walk into town grab some good food, catch a movie, go to the gym, etc. Weekends... well that's a whole different ball of worms!

As for QL3 being boring, yes, some of the theory stuff is quite dry and boring. Although I did find a lot of stuff interesting, mostly because our instructors were very good and worked hard to make class stimulating. CFSCE is as fun as you make it, Kingston is a great town. Work hard! Play Hard!

p.s.
Sigs Guy, was this no drinking in the shacks thing a new policy for everyone or just you RegF guys?

 

[canadianblue]

Just Sig Ops in general so I'm assuming that goes for reservists as well if they ever come down to Kingston for training. Personally, the new rule is completely useless since the action that happened was not proven to be done by a Sig Op, no proof was ever shown that any of the Signals courses had done it.

Personally, I might save some of my rants for when I go off to Winnipeg and am away from CFSCE for sure.

 

[Canadian Sig]

Not everyone follows the new rule anyway. My wife is currently on her 5's and she has certainly seen the rule "stretched"..lol

 

[canadianblue]

When your on your 3's its a bit different, they've threatened to send us back to Borden.

 

[Canadian Sig]

When your on your 3's its a bit different, they've threatened to send us back to Borden.

I know and I know the Master Jack who threatens you (I used to work for or with all of your staff ). Trust me when I tell you that sending you back to anywhere is'nt as easy as it sounds. That being said if you guys only have about 2 weeks left then it's best to stick with the rules and save it for your posting. Have fun in the field next week BTW, it will be something you'll remember for years to come.

 

[Canadian Sig]

In reply to the origional question of this thread; I served on Roto 0 in Afghanistan as a SDS driver/signaller. It was a great job and I was outside of the wire everyday. On a deployment now you could be working in the battle group cp and never leave the wire or you could wind up as a rifle company signaller and be out side and in the sh!t everyday. We just had a sig from 2 Sigs in Pet who was shot in the head about 2 weeks ago. He will survive and he's staying in but he will likely lose an eye from it. The point is that sigs jobs are varied and there are lots of them. Just make sure that you always pay attention and learn whatever you can, whether its signaling skills or soldier/fighting skills.

 

[canadianblue]

But their are also alot of jobs in IS, Message Center, Long Range Comms, etc. Personally this trade hasn't really sparked my interest much, but if you are interested in the communications field then go for it. I'm not going to be able to do much of any of the stuff that Canadian Sig pointed out since I'm going to a static posting in Winnipeg.

So far I've found that people either love the trade, or people hate it. It all depends on what you want out of life. Personally if I had the choice again I would have picked a different trade.

 

[canadianmak]

I was just curious if you are promoted when you finish you’re Sig Ops training, or OJT, or is it still based on time in. It won’t affect my decision at all, just wondering.

Thanks a lot