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

[211RadOp]

I have a funny feeling this is going to come back and bite the C&E branch in the a**...

Guess who is going to apply for all these shiny new DND public service jobs? It will be the uniformed incumbents, who are already fully trained and security cleared. And they will get them, as they are the most qualified, and have the inside track on the hiring process. It is already happening where I work.

YES!! I might move higher on the merit list!! There is hope for me  ;D

 

[Jimmy67]

Hope it's worth it when you end up as IC of a 1-man det... ;D

All kidding aside, I think what concerns me most is this whole amalgamation plan was bulldozed through so fast, and with so little input from the people it affects. For the new kids, it will be business as usual, and the "new normal". How it will affect those of us with 10+ years of service is not being discussed at all... Why the secrecy?

As previous posters have mentioned, shouldn't the Air Force's experiences with trade amalgamation tell us something (not to mention the Radop/Telop and Fin/Admin fiascoes)? And as far as replacing a lot of IM Gp pers with civilian PS employees or contracters, it is nothing but ASD in sheep's clothing, and we know how well it has worked in other parts of the mil organization...   :

 

[pstrois]

Alright, I have a few mindsets on this topic , and a few questions aswell.
Im a Lineman On OJT right now doing Line maintnance on Base borden

The amalgamation will probably bump the climbing portion of the course, since it is not very much used anymore.. the currently trained lineman will be able to perform the task if needed,  (altho we will get caught with our pants down if all the lineman civi out)  Right.
The priority is not climbing poles tho. At least I think

Secondly, If My Lineman 3's start in January 09.. Probly the last  Lineman course.. What will happen to us? Will we simply be grandfathered, and get the Lcis, Sig training on our 4's and be glad we are lineman's

I would like to know, What makes me wanna stay in and not VR right now or OT..

Thanks!

 

[052]

stay in. it will be good for you if your part of the last course

as for climbing, im at a HQ&Sigs sqn and i climb alot. theres poles all around the sector. i just got back from wainwright and we recabled the whole thing. that was massive climbing and so many 'static' things to be done.

 

[pstrois]

Exellent thanks for the advise,

 

[Maraduer]

Im glad I retired when I did, It was bad enough being redesignated a Sig Op 215 and loosing our MOC211. we werent able to make cop jokes anymore. Now being redesignated again.  This is modern progress for you. Next they will amalgamate Infantry into our trade or something along that line, or maybe techs will be joined with ops to be one trade ;D

 

[JBP]

Im glad I retired when I did, It was bad enough being redesignated a Sig Op 215 and loosing our MOC211. we werent able to make cop jokes anymore. Now being redesignated again.  This is modern progress for you. Next they will amalgamate Infantry into our trade or something along that line, or maybe techs will be joined with ops to be one trade ;D

Yeah, that's the funny part. Techs and Ops are being amalgamated as I stated in the original post. LCIS Techs, Sig Ops and Lineman will basically be the same trade eventually. Where you will specialize in a given field depending on you're training after you're 3's and any previous knowledge or natural aptitude for a given field like IS/IT or fixing things or climbing poles.

 

[Bintheredunthat]

I have a funny feeling this is going to come back and bite the C&E branch in the a**...

Guess who is going to apply for all these shiny new DND public service jobs? It will be the uniformed incumbents, who are already fully trained and security cleared. And they will get them, as they are the most qualified, and have the inside track on the hiring process. It is already happening where I work. It will cause a huge bleed-off of experience when 45 year old Sgt Bloggins gets told "sorry about your luck (and your house, and your spouse's job, etc), you are going back to Pet again", and he looks at his CM and replies "actually no, I just won the PS competition for my present job as a civvy, so here is my release. Have a nice life..." Multiply this by hundreds of cases, ranging in rank from Cpl to CWO and it will make FRP look like a small blip...

And until the issues of spec pay and mobility between sub trades are clarified, it will be very difficult to get bodies to stay in the non-tech side of the house.

If this branch wants to retain people, it is going to have to start holding out some carrot, instead of stick... Anyone's thoughts on this?

Yup - I'd be willing to bet that Calian is ironing out a plan as we speak to iron out how they'll lock down such a huge bid for pers with such qualifications. 

Listen up ladies and gents, get yourself into Resume class and dig out that UER for some content.  The grass on the other side could be looking pretty green very soon.

P.S. - I'm enjoying the color of the grass on the other side right now.  ;D

Bin

 

[Niteshade]

I was chatting it up with a sigop Cpl. at my local CFRC who said that this amalgamation stuff was news to him. His thought is this is not going to happen.

Just food for thought...

Nites

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I saw the letter from the CLS directing it will happen a year ago.  Its happening.  That was during a Branch brief from the Col and Branch CWO.

 

[mp_ada]

Would this have any effect on those of us trying to get in as a SIG Officer?

 

[Eye In The Sky]

No, it will not directly affect the Sig O trade itself.

It will affect those who you are in charge of though.  Morale issues are sure to spin out of this...IMO.  As I am not Green sigs I won't comment on the working aspects of it (capabilities increase/decrease, etc).

 

[Snafu-Bar]

I'm curious if this is mainly to concentrate on the training aspects(amalgamating) or the end jobs themselves?


Cheers

 

[mp_ada]

As I am not Green sigs I won't comment on the working aspects of it (capabilities increase/decrease, etc).

Can you tell me what this means?

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Can you tell me what this means?

When they amalgamate the trades, the way business is done will change somewhat.  I am not sure what will be the positive and negative changes, as I am Air Force C & E right now, not army C & E.  Current capabilities could be improved in some areas, and diminished in other areas (in terms of skill sets, capabilities, man power, ORBATs, etc).

 

[mp_ada]

Ok thanks....makes total sense now   Do you work with any CELE Officers?  That's my second choice...

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Ok thanks....makes total sense now   Do you work with any CELE Officers?  That's my second choice...

Yes, I do.  On the Wing, the WTISSO is a CELE Capt, and we have several CELEs waiting for the CELE crse at 1 Sqn doing OJT here as well.

 

[mp_ada]

Yes, I do.  On the Wing, the WTISSO is a CELE Capt, and we have several CELEs waiting for the CELE crse at 1 Sqn doing OJT here as well.

Awesome...I'll have to keep you in mind if I need any info on that side of things (if you don't mind)   I'll leave this thread back on topic now...

 

[Sig_Des]

I was chatting it up with a sigop Cpl. at my local CFRC who said that this amalgamation stuff was news to him. His thought is this is not going to happen.

Just food for thought...

Nites

Funny. Had an O group point passed down that we'll see the first amalgamated QL3's come through before the end of 2009.

 

[Jimmy67]

  According to my chief, and the CWO of IM Group, it's happening... We had a briefing ref this and they made no bones about it. I figure this is pretty solid since IM Gp will be the most affected by all this (the majority of the non-field postings on the block for replacement by civilians belong to them). I say this because I see the replacement of these positions by civvies and the pending trade amalgamation as as closely linked, and part of the same plan (to transform green sigs pers into a field only trade).

  The feeling in the higher levels is that it will be easier to plug in pers to the areas most short of personnel (we all know which one that is if they can be "streamed" upon recruitment, probably regardless of the member's wishes. Once the member has completed basic training, it will be very difficult to leave if they do not like where they are "streamed"...

As in "abracadabra, you joined to be a tech, but you're now a sig op!"...

What you will have in effect is one "super-trade", but not everyone will get the same benefits (ie spec pay). Not on, in my book, and sounds like moving deck chairs to me. You might as well just leave things as they are, with 3 separate trades. This move will do nothing but p**** people off IMHO...

I repeat, this my opinion only. Your mileage may differ ;D