Comm Research

[sailorprivateer]

Hey guys - I got the call last month and I heading for BMQ in a couple of weeks! So they offered me a COMM RSCH in the Navy! (Yes, I was hoping to be with the NAVY)

Just a question for people in the trade with the Navy element, do you still designated to a "home port" even though this job is mostly posted in Ottawa or Kingston (or maybe that term is just some sort of a cliche for wherever you are posted)? The way I see it as a civilian is that after Naval Environmental Training, it's farewell CFB dockyards unless they send you to a ship which is unlikely for new guys according to previous posts here. I read a post here is that a Navy guy they know that they've already retired and never worked on a ship.

I have read a post here a while back before realizing the CAF will offer me the Navy element, is that CFB Borden is also doing Naval Environmental Training, is that true? Not that it matters, but the way I see it OS's should have some sort of a dockyard exposure as part of the training. I don't know maybe CAF are doing some avante-garde training, no need to go to a dockyard or airbase to do your environmental training.

 

[PuckChaser]

From the guys I've met that were RCN Comm Rsch, they didn't do NET unless they were going to a ship posting, which is a handful of positions and hard to get.

You're going to be RCN in uniform only, which is why so many Comm Rsch folks apply for element change when they can, because your DEU colour has no bearing on what postings you get.

 

[sailorprivateer]

From the guys I've met that were RCN Comm Rsch, they didn't do NET unless they were going to a ship posting, which is a handful of positions and hard to get.

I see. This is new information to me, to be honest. Oh well...

You're going to be RCN in uniform only, which is why so many Comm Rsch folks apply for element change when they can, because your DEU colour has no bearing on what postings you get.

Is there a reason why they opt for an element change? For the time being, I have no plans for an element change unless it will be a disadvantage for my Comm Rsch career.

 

[PuckChaser]

Dress of the day for RCAF and CA is CADPAT. If you're RCN, its NCDs unless you're at a field unit. CADPAT is like camo pyjamas. A lot of the guys didn't like wearing the RCN DEU either, for whatever reason.

 

[George Wallace]

Is there a reason why they opt for an element change? For the time being, I have no plans for an element change unless it will be a disadvantage for my Comm Rsch career.

Changing your Element (Uniform) will have NO AFFECT here.  You have one Career Manager; who covers all Elements.

Only way to change Career Managers is to change Trades.  [

 

[sailorprivateer]

@PuckChaser @George Wallace

Thanks for the reply guys. Hope to meet you both one day.

 

[211RadOp]

PuckChaser is correct on the NET. However you will do BMQ-A (formerly known as BMQ-L) prior to completing your DP1. And yes even the RCN and RCAF Comm Rsch have to complete it.

 

[Collin.t]

A few more piece of info, the website is wrong about the training time, according to CFFSE website the QL3 is ~78 training days, so close to 4 months.

After the QL3(DP1 or whatever it's called nowadays) you are likely to get posted to Ottawa, you can also request to stay in Kingston to be posted to the regiment.

The navy uniform is IMO more comfortable than the CADPAD, especially if all you do is sit at a desk doing computer related work, think of it as business attire. Also massive perk, you can grow a beard !!

There are no postings to ships anymore as that was for the Destroyers (last one was decommissioned 2 weeks ago), but Comm Rsch still go on ships for deployments.

 

[Alpheus]

So I've accepted my OT offer to go Comm Rsch, going on BTL July 13th.  Just wondering what will happen next.  I am assuming I will stay at my current base until I do my phase 1, then back home until I get my clearance, back for part 2, then posting to Letrim or 21EW.

Or will I go to Kingston straight away and have to wait/OJE/OJT before and between parts 1 and 2?

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I know of one guy who CTd/OTd and stayed where he was until his 3s, and another one who went to Kingston and then was APd back to his geo location until clearance and course loading message.

If you can find an OJE place at the base/wing/etc you are posted to now, that might make it easier to stay in place until you're course-loaded.  My advice, from having done an OT and having been a sponsor for OTs and people who are PATs, find a place you can be gainfully employed and make life easier for whoever your BTL Co-ordinator will be.  If you're first contact with the BTL Co-ord includes "unit/sub-unit X has indicated I could be gainfully employed there, here is MCpl/Sgt So-and-so as the POC", my experience is this makes life a lot smoother and easier.

 

[Alpheus]

Thanks for the reply.  OJE might be tricky, I'm in Edmonton, not too much EW in this neck of the woods.  What about an ILP?

 

[PuckChaser]

If you already have Secret or TS, the remainder of your clearance won't take long. You'll also have to speak to your new CoC and find out what's available for you, all the off the street rubberheads staged out of Kingston and did anything from OJT at EW to port security on the coasts.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Thanks for the reply.  OJE might be tricky, I'm in Edmonton, not too much EW in this neck of the woods.  What about an ILP?

'

You won't be trade qual'd at all so OJE doesn't have to be so narrow.  You're basically looking for anything that will keep you gainfully employed - the guy I know who is waiting for clearance and course dates is at a Wing RTF (Readiness Trg Flight...IBTS stuff).  This keeps him home with his wife and means he isn't paying R & Q and doing Kingston PAT *stuff*.

If you find something that your BTL Co-ord can tell the BTL Manager "mbr is gainfully employed", it might help you avoid being pre-positioned to Kingston like Puckchaser mentions above and avoid all the stupid shit that comes along with that type of stuff. 

Anything that is IT related is good OJE.  There's got to be a Sig Sqn in Edmonton.

 

[Ludoc]

Do you want to go to 21 EW once you are qualified? If so ask about getting on a Bison course. I am pretty sure we (LdSH (RC), where I am pretty sure you are posted) will be running one shortly. Recce needs to qualify new drivers and the maintainers will need to qualify the new guys that are getting posted in this summer.

Learning to drive an armoured vehicle while posted to an armoured unit would give you a leg up on your course mates once posted to 21 EW.

Plus the Regiment is super short of dudes. If you asked to stay around and get experience as a Bison driver while waiting to be course loaded I am sure the the Regiment would be happy to accommodate you.

 

[sailorprivateer]

Hello guys I'm back!

I got my posting message on Friday and it says I'm heading to CFSCE Kingston. Does that mean I will be on course? Me thinks it's fast considering you need a security clearance to get into the course. But anyway, that's where I'm headed the day after grad. It's hard to complain about that. lol

Assuming that I would be able to finish the course at CFSCE, do I have the option of choosing for my posting preference? Last question, how come one guy in my platoon got 00120-02 as his MOSID while the rest of Comm Rsch guys are just 01. Does education is a factor in this and is he going to get preferential treatment and get promoted faster? Not a big deal for myself, it's just nobody here knows why.

 

[meni0n]

pretty sure all the new guys are 02, once you're 5s qualified you become 01. So whoever the clerk that gave new guys 01 made a mistake.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

The -02 part means "Junior".  It means you don't get spec pay yet even as a Cpl.  That will change to -01 once you get quald QL5.  If it were me and I was not QL5 quald and had 00120-01 down for my MOSID, I'd be asking my supervisor to get an OR appointment/see the OR myself if I was permitted to do that and verify that I am NOT receiving spec pay.  Why?  Sooner or later the system WILL recover it.

You'll notice that not all MOSIDS use the -01 and -02 the same way.  In my trade (AES Op) like Comm Rsch, the -02 is used to denote *Junior* and -01 means QL5 qual.  However, other trades like AC Op and Med Tech use -02 etc to denote sub-occs/quals such as PAR Controller, PA so there is a possibility for clerks to make an honest mistake.

http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/caf-community-pay/specialist-pay-reg-force-ncm-mosids.page

 

[PuckChaser]

You can put down posting preferences, doesn't mean you'll get what you want. You may not be going on course right away, it's likely PAT platoon. You'll have to clear in there and talk to SMP clerk to start your clearance upgrade. The VOT message does not automatically start it. If you have one, I highly recommend you bring a copy of your last clearance form, and start collecting dates for work/residences going back 10 years. It'll save you time filling out paperwork.

 

[sailorprivateer]

pretty sure all the new guys are 02, once you're 5s qualified you become 01. So whoever the clerk that gave new guys 01 made a mistake.

The -02 part means "Junior".  It means you don't get spec pay yet even as a Cpl.  That will change to -01 once you get quald QL5.  If it were me and I was not QL5 quald and had 00120-01 down for my MOSID, I'd be asking my supervisor to get an OR appointment/see the OR myself if I was permitted to do that and verify that I am NOT receiving spec pay.  Why?  Sooner or later the system WILL recover it.

You'll notice that not all MOSIDS use the -01 and -02 the same way.  In my trade (AES Op) like Comm Rsch, the -02 is used to denote *Junior* and -01 means QL5 qual.  However, other trades like AC Op and Med Tech use -02 etc to denote sub-occs/quals such as PAR Controller, PA so there is a possibility for clerks to make an honest mistake.

http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/caf-community-pay/specialist-pay-reg-force-ncm-mosids.page

I see. Thanks. I will put that on the course senior report for Monday to tell the clerk about this. There's only one Comm Rsch candidate in my platoon that has the 02 designation while the rest of us are on 01 and also says Junior.

You can put down posting preferences, doesn't mean you'll get what you want. You may not be going on course right away, it's likely PAT platoon. You'll have to clear in there and talk to SMP clerk to start your clearance upgrade. The VOT message does not automatically start it. If you have one, I highly recommend you bring a copy of your last clearance form, and start collecting dates for work/residences going back 10 years. It'll save you time filling out paperwork.

I kinda want Ottawa although Kingston is not bad either. So I have to do another security clearance application again when I get to CFSCE aside from what we did here during Week 3 (I believe)? They didn't provide us a copy for that though.

Thanks for the tips guys! Now wish me luck for Farnham! haha

 

[Eye In The Sky]

There's only one Comm Rsch candidate in my platoon that has the 02 designation while the rest of us are on 01 and also says Junior.

Which is why its important to verify you aren't getting spec by talking to the OR.  If they give it to you for a year, they'll want it back quicker once the error is discovered.  :2c: