WEAPONS TECHNICIAN - LAND

[mazda3mazdaspeed]

I would like to join the army as a weapons tech and am very interested in the trade, any weapons techs out there that can tell me of there experiences, if they enjoy their job, and what their thoughts on this position may be? Your time will help me very much, thank you all!

 

[brin11]

mazda,

Are you joining the reg force or reserves?  There is a difference in duties/training between the two.  Reserve force techs rarely, if ever, train to repair weapons on the armament side (artillery pieces, tanks, etc.); their work is all on the small arms side. 

In the reg force, as a weapons tech you would be responsible for the repair, inspection, modification and some transport related duties (packing, etc.) of all land based weapons.  Weapons techs are also responsible for locks, safes, stoves, lanterns,  bicycles and other sundry items.  If they introduce a new item and don't know who they want to maintain it they give it to the weapons tech.  Whether in garrison or in the field you would have the responsibility of supporting your unit (first line) or other units in a first or second line role.  First line techs do less in depth repairs for a particular unit they are posted with and pass on any more time consuming repairs to a second line shop.  Usually, you will find these shops as a base maintenance or in a service battalion and they are usually better equipped and better staffed than a first line shop.

All persons start out on their QL3 course where they learn the basics of land weapons.  The reg force course is six months in length and takes place at CFB Borden, Ontario.  I'm not sure the length of the reserve course although I'm guessing about three months.  Upon grad, you are posted with a unit and proceed through on the job training (QL4).  When finished and you are course loaded you would return to Borden for the QL5 course where the info is rehashed and more in depth info is taught.  You are then qualified to work unsupervised.  Other courses include specialty courses such as M109, Leopard tank, security containers (safes, locks), Fluid power courses (hydraulics), etc.

It is a very interesting trade and quite challenging if you enjoy taking things apart, troubleshooting and seeing how they work.  You should be reasonably skilled with tools and good with your hands to enjoy this trade.  It is also quite a small trade so you will probably meet most techs eventually (or at least hear stories about them  ).  Some of the work can be monotonous such as performing pre fire inspections on 500 C7s.  Boring.

If you have any specific questions please feel free to post them here.

 

[mazda3mazdaspeed]

Thank you for the reply and your time! Much appreciated. I will be joing the Reserves in Saint John, NB to see if I like the army life or not. Are you in the Reg force? How long have you been in the army, do you enjoy it as a career(weapons tech) or would you do something else if you had the time and opportunity, inside or outside the army? I know I'm asking alot, but life is too short to learn everything from my own experience, your experience will help me out greatly. Thank you.

 

[Techy25]

brin11,

I have just finished my EME common course and just recieve my cap badge hua., I was just wonderin how hard the ql3 course is for weapons tech?  I.E. how man people dropped or failed out of the course?
Also as a weapons tech what are some things you will usually do during the week? And wen you said perform pre-fire checks does that mean you just inspect them or actually fire them?
And finally my most important question, do weapons tech land deal with the MP5 at all during there training?

 

[Eowyn]

And finally my most important question, do weapons tech land deal with the MP5 at all during there training?

If you are a reservist Wpn Tech, you will mainly deal with the C7, C9 and C6.

 

[Techy25]

Sir,
Do you know if we touch apon it during our courses, because I know we are trained on more than the c7,6, and 9. 

 

[Eowyn]

I don't believe so, because I don't think the MP5 is part of the Army's arsenal.  Of course I could be wrong.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

My question would be - why so concerned about the MP-5?  As a civilian in Canada you will never see one, and it is doubtful if you will see one in the Army either.

Can't you just sign up for the infantry and be happy with learning about throwing stars, nunchuks and the like?

 

[Eowyn]

Can't you just sign up for the infantry and be happy with learning about throwing stars, nunchuks and the like?

They have already signed up... as CSS.  Can't you quasi infantry types stop trying to steal our soldiers... ;D

 

[Techy25]

I am interested in the MP-5 because I am, why not?

 

[Techy25]

http://www.sfu.ca/casr/101-mp5.htm

It is part of the CF arsenal

 

[Michael Dorosh]

http://www.sfu.ca/casr/101-mp5.htm

It is part of the CF arsenal

So are Leopard tanks; you'll never see one of those, either. 

Let me see if I've got this right - to you the "most important" (your words) question you have to ask is whether or not you'll get training on a very specific weapon that you'll likely only ever see in pictures.  I think you will find out that such things as hospital corners on your bedsheets and showing up for class on time will take on much more importance.

Not gonna steal this one, Eowyn, you may have him with our compliments!

 

[Eowyn]

http://www.sfu.ca/casr/101-mp5.htm

It is part of the CF arsenal

It may be part of the CF arsenal, but not necessarily the Army's and definitely not the Militia's.  In your refencence, it mentioned the Navy's use for boarding parties.

 

[LCISTech227]

It is also used by the JTF-2.  But a reservist will not be seeing an MP5.  If I was going to be a reserve weapons tech, I'd be getting ready to be called Coleman Tech or Lantern Tech... not trying to make any Weapons Techs mad but at my old reserve unit before I did a component transfer to the Regs, our weapons techs only had lanterns and stoves to fix due to lack of parts and tools to do the job...

Cheers,

 

[Michael Dorosh]

It is also used by the JTF-2.   But a reservist will not be seeing an MP5.   If I was going to be a reserve weapons tech, I'd be getting ready to be called Coleman Tech or Lantern Tech... not trying to make any Weapons Techs mad but at my old reserve unit before I did a component transfer to the Regs, our weapons techs only had lanterns and stoves to fix due to lack of parts and tools to do the job...

Cheers,

Don't forget the new helmets; our last weapons tech spent a lot of time using loc-tite on those wierd screws that hold the liner in...

 

[Techy25]

Dorosh ya that was my question and I am kind of sick and tired of people who have been in the military for a few years getting all pissy when people have questions, especially one that wasn't directed towards you so I really don't hold your answers in the highest regard thanks.

 

[Scratch_043]

techy, I think that they are the most qualified, because they work with the tools all the time and would know what tools are used or not.

 

[Techy25]

Torn,
Dorosh is not a tech.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Torn,
Dorosh is not a tech.

You stated yourself that your "most important question" was whether or not you'd get to go hands on with your favourite piece of fantasy kit.  As the question has been asked and answered (you'll never see an MP-5), I'm locking this up.

 

[brin11]

I'm unlocking this thread for now to answer a few more questions.  You will not be working on the MP5 during your time in the reserves unless you are really, really, really lucky and happen to fill a C class position somewhere that we would all kill to have.  Please, no more questions about this, it is making us cranky.

The QL3 course is not that difficult if you pay attention and study.  Do not go out every night drinking!  You will have to memorize information such as weapons specifications during PO's.  On my course we started with 9-10 and ended with 6 I think. 

You may be responsible for all small arms in your area.  You may work on more than the "big three".  As for reserve weapons techs being Coleman techs, yes, its true.  Depending on your unit and who is supervising you, you may or may not get to work on many weapons at all.  Hopefully, you will get a good supervisor who is looking out for you and your training.  You are entitled to a certain amount of OJT time after your three's to complete your QL4 qualifications.  I believe its around 4 months of full time work at a reg force unit. 

Our unit is well equipped with tools, its parts we are weak on.

During pre-fire checks you will not fire the weapons.