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

[PuckChaser]

Line will be closed to recruiting for quite sometime I bet, it's always been a very healthy trade.

As a new recruit into ACISS, you won't see anything, its just very different for us that are already a decade or more into the C&E Branch.

 

[BigDaddyFatback]

Maybe someone here has an answer on this...

Right now I am the 2IC of a TE Section...(Base Phone switch and DSL Installs) LCIS Tech....I think I still am...I applied for IST as all my college and military training up till this point is IS centric.
If I become an IST tech, will I be posted out of this position to be employed properly as an IST tech somewhere? We have been told LST will take over the base phone switches...which makes sense to me.

 

[Occam]

If I become an IST tech, will I be posted out of this position to be employed properly as an IST tech somewhere? We have been told LST will take over the base phone switches...which makes sense to me.

Since that solution is logical and makes sense, and is an effective use of human resources, the answer is most undoubtably and unequivocally no.    ;D

 

[BigDaddyFatback]

But what if what you said made sense......Oh man we are stuck in a logic loop....

 

[C/S 0]

Today at CFSCE the two new ACISS Courses, Sig QL3s and Sig Op QL5s and a LCIS crse were brief by the MES Manager MWO Buffett on ACISS.

Interesting Points
1. The date we official beome ACISS is actually 1 Apr 11
2. Recruting Centers are still recruting Sig Ops, Linemen and LCIS until 1 Apr when the new trade stands up.
3. Spec pay has gone to treasure board for the hold trade - EVERYBODY.
4. Anybody who was recruited as LCIS, Linemen The MES team will honour their choice and fast track them through DP1, DP1.1 and DP2.0
5. Lateral movement across the core and sub occups possible. If you have the quals and interest you can move across the trades esp at rank of Pte to Cpl.  For Mcpls that want to change they will drop their rank BUT KEEP THIER PAY while doing the courses and quals required.
6. All new DP1s will be posted to Bde Sigs Sqns with a small minority posted to JSR.
7. The MES project is developing DL packages on DND learn that ACISS pers can take to help them move laterally across the board.  IE if we have 33 positions avaliable for IST and say 48 pers apply for OT the most qual 33 pers will be taken.  The others that did not get the OT can still apply again and the MES managers will brief those pers on why they were not picked and what course, quals they need to get.

 

[REDinstaller]

Worst April's Fools joke ever. :2c:

 

[PuckChaser]

C/S 0: Thanks for the up to date information.

Anyone else find it hilarious they've moved ACISS stand up another 4 months to the right? We're we supposed to be stood up a year ago and DP1 courses started last summer? The good idea train has something on the tracks slowing it down called common sense.

 

[C/S 0]

Here is the DWAN link for the Official Site for ACISS

http://aws.kingston.mil.ca/Projects/ACISS/Communication/ACISS%20Structure%20Overview1/Home.aspx

On here are the survey results for who is what
Also a FAQ Page
And contact emails ref questions on ACISS.  You will not get a reply but each week they take the questions and put them on the FAQ.

 

[FiZZiKaL]

As myself being one of the people whom got this briefing was absolutely outraged that they were doing this to us. A little bit of information I was recruited as an LCIS Tech and have completed my POET which was a requirement to QL3's prior to the big change. So what their idea of the new training system is all trades get the ACISS common course DP1. Then you are posted to a unit doing technically what a sig op does and in their terms was, "Drive the truck, man the radio". Untill you are 5's qualified which then you are put into a subcategory(LST, CST and IST) Generally the one matching your trade because it saves their behind from offering you a voluntary occupational reassignment. Now obviously being poet qualified and along with other people the question was asked, what does this mean for us? Basically he said that you would be lined up right after to take your DP1.1 course. Which still yet has nothing to do with the trade i chose and won't happen until I'm finished DP2 and DP2.1 CST from what I understand. So basically I've wasted 6+ months completing the POET course to be for the lack of better terms 'screwed'. So now a year here being in the kingston training system I have accomplished no further training towards the trade I chose and may not see the light at the end of the tunnel for the next 3 years while they sort all this out. Also from what he said after DP1.0 apparently for the new people recruited their will be a 6-18 month wait for the DP1.1 course i believe, which is a 25 training day course.

So I sit here and ask myself, What the heck am I doing here? I will technically drive the truck and man the radio as they said today leaving Kingston once my DP1 is complete and a useless POET certificate. I really don't see how their change is improving anything or making things easier for the sigs. As the MES Managers said we will be back logged for the next 2-3 years.

 

[C/S 0]

Hello FIZZiKal

I think you have misunderstood what was being said in the brief

First
"So basically I've wasted 6+ months completing the POET course to be for the lack of better terms 'screwed'."  You are actually ahead because to be a CIS (old LCIS) you still need to do POET or what ever the new name of POET is.  After your DP1 you will be fast tracked to DP1.1 which is the beginning of the career path for you.

Second
"Then you are posted to a unit doing technically what a sig op does and in their terms was, "Drive the truck, man the radio".  The CCO said that everybody is posted to their unit right after DP1, however the first 12 DP1.1 for CIS and LST will be brought back for 1.1 CIS and LST.  And then the next course and then the next course, etc.  Would you rather stay in CFSCE in PAT Platoon.

Third
If you are slated to be CIS the chances - seeing the MES Manger said they will honour your choice for CIS - when you get to your unit you will be put in a LCIS?CST position.

Fourth
"Even more individuals who walk through the door and promise them pipe dreams and just get them in to fix their sig op problems". This is the ironic thing - with ACISS right now we have actually have lessen the numbers of what were Sig Ops (ACISS CORE) by creating the IST sub occ. 

Fifth
" know its bitter and I haven't experienced anything outside the training system yet but I'm sure the ones with experience can sort of understand where I am coming from."  The Field Force is totally different then CFSCE.

Sixth
"for the DP1.1 course i believe, which is a 25 training day course. ' I believe the MES Manager and the CCO were talking about the DP2.0.

However once you do the common 2.0 then you will do the CIS 2.1 course.  It's the same as it is now.  LCIS techs don't get Spec pay till they are QL5 qual which is what the 2.0/2.1 level is now under ACISS.

 

[FiZZiKaL]

It's CST and technically DP1.1 is not specific to the CST sub-occ. So yes you will fill the role of a sig-op till you are CST 2.0 and 2.1 qualified 2+ years down the road.

edit: to add to that if you noticed on the diagram with ranks and the sub-occ chart.. Untill corporal you are ACISS op. He said that us LCIS would be pushed through. Yes I, understand that but there is no definite answer when you will be able  to complete the DP2/2.1 CST training to become what we wanted. Yes we technically will be pushed through to do the DP1.1 but that does not make us CST.

 

[C/S 0]

Well think of it this way, CST begins at 1.1 while ACISS Op is DP1.  There is no ACISS Op 1.1.  In the Trade Diagram everybody starts at DP1, to the left side ACISS Op Core goes up to DP 2.0.  Then there are three pipes to the right that are the Sub Ocps - CST, IST, LST.  So you begin to get your speicalist training that those in the core training do not.

Who do you think are going to fill the IST and CST Pte positions in the HQ and Sig Sqns and CFJSR - ACISS Core or guys that have the 1.1 qual?

 

[FiZZiKaL]

Yes you are correct. That makes complete sense but you still fill the boots of a Signal Operator untill DP 2.1 CST/IST/LST whatever you choose to be. As the MES Manager described it. I hope it works for the best. Although I, guess nobody likes changes to a working system. That is where all the bitterness comes in. Specially when you are told one thing and you set your mind on that and then they change your career plan and set you up it on a detour.

 

[C/S 0]

Change is something that is going to blow your mind.  I have been a Reserve Radio-Teletype Operator 215, then in the Regular Force a Radio Operator 211 and then a Signals Operator 214 and now a ACISS Operator.

When I first joined we had analog radios that were voice and low data with a LTACS System that used low grade micro wave signals to extend telephone systems by Radio Relay.  Long range communications were by HF and you had to cut the antenna to the freq you were using.  With VHF not everything was encrypted and you could only speak for about 30 secs.

Now we have Digital Radios that pass both voice and data that hops freqs and is encrypted.  Instead of HF for Long Range now we have SAT Comms and instead of LTACS extending local Teelphone networks we have HCLOS that extends LAN Information Systems for data.

In the command post we had maps on boards and we used markers to draw on the map where everybody is.  Now we have Battleview and SAM/SAS which updates your position every few minutes on the 50 inch screen TV in the TOC.  We use to use map and compass to nav now we have GPS with build in waypoints to nav.

Just wait for twenty years down the road when you are a WO/MWO and the changes you are going to see.

 

[C/S 0]

And everybody in the Troop had to wait their turn to use something call a 'Typewriter' to do their weekend leave pass.

 

[PuckChaser]

There is no ACISS Op 1.1.

This is a MAJOR flaw in the MES plan. As it is, you have pers needing max supevision in a rad det. Now you're keeping them in the Core trade and not training them up to the standard of a current SigOp.

 

[C/S 0]

"This is a MAJOR flaw in the MES plan. As it is, you have pers needing max supevision in a rad det. Now you're keeping them in the Core trade and not training them up to the standard of a current SigOp."

This is how I think it is suppose to work.  In The MES brief they called the DP 2.0 Crse a Det 2IC Crse.  Right now the QL5 is a Det Comdrs Crse.  There is no ACISS Core 1.1 but after 2.0 there is a ACISS Core 2.1 IIRC is along the lines of the old FCC crse.  They are calling the Det Comdrs qual the PLQ.

Although they are calling the DP 2.0 Crse a 2IC crse for my part when journeymen show up to do this crse at CFSCE they are still going to be in command of a Det with 2 x apprentices.

What I got from the brief is they were stressing the new DL courses that they are developing for ACISS that Ptes/Cpls can do on DND learn.  Also the OSQs such as NCISS, HCLOS, EPERS, etc.

If this is going to work I think the chain of command is going to have to buy into letting their people have the time to go on OSQs and doing DL.

 

[Rheostatic]

Just saw the new CFSCE Calendar. On the reserve side, are QL3 mod 1 & 2 structured the same way as the DP1 mods?

Specifically, is a member who has completed  the old mod 1 eligible for the new mod 2?

 

[Cobrajr]

4. Anybody who was recruited as LCIS, Linemen The MES team will honour their choice and fast track them through DP1, DP1.1 and DP2.0

I joined as an LCIS Tech back in August 2008 on the Subsidized Education Entry Plan. I have been in school taking Electrical Engineering Technology since then, I am in my last year now. Each summer I have done OJT at 3ASG sigs, so I have had time to work as an LCIS for a while and love it, I do not want to lose it :/

Do you know if this fast track program apply to me?

 

[C/S 0]

Hello Cobrajr

I don't know how it would work for as being part of the Sub Edu Entry Plan.  Your best bet is to email the MES Manager on the link above and ask him if will have to do DP1.0, etc.

Hello Rheostatic
Yes the reserves will fall under the same Dp1 and DP2 quals like the Regular Force.  The only difference is that for the res some of the PO's you won't get like SAM/SAS.