Questions regarding COM RESEARCH.

[hiv]

A few questions, yesterday I had my interview and medical and aptitude testing.   Everything went well I got highly recommended because of my education and for other achievements and athletic ability.    I would be entering in as Communicator Research Operator (291).   The interviewer told me that the pay is around 26,000 a year.   I am fine with this but I feel I should be able get the maximum as a private while on basic training.  

I would like to know how you work this out with the CF is it like any other job?   Any info or experiences would be nice.  

Pay is dependent on your time in and rank and if your trade qualifies as a specialist trade.
You will receive private pay while in basic at the first incentive level and nothing will change this unless you have some previous service.

After your first year you will move to the next pay incentive for the private rank and again at the completion of your third year.

You can expect a promotion to Corporal after four years of service to the CF.

Some one in the waiting room told me that 291's get spec pay, what's this all about?? I know its more pay but how's does it work?

Specialist pay is additional pay the CF gives to members in trades that have a high level of technical expertise and could allow to earn more money in the civilian world. You don't get spec pay until you have reached the rank of Corporal and have completed your QL5 course. Currently, the 291 trade is back-logged with Ptes and Cpls waiting for their QL5s so you might have to wait some time for this to happen. 291ers get Spec 1 and that's not negotiable.  

Also, I understand that it is shift work. Anyone got an idea of what the shifts are like??   Like rotating and start and end times anything like that.  

There are also many 291 day jobs but as a new private you can expect to be working shift. Typically it's a 7 on/5 off schedule that rotates between from days to evenings to midnights over the course of a 7 day period.


You can feel free to PM me with any other questions you have. I wish I knew more about this trade before I got in it.

 

[neuromancer]

Hello,
Im interested in the Comm Rsch position, full time.
My big question is "when is the next intake of new personel for Comm Rsch"?

Im debating on weather I should apply sooner or later.

I really appreciate this forum, its answered so many of my questions, thanks!  ;D

 

[systemdog]

Greetings,

I have a University diploma and 10+ years experience as a Systems Admin, Systems Analyst, Network Admin, Network Analyst, Security Analyst, Programmer.  I am wondering about the possibilities of being hired as skilled or semi-skilled in the Com Research trade?

I have been disuaded by the recruiting officers I have spoken with regarding this trade ... long waits to get in.... long road to advancement... not much action... etc..

any thoughts?

Cheers

p.s. they all suggest sigops..... as a better choice as they are in demand however from reading posts I think Com Research is a better fit

 

[tikiguy]

Perhaps it might be helpful if current 291'ers were to list their likes/dislikes about the trade here. I think it would be interesting to do this for ALL trades, but let's start with 291 as that's my primary interest.  ;D

I recognize that some people's likes will be other people's dislikes and vice versa, but I believe this exercise will show us much more about the trade than the limited CFRC info does.

 

[Lerick]

forget about the money just get in....lol....if u dont like it quit or change trade after ur 3yrs!!!

 

[291er]

Personally I think the 291 trade is an excellent choice.  I have'nt regretted the choice.  Just stay the course, the QL3 is not so much difficult as boring from the wait for your security clearance.  But it is worth the wait.  The most impressive thing about this trade is that it is so multi-faceted, there are so many different specialties and technology is always changing, so hence, we have to change with it. 
Unfortunately we can't go into great detail about our work, because the majority is highly classified.  But for the most part, it's a very satisfying job and in some positions, you actually contribute to the troops on the ground and make a real difference.
Slackers and complainers need not apply..... :warstory:

 

[Lerick]

do u have any dislike about 291 trade?

 

[291er]

Well everyone is bound to have dislikes about whatever trade they are in......and they'll likely vary from person to person.  I guess the fact that most of us are posted here in Ottawa is a sore spot with some, but it makes sense to me.  But we also have some postings state-side which will open up for you later in your career.  The most important thing to remember is to not want everything at once....put in your time, soldier on, and eventually you'll get what you earn.........albeit good or bad  ;D

cheers

 

[dk]

the QL3 is not so much difficult as boring from the wait for your security clearance.  But it is worth the wait. 

Ex-fusilier, I've been offered the COMM RSCH. Does this mean that my clearance is already done, or will I have to wait for Security Clearance after BMQ?

Thanks.

 

[Pte. Bloggins]

No. High level security clearances like the one Comm Research types need take a loooong time. As ex-fusilier said, by the time you reach your QL3 course you probably won't have it yet.

 

[dk]

Thanks Cpl.

Just curious though, what if after the training and QL3, you don't get required clearance? Do you have to choose another trade, or they place you?

I don't think I'll have a problem, I've had Airport Clearance for 7 years, and lived in Canada for over 16 years. But with a Middle Eastern background, anything is possible.

 

[George Wallace]

I don't think I'll have a problem, I've had Airport Clearance for 7 years, and lived in Canada for over 16 years. But with a Middle Eastern background, anything is possible.

Unfortunately, the Federal Government as yet does not transfer a Security Clearance from one Dept to another.   For example a Top Secret Clearance in the CF, doesn't necessarily give you a TS in DND (One of the guys I work with has a higher clearance as a civie, than he does as a member of the CF (Res) in the same Dept.  Same guy, same Dept., just different clothes.)   You will still have to do a Security Clearance.

Now that you have mentioned that you have a Middle Eastern background (I work with a guy of similar background who is running into some serious problems), can you safely list all your immediate family, dating back ten years, or until you were 16, along with all their places of Residence, and their Employers (with addresses).   Everyone, regardless of background will have to do this.  

 

[dk]

Thanks for info. I know they can't transfer the clearances. I had to go through two separate sets of paperwork for a different airport, even though I had one in Toronto.

can you safely list all your immediate family, dating back ten years, or until you were 16, along with all their places of Residence, and their Employers (with addresses).

The Capt. At the recruiting centre already asked that info for my enrollment security stuff. All he wanted was my immediate family, being Parents, and Brothers and Sisters. If they require deeper into the family tree, I can get all the details, that's not problem.
Not to duel on the negative, but what happens if they cannot give the required clearance? Is all the QL3 and everything else out the window?

Thanks

 

[aesop081]

Thanks for info. I know they can't transfer the clearances. I had to go through two separate sets of paperwork for a different airport, even though I had one in Toronto.

The Capt. At the recruiting centre already asked that info for my enrollment security stuff. All he wanted was my immediate family, being Parents, and Brothers and Sisters. If they require deeper into the family tree, I can get all the details, that's not problem.
Not to duel on the negative, but what happens if they cannot give the required clearance? Is all the QL3 and everything else out the window?

Thanks

If you cannot attain the required clearance level for your MOC........you will be sent somewhere's else ( i.e. another MOC)

This was written black and whit on my remuster message, No level 3, no employement. Plain and simple

 

[dk]

This was written black and whit on my remuster message, No level 3, no employement. Plain and simple

Thanks for the info aesop081. Again, I didn't do a proper search. Found the Security Clearance Form thread where you talk about this...

 

[Collin.t]

Ok I never actually worked as a 291, but I did most of the QL3 and bailed out 2-3 weeks before graduation,

why you ask ?, well the morse code really drove me nut, let just say that the recruiter didn't tell me much about the trade but no body really knows about it.

I don't know the current state of morse code operators right now but when I left the stations were still manned with human operators but it was in the process of being changed to computerized translators. However the morse code is still a big part of the training.

From my studies in the sigint field and general military intelligence, the comm rsch trade can be a very diverse and fullfilling trade if you can stand the first 2 years.

When I got in what really attracted me to that trade was the networking/unix aspect of the job but in all honesty I knew more about computer networking than the Mcpl that was training us.

I really recommend that trade but you should be aware of what kind of field you are getting into.

By the way if you get in kingston, try as much as you can to get off base quarters, the barracks in kingston are nut (were in 2001), we were 4 per room for over a year and a half.

Everyone are going to tell you that they can't talk about the trade and all, which is true, but there are a few good books that you can read about the topic that will give you a background on the structure of the sigint (signal intelligence) field and everything related to it without of course going in details.

So go on amazon and try to get: Chatters, and a book from Mike Frost (take that one with a grain of salt)

Get some reading about CSE, CSIS too.

another good ressource is: http://circ.jmellon.com

If you have any question you can PM also