hey electroman,
I just read that you were previously thinking of joining 763 Communication Regiment -- my regiment. Just thought I could give you some first hand knowledge of what our regiment does. If computers are your 'thing' then SigOp is the trade to be in. Cpl Bloggins is right about the BMQ/SQ and trades courses being concentrated during the summer months, but once you have been in for about a year you become to more and more exposed to the comms equip. which is largely computer bassed. We even take an IS course during the summer to learn Microsoft Office and how to Network.
While most of the courses are done doing the summer months there is still plenty of training during the school year. This is in the form of Voice procedure classes, Driver training, weapons drills, unit excercises and regular call outs. We aren't a 'combat trade' in the sense that guns are not our main focus. Yet, we go to the ranges at least twice a year to fire the C7 rifle and we have 'Group Gun Camps' were we shoot pistols and machine guns and sometimes lob a couple of grenades. And then there is still 'winter warfare' and those unit excercises where we are issued riffles --- So in answer to your first post; yes we do train with weapons but our main concentration is radios and Information Management (computers)
I originally wanted to be an infantry soldier but couldn't because of my eyesight. I am now glad I went with SigOp because my trade allows me to be placed with other trades (infantry, armour, arty etc...) and sometimes get to fire their weapons and never have to worry about cleaning them
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Some good things about 763 Communication Regiment:
-Lots of good people in this unit with a wide range of knowledge
-Unlike other places in the coutry, Ottawa has a lot of employment opportunities to work on contract as a SigOp for DND
-There are other units in Ottawa who request our help which = tasking and call-outs which = $$$
-good times to be had in ottawa
Some bad things about 763 Communication Regiment:
-Its part of the Communication Reserve, which technically is not part of the army reserve. Its still the army but we just have our own little world of standards, supplies, and policies which can sometimes seem funky.
-The unit is top heavy meaning that there are more senior personnel than junior. This gives us a good knowledge base (we have some of the best Seargents in the Comm Reserve) but when you go on exercise and there are 6 Seargents managing 4 Corporals and 3 Privates it can get confusing
Hope this helpes you