Cap badge: A silver depiction of Mercury with golden lightning bolts on either side placed on a field of blue.[1]
Army shoulder title:
English: "SIGNALS" (all uniforms)
French: "TRANS" (Service Dress tunic), "TRANSMISSIONS" (all other uniforms)
Miscellaneous:
The Signalman's trade qualification badge (worn on the lower sleeve of the Service Dress jacket) is the only such trade badge that features colours (blue and white) instead of just gold
Branch flag: Horizontal bicolour, French grey (Munsell Notation 5PB5/2) over dark blue (Munsell Notation 7.5PB2/2). It is commonly believed that the colours of the flag represent "grey skies over blue waters"; however, the colours were inherited from the officer's Mess Dress uniforms of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals (RCCS), which were in turn inherited from the 21st Lancers, the first unit of Major Carruthers, founder of the RCCS
Motto:Velox Versutus Vigilans (Latin, "Swift, Skilled, Alert"); motto inherited from the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals
Nickname:
"Jimmies" – after "Jimmy", the nickname given to the Roman god Mercury as patron (and insignia) of Signals in Commonwealth countries; the origin of this particular sobriquet for the god is unknown; there are a number of theories as to why 'Jimmy' was adopted as a term of endearment for the emblem. The most widely accepted is that it came from a very popular Royal Signals boxer, called Jimmy Emblem, who was the British Army Champion in 1924 and represented the Royal Signals Corps from 1921 to 1924.
"Sigs" – after the abbreviation of "Signals"
"Sig Pigs" – rhyming slang name; sometimes used deprecatingly by non-Signalmen, generally with pride by Signalmen
"Rubberheads" - Nickname applied only to Communicator Research personnel; considered pejorative or insulting when used by non-Communicator Research personnel; this references the large padded earphones that were often used by the trade.
Authorized march: "The Mercury March"
Branch colours: French grey and dark blue
Miscellaneous:
Signals units follow the Cavalry practice of naming their units "Regiment" for "Battalion", "Squadron" for "Company", and "Troop" for "Platoon".
Trained Privates in Signals or Communications units are styled "Signalman" or "Sig".
Training[]
Canadian Forces School of Communications and Electronics[]
The Canadian Forces School of Communications and Electronics(CFSCE) in Kingston, Ontario was founded in 1937. Initially, CFSCE provided training in Communications and Electronics in Canadian Army and now in the Canadian Forces. The last "E" was dropped in recent times, and is now called CFSCE. CFSCE provides basic, intermediate and advanced training to military personnel in the field of Communications and Electronics.[2]
Occupations[]
Military occupations and military occupation codes (MOCs) within the Branch are listed below. Also listed are the uniform environment restrictions.
MOSID
MOC
Occupation
Abbrev
Uniform
Officers
00340
083
Communications and Electronics Engineering (Air)
CELE (AIR)
RCAF
00341
084
Signals
SIGS
CA
Non-commissioned members
00362-1
Army Communication & Information Systems Specialist
ACISS
CA
00362-2
Line System Technologist
LST
CA
00362-3
Communication System Technologist
CST
CA
00362-4
Information System Technologist
IST
CA
00362-5
Communication Information System Technology Manager
CISTM
CA
00109
226
Aerospace Telecommunication & Information Systems Technician
ATIS TECH
RCAF
00120
291
Communicator Research Operator
COMM RSCH
RCN, CA, RCAF
Non-commissioned members (Prior to 1 October 2011)
00015
052
Lineman
LMN
CA
00329
215
Signal Operator
SIG OP
CA
00109
226
Aerospace Telecommunication & Information Systems Technician
ATIS TECH
RCAF
00110
227
Land Communication and Information Systems Technician
34 Signal Regiment (formerly 712 (Montreal) Communication Squadron)
35 Canadian Brigade Group
35 Signal Regiment (formerly 713 (Beauport) Communication Regiment, and 714 (Sherbrooke) Communication Squadron)
5th Canadian Division
36 Canadian Brigade Group
36 Signal Regiment (formerly 721 (Charlottetown) Communication Regiment, 723 (Halifax) Communication Squadron, and 725 (Glace Bay) Communication Squadron)
37 Canadian Brigade Group
37 Signal Regiment (formerly 722 (Saint John) Communication Squadron, and 728 (St. John's) Communication Squadron)
3rd Canadian Division
38 Canadian Brigade Group
38 Signal Regiment (formerly 734 (Regina) Communication Squadron, 735 (Winnipeg) Communication Regiment, 736 (Thunder Bay) Communication Squadron,and 737 (Saskatoon) Communication Squadron)
39 Canadian Brigade Group
39 Signal Regiment (formerly 741 (Victoria) Communication Squadron, now 2 Squadron; 744 (Vancouver) Communication Regiment, now 1 Squadron; and 748 (Nanaimo) Communication Squadron, now 3 Squadron)
41 Canadian Brigade Group
41 Signal Regiment (formerly 745 (Edmonton) Communication Squadron, 746 (Calgary) Communication Squadron, and 749 (Red Deer) Communication Squadron)
