Oct
23
Mon
2023
C&E Week 2023 @ CFB Kingston
Oct 23 – Oct 29 all-day

C&E Week is the capstone event traditionally scheduled around the anniversary of the Signal Corps on the 24th October, 1903. C&E Week includes:

  1. The Subalterns’ & Sergeants’ Indoctrination Programme;
  2. Exercise NOBLE SKYWAVE;
  3. Major Carruthers Gravesite Ceremony;
  4. Environmental Conferences:
    1. CA G6 Conference;
    2. RCAF A6 CAPCON; and
    3. Reserve G6 Conference.
  5. Working Groups;
  6. Symposiums;
  7. The Branch Update;
  8. The Officers’ Mess Dinner; and
  9. The NCMs’ Mess Dinner.

EVENTS

Subalterns’ & Sergeants’ Indoctrination Course. This PD session offers NCOs and junior officers an opportunity to learn from the experience of senior[1]ranking authorities while being immersed in Branch / Corps history. Students are nominated by their C-of-C based on their reputation as respected emerging leaders. It is traditionally hosted at the VOM. The course was historically split into two (2) separate courses, but recently the idea of having a combined course was approved as it aimed to prepare junior officers and NCOs as future Command Teams at the Troop and Squadron levels. The curriculum covers a series of items, including:

  1. Branch / Corps history, protocol, and customs;
  2. Mess Etiquette and tradition;
  3. Command Team principals;
  4. Leadership experiences in deployed, training, and garrison environments;
  5. Discipline and administration;
  6. Roles and responsibilities of the Branch Leadership; and
  7. Briefings from the Branch Leader, Colonel Commandant, and senior trade advisors (Director Signals & Corps Chief, Strategic A6 & Senior ATIS Tech Advisor, and Commander CFIOG and the Formation Chief).

Exercise NOBLE SKYWAVE.

This High Frequency (HF) radio communications competition is conducted annually to foster the spirit of friendly competition between CAF units and allied partners. The technical exercise provides an excellent means of re-invigorating HF operator skills and capability in a global setting. As many as 180 teams from numerous Canadian, Commonwealth, and allied partners register for this event and aspire to establish communication with as many HF sites as possible over a 24+ hour period.

Major Carruthers Gravesite Ceremony.

Hosted by the Canadian Forces Joint Signal Regiment (CFJSR), this small parade is held annually on the anniversary of the Canadian Signalling Corps – 24 October 1903 – at the Cataraqui Cemetery in Kingston, Ontario where Major Carruthers is buried. All events throughout C&E Week typically centre on this event. Bruce died on the 21st of October, 1910 from tuberculosis contracted from his wartime service in South Africa. He was 47 years old. The ceremony celebrates the founder’s creation – the first signalling corps in the Commonwealth (stood up on 24 October 1903); it is not used to mark his passing. Major Bruce Carruthers’ funeral procession with full military honours, Princess Street, Kingston, Ontario 8-19. The Army G6, RCAF A6 CAPCON, and Reserve G6 Conferences. Not components of C&E Week per se, but they run in concurrence so as to compliment the overall event. This trio of conferences gathers ranking officials from the RCCS, RCAF Telecom Wing, and Signals Reserve to discuss a range of existential issues facing their ranks. PD sessions, working groups, syndicate work, group discussions, and presentations are all facilitated with an aim to enhance knowledge of emerging challenges and opportunities, and to augment awareness of the state-of-the-trades.

The Working Groups and Symposiums.

The workhorse functions of C&E Week. Working Groups (WG) address longstanding issues identified by the Branch Leader, who in turn stands up councils of experienced officers and Warrant Officers to resolve them. As an example, the WGs for C&E Week 2019 existed for

  1. The Standing Orders revision,
  2. The initial Strategic Outlook Plan (to forecast C&E Week events and OPIs for 3-5 years), and
  3. The Branch Governance (drafting the Terms or Reference for the Branch Leadership, Senate, BAC, and other branch entities).

The Cyber Symposium and Gregg Centre Institute from the University of New Brunswick provided PD, educational, and networking opportunities under themed events.

Branch Update.

Hosted by the Branch Advisor, the update provides an opportunity for the Branch Leadership to speak to all C&E members on topics of interest and importance. Director Signals, the Strategic A6, and Commander CFIOG address the audience so as to provide an overview on the health of the trades for Army, Air Force, and Cyber / Signals Intelligence personnel respectively. Retired communities and volunteer organizations also present, thus providing a wider understanding and appreciation of Branch initiatives from a C&E Family vantage. Lastly, the Branch Leader and Colonel Commandant use this venue to recognize exceptional performers within the Branch with an Honours & Awards ceremony.

The Branch Update is the last formal event in C&E Week, and serves as a culmination point to back-brief all activities and outcomes.

The Officers’ and NCMs’ Mess Dinners.

The mess dinners take place at the Vimy Officers’ Mess (VOM) and the Warrants’ & Sergeants’ Mess (WSM) respectively. A tradition for some time sees the Warrant Officers and NCOs ‘crash’ the VOM after dinner. It is a most welcome sight, and allows the ranking leadership in Branch celebrate together over a few rounds. The Mess Dinners officially mark the conclusion of Communications & Electronics Week