Officers and NCMs of the C&E Branch and its founding services, this letter supplies an overview of Communications & Electronics(C&E) Week 2024. This year’s event will continue the hybrid in-person and virtual format with a continued focus on lectures, PD sessions, and seminars. Two key details will differentiate 2024 from previous years: First unlike previous years, EX COMM PLAYER will run concurrent to regular C&E Week events. Secondly, this C&E Week will be geographically split between Ottawa and Kingston, Tuesday and Wednesday events will be primarily hosted from Ottawa with a shift to Kingston from Wednesday forward. Additionally, C&E units across the country will tune in virtually and participate in these events.

This letter represents the first step to communicating the Branch’s intentions for C&E Week 2024. Additional details will be released after APS 2024 with more details and instructions on how to participate.

Event Overview. C&E Week will span Tuesday, 22 October to Sunday, 27 October 2024. The synopsis for C&E Week 2024 as follows:

1. Keynote Address and C&E Family Update – 22 October 2024, Ottawa: To kick off C&E Week 2024 a keynote address will be presented by the Branch and followed by the C&E Family Update including Branch associations, its founding services (RCCS, RCAF, and CFIOG) to discuss trade health, major events, and to bestow honours and awards (available in person and virtually).
2. Meet and Greets – 22 October 2024, Ottawa and 24 October 2024, Kingston: On 22 October the C&E Branch Association will host a Meet and Greet for members in the NCR as well as invited guests (available in person only). On 24 October, the C&E Branch will host a Meet and Greet in Kingston where members are invited to a fireside chat with Branch leadership. Amid a very busy season, this will give a chance for our Branch members to meet, share and network with each other and our partners (available in person and virtually).
3. C&E Association PD Seminar – 23 October 2024, Ottawa:The Branch Association will host a day of professional development where Branch members, partners and retired members will share operational perspectives and technical lessons with the Branch. Throughout the day, panels of subject matter experts will provide their insight and expertise on the technological and operational aspects being seen by our members in today’s operations (available in person and virtually).
4. C&E Association Annual General Meeting – 23 October 2024, Ottawa: The C&E Association will hold its Annual General Meeting (available in person and virtually).
5. Junior Ranks Dinner – 23 October 2024, Kingston: The C&E Branch will plan a Junior Ranks Dinner in Kingston to celebrate our junior members. This will be an opportunity for our junior NCMs to network and meet with Branch Leadership in a more casual setting then the C&E Branch Mess Dinner or Meet and Greet. The intent is for a dinner, at minimal costs to our members, hosted at one of the messes on base or a similar establishment (available in person only).
6. Major Bruce Carruthers Gravesite Ceremony – 24 October 2024, Kingston: A parade will be held at the Cataraqui Cemetery in west-end Kingston to honour the RCCS founder (available in person and virtually).
7. C&E Senate Extraordinary Meeting – 24 October 2024, Kingston: The meeting will be chaired jointly by the Branch Leader and the Colonel Commandant and conducted in the Vimy Officers’ Mess (invite only, available in person and virtually).
8. Subalterns’ & Sergeants’ Indoctrination Programme – 23-25 October 2024, Kingston: Hosted virtually and in person with select lecturers gathering in Kingston to deliver core lessons to new officers and NCOs in the C&E Branch. Students must receive endorsement from their CO / RSM (or equivalent) before registering (available in person and virtually).
9. C&E Branch Professional Development Session – 25 October 2024, Kingston: The C&E Branch, along with Chief communicators from all domains, will hold additional PD sessions throughout the day (available in person and virtually).
10. Branch Combined Mess Dinner – 25 October 2024, Kingston: Building on the success of last year’s dinner, the C&E Branch will host a mess dinner for all ranks on the Friday night. As attendance last year was at the maximum, the Branch hopes to expand to two dinners if sufficient early registrations are received. Look for updates this summer on costs and how to register.
11. Exercise NOBLE SKYWAVE – 23-25 October 2024, Kingston:An International High Frequency (HF) communication competition entailing participation from international partners. The exercise will see the establishment of voice and data links between domestic and international teams via HF Skywave propagation.
12. Exercise COMM PLAYER: Ex COMM PLAYER 2024 is a PD event to be held in Kingston, Ontario and hosted by 77 Line Reg on behalf of the C&E Branch. As with C&E Week, Ex COMM PLAYER will promote Branch cohesion and the exchange of technical knowledge by bringing together C&E members. While C&E Week targets a more senior audience, Ex COMM PLAYER’s purpose is to promulgate operational lessons learned and shared knowledge at the junior/working levels. In parallel to the PD program, a hockey tournament will be run to foster cohesion amongst exercise participants and promote physical fitness.
13. Environmental Conferences: To be conducted virtually and in person with OPIs from the RCCS, RCAF and Army Reserve communication communities. These conferences are linked to C&E Week but are not components of it with details forthcoming from the respective OPIs

In closing, I look forward to seeing many of you during our Branch’s primary event for 2024. Please contact my Branch Adjutant, Major Gavin Ellis ([email protected]) should you have any matters to discuss. Please ensure the widest distribution of this message, and the enclosures, throughout your organizations.

Velox Versutus Vigilans,

Brigadier-General David Yarker

Communications and Electronics Branch Leader