What They Do
Each Armoured Soldier belongs to one of the Armoured regiments of the Canadian Army, and serves as a member of the crew of an armoured fighting vehicle (AFV). His or her primary duties are to operate and maintain the AFV, its weapon systems (ballistic computers, laser range-finders and thermal sights as well as guns) and its communication equipment (sophisticated radars and radios). Armoured Soldiers are trained to fight as members of the Combat Arms team, which also includes the Infantry, the Artillery and the Combat Engineers. Armoured Soldiers begin their career with one of two types of AFV: the tank or the reconnaissance (recce) vehicle.
As a member of a tank crew trained as a driver, operator or gunner, an Armoured Soldier has the following primary duties:
- Drive and maintain the tank;
- Fire the tank’s main gun;
- Load the tank’s main gun and machineguns; and
- Maintain the tank’s communications equipment.
As a member of a recce vehicle crew trained as a driver or an observer, an Armoured Soldier has the following primary duties:
- Drive and maintain the recce vehicle;
- Load, fire and maintain the recce vehicle’s machine-guns;
- Maintain and operate the recce vehicle’s radio equipment; and
- Gather and relay information about the enemy and the terrain.
Specialty Training
As their careers progress, Armoured Soldiers who demonstrate the required ability and ambition will be offered (through formal courses or on-job training) the following advanced MOC training:
- Armoured Gunnery Specialist
- Combat Arms Telecommunications Specialist
- Combat Arms Driving and Maintenance Specialist
- Crew Commander
- Recce Troop Leader
The following specialty training courses may also be available:
- Unarmed Combat Instructor
- Assault Troop
- Armoured Crew - Reconnaissance
Working Environment
Armoured Soldiers in training and deployed on operations work long hours (both by day and by night), and can expect to be out of doors in all weathers, often in physically demanding conditions that include frequent exposure to loud noise, and to contaminants such as dust and combustion fumes. Inside their armoured fighting vehicles, Armoured Soldiers perform their duties in small crew compartments. Appropriate training, environmental clothing and equipment are provided, and Armoured Soldiers’ health, safety and morale are closely monitored.
Basic Military Qualification
The first stage of training for everyone is the 13-week Basic Military Qualification (BMQ) course at the Canadian Forces Leadership and School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. This training provides the basic core and knowledge common to all trades. It is also physically demanding. A primary goal of this course is to ensure that all recruits attain the CF physical fitness standard. BMQ covers the following topics:
- policies and regulations of the Canadian Forces;
- CF drill, dress and deportment (the “three Ds”);
- basic safety;
- first aid;
- personal survival in nuclear, biological and chemical conditions;
- handling and firing personal weapons;
- cross-country navigation; and
- personal survival in field conditions.
Soldier Qualification
On successful completion of BMQ, Armoured Soldiers go to a Military Training Centre for the Soldier Qualification (SQ) course, which lasts 20 training days and covers the following topics:
- Army physical fitness;
- dismounted offensive and defensive operations;
- reconnaissance patrolling;
- advanced weapons-handling (working with grenades, machine-guns and anti-tank weapons); and
- individual field-craft.
Basic Military Occupational Training
On completion of SQ, Armoured Soldiers attend Basic Military Occupational (MOC) Training at the Combat Training Centre in Gagetown, New Brunswick. Basic MOC Training takes five to six weeks and teaches the following basic skills:
- Driving and maintaining tanks and recce vehicles;
- Firing and maintaining weapon systems currently used in Canadian AFVs;
- Identifying Canadian and foreign military vehicles, aircraft and equipment;
- Using tactical command-and-control communications equipment;
- Organization, roles, doctrine and tactics of armour and reconnaissance; and
- History and traditions of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps.
