Notes re
DND
Meteorological Technician
(Met Tech) Courses, Terminology and Designations (with thanks to Milt
Pelley, Susan Vivian, Marc Boucher and Chad Thompson)
- Fred
Bustard suggested in 2019 that we illustrate the various Met Tech
uniform badges at this link.
- As
in other tables showing training courses, Instructors are designated
"(I)", and most other designations such as rank, standards officers,
etc. have been removed.
- Regarding terminology, in
the
1950s
there
were Met Obs and later their name was changed to Met Techs. When the
Basic
Met Ob courses started (presumably in the 1940s), they apparently
started
as Course Number 1 and by 1958 they were up to Number 58 (not related
to
the year).
- At about the time of
Unification
(1968), the Pay Level
(PL) system began with the basic course being PL3, and other courses
being
PL5, PL6A and PL6B.
- 1974 was a year of transition
for
Met
Tech training. Following a fire in Trenton, the School of
Meteorology
relocated to Winnipeg. Co-incident with the move, courses began
to
be called "TQ" instead of "PL". Some trade entry courses were
called "TL" during the transition years.
- Later, in the seventies, all
military
trade courses were changed to "Trade Qualification" (TQ) and there are
TQ3, TQ5, TQ6A, and TQ6B. With the advent of PL and TQ, the
courses
were identified by the trade course (TL or TQ) , the level (3, 6A, or
6B)
and number, which was composed of the last two numbers of the
year
(e.g. 76 for 1976) and the number of courses in that particular year
(e.g.
7601, 7602, etc.).
- Prior to unification
(February
1,
1968),
RCN trade training was identified as Trade Groups, TG1, TG2, TG3, and
TG4. Many RCN Met Tech courses were given at the Fleet
Meteorological
School, Shearwater, NS
(from
Dick Crowell). This School,
started in the 1950s, closed in the late 1960s when all military Met
Tech training was consolidated at CFB Trenton.
- RV (year), is the
Rendez-vous
series of exercises which were started in 1981 by Canadian Forces in
Europe (CFE) to be better prepared to meet the Soviet threat. RV
Exercises were part of the FMC (Force Mobile Command) where mobility
was important, as shown in some photos and patches of the
meteorological support units on RV exercises. These exercises are
seen in Table 8.
- Also in 1987, the School of
Meteorology in Winnipeg began a series of "NWS" Courses. NWS meant the
North Warning System, Civilian contractors were sent to Northern
Warning stations and needed to be trained in basic
meteorological observing.
- There were also special
courses
titled
Met Ob Advanced, Corporals' Met Course, Combat Arms, Rawindsonde and
Ballistic Met, Met Tech Briefer, Met Tech Pres
(Presentation), plus Upper Air (Radiosonde) courses and Ozalid (White
Printer)
courses.
- From 1993 to 2002, a series of
Short Range Forecasting
courses were held for Meteorological Technicians who had reached
Sergeant rank.
- About
1997 the CFWS became the CFWOS,
recognizing the oceanographic components which had been present for
many years before.
- In 2007, the last
Meteorological Technician Trade Level 3 (entry level) was held.
In 2008, the entry level course became the Basic Occupation Qualification (BOQ) course. In 2011, the entry course
was renamed
to Tactical Weather Specialist (TWS).
- In 2011, the last Meteorological Technician trade level 6B course
was held. It was replaced in 2012 by the Met Technician Forecaster course
series.
- Detailed course descriptions
(written in 2014)
for: Weather Observer,
Tactical
Weather Specialist (TWS), Meteorological
Observer
Briefing Technician, Meteorological
Observer Briefer Technician (BOQ), Advanced
Weather Observer (5A), Weather Briefer (6A), Specialized
Weather Support (6B), Short Range Forecaster (SRF), and Meteorological
Technician Forecaster (Fcstr) may be seen at
this
pdf link (added 2015).
- In 2021, Marc Boucher, new
archivist for the DND Met Techs transferred here a very large number of
new photos, many originating in the two schools of meteorology at
Trenton and Winnipeg. All these and many new names are gradually
being added. Marc also provided more clarification on
Meteorological Technician Trade Levels at
this pdf link (added 2021).
- Certificates
and Awards (by Chad Thompson, 2022)
The Certificate of Academic
Distinction also known as The
Certificate of Achievement
– this certificate is awarded to the graduate who achieves the highest
overall final mark on course, providing he/she achieves an “A” grade.
In exceptional circumstances, two Certificates of Academic Distinction
can be awarded if it is clear that two graduates have excelled above
the others. This award will not be presented for the Met Supervisor or
Met Inspection courses. This award will be presented by Standards staff
or designate.
The Certificate of Merit,
also known as the Top Student Award
– this certificate recognizes outstanding graduates who have performed
at a high standard throughout the course and who have also demonstrated
through positive attitude and leadership ability outstanding potential
for continuing excellence in the Met Tech occupation. This award will
be presented by the Cmdt or Reviewing Officer. The following criteria
must be met to earn this award.
The Sergeant Andy Domarchuk
Trophy
is awarded to a TWS student who, in the opinion of their peers, made
the greatest contribution to promoting good fellowship and ‘Esprit de
Corps’ amongst their classmates. This award will be presented by a
representative of the Canadian Military Intelligence Association (CMIA)
and the Cmdt or Reviewing Officer. The following criteria must be met
to earn this award:
(1) the candidate readily assisted his or her fellow classmates to
succeed;
(2) set and promoted mutual loyalty, respect for diversity of views and
sense of inclusiveness amongst all his or her peers;
(3) sought knowledge of and promoted pride in the history and heritage
of the Meteorological Occupation and the Intelligence Branch; and,
(4) the candidate did not struggle academically or have any significant
conduct issues.
The candidate chosen for the award will be selected based on closed
ballot nomination. Each student will submit one ballot and the Course
Director (CD) will
review the results. In the event where multiple students receive equal
amount of votes, the “tie breaker” vote will be submitted by the CD. If
the CD is unable to decide, the Cmdt will have the final authority to
choose the award winner.
- Some Met Tech Conferences were formerly
found here. These were transferred to Table 10 in 2022.
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