The Communicator Research (291) trade was created by the Canadian Forces restructuring of 1966. On inception, the trade was made up primarily from the members of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Operator trade and the Royal Canadian Air Force Communication Operator trade who had previously been employed in signals intelligence (SIGINT) duties at camp "X" Oshawa.
Communicator Research officers are "trained to operate a variety of sophisticated equipment, operating in Morse, non-Morse and voice modes. In addition, training in the operation of teletype, cryptographic, saterllite, direction-finding and information gathering computer equipments are also given."
The course(s) for the 291 trade is taught by "E" Squadron of the CFSCE, which in 1978 had an instructional staff of 46. In addition, "E" Squadron also teaches the more advanced 291.5 QL5 and 291.6A QL6A courses, as well as at least 2 trade specialty qualification courses: 291.11 Signals Development and 291.09 Linguist Operator. The latter, formerly designated Linguist Operator (Russian), now covers an unspecified range of "selected foreign languages." Linguistic training takes place at the Canadian Forces Language School in Ottawa, Ontario.
Advanced courses are taught at the Naval Technical Training Center, Corry Station, in Pensacola, Florida, the location of US Naval, Marine Corps and Army SIGINT technical training. "Our members are trained at Pensacola, Florida due to the sophisticated equipment required.'"
"E" Squadron's training is conducted primarily in the Gloucester Building. The Gloucester Building is a 3-storey, mainly concrete structure with several small antennae on its roof, located in the McNaughton Barracks section of the base. Although it is only a training building, security is high; the site is surrounded by a barbed wire-topped fence and a guard hut controls access to the building. Signs mounted at a number of points along the fence read: "Restricted Area -- No Unauthorized Entry". Additional training is conducted in Building B-69.[6]
After the closure of camp "X" in Oshawa, where most of the allied communications officer (aka allied spies) trained, CFSCE became the premier training facility for future communication officers.
[2] "Trades in the Canadian Armed Forces," pamphlet, National Defence, 1978.
[3] Course Catalogue 1995-96, CF School of Communications and Electronics, 1995; "Communicator Research (291)," p. 22.
[4] Course Catalogue 1995-96; "Communicator Research (291)," p. 22; private information.
[5] Desmond Ball and Jeffrey Richelson, The Ties That Bind: Intelligence Cooperation Between the UKUSA Countries, Allen and Unwin, 1985, p. 318; George Oake, "Ex-Forces agent claims Ottawa spies on envoys," Vancouver Sun, 5 December 1981.
[6] Personal observations; Defence Construction (1951) Limited Annual Report 1972-1973, 1973, pp. 12-13; Course Catalogue 1995-96.
[7] Defence 90, Supply and Services, 1991, p. 112.
[8] "Communicator Research (291)," p. 22.
[9] Estimates, 1989-90, Part III: National Defence, Supply and Services, 1989, p. 60.
[10] Reserve Electronic Warfare Squadron Celebrates its 10th Anniversary, Lt O. Babij, Communications and Electronics Newsletter, 1996/02.