Armour Soldier

Overview

As a member of the military, Armour Soldiers operate and maintain armoured fighting vehicles, its weapon systems and its communication equipment. Armour Soldiers are members of the Combat Arms team, which also includes Infantry, Artillery and Combat Engineering regiments.

Armour Soldiers begin their career with one of two types of vehicles: the tank or the reconnaissance vehicle. As a member of a tank crew trained to be a driver, operator or gunner, an Armour Soldier has the following duties:

• Drive and maintain the tank
• Fire the tank’s main gun
• Load the tank’s main gun and machineguns
• Maintain the tank’s communications equipment

As a member of a reconnaissance vehicle crew trained to be a driver or an observer, an Armour Soldier has the following duties:

• Drive and maintain the vehicle
• Load, fire and maintain the vehicle’s machine-guns
• Maintain and operate the vehicle’s radio equipment
• Gather and relay information about the enemy and the terrain

Work environment

Armour Soldiers experience the unique adventures and challenges that come with work in the field and on deployment to other countries.

If you chose a career in the Regular Force, upon completion of all required training, you will be assigned to your first base. While there is some flexibility with regards to postings (relocations), accommodations can’t always be made, and therefore, you can likely expect to move at some point in your career. However, if you decide to join the Primary Reserve Force, you will do so through a specific Reserve unit. Outside of training, your chosen Reserve unit will be your workplace on a part-time basis, and you will not be obligated to relocate to a different base. As part of the Primary Reserve Force, you typically work one night per week and some weekends as a minimum with possibilities of full-time employment.

Entry plans

• Direct Entry Options
  
  

No previous work experience or career-related skills are required. CAF recruiters can help you decide if your personal interests and attributes match the criteria for this occupation.

The minimum required education to apply for this occupation is the completion of the provincial requirements for Grade 10 or Secondary 4 in Quebec.

Foreign education may be accepted.

Training

The first stage of training is the Basic Military Qualification course, or Basic Training, held at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. This training provides the basic core skills and knowledge common to all trades. A goal of this course is to ensure that all recruits maintain the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) physical fitness standard; as a result, the training is physically demanding.

Armour Soldiers attend the Combat Training Centre in Gagetown, New Brunswick. Training takes 11 weeks and teaches the following basic skills:

• Army physical fitness
• Mounted and dismounted reconnaissance patrolling
• Advanced weapons-handling
• Individual field craft
• Driving and maintaining tanks and reconnaissance vehicles
• Firing and maintaining weapon systems currently used in Canadian AFVs
• Operating surveillance equipment on the reconnaissance vehicle
• 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
• History and traditions of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps

Armour Soldiers may be offered the opportunity to develop specialized skills through formal courses and on-the-job training, including:

• Unarmed Combat Instructor
• Assault Troop
• Armoured Crew – Reconnaissance

As they progress in their career, Armour Soldiers who demonstrate the required ability and potential will be offered advanced training. Available courses include:

• Armoured Gunnery Specialist
• Combat Arms Telecommunications Specialist
• Combat Arms Driving and Maintenance Specialist
• Crew Commander
• Reconnaissance Troop Leader

Part-time options

This position is available for part-time employment with the Primary Reserve at certain locations across Canada. Reserve Force members usually serve part-time with a military unit in their community and may serve while going to school or working at a civilian job. They are paid during their training. They are not posted or required to do a military move. However, they can volunteer to move to another base. They may also volunteer for deployment on a military mission within or outside Canada.

Armour Soldiers serve with the Canadian Army. They are employed operating and maintaining armoured fighting vehicles, onboard weapon systems and communication equipment. When they are employed on a part-time or casual full-time basis they usually serve at a CAF armour unit located within Canada.

Find a Recruiting Centre

Reserve Force members are trained to the same level as their Regular Force counterparts. They usually begin training with their home unit to ensure that they meet the required basic professional military standards. Following basic training, Army recruits train for the soldier qualification for approximately one month and then Armour Soldiers attend the Combat Training Centre in Gagetown, New Brunswick for 11 weeks to achieve their occupational qualification.

Reserve Force members usually serve part-time with their home unit for scheduled evenings and weekends, although they may also serve in full-time positions at some units for fixed terms, depending on the type of work that they do. They are paid 92.8 percent of Regular Force rates of pay, receive a reasonable benefits package and may qualify to contribute to a pension plan.

Related Careers

Combat Engineer

Infanteer

Gunner

Accelerated Pay Increment

In Demand