RT makes his flag Saturday at Bretteville (Ouest France May 21, 2010) The 55-hectare area Koenig must be assigned to the symbolic euro to the chipboard. Archives Ouest-France
The official dissolution of the regiment marks the end of the presence of the Army in the city. The soldiers finally leave the scene Wednesday, June 30
History
In 1999, announcing the arrival of a signals regiment, to offset the departure of the School of Defence, had been experienced as a relief. The presence of the Army in Caen, in addition to the symbol, was an economic windfall. But this time, no khaki uniform will not compensate for the departure of communications specialists. They were the only regiment in Normandy.
heir of the 18th Engineer Regiment created Nancy in 1923, the 18th Signal Regiment was created in Grenoble in 1945. He becomes the 42nd RT then moved to Epinal in 1951. In 1997, he was dissolved.
While the military ranks thinned and many regiments will disappear with the professionalization of the army, instigated by President Chirac, the 18th RT reborn from its ashes in the 2003-2008 military programming law. A first detachment moved to Caen in 2000. He officially took over its name from 18th in 2003 RT. At 1 January 2005, the regiment has about 1,000 people: 64 officers, 380 NCOs and 417 other ranks, 79 civilian personnel and 63 reservists.
missions in Kosovo and Afghanistan
Their mission: to provide information (IT) staffs and the media (radio encrypted) for training and field operations. Transmissions are a weapon technique, requiring a thorough qualification, hence an important ratio of NCOs in the ranks. Afghanistan, Côte d'Ivoire, Kosovo ... The military Caen participate in various missions abroad, with weapons satellites, antennas and radios in their system secure links.
The 700 soldiers who were still on site in January should be "reassigned to 90% in Douai, which creates a signals regiment, recently stated Colonel Dominic Vitte, who commands the 18th RT. Others will fill the needs of other regiments, are retiring or are out of contract. Douai also recovered much of the technical equipment.
Army still keeps a foot in Caen: it did not sell the 60 acres at its disposal Verson. "There is talk of installing a future air defense radar whose model remains to be defined," says Dominique Vinot-Battistoni Mayor Biéville-Beuville in charge of the working group of Caen la Mer on the site's future.
Aurélie LEMAÎTRE. Ouest-France
