Personnel branches, in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), are groupings of related military occupations. Personnel branches were officially established at unification in 1968 to amalgamate the old Canadian Army

corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was first named as such in 1805. The size of a corps varies great ...

and similar occupational groupings in the

Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack submar ...

and

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...

. According to

Canadian Forces Administrative Orders Canadian Forces Administrative Orders (CFAOs) are issued to supplement and amplify the Queen's Regulations and Orders (QR&O)...heycontain administrative policy, procedures and information of continuing effect. CFAO 1-1' They are contained in a d ...

(CFAOs),

"Personnel Branches were created to enable members of the Canadian Forces in related occupations to identify with each other in cohesive professional groups. These groups are based on similarity of military roles, customs and traditions." –''CFAO 2-10''

Branches are applicable to all members of the rank of

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

/ captain (N) and below; flag and general officers normally do not belong to branches. Exceptions to this rule are the judge advocate general (Legal Branch), the chaplain general (Royal Canadian Chaplain Service), and the surgeon general (

Royal Canadian Medical Service The Royal Canadian Medical Service (RCMS, french: Service de santé royal canadien) is a personnel branch of the Canadian Armed Forces, consisting of all members of medical occupations. Nearly all members of the RCMS, along with the members of the ...

). Military occupations for

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," f ...

s and

non-commissioned member A non-commissioned member (NCM), in the Canadian Armed Forces, is defined in the Queen's Regulations and Orders as: "... any person, other than an officer, who is enrolled in, or who pursuant to law is attached or seconded otherwise than as an offi ...

s are grouped within a particular branch under the coordination of the Director – Military Human Resource Requirements (DMHRR) and the approval of the

Chief of Military Personnel The Chief of Military Personnel (CMP) is the senior Canadian Armed Forces officer responsible for the military's human resource programs. As a " Level One" organization, the CMP reports directly to the Chief of the Defence Staff. Responsibiliti ...

Uniforms

Assignment of distinctive environmental uniform (i.e. "navy", "army", "air force" or "special operations") is a function of military occupation, not personnel branch. For example, within the

Communications and Electronics Branch The Communications and Electronics Branch (french: Branche des communications et de l'électronique, link=no) is a personnel branch of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). The army component of the branch is designated the Royal Canadian Corps of Sign ...

, all signal operators are uniformed army and all aerospace telecommunication and information systems technicians are designated as air force. On the other hand, within the

Royal Canadian Logistics Service The Royal Canadian Logistics Service (RCLS, french: links=no, Service royal de la logistique du Canada) is a personnel branch of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). In April 1997, the CF Armed Forces Council decided to incorporate the Personnel Admi ...

, supply technicians may be designated as any environment.

Branch advisors

Each Branch has its own branch advisor — normally a colonel or naval captain — to the Chief of the Defence Staff.

Branch traditions

Branches have carried forward many of the traditions inherited from their corps or service predecessors. They have authorized marches, differences in accessories and accoutrements for

full dress Western dress codes are a set of dress codes detailing what clothes are worn for what occasion. Conversely, since most cultures have intuitively applied some level equivalent to the more formal Western dress code traditions, these dress codes a ...

and mess dress uniforms, branch-specific toasts, ceremonial commanders such as colonels-in-chief, etc. For example: * The Armoured Branch retained the black

beret A beret ( or ; ; eu, txapela, ) is a soft, round, flat-crowned cap, usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, wool felt, or acrylic fibre. Mass production of berets began in 19th century France and Spain, and the beret rema ...

and resurrected the name of the former Royal Canadian Armoured Corps. * Army Signals officers of the Communications and Electronics Branch are permitted to wear box

spur A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to ba ...

s with mess dress, a tradition inherited from the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals. * The Air Operations Branch uses "

RCAF March Past The "Royal Air Force March Past" is the official march of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and is used in some other Commonwealth air forces. The original score was completed by Walford Davies in 1918 for the new RAF. It combined the rhythm of the bugl ...

" as its authorized march. * The Naval Operations Branch inherited its cap badge system from the old Royal Canadian Navy: one badge for officers and chief petty officer first classes, one for chief petty officer second classes and petty officers, and another for master sailors and below.

List of personnel branches

The following is a list of CF personnel branches in order of precedence: * Naval Operations Branch *

Royal Canadian Armoured Corps The Royal Canadian Armoured Corps (RCAC; french: links=no, Corps blindé royal canadien) is the armoured corps within the Canadian Army, including 3 Regular and 18 Reserve Force regimentsThe Regiments and Corps of the Canadian Army (Queen's Printe ...

Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery , colors = The guns of the RCA themselves , colors_label = Colours , march = * Slow march: "Royal Artillery Slow March" * Quick march (dismounted parades): " British Grenadiers/ Th ...

Canadian Military Engineers The Canadian Military Engineers (CME; french: links=no, Génie militaire canadien) is the military engineering personnel branch of the Canadian Armed Forces. The members of the branch that wear army uniform comprise the Corps of Royal Canadian Engi ...

Royal Canadian Infantry Corps The Royal Canadian Infantry Corps (french: Corps d'infanterie royal canadien) is the infantry corps of the Canadian Army and includes regular and reserve force regiments. Originally formed as the Canadian Infantry Corps on 2 September 1942 to en ...

Air Operations Branch The Air Operations Branch (french: links=no, Branche des opérations aériennes) is a personnel branch of the Canadian Forces (CF). All members of the branch wear air force uniform. Training Royal Canadian Air Force Academy The Royal Canadian Air ...

* Royal Canadian Dental Corps *

Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers The Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RCEME) (french: links=no, Corps du génie électrique et mécanique royal canadien) is a personnel branch of the Canadian Armed Forces (CF) that provides army engineering maintenance ...

* Royal Canadian Chaplain Service *

Canadian Forces Military Police The Canadian Forces Military Police (CFMP; french: Groupe de la Police militaire des Forces canadiennes) provide police, security and operational support services to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the Department of National Defence (DND) wor ...

* Legal Branch * Music Branch * Personnel Selection Branch * Training Development Branch * Public Affairs Branch * Intelligence Branch *

Cadet Instructors Cadre The Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC; french: Cadre des instructeurs de cadets) consists of approximately 7,500 Canadian Forces (CF) officers whose primary duty is the safety, supervision, administration and training of Royal Canadian Sea, Army, and Ai ...

Special Operations Forces Branch The Special Operations Forces Branch (SOFB, french: Branche des forces d'opérations spéciales, BFOS, links=no) is a personnel branch of the Canadian Armed Forces, consisting of all members of special operations trades. Nearly all members of the ...

References

{{Canadian Forces Personnel Branches Canadian Armed Forces personnel branches