Canadian Armed Forces ranks and insignia

This is a table of the ranks and insignia of the Canadian Armed Forces. As the Canadian Armed Forces is officially bilingual, the French language ranks are presented following the English (in italics).

Commander-in-chief insignia

According to Canadian Forces Dress Instructions, the king's representative (the governor general) may wear the uniform and corresponding cap/hat badge of a flag/general officer, with a special flag/general officer sleeve braid embellished with the governor general's badge, and a large embroidered governor general's badge on the shoulder straps or boards, facing forward.

{| style="margin:1em auto; border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%;"

!Service

!Board

!Sleeve

|127x127px

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

<dfn>Officers</dfn> in the CAF hold positions of authority and respect. They are responsible for the safety, well-being and morale of a group of soldiers, sailors, or aviators. Analyzing, planning, making decisions and providing advice are a few aspects of an Officer’s role.

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Subordinate officer ranks

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|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"

! Branch || Navy || Army || Air force

| Insignia

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Appointments

The rank insignia for NCM appointments.

{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px; text-align:center"

|- style="background-color:#CCCCCC;"

| Rank group || colspan=3| Senior appointments || colspan=3| Appointments

| rowspan=3| There were one to five silver chevrons on drab backing for every two years of service or a maple leaf in silver thread on a drab cloth circle to represent 10 years of service. Chevron points were worn either up or down; even official documents and photos were confused on the matter. Further awards after 10 years were believed covered by the Canadian Forces' Decoration, which was awarded after 12 years and a clasp added for every 10 years afterwards.

Qualifying service could include prior active service in the active reserves of the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force or the regular or territorial forces of a fellow Commonwealth member nation. Service in Canadian Army reserve forces units (like the regular reserve, supplementary reserve and reserve militia) did not count. The awarding of Service Stripes ceased in 1968 after the unification of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Canadian Army distinctive corps insignia

Every branch or corps of the Canadian Army uses a distinctive colour. Applicable only to officers, they are indicated by coloured borders of rank insignia on DEU shirt and sweater slip-ons and on mess dress.

{| class="wikitable"

! Branch

! Colour

! Image

| Royal Canadian Armoured Corps

| Yellow

| 50px

| Red

| 50px

| Blue

| 50px

| Scarlet

| 50px

| Royal Canadian Medical Service

| Dull cherry

| 50px

| Canadian Intelligence Corps

| Forest green (silver rank)

| 50px

| Royal Canadian Dental Corps

| Emerald green

| 50px

| Royal Canadian Chaplain Service

| Purple

| 50px

| RCIC members of Les Voltigeurs de Québec

| Black

| 50px

Distinctive rank names

Some branches and regiments use distinctive job titles for privates (trained) in those regiments:

{| class=wikitable

! Branch

! Distinct title

| Royal Canadian Armoured Corps

| Trooper ( or )

| Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery

| Gunner ( or )

| Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers

| Sapper ( or )

| Royal Canadian Corps of Signals

| Signaller ( or )

| Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

| Craftsman ( or )

| Royal Canadian Infantry Corps (RCIC) members of guards regiments

| Guardsman ()

| RCIC members of rifle regiments

| Rifleman ( or )

| RCIC members of fusilier regiments

| Fusilier ( or )

| RCIC members of voltigeur regiment

| Voltigeur ( or )

| Musicians of the Music Branch

| Musician ( or )

| Pipers of the Music Branch

| Piper ( or )

| Drummers of the Music Branch

| Drummer ( or )

| Canadian Rangers

| Ranger ()

Additionally, the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery uses "bombardier" ( or ) for corporal and "master bombardier" ( or ) for master corporal. In the guards regiments, warrant officers are known as "colour sergeants" () and second-lieutenants are known as "ensigns" ().) recommending the executive curl be reinstated on the Canadian navy uniform. Subsequently, in recognition of the Canadian Naval centennial, Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, authorized the use of the executive curl for the Canadian Navy on 2 May 2010. The insignia became effective on 11 June 2010, on the occasion of the Pacific Canadian Naval International Fleet Review parade of nations in Victoria, B.C.

More than 54 countries, including Canada and 18 other of the 22 Commonwealth navies, use the insignia. Most navies that do not use the executive curl insignia, such as the United States Navy and the French Navy, substitute a star or other national device above the top row of lace.

Timeline of changes (sleeves only)

{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;"

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=1 | Royal Canadian Navy

| rowspan=6 colspan=2 |

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=3 | 50px

| colspan=12 | 70px

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=1 | Maritime Command

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=3 | 50px

| colspan=12 | 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=1 | Maritime Command

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=3 | 50px

| colspan=12 | 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=1 | Royal Canadian Navy

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=3 | 50px

| colspan=12 | 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=2 | Rank titles

| colspan=2 | Admiral

| colspan=2 | Vice-admiral

| colspan=2 | Rear-admiral

| colspan=2 | Commodore

| colspan=2 | Captain(N)

| colspan=2 | Commander

| colspan=2 | Lieutenant-commander

| colspan=2 | Lieutenant(N)

| colspan=3 | Sub-lieutenant

| colspan=3 | Acting sub-lieutenant

| colspan=12 | Naval cadet

|- style="text-align:center;"

| colspan=2 | or

| colspan=2 |

| colspan=2 | or

| colspan=3 |

| colspan=12 | or

{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;"

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=2 | Royal Canadian Navy

| colspan=6 | 50px

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=12 | 50px

| colspan=4 | 50px

| colspan=2 | Trade badge

| colspan=6 | No insignia

| colspan=2 | No insignia

|- style="text-align:center;"

| colspan=6 | Chief petty officer 1st class

| colspan=2 | Chief petty officer 2nd class

| colspan=2 | Petty officer 1st class

| colspan=12 | Petty officer 2nd class

| colspan=4 | Leading seaman

| colspan=2 | Able seaman

| colspan=6 | Ordinary seaman

| colspan=2 | Recruit

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=1 | Maritime Command

| colspan=6 | 50px

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=6 | 50px

| colspan=4 | 50px

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=6 | 50px

| colspan=2 | 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=1 | Maritime Command

| colspan=6 | 50px

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=6 | 50px

| colspan=4 | 50px

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=6 | 50px

| colspan=2 | 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=1 | Rank titles Instead of the sleeve stripe rank insignia used since unification, officers would use the older St Edward's Crown and Star of the Order of the Bath insignia, commonly called "pips and crowns". Gorget patches were also restored for officers of the rank of colonel or higher. The new insignia for officers, instead of using the current British rank insignia for brigadier (used in the Canadian Army until 1968), had the pre-1920 brigadier-general insignia (crossed sabre and baton) instead.

On 2 April 2016, the Commander of the Canadian Army announced that general officers would revert to the unification-era rank insignia worn between 1968 and 2013. This rank insignia is based on the shoulder board rank insignia of Royal Canadian Navy flag officers. The rank insignia of general officers now consists of a crown, crossed sabre and baton, and a series of maple leaves on shoulder straps. Additionally, general officers wear one broad gold band on each of the lower sleeves of the service dress tunic.

On the centenary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, 9 April 2017, the Bath Star pip with motto was replaced by the "Vimy Star". It depicts a maple leaf and is surrounded by the motto . Commissioned officers of the household guard regiments (Governor General's Foot Guards, Canadian Grenadier Guards, and Governor General's Horse Guards), plus army personnel stationed to the seasonal Ceremonial Guard, use the Guards Star in place of the Vimy Star on their shoulder boards.

Timeline of changes

{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;"

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=2 | Canadian Militia Canadian Expeditionary Force

| colspan=2 rowspan=12 |

| colspan=2 |

| colspan=2 | 50px|General

| colspan=2 | 50px|Lieutenant-General

| colspan=2 | 50px|Major-General

| colspan=2 | 50px|Brigadier-General

| colspan=2 | 50px|Colonel

| colspan=2 | 50px|Lieutenant-Colonel

| colspan=2 | 50px|Major

| colspan=2 | 50px|Captain

| colspan=3 | 50px|Lieutenant

| colspan=3 | 50px|Second Lieutenant

| colspan=12 | 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

| colspan=2 |

| colspan=2 | General

| colspan=2 | Lieutenant-general

| colspan=2 | Major-general

| colspan=2 | Brigadier-general

| colspan=2 | Colonel

| colspan=2 | Lieutenant-colonel

| colspan=2 | Major

| colspan=2 | Captain

| colspan=3 | Lieutenant

| colspan=3 | Second lieutenant

| colspan=12 | Officer cadet

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=2 | Canadian Militia Canadian Army

| colspan=2 |

| colspan=2 | 50px|General

| colspan=2 | 50px|Lieutenant-general

| colspan=2 | 50px|Major-general

| colspan=2 | 50px|Colonel commandant

| colspan=2 | 50px|Colonel

| colspan=2 | 50px|Lieutenant-colonel

| colspan=2 | 50px|Major

| colspan=2 | 50px|Captain

| colspan=3 | 50px|Lieutenant

| colspan=3 | 50px|Second lieutenant

| colspan=12 | 50px|Officer cadet

|- style="text-align:center;"

| colspan=2 |

| colspan=2 | General

| colspan=2 | Lieutenant-general

| colspan=2 | Major-general

| colspan=2 | Colonel commandant

| colspan=2 | Colonel

| colspan=2 | Lieutenant-colonel

| colspan=2 | Major

| colspan=2 | Captain

| colspan=3 | Lieutenant

| colspan=3 | Second lieutenant

| colspan=12 | Officer cadet

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=2 | Canadian Army

| colspan=2 |

| colspan=2 | 50px|General

| colspan=2 | 50px|Lieutenant-general

| colspan=2 | 50px|Major-general

| colspan=2 | 50px|Brigadier

| colspan=2 | 50px|Colonel

| colspan=2 | 50px|Lieutenant-colonel

| colspan=2 | 50px|Major

| colspan=2 | 50px|Captain

| colspan=3 | 50px|Lieutenant

| colspan=3 | 50px|Second lieutenant

| colspan=12 | 50px|Officer cadet

|- style="text-align:center;"

| colspan=2 |

| colspan=2 | General

| colspan=2 | Lieutenant-general

| colspan=2 | Major-general

| colspan=2 | Brigadier

| colspan=2 | Colonel

| colspan=2 | Lieutenant-colonel

| colspan=2 | Major

| colspan=2 | Captain

| colspan=3 | Lieutenant

| colspan=3 | Second lieutenant

| colspan=12 | Officer cadet

|- style="text-align:center;"

| Mobile Command & Land Force Command

| colspan=2 |

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=3 | 50px

| colspan=12 | 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

| Canadian Army

| colspan=2 |

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=3 | 50px

| colspan=12 | 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

| Canadian Army

| colspan=2 |

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=3 | 50px

| colspan=12 | 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

| Canadian Army

| colspan=2 |

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=3 | 50px

| colspan=12 | 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

| Rank titles

| colspan=2 |

| colspan=2 | General or

| colspan=2 | Lieutenant-general or

| colspan=2 | Major-general or

| colspan=2 | Brigadier-general or

| colspan=2 | Colonel or

| colspan=2 | Lieutenant-colonel or

| colspan=2 | Major or

| colspan=2 | Captain

| colspan=3 | Lieutenant or

| colspan=3 | Second lieutenant or

| colspan=12 | Officer cadet or

{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;"

|- style="background-color:#CCCCCC; text-align:center;"

|- style="text-align:center;"

! rowspan=2 |

| colspan=6 | 70px

| colspan=1 | 70px

| colspan=2 | 70px

| colspan=12 | 70px

| colspan=4 | 70px

| colspan=2 | 70px

| colspan=8 | No insignia

|- style="text-align:center;"

| colspan=6 | Warrant officer class I

| colspan=2 | Warrant officer class II

| colspan=2 | Staff/Colour sergeant

| colspan=12 | Sergeant

| colspan=4 | Corporal

| colspan=2 | Lance corporal

| colspan=8 | Private (or equivalent)

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=2 | Canadian Army

| colspan=6 | Chief warrant officer

| colspan=2 | Master warrant officer

| colspan=2 | Warrant officer

| colspan=6 | Sergeant

| colspan=6 | Master corporal

| colspan=4 | Corporal

| colspan=2 | Private

| colspan=6 | Private (basic)

| colspan=2 | Private (recruit)

|- style="text-align:center;"

| Land Force Command

| colspan=6 | 50px

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=12 | 50px

| colspan=4 | 50px

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=6 | 50px

| colspan=2 | 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

| Rank titles the Royal Canadian Air Force adopted new rank insignia reminiscent of the pre-unification RCAF system. The new officer rank insignia uses pearl-grey-on-black rank stripes instead of gold. Non-commissioned members (NCMs) rank insignia is pearl grey instead of gold. The colour gold found elsewhere on the uniform was also changed to pearl-grey. The air force rank of private, formerly indicated by one chevron, became aviator (), and is indicated by a horizontally-aligned two-bladed propeller. All other ranks titles remain as they were.

Timeline of changes

{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin:0 12px 12px 0; width:100%;"

|- style="background-color:#CCCCCC; width: 100%"

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=1 | Royal Canadian Air Force

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=3 | 50px

| colspan=12 | 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

|rowspan=1 | Rank titles

| colspan=2 | Marshal of the Royal Canadian Air Force

| colspan=2 | Air chief marshal

| colspan=2 | Air marshal

| colspan=2 | Air vice-marshal

| colspan=2 | Air commodore

| colspan=2 | Group captain

| colspan=2 | Wing commander

| colspan=2 | Squadron leader

| colspan=2 | Flight lieutenant

| colspan=3 | Flying officer

| colspan=3 | Pilot officer

| colspan=12 | Flight cadet/ officer cadet (post-1962)

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=1 | Air Command

| rowspan=4 |

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=3 | 50px

| colspan=12 | 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=1 | Air Command

| colspan=2 | 50px

| colspan=3 | 50px

| colspan=12 | 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

|rowspan=1 | Royal Canadian Air Force

| colspan=6 | Chief warrant officer

| colspan=2 | Master warrant officer

| colspan=2 | Warrant officer

| colspan=12 | Sergeant

| colspan=4 | Master corporal

| colspan=2 | Corporal

| colspan=6 | Private

| colspan=2 | Private (basic)

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=1| Royal Canadian Air Force ranks

| rowspan=9|

| 50px

| rowspan=9 |

| 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=1| Air Command Mess ranks

| 50px

|- style="text-align:center;"

| rowspan=1| Royal Canadian Air Force Mess ranks

| 50px

Notes

References

External links

Canadian Armed Forces ranks and appointment insignia – official site with images of rank insignia for Navy, Army and Air Force.

Commander-in-chief insignia

Commissioned officer ranks

Subordinate officer ranks

Appointments

Canadian Army distinctive corps insignia

Distinctive rank names

Timeline of changes (sleeves only)

Timeline of changes

Timeline of changes

See also

Notes

References

External links