Canadian Army

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Canadian Army
Canadian Army.png
Badge of the Canadian Army
Active 1867 — Present
Country  Canada
Allegiance Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada
Type Army
Size 19,500 regular personnel[1]
16,000 reserve personnel[1]
35,500 total personal

Land Force Atlantic Area
Land Force Quebec Area
Land Force Central Area
Land Force Western Area
Part of Department of National Defence
Canadian Forces
Headquarters National Defence Headquarters
Motto Vigilamus pro Te (We Stand on Guard for Thee)
March "Celer Paratus Callidus"
Engagements
Commanders
Chief of the Defence Staff General Walter Natynczyk CMM, MSC, CD
Chief of the Land Staff Lieutenant-General Peter J. Devlin, CMM, MSC, CD
Assistant Chief of the Land Staff Major-General A.J. Howard, CD
Insignia
Flag of the Canadian Army
Canadian Army Flag.svg

The Canadian Army (French: Armée canadienne) is the branch of the Canadian Forces responsible for land warfare. In 2011, the Army comprised 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers.[1] It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada and is also responsible for the largest component of the Primary Reserve, the Army Reserve. The Chief of the Land Staff is Lieutenant-General Peter Devlin.

The term has been traditionally applied to the ground forces of Canada's military from Confederation in 1867 to the present. The Canadian Army is the successor of the Land Force Command, which was the name of Canada's land forces from 1997 until 2011; however, the term "Canadian Army" was officially used beginning in 1940. At the time of unification of Canada's military forces in 1968, all army units were placed under Mobile Command (MC), later changed to Force Mobile Command (FMC) in 1975 when tactical air units were assigned to the newly created Air Command. The name was changed from FMC to Land Force Command in a 1997 reorganization of the Canadian Forces. In August 2011, the Land Force Command reverted to the pre-1968 title, the Canadian Army.[2]

Contents

[edit] History

Main article: History of the Canadian Army

Prior to Confederation in 1867, the British Army, which included Canadian militia units, defended Canada in wartime. After 1867, a Permanent Active Militia was formed, and in later decades several regular bodies of troops were created, their descendants becoming the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, the Royal Canadian Dragoons, and the Royal Canadian Regiment. Regular Canadian troops participated in the North West Rebellion in 1885, the South African War (Second Boer War) in 1899, and, in much larger numbers, constituted the Canadian Expeditionary Force in World War I.

In 1940, during World War II, the Permanent Active Militia was renamed the Canadian Army (Active), supplemented by the non-permanent militia, which was named the Canadian Army (Reserve). The Army participated in the Korean War and formed part of the NATO presence in West Germany during the Cold War. In the years following its integration with other Canadian forces in 1968, the size of what was then termed the Land Force Command was reduced, but Canadian troops participated in a number of military actions with Canada's allies, including the Gulf War in 1991 and the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, as well as peacekeeping operations under United Nations auspices in various parts of the world.

Notably, despite Canada's usual strong support of British and American initiatives, Canada's military forces did not directly participate in the Vietnam War or the Iraq War.

[edit] Structure

Main article: Structure of the Canadian Army

Army Headquarters are located at NDHQ in Ottawa and is subdivided into four regional command areas:

Each area is responsible for the regular army and militia forces located within its geographical purview - all except the Atlantic Area has a regular army mechanized brigade group under its command, together with between two and three militia brigades.

Each mechanized brigade group contains 3 infantry battalions, an armoured regiment, an artillery regiment, and a combat engineer regiment. Each brigade group also contains a service support battalion, signals squadron and military police platoon.

In addition to the four regional command areas, the Land Force Doctrine and Training System, commanded by a Major-General and headquartered at McNaughton Barracks, CFB Kingston, Ontario, is responsible for the supervision, integration and delivery of the Land Force training and the long-range planning of the Land Force training and doctrine development, including simulation and digitization. It includes a number of schools and training organizations, such as the Combat Training Centre at CFB Gagetown, NB, and the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre at CFB Wainwright, AB.[3]

[edit] Leadership

The senior appointment within Canadian Land Forces was entitled Chief of the General Staff until 1964 when the appointment became Commander, Mobile Command with the unification of Canada's military forces.[4] The position was renamed Chief of the Land Staff in 1993.[5] Following the renaming of the Canadian Army in 2011, the position became Commander Canadian Army.

Officers are selected in several ways:

  • The Regular Officer Training Plan, where candidates are educated at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) or at civilian Canadian universities.
  • Direct Entry officer Plan, for those who already hold a university degree or technology diploma.
  • Continuing Education Officer Training Plan, addresses shortages in certain officer occupations, and is intended to attract candidates who are otherwise qualified for service as officers, but who lack a degree. Candidates complete their degrees while serving in the Army.[6]
  • University Training Plan (Non-Commissioned Members), designed to develop selected serving non-commissioned members for service as career officers in the Regular Force. Normally, candidates selected for this plan will attend RMC or a civilian university in Canada.[7]
  • Commissioning From the Ranks Plan, provides officers to augment the number of officers commissioned through other plans and applies exclusively to those who have acquired some military experience and possess the necessary qualities that make them suitable for employment as officers.[8]
  • Special Requirements Commissioning Plan, is designed to meet the needs of the officer occupations. It allows the Canadian Forces to profit from the skills and experience of senior non-commissioned members and may provide an opportunity for career advancement for selected deserving Chief Warrant Officers.[9]
  • Subsidized special education, which includes the Medical Officer Training Plan or Dental Officer Training Plan.[10]

In addition there were other commissioning plans such as the Officer Candidate Training Plan and Officer Candidate Training Plan (Men) for commissioning serving members which are no longer in effect.

Occupational training for Canadian Army officers takes place at one of the schools of the Combat Training Centre for Army-controlled occupations (Armour, Artillery, Infantry, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, etc.) or at a Canadian Forces school, such as the Canadian Forces School of Administration and Logistics or the Defence Public Affairs Learning Centre for officers from career fields controlled outside the Army.

[edit] Regular force

Main article: List of units of the Canadian Army

Canadian infantry and armoured regimental traditions are strongly rooted in the traditions and history of the British Army. Many regiments were patterned after regiments of the British Army, and a system of official "alliances", or affiliations, was created to perpetuate a sense of shared history. Other regiments developed independently, resulting in a mixture of both colourful and historically familiar names. Other traditions such as battle honours and colours have been maintained by Canadian regiments as well. Approximately two-thirds of the Regular Force is composed of anglophone units, while one third is francophone.

Reserve infantrymen train in urban operations circa 2004. Reserve training focuses on real world situations and the needs of the Regular Force who rely on the Reserves for augmentation on operational deployments.

Between 1953 and 1971, the regular Canadian infantry consisted of seven regiments, each of two battalions (except the Royal 22e Régiment, which had three, the Canadian Guards which had four battalions between 1953 and 1957 and the Canadian Airborne Regiment, which was divided into three "commandos"). The three present regular infantry regiments were augmented by three further regiments each of two battalions:

Following the unification of the Canadian Forces in 1968, the Regular Force battalions of the QOR and the Black Watch were dissolved (their Militia battalions remained in Toronto and Montreal, respectively), the Regular regiment of The Fort Garry Horse was disbanded and the Canadian Guards were reduced to nil strength.

The 1st Battalion of the Canadian Guards was disbanded on 1 October 1968. On 6 July 1970, the 2nd Battalion The Canadian Guards was reduced to nil strength and transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle, with the unit's soldiers and officers becoming the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment.

On 1 July 1970, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada were reduced to nil strength and transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle, and the Reserve Force battalion automatically relinquished its numerical designation.

On 15 September 1968, the 2nd Battalion the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada was reduced to nil strength and transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle, while when the 1st Battalion was reduced to nil strength and transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle on 27 April 1970, with the unit's officers and soldiers forming the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. The Reserve Force battalion automatically relinquished its numerical designation at that time.

The Canadian Airborne Regiment was disbanded in 1995.[11]

The Regular Force regiment of the 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's), formed in 1957, was converted to a mixed Regular and Reserve “Total Force” unit with the close-out of 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group at Lahr, Germany in 1994, before reverting to a Reserve regiment in 1997.[12]

The regular forces currently consist of the following regiments:

[edit] Infantry

Regular Force infantry regiments and battalions of the Canadian Army are:

  1. The Royal Canadian Regiment
  2. Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
    • 1st Battalion (CFB Edmonton) – mechanized infantry
    • 2nd Battalion (CFB Shilo) – mechanized infantry
    • 3rd Battalion (CFB Edmonton) – light infantry and parachute company
  3. Royal 22e Régiment

[edit] Artillery

Canada's regular field artillery has traditionally been called the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery. Canada currently has four Regular Force regiments:

  • 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (CFB Shilo)
  • 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (CFB Petawawa)
  • 5e Régiment d'artillerie légère du Canada (CFB Valcartier)
  • 4th Air Defence Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery (CFB Gagetown)

[edit] Armour

A Canadian LAV III.

Regular Force units include:

[edit] Combat engineers

[edit] Electronic warfare

Canadian officers inspect a Browning Hi-Power
  • 21 Electronic Warfare Regiment – CFB Kingston, Ontario
    • 2 Electronic Warfare Squadron (Regular)
    • 772 Electronic Warfare Squadron (Reserve)

[edit] Reserve force units

A Canadian soldier fires the current issue C7A2 rifle at the range with a C79A2 sight. This particular example is missing the standard TRIAD mount.
  1. Land Force Atlantic Area
    • 36 Canadian Brigade Group
    • 37 Canadian Brigade Group
      • 37 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters
      • 8th Canadian Hussars (Princess Louise's) (armoured) (Moncton, New Brunswick)
      • 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (artillery) (Saint John, New Brunswick)
      • 56 Engineer Squadron (combat engineer) (St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador)
      • 1st Battalion, The Royal New Brunswick Regiment (Carleton and York) (light infantry) (Fredericton, New Brunswick)
      • 2nd Battalion, The Royal New Brunswick Regiment (North Shore) (light infantry) (Bathurst, New Brunswick)
      • 1st Battalion, Royal Newfoundland Regiment (light infantry) (Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador)
      • 37 Service Battalion (service and support) (Saint John, New Brunswick and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador)
    • 72 Communications Group - Halifax, Nova Scotia
      • 721 Communication Regiment (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island)
      • 722 Communication Squadron (Saint John, New Brunswick)
      • 723 Communication Squadron (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
      • 724 Communication Squadron - active unit (Oromocto, New Brunswick)
      • 725 Communication Squadron (Glace Bay, Nova Scotia)
      • 728 Communication Squadron (St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador)
    • 5 Canadian Ranger Patrol Group (Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador)
    • 3 Intelligence Company (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
    • 3 Military Police Regiment (Canada) Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia
  2. Land Force Quebec Area
  3. Land Force Central Area
  4. Land Force Western Area

[edit] Army bases and training centres

[icon] This section requires expansion.
Land Force Western Area Land Force Central Area Land Force Quebec Area Land Force Atlantic Area
Alberta Manitoba Ontario Quebec New Brunswick Nova Scotia

[edit] Equipment

[icon] This section requires expansion.
Main articles: List of modern Canadian Army equipment, Future Canadian Forces projects, and List of infantry weapons and equipment of the Canadian military
 This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2010)

Canada is an industrial nation with a highly developed science and technology sector. Since the First World War, Canada has produced its own infantry fighting vehicle, anti-tank guided missile and small arms for the Canadian Forces. Army and Land Force Reserve operate state-of-the-art equipment able to handle modern threats through 2030–2035. Despite the financial cuts between 1960s–2000s, Army is well equipped.[14] The Army currently operates approximatively 10,500 utility vehicles including G-wagon and 7000-MV and also operates approximatively 2,700 armoured fighting vehicles including the LAV-III and the Leopard 2.[15] The Army also operates approximatively 150 field artillery pieces including the M777 howitzer and the LG1 Mark II.[16]

Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle from the 12e Régiment blindé du Canada

In the near future between 2011 to 2017 (see also the list of Future Canadian Forces projects), the Army will receive a new family of combat vehicles including 138 close combat vehicles meant to accompany the main battle tank into combat and to increase combat capabilities of Army. Army will also receive a new family of tactical armoured patrol vehicles which will eventually replace the RG-31 Nyala and Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle. The dismounted soldiers will be equipped with the long-awaited Integrated Soldier System designed to improve command execution, target acquisition and situational awareness. Army will receive a new family of engineering vehicles especially designed to clear pathways for troops and other vehicles through minefields and along roadside bombs and improvised explosive devices. This new family of vehicles will eventually replace the aging fleet of AEV Badger, ARV Taurus and AVLB Beaver.

Army infantry uses the C7 Rifle or C8 Carbine as the basic assault rifle, with grenadiers using the C7 with an attached M203 grenade launcher, and the C9 squad automatic weapon. Newer variants of the C7/C8 family have since been integrated into common use throughout the Canadian Forces. The C7 has most recently been updated in the form the C7A2. The major internal components remain the same, however, several changes have been made to increase versatility of the rifle. Changes include adding a TRI-Ad rail mount system to the front iron sight which allows accessories such as laser designators and tac lights to be added. Also, the fire control selector lever has been made ambidextrous in addition to the cocking lever. A much needed 4-position telescopic butt-stock has been added to better accommodate different sized shooters. But, perhaps most obviously the rifle has undergone some aesthetic changes, moving away from the traditional all black rifle to one with olive green in the hand guards, pistol grip and sight cover.[17]

[edit] Uniforms, load bearing and protective equipment

Main articles: Uniforms of the Canadian Forces and Battledress

Canada's battledress developed parallel to that of the British from 1900 to 1968, though always with significant differences, and then increasingly followed the US pattern of separate uniforms for separate functions, becoming distinctively "Canadian" in the process and utilizing CADPAT design. Prior to unification in 1968, the uniforms of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) were similar to their counterparts in the forces of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries, save for national identifiers and some regimental accoutrements. With unification in 1968 all branches started wearing the new rifle green uniform. The present distinctive environmental uniforms in different colours for the navy, army and air force were introduced in the late 1980s and are generally similar to their pre-1968 counterparts.

Soldiers from the Royal Canadian Regiment

[edit] Meals

Field kitchens and catering are used to feed members of the Canadian Army personnel at bases and overseas operation centres. For personnel on patrol away from bases, they are supplied Individual Meal Pack.The IMP (Individual Meal Pack) is used by the Canadian Forces and Canadian cadets. Other types of rations are used by the Canadian Forces, notably fresh rations, or cooked meals provided directly from the kitchen or by haybox. There are also patrol packs, which are small high-protein snack-type foods (such as beef jerky or shredded cheese) and boxed lunches (consisting of assorted sandwiches, juice, fruit, pasta and a dessert) provided for soldiers to consume in situations in which meal preparation is not possible.

[edit] Rank structure

Main article: Canadian Forces ranks and insignia

Comparison of ranking structure available at Ranks and insignia of NATO. Not shown are the various appointment badges for specialist positions such as master gunner, drum major, etc. Many ranks are associated with specific appointments; for example a regimental sergeant major is usually a chief warrant officer. The title of master corporal also, technically, refers to an appointment and not a rank. Some ranks may have different names depending on the customary tradition of certain army corps, and may not appear here. Two commonly heard examples are the rank of Sapper, referring to a trained private in the combat engineers, and Trooper, referring to a trained private in the armoured trade. In addition, in the artillery, the ranks Trained Private through Master Corporal are represented by Gunner, Bombardier, and Master Bombardier respectively.

[edit] Insignia

Commander-in-Chief

Commander-in-Chief
GG(Army).PNG
Officers
NATO Code OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1 OF(D) Student Officer
Canada Canada No Equivalent General Lieutenant General Major General Brigadier General Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second Lieutenant No Equivalent Officer Cadet
Général Lieutenant-général Major-général Brigadier-général Colonel Lieutenant-colonel Major Capitaine Lieutenant Sous-lieutenant Élève-Officier
CDN-Army-Gen-Shoulder.svg CDN-Army-LGen-Shoulder.svg CDN-Army-MGen-Shoulder.svg CDN-Army-BGen-Shoulder.svg CDN-Army-Col.svg CDN-Army-LCol.svg CDN-Army-Maj.svg CDN-Army-Capt.svg CDN-Army-Lt.svg CDN-Army-2Lt.svg CDN-Army-OCdt.svg
Non-Commissioned
NATO Code OR-9 OR-8 OR-7 OR-6 OR-5 OR-4 OR-3 OR-2 OR-1
Canada Canada Army sleeve CWO.png CDN-Army-MWO.svg CDN-Army-WO.svg CDN-Army-Sgt.svg CDN-Army-MCpl.svg CDN-Army-Cpl.svg CDN-Army-Pte.svg CDN-Army-Pte (Basic).svg
Chief
Warrant
Officer		 Master
Warrant
Officer		 Warrant
Officer		 Sergeant Master
Corporal		 Corporal Private Private
Recruit
Adjudant-
chef		 Adjudant-
maître		 Adjudant Sergent Caporal-
chef		 Caporal Soldat Soldat
Recrue

[edit] Battles involving the Canadian Army

See also: Category:Battles involving Canada

The Canadian Army has participated in the following campaigns as a combatant:

Second Boer War First World War Second World War Korean War Afghanistan

Note: The Canadian army was involved in the battle of the Medak Pocket, but actual type of involvement is under dispute

[edit] Publications

[edit] See also

Portal icon Canadian Armed Forces portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c "About the Army". Department of National Defence. http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/land-terre/ata-asl/index-eng.asp. Retrieved 31 August 2010. 
  2. ^ "Navy and air force to be royal once again". CBC News. 16 August 2011. http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/08/15/pol-canadian-forces-names.html?ref=rss. 
  3. ^ Department of National Defence, 2011. Leader in Land Operations: LFDTS Land Force Doctrine and Training System
  4. ^ Dr. Wilf Lund (n.d.) Integration and Unification of the Canadian Forces, CFB Esquimalt Naval & Military Museum, www.navalandmilitarymuseum.org
  5. ^ Major Andrew B. Godefroy CD PhD (2007) Chasing the Silver Bullet: the Evolution of Capability Development in the Canadian Army, Canadian Military Journal, vol 8, no 1, pg 59.]
  6. ^ CF Military Personnel Instructions 09/05
  7. ^ CFAO 9-13—University Training Plan—Non-Commissioned Members
  8. ^ CFAO 11-9—Commissioning From The Ranks Plan
  9. ^ CFAO 11-14—Special Requirements Commissioning Plan
  10. ^ The Canadian Officer Selection System Retrieved 17 August 2011
  11. ^ Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003/AF-002—Part Two: Infantry Regiments
  12. ^ Canadian Forces Publication A-DH-267-003/AF-001—Part One: Armour, Artillery and Field Engineer Regiments
  13. ^ 39 Canadian Brigade Group - The Army Reserve in British Columbia, published by the authority of the Brigade Commander, 39 Canadian Brigade Group, Vancouver, September 2011
  14. ^ Lance W. Roberts (2005) 9.3 Military Forces, Recent social trends in Canada, 1960-2000, McGill-Queen's University Press, pp.372-376.
  15. ^ Equipment: Vehicles, www.army.forces.gc.ca
  16. ^ Equipment: Weapons, www.army.forces.gc.ca
  17. ^ "Canadian Forces Assault Rifle". 2008. http://www.canadianforcesmilitary.com/c7a1_assault_rifle.html. 

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Canadian Forces Army
Maple Leaf (from roundel).svg Canadian Army Canadian Army Flag.svg
History
Structure
Canadian Mechanized Brigade Groups
Canadian Brigade Groups
31 CBG · 32 CBG · 33 CBG · 34 CBG · 35 CBG · 36 CBG · 37 CBG · 38 CBG · 39 CBG · 41 CBG
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